College of Arts and Sciences

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Dr. John D. Murray, Dean
Dr. Jerry Boyd, Associate Dean for Student Academic Affairs
Dr. Elizabeth Brown, Associate Dean of Curriculum and Budget
College Offices: Office of the Dean, Stalker Hall, room 200
Student Academic Affairs, Stalker Hall, room 209

MISSION

The central mission of the College of Arts and Sciences is to provide students with a nationally recognized, contemporary education in the liberal arts and sciences. The college fosters an environment that advances innovative and integrative inquiry and engagement, builds on faculty expertise and institutional heritage, and involves students as collaborators in enhancing and developing the public good.

The College of Arts and Sciences effectively brings together the disciplines that form the foundation of human knowledge. Studying the liberal arts and sciences teaches students important skills for participating fully in democratic citizenship: to find and analyze information, to form independent judgments through reasoning and moral reflection, to approach problem-solving ethically and creatively, to write and speak confidently, and to work and live with dignity and respect for humanity as part of diverse communities. Studying the liberal arts and sciences also provides students with a comprehensive knowledge base to draw upon in their daily lives, and prepares students for any number of exciting careers. Today’s professionals change jobs and careers frequently, and a broad education makes such changes possible and successful.

The College of Arts and Sciences provides an excellent liberal arts and sciences education through a commitment to superior teaching and learning. This emphasis attracts approximately one-third of Indiana State University students who choose a major housed in the college. This group of students boasts the University’s highest test scores upon admission, as well as the University’s highest grade point average. The college also employs a talented faculty. As engaged teachers, faculty in the college emphasize the central role of questioning in the learning process, as well as offer innovative courses and diverse teaching methods. They also stay active in their fields by writing scholarly articles and books, creating works of art, running laboratories, doing field research, and performing music and theater.

ADVISING AND SUPPORT SERVICES

Quality support services contribute to student success in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students in the college are assigned a faculty advisor to assist in their academic and career planning. In addition to one-on-one advising, students are given the opportunity to interact in small learning communities with their peers and one or more faculty members. This more intimate environment allows students to develop a deep and multifaceted knowledge of their field of study and how it relates to other disciplines, the community, and the world at large.

In conjunction with faculty advisors, the college also provides ongoing advising through the Preprofessional Programs Office to those students interested in pursuing professional careers in medicine, health professions, veterinary medicine, and law. Advising for students interested in pursuing careers in engineering is provided by the Department of Chemistry and Physics.

Other support services on hand for students include advising and information on study abroad opportunities, made available through the Study Abroad Office, and tutorial services through the Writing Center and Mathematics Center.

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COLLEGE

The College of Arts and Sciences has made a strong commitment to undergraduate research and creative activity. College faculty are dedicated to providing quality experiential learning opportunities to their students via course design, internships, practica, and service learning projects. Additionally, students are afforded opportunities to work alongside professors in the laboratory, studio, field, archives, and library. Also, many departments sponsor active student groups that establish close ties to professional organizations in their fields. Hands-on experience gained from such interaction enriches students’ educational experiences and better prepares them for their careers and to be more socially engaged citizens.

Along with the array of possibilities available through the college, students are encouraged to gain study abroad experience by spending a semester or more in one of over 80 countries that share academic programs with the University. Resources are also provided for many interdisciplinary programs that allow students to successfully integrate diverse disciplinary interests in a cohesive curriculum. It is the belief of the college that immersing students in other cultures and disciplines provides them with a deeper understanding of themselves and an appreciation of the diversity of other ways of life.

BACCALAUREATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

The College of Arts and Sciences offers five degrees: the bachelor of arts, the bachelor of science, the bachelor of fine arts, the bachelor of music, and the bachelor of music education. The bachelor of arts and the bachelor of science are the degrees earned by majors in the liberal arts and sciences. The bachelor of arts requires students to complete 12 credit hours in a single non-native language. Students who do not complete the requisite non-native language study are, with a few exceptions, awarded the bachelor of science degree. The bachelor of fine arts, the bachelor of music, and the bachelor of music education are specialized degrees that meet the requirements of professional accrediting agencies.

Indiana State University has a long history of educating future teachers, and the College of Arts and Sciences is proud to continue this tradition in partnership with the Bayh College of Education. Students who enter a secondary teaching program earn their degree from a department in the College of Arts and Sciences. In addition, they must also meet requirements for teacher licensure apart from their major area of study. Thus, upon admission to the Teacher Education Program (Becoming a Complete Professional), students enter into a joint relationship between the College of Arts and Sciences and the Bayh College of Education. A complete list of secondary teaching majors offered by the College of Arts and Sciences can be found in the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Media Technology section of this Catalog. All teaching majors are required to complete a professional education sequence of 32‑33 credits.

To uphold the college’s commitment to excellence, the faculty has established that all students earning a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must have a 2.2 grade point average for courses from the major or minor department. Students pursuing a teaching curriculum must have a 2.5 or higher cumulative grade point average, as well as a 2.5 or higher grade point average for the courses in the teaching areas (major, minor, primary, supporting) and in professional education.

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