College of Arts and Sciences

About the College

The College of Arts and Sciences—the central academic division of the university since its founding in 1876—enrolls a majority of UO students and provides a nucleus of courses for liberal arts, professional, and preprofessional programs. The college offers courses that satisfy general-education requirements and more advanced courses for liberal arts majors and graduate students in specialized fields.

The fundamental academic mission of the college is to foster a solid and broad general education; an understanding of social and intellectual history; quantitative, analytic, and communication skills; an appreciation of literary and artistic expression; and habits of creative and critical thinking. This strong liberal arts core is essential to the strength and excellence of the University of Oregon.

Liberal Education

The ability to read, write, and think critically and creatively is fundamentally important for those who must adapt to, orchestrate, and derive benefit from the inevitable changes in our society. People whose intellectual development has been fostered by broad exposure to the humanities and social sciences make productive employees, thoughtful citizens, and competent leaders.

Indeed, while surveys of liberal arts and sciences graduates show that their initial salaries may be lower than those of graduates from professional schools, in as little as four to five years the liberal arts and sciences graduate often fares better, not worse, than graduates from more vocationally oriented fields.

The current pace of technological, economic, political, and social change makes a broad educational base ever more important. The Chronicle of Higher Education noted a “growing recognition that a solid foundation of liberal learning . . . is an essential part of all undergraduate education.” Even students who plan to move into specialized postgraduate careers need to develop fundamental tools offered in a general-education program. These tools are essential to a lifetime of work and growth, in which the demands of specific jobs require constant education in new or changing fields.

Academic Programs

The College of Arts and Sciences offers numerous disciplinary and interdisciplinary degree programs and majors, a varied selection of minors, and several certificates. These are described in detail in the pages that follow. As part of the requirements for graduation from the University of Oregon, every student undertakes in-depth study in an area of specialization that is the student’s major. Many students find it advantageous to complete a minor or certificate in an area of specialization that complements the major. Some minor programs offer a student whose major is in the College of Arts and Sciences the chance to gain expertise in subjects offered by a professional school.

Preparatory Programs. The college has preparatory programs for professional specializations. Information about these programs—those offered by the College of Arts and Sciences and those offered elsewhere in the university—is in the Academic Resources section of this catalog.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities. Undergraduate students are encouraged to participate in faculty research projects. Arrangements must be made with the individual faculty member and the department.

Advising

Students who have declared a major, or who are premajors in a particular field, plan their programs with advisers in their major departments. Majors should be chosen by the middle of the sophomore year. Many entering freshmen—and some students at more advanced stages—have not decided on a major or even the general direction of their academic work. These undeclared students are assigned academic advisers by the director of college advising and the Office of Academic Advising, who then direct them to special advisers from various departments in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Preparation for Kindergarten through Secondary School Teaching Careers

Students who complete a degree in a College of Arts and Sciences department are eligible to apply to the College of Education’s fifth-year licensure programs in middle-secondary and elementary teaching. More information is available in the College of Education section of this catalog or from College of Arts and Sciences education advisers, who are listed under their home ­departments.

Professional Distinctions Program

Students in the Professional Distinctions Program add to their degree a set of skills and knowledge that complements the major in a professionally distinctive way. Participants develop a professional demeanor in career workshops, apply what they have learned in the classroom to internships and other participatory learning experiences, and profile and present their knowledge and accomplishments for prospective employers in electronic résumés.

Admission. To be admitted to the program, a student must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 and 60 credits of completed course work. Applicants must develop and propose a plan for earning a professional distinction. Assistance with the application is available by e-mailing a request to uodistinctions@cas.uoregon.edu.

Preadmission Planning. Prior to the completion of 60 credits and formal admission, students may begin planning for a professional distinction and propose a preliminary plan to integrate general-education, major, and professional distinction requirements.

Required Elements

1. Program Proposal. Each student creates content and coherence for an individualized program in a proposal, written interactively online at the program’s website

2. Area of Concentration. A focused set of academic skills achieved through 16 credits of course work or completion of a minor or second major

3. Internship. Participants complete a 4-credit internship or participatory learning experience

4. Career Success Seminars. Students hone their skills in these workshops led by local employers and staff members of the UO Career Center

5. UO Professional Résumé. Each student presents his or her abilities to prospective employers in a professional résumé

Recognition. Upon completion of program requirements, the student receives a professional distinction certificate, signed by the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Honors Program

Society of College Scholars

Through the Society of College Scholars, high-achieving and motivated students can enrich a conventional undergraduate degree program with intensive interaction with some of the college’s finest faculty members, unique course offerings and specialized research, and related learning opportunities. The society attracts and challenges academically strong and gifted students, and it fosters excellence by enhancing the core elements of a liberal arts ­education: critical reasoning; curiosity; written and oral communication; literary and artistic expression; ethical and moral judgment; and philosophical, historical, scientific, and other forms of inquiry.

Admission. A student is eligible to apply to the program if he or she enters the university with the criteria in place for receiving a Dean’s Scholarship: a high school GPA of 3.75 or better or its equivalent for a transfer student. A student may apply for admission any time before spring term of the sophomore year. Students who enter later in their university careers develop with the director a written plan for completing the required elements of the program.

Required Elements

• College Scholars Colloquium. Entering freshman college scholars are introduced to the nature of academic inquiry, interact with distinguished faculty members, and are closely guided in planning a course of study. Participants earn 1 credit in each of three terms.

• General-Education Courses. College scholars have the opportunity to enroll in special courses that satisfy UO general-education requirements needed for graduation. These limited-enrollment courses are taught by esteemed members of the research faculty. Participants must complete three of these special general-education courses in order to receive a certificate of completion.

• College Scholars Circle. Sophomore-level college scholars take one or more discussion-oriented research seminars in a yearlong series led by a prominent faculty member. Participants earn 1 credit in each of three terms.

• Academic Plan. College scholars develop an academic plan in consultation with a faculty adviser. While the academic plan can be readily changed, the process of developing and maintaining a plan that articulates student goals is important for ensuring academic success.

• Department Honors. College scholars participate in a departmental honors program, which typically includes completion of a research project or other capstone project.

Recommended Elements

• Professional Distinctions Program. College scholars are encouraged to participate in the Professional Distinctions Program, which enhances the liberal arts degree with skills and abilities of particular value when the new graduate enters the employment setting.

• Honors Residence Hall. College scholars may choose to live in the Honors Residence Hall, which has an atmosphere that encourages intellectual and personal growth; resident assistants in the honors hall are drawn from the College Scholars Society and other honors programs.

Recognition. Upon graduation, each college scholar receives a letter from the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences that highlights individual achievements along with a formal certificate of completion.

Other Options for Honors

There are several other ways to pursue an honors degree at the University of Oregon, which are described in the Honors at Oregon section of this catalog. Consult individual program listings for specific requirements for honors in specific majors.

Arts and Sciences Courses (CAS)

110 Humanities College Scholars Colloquium (1R) Introduces fields in the humanities to freshman honors students. Faculty members discuss their research, the nature of their fields, and career opportunities. Pre- or coreq: acceptance into the Society of College Scholars program. R twice for a maximum of 3 credits.

120 Science College Scholars Colloquium (1R) Introduces fields in the sciences to freshman honors students. Faculty members discuss their research, the nature of their fields, and career opportunities. Pre- or coreq: acceptance into the Society of College Scholars program. R twice for a maximum of 3 credits.

130 Social Science College Scholars Colloquium (1R) Introduces fields in the social sciences to freshman honors students. Faculty members discuss their research, the nature of their fields, and career opportunities. Pre- or coreq: acceptance into the Society of College Scholars program. R twice for a maximum of 3 credits.

210 Humanities College Scholars Circle (1R) Lecture and discussion on conducting student research in the humanities. Students present research based on academic course work. Invited faculty members model effective presentations and interaction. R twice for a maximum of 3 credits.

220 Science College Scholars Circle (1R) Lecture and discussion on conducting student research in the sciences. Students present research based on academic course work. Invited faculty members model effective presentations and interaction. R twice for a maximum of 3 credits.

230 Social Science College Scholars Circle (1R) Lecture and discussion on conducting student research in the social sciences. Students present research based on academic course work. Invited faculty members model effective presentations and interaction. R twice for a maximum of 3 credits.

399 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

401 Research: [Topic] (1–12R)

404 Internship: [Topic] (1–12R)

409 Practicum: [Topic] (1–12R)

Arabic Courses (ARB)

101, 102, 103 First-Year Arabic (5,5,5) Introduction to Arabic with emphasis on speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension. Sequence.

201, 202, 203 Second-Year Arabic (5,5,5) Development of Arabic speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension; study of short literary and cultural materials. Sequence. Prereq for 201: ARB 103 or equivalent.