2020-21 Academic Catalog

College of Arts & Sciences

This is an archived copy of the 2020-21 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.msstate.edu.

RICK TRAVIS, Dean
Tommy Anderson,  Associate Dean

Tracy Britt, Emily Cain, and Kasondra Harris, Academic Coordinators
Email: tbritt@deanas.msstate.edu, ecain@comm.msstate.edukharris@deanas.msstate.edu
Office: 208 Allen Hall; Telephone: (662) 325-2646
Mailing Address: Box AS, Mississippi State, MS 39762

General Information

The College of Arts & Sciences provides the fundamental training needed by all persons who wish to become college graduates. Students in all undergraduate schools and colleges in the University take more than half their courses during the first two years in the College of Arts & Sciences. In addition, the College provides pre-professional curricula for students who take their professional training elsewhere. Thus, pre-medical, pre-dental, pre-pharmacy, pre-law, pre-ministerial, pre-optometry, medical records administration, pre-nursing, and physical therapy training are available within the College of Arts & Sciences.

Majors are offered in the following: anthropology, biological sciences, chemistry, communication, criminology, economics, English, foreign languages, general liberal arts, general science, geoscience, history, interdisciplinary studies, international business, mathematics, medical technology, microbiology, music, physics, political science, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and social work.

Students who are undecided about a specific curriculum should select the Undeclared category. Advisors are available to assist these students in developing their educational and career goals. A student is permitted to delay a decision as to a field of concentration for one year.

Minors are available in the following: aerospace studies, African American studies, anthropology, biological sciences, chemistry, communication, English, foreign languages, geography, geology, geoscience, history, linguistics, mathematics, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, religion, sociology and statistics.

In addition to these majors and minors, courses are offered in Air Force ROTC, archaeology, Army ROTC, corrections, gerontology, and gender studies. Information concerning these offerings can be found in this section of the catalog.

Mission

The educational mission of the College of Arts & Sciences is two-fold: to provide students with a liberal education which will facilitate intellectual development and stimulate a life-long pursuit of knowledge, and to give students an in-depth education in at least one specialized area necessary to prepare them for a career or for advanced study.

The College offers curricula in the fine arts, the humanities, the sciences and the social sciences. These curricula are designed to introduce students to the basic methods of inquiry in diverse disciplines, to develop their analytical abilities, to improve their skills in writing and speaking, and to broaden their perspectives on humanity and culture in the natural and technological worlds. Additionally, they provide intensive preparation in one or more academic disciplines.

A liberal education attained in this context should ensure that graduates of the College have gained an understanding and appreciation of human culture. They should have examined the social, historical, political, philosophical and economic dimensions of the human condition and mankind’s perception of the world as it is expressed through the fine arts, language, and literature. They should have learned the use of quantitative and scientific methods and should have participated in the universal quest to comprehend natural phenomena and to utilize this knowledge beneficially and ethically.

Advising

The student is assigned an advisor as soon as he or she enters the College of Arts & Sciences and should maintain contact with that advisor throughout the university affiliation. The advisor will assist the student in developing a course of study and will serve as a resource person to deal with academic problems and student needs.

Degrees

The College of Arts & Sciences offers three degrees: the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Social Work, and the Bachelor of Science. All B.A., B.S., and B.S.W. students take a common set of requirements consisting of 25-29 semester credit hours in basic skills, 9-10 semester credit hours in natural sciences, 6 semester credit hours each in humanities and social sciences, and 3 semester credit hours in fine arts, computer literacy, and a junior/senior level writing course. The B.A. and B.S.W. curriculum requires 12 additional semester credit hours each in humanities and social sciences. The requirements for all three degrees as well as the curricula for specific areas of study are described below. Details for B.S.W. degree requirements are listed under Social Work.

In order to qualify for a second bachelor’s degree at Mississippi State University, the candidate must meet the following requirements:

  1. The student must satisfy all course requirements for the degree sought; and
  2. The student must satisfy residency requirements at Mississippi State University after the first degree has been conferred (30 hours upper division work).
     

The major department from which the second degree is sought shall determine completion of requirements.

College Requirements for All A&S Degrees

The College of Arts & Sciences has identified graduation requirements which must be satisfied by all students pursuing degrees conferred by the College. Furthermore, these requirements (listed immediately below) must be satisfied from a list of courses approved by the College. These approved courses are taken from a longer list of courses satisfying general education requirements which can be found in the Academic Policies section of this Bulletin. However, majors in the College of Arts & Sciences must be aware that there are numerous courses on the General Education list which are not on the College approved list. Copies of the College courses approved list are available both from the Dean’s Office and from advisors.

Bachelor of Arts Degrees and Requirements

A Bachelor of Arts degree is offered in the following areas: anthropology, chemistry, communication, criminology, economics, English, foreign languages, general liberal arts, history, mathematics, music, philosophy, political science, and sociology. A minimum of 120-124 credit hours is required in all B.A. programs, 31 of which must be upper-division (3000-level or higher) courses in residence at Mississippi State University through Arts & Sciences. The Bachelor of Social Work is offered in Social Work and follows the same basic regulations as the B.A. degree except that courses must be taken in proper sequence and a minimum of 124 hours is required.

The liberal arts include certain basic academic disciplines that contribute to the development of intelligent, moral beings. Over the centuries various subjects have at one time or another been spoken of as “liberal arts,” but the objective of liberal-arts training has remained unchanged. Whether students major in liberal arts or whether they merely take a few basic courses in that field, the liberal arts will enable them to develop those fundamental habits of good citizenship and cultural awareness which are expected of all members of our society.

The curriculum in liberal arts at Mississippi State University is intended to provide:

  1. a broad educational experience in the liberal arts, regardless of professional objectives;
  2. adequate preparation for admission to professional schools and graduate schools in the liberal arts disciplines;
  3. specialized training of a professional or pre-professional nature, as offered by the several liberal-arts departments.

Bachelor of Science Degrees and Requirements

A Bachelor of Science degree is offered in the following areas: biological sciences, chemistry, general science, geoscience, mathematics, medical technology, microbiology, physics and psychology.

The Bachelor of Science degree is awarded:

  1. on the completion of not fewer than 124 semester credit hours of study including 31 upper-division Arts & Sciences approved credits and the common curricula for Arts & Sciences approved by the dean and an official advisor.
  2. on the transfer of satisfactory credits from other institutions, provided the candidate, during at least one academic year in actual residence, receives 31 credits in upper-division courses in the College of Arts & Sciences.
     

Graduation Requirements in the College

Arts & Sciences majors are responsible both for knowing the graduation requirements associated with their degree program and for keeping track of their own progress toward graduation. Departmental advisors are available to offer students informed answers to their questions and, during registration, to review and approve their course schedules. In addition to the graduation requirements outlined above, students pursuing majors in the College of Arts & Sciences need to be aware of a number of special requirements having to do with graduation.

  1. 75-hour check sheets: Students who have completed 75 or more semester hours (including ‘S’ hours) must meet with their advisors and complete a 75-hour check sheet or they will be unable to register for courses. A completed 75-hour check sheet allows a student to determine which graduation requirements are not completed at the time the check sheet is filled out; this then allows the student to identify those remaining courses he/she still needs to pass in order to graduate. A 75-hour check sheet cannot be completed until all transfer course work and/or independent study is on record with the Office of the Registrar.
  2. Off Campus Study: Arts & Sciences majors are expected to take courses on the Mississippi State University campus when possible. If the desired courses are not offered, or if special circumstances exist, students may receive permission from the Dean to take courses off campus.
  3. CLEP Credit: The College does not allow graduation requirements in English Composition, Literature, or Public Speaking to be satisfied by the awarding of CLEP credit.
  4. PE: Only two 1-hour PE courses may be used toward graduation requirements.
     

English and Foreign Languages Requirements

The English and foreign language requirements apply to all Arts & Sciences students. Since departments have the authority to require specific foreign languages for their majors, students must become familiar with the language required by their individual major. The foreign language requirement is ordinarily satisfied:

The B.A. degree requires a 3rd semester proficiency in a foreign language. Students may fulfill the requirement through placement tests administered by the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literature or by passing nine hours of a foreign language. One year of a foreign language taken at the high school level allows a student to bypass one semester of foreign language. Students are encouraged to take the foreign language placement test before enrolling in a foreign language course.

The B.S. degree requires a 2nd semester proficiency in a foreign language. Students may fulfill the requirement through placement tests administered by the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literature or by passing six hours of a foreign language.

Students For Whom English is a Second Language. Students for whom English is a second language must fulfill the English and foreign language requirements as stated in this bulletin. Most majors allow these students to use their native languages to fulfill the foreign language requirement. But students planning to use their native languages in order to satisfy the foreign language requirement are urged to check with their major department to determine if that language is acceptable to the department. The following conditions must be met for students using a native language:

  1. the language is a recognized mode of communication in conducting official business in a given country and taught in the primary and secondary schools of the country (regional languages and dialects do not qualify as official languages);
  2. the Department of CMLL has the expertise to administer a test in the language, or, where such expertise is not available, the student takes the initiative to take a test in the language from those administered through the National Testing Service, or by another certifiable agency;
  3. the language meets specific departmental requirements.
     

In English, a maximum of 12 semester hours total of English as a Second Language (ESL) and freshman composition courses (including the required EN 1103 and EN 1113 may be counted for graduation. Proper placement of international students from ESL courses into English composition courses is important to students’ academic success.

Pre-Professional Curricula

The College offers appropriate curricula for students who plan to enter schools of dentistry, law, medicine, theology, nursing, optometry, pharmacy, and physical therapy. These are described with the departmental entries in the following pages.

Arts & Sciences Core

In order to satisfy College graduation requirements, students seeking B.A., B.S., or B.S.W. degrees must take the number of courses indicated in each of the areas below. By satisfying these College requirements, students will also satisfy all analogous General Education requirements.

B.A. and B.S.W. students must complete 12 hours in Humanities and 12 hours in Social Sciences in addition to the two courses in the Humanities and Social Sciences required of all majors. Hence, a student must complete a total of 18 hours in the Humanities (EN, HI, PHI, REL), AND 18 hours in the Social Sciences (AN, GR, PS, PSY, SO).

These additional 24 hours are not limited to the courses listed below; they may be satisfied by others in EN, HI, PHI, and REL or in AN, EC, GR, PS, PSY, SO as long as they satisfy the distribution requirements for the major.

While all of the courses below satisfy college-wide requirements, individual departments may require that particular courses in each area be taken to satisfy requirements for their majors.

NOTE: Courses separated by “OR” cannot be taken in combination. Students will not receive credit in Arts & Sciences for two courses which are separated by “OR.”

Also, Honors classes satisfy requirements and students who qualify are encouraged to take the Honors sections.

Basic Skills
English Composition
EN 1103English Composition I3
or EN 1163 Accelerated Composition I
EN 1113English Composition II3
or EN 1173 Accelerated Composition II
Oral Communication Requirement 1
CO 1003Fundamentals of Public Speaking3
CO 1013Introduction to Communication3
Foreign Language
3 sem. for B.A.One Foreign Language (1113, 1123, 2133)
2 sem. for B.S.One Foreign Language (1113, 1123)
Fine Arts
Choose one of the following:3
African American Music
Architectural Appreciation
Art History I
Art History II
Art Appreciation
Introduction to the Theatre
Honors Seminar in Fine Arts
African American Music
History and Appreciation of Music
History and Appreciation of American Music
The History of Rock and Roll
Survey of Western Music History II
History and Appreciation of Dance
Humanities (EN, FL, HI, REL, PHI)
B.S. degreeRequires one EN and one HI from the core listing.
B.A. and B.S.W.Require one EN, one HI, and one PHI course plus 3 other humanities (not necessarily on the following list). These three courses should cover at least two areas.)
AAS 1063Introduction to African American Studies3
AAS 2363Introduction to African American Literature3
AAS 3013African American History to 18653
AAS 3023African American History since 18653
EN 2203Introduction to Literature (Not applicable if Honors sections are taken)3
EN 2213English Literature Before 18003
EN 2223English Literature After 18003
EN 2243American Literature Before 18653
EN 2253American Literature After 18653
EN 2273World Literature Before 16003
EN 2283World Literature After 16003
FLF 405319th Century Studies: Baudelaire Seminar3
FLF 4173Introduction to Francophone Cinema3
FLF 419318th Century French Literature3
FLF 4223French Novel Before 19453
FLF 4233Modern French Poetry3
FLF 4273The Human Condition3
FLF 4323Studies in the 20th Century: Le Clezio Seminar3
FLG 4143Verwandlungen3
FLG 4303German Film3
FLG 4353German Novella3
FLG 4493Mysteries in Literature and Film3
FLG 4503German Literature to 17503
FLG 4523German Literature from 1750 to Present3
FLS 4213Modern Spanish Women Writers3
FLS 4243Modern Spanish Essay3
FLS 4273Modern Spanish Drama3
FLS 4293Cinema and Spanish Culture3
FLS 4543Survey of Modern Spanish-American Literature3
FLS 4573Contemporary Spanish-American Drama3
FLS 4613Latin American Cinema3
FLS 4853Survey of Spanish-American Poetry3
HI 1003History of Science in Six Ideas3
HI 1013History of Technology in Six Objects3
HI 1063Early U.S. History3
HI 1073Modern U.S. History3
HI 1163World History Before 15003
HI 1173World History Since 15003
HI 1213Early Western World3
HI 1223Modern Western World3
HI 1313East Asian Civilizations to 13003
HI 1323East Asian Civilizations since 13003
HI 3013African American History to 18653
HI 3023African American History since 18653
HON 1163The Quest Begins3
HON 3183Honors Seminar in the Humanities3
B.A. and B.S.W. majors must take at least 1 PHI course.
PHI 1103Introduction to Philosophy3
PHI 1113Introduction to Logic3
PHI 1123Introduction to Ethics3
PHI 3023History of Western Philosophy I3
PHI 3033History of Western Philosophy II3
PHI 3153Aesthetics3
REL 1103Introduction to Religion3
REL 3213World Religions I3
REL 3223World Religions II3
Social and Behavioral Sciences
B.S.Two courses in different disciplines from this list
B.A. and B.S.W.Courses spread over at least four disciplines, max of two in each discipline. Of the six, only two are required to be from this list. Only one of the CO and one of the EC courses listed may count. PS 1182 and PS 1192 may not be used.
AN 1103Introduction to Anthropology3
AN 1143Introduction to Cultural Anthropology3
AN 1543Introduction to Archaeology3
AN 2403Introduction to the Study of Language3
CO 1223Introduction to Communication Theory3
CO 1403Introduction to the Mass Media3
EC 1033Economics of Social Issues3
EC 2113Principles of Macroeconomics3
EC 2123Principles of Microeconomics3
EN 2403Introduction to the Study of Language3
GR 1123Introduction to World Geography3
GR 2013Human Geography3
HON 1173The West and the Wider World3
HON 3143Honors Seminar in Social Science3
PS 1113American Government3
PS 1313Introduction to International Relations3
PS 1513Comparative Government3
PSY 1013General Psychology3
PSY 3073Psychology of Interpersonal Relations3
SO 1003Introduction to Sociology3
SO 1103Contemporary Social Problems3
SO 1203Sociology of Families3
Computer Literacy
One 2-3 hour course required. Consult advisor.2-3
Mathematics & Statistics 2
MA 1313College Algebra3
MA 1323Trigonometry3
MA 1613Calculus for Business and Life Sciences I3
MA 1713Calculus I3
MA 1723Calculus II3
MA 2733Calculus III3
MA 2743Calculus IV3
MA /ST 2113Introduction to Statistics3
MA /ST 3123Introduction to Statistical Inference3
Natural Sciences 3
AN 1344Introduction to Biological Anthropology4
BIO 1004Anatomy and Physiology4
BIO 1023Plants and Humans3
BIO 1123Animal Biology3
BIO 1134Biology I4
BIO 1144Biology II4
BIO 2113Plant Biology3
BIO 3103Genetics I3
BIO 3304General Microbiology4
CH 1043Survey of Chemistry I3
or CH 1213 Chemistry I
CH 1053Survey of Chemistry II3
or CH 1223 Chemistry II
CH 1051Experimental Chemistry1
CH 1211Investigations in Chemistry I1
CH 1221Investigations in Chemistry II1
GG 1111Earth Sciences I Laboratory1
GG 1113Survey of Earth Sciences I3
GG 1121Earth Sciences II Laboratory1
GG 1123Survey of Earth Sciences II3
GR 1114Elements of Physical Geography4
GR 1604Weather and Climate4
HON 3163Honors Seminar in Natural Sciences3
PH 1011Physical Science Laboratory I1
PH 1063Descriptive Astronomy3
PH 1021Physical Science Laboratory 21
PH 1013Physical Science Survey I3
PH 1023Physical Science Survey 23
PH 1113General Physics I3
PH 2213Physics I3
PH 1123General Physics II3
PH 2223Physics II3
PH 1133General Physics III3
PH 2233Physics III3
Junior/Senior Writing
Consult advisor for selections.3
 

Minor in International Studies

The Minor in International Studies is designed to enhance students’ understanding of the global environment in which they are living. Students completing this program will develop some proficiency in a foreign language, have experience living in another country, and have some general background of different cultures and societies. The Introduction to International Relations course serves as a broad introduction to the political, military, economic, and cultural interaction of state and on-state actors at the global level. The Principles of Macroeconomics course provides students with the background needed to build a deeper understanding of common issues of trade and development encountered in International Studies. The two upper division courses serve as capstones to bring the ideas of students in the program together from the perspective of their selected approaches -- formalized as Tracks -- to the minor. A total of 21 approved hours must be completed in this minor. 

Course Options:

Required Minor Courses
PS 1313Introduction to International Relations3
EC 2113Principles of Macroeconomics3
Approved Study Abroad3
Elective Course with International focus6
Choose a Track:
Diplomacy and Governance (DG) Track6
International Conflict and Security
Foreign Languages Upper Level Course
Cultures and Traditions (CT) Track6
Politics of the Third World
Foreign Languages Upper Level Course
National Security (NS) Track6
International Conflict and Security
Introduction to Statistical Inference
Total Hours21

For additional information, contact the Office of Study Abroad or visit the web site at international.msstate.edu/current/minor/index.php.

Minor in Organizational Leader Development

Organizational Leader Development is an academic discipline with applicability to all Mississippi State University students. The Organizational Leader Development minor can be applied in military, government, and business. The program provides a curriculum that develops students into agile leaders who can think creatively and critically, enabling them to lead and solve complex organizational matters. Students will also be able to develop others in their organization, producing a more effective environment. This is achieved through classroom training, leadership labs, and comprehensive summer training*.

*Summer training is only for contracted cadets and will not prevent general students from obtaining the organizational skills minor. 

Course Options:

MS 2113Advanced Leadership3
MS 2123Tactics and Officership3
MS 3113Advanced Military Skills I3
MS 3123Advanced Military Skills II3
MS 4114Leadership Challenges and Goal-Setting4
MS 4124Transition to Lieutenant4
Total Hours Required20
MS 3376Advanced Leadership Course (summer training)6

Medical Humanities Certificate

The Medical Humanities Certificate is designed to provide students with an interdisciplinary perspective on biomedicine, health, and the health professions. The program requires 15 credit hours (5 courses) spanning the Arts & Sciences curriculum, which will introduce students to critical humanities and social science perspectives on medicine and healthcare. Students who earn the Medical Humanities Certificate will have acquired a proficiency in critical, interdisciplinary studies of health and medicine. 

The Medical Humanities Certificate is open to undergraduate students in good standing who are currently enrolled at the university in any major. The certificate program requires a minimum of 15 semester hours with a grade of C or above in each course. 

Required Courses
HI 4883U.S. History of Medicine3
PHI 3323Medical Ethics3
Electives9
Introduction to Biological Anthropology
Nutritional Anthropology
Special Topics in Anthropology
Medical Anthropology
Human Osteology
Plagues and People
Introduction to Forensic Anthropology
Human Variation and Origins
Special Topics in Anthropology
Health Communication
History of Science in Six Ideas
History of Gender and Science
Philosophy of Biology
Philosophy of Cognitive Science
Behavioral Modification
Health Psychology
Cognitive Neuroscience
History of Psychology
Biological Psychology
Judeo-Christian Ethics
Health and Society
Sociology of Death and Dying
Social Work with At-Risk Populations
Social Work with the Aged
Social Work in Health Care
*Other courses, including special topics courses (2990 and 4990) and graduate courses, will be considered for elective credit on a case-by-case basis.
Total Hours15