College of Arts and Sciences

Academic Offerings
Faculty
Courses
About the College
Academic Departments
Undergraduate Studies
Undergraduate General Regulations

Advising and Career Services
Declaring Majors
University Requirement
Liberal Arts Core
Special Degree Offerings
Other Undergraduate Programs of the College

Behzad Mortazavi, Dean
203 Tolley Building
thecollege.syr.edu/

About the College

The College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) is Syracuse University’s first and largest college. As the home of the liberal arts, our internationally recognized programs provide the cornerstone of a Syracuse University education with 50+ majors in the natural sciences and mathematics, the humanities, and the social sciences (in partnership with the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs). Approximately one third of Syracuse’s student body is enrolled with A&S | Maxwell.

Many of our majors fall organically within A&S’ five Signature Subject areas, areas of deep and broad academic inquiry, scholarship and research:

intercultural competency and social justice;
medicine, health and wellness;
environment and sustainability;
origins of the universe and development of the Earth; and
communication and human expression.

Hallmarks of an A&S education include a keen focus on experiential learning, the cultivation of strong critical reasoning and communication skills, and an integrated advising model that links academic and career mentorship. A&S students and alumni go on to help create a world that is healthier, more hopeful and more humane.

A&S is a primary contributor to the University’s R1 (“Very High Research”) designation, and both undergraduates and graduates can participate in research across the disciplines. Students can also choose to complement their A&S coursework with offerings from the University’s other schools and colleges.

Additionally, A&S participates in the Shared Competencies, Syracuse University’s institutional learning goals that highlight the knowledge and skills students can expect to gain through their major courses, liberal arts requirements and co-curricular activities. Graduates leave to join a worldwide network of 70,000+ alumni, and many remain connected to A&S as advisory board members, immersion trip sponsors, student mentors, and financial supporters.

More Information:

On the Web:
The College of Arts and Sciences

Dean’s Office
203 Tolley Building
Phone: 315-443-3949
E-mail: casdean@syr.edu

Academic Departments

The College of Arts and Sciences is a place of discovery, creativity, and imagination that forms the core of a liberal arts education at Syracuse University. Through its three academic divisions–the Sciences and Mathematics, the Humanities, and the Social Sciences (offered in collaboration with Maxwell)–the College offers an eclectic array of traditional degree options as well as a number of interdisciplinary, dual, and combined-degree programs.

African American Studies
Anthropology
Art and Music Histories
Biology
Chemistry
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Earth & Environmental Sciences
Economics
English
Geography and the Environment
History
International Relations
Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Mathematics
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Psychology
Policy Studies
Religion
Science Teaching
Sociology
Women’s and Gender Studies
Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition

Undergraduate Studies

The College of Arts and Sciences offers undergraduate students an opportunity to explore major and minor programs in each of the academic divisions: Humanities, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Social Sciences. Undergraduate Social Sciences courses are taught by faculty who also hold appointments in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Interdisciplinary and Special Programs: The College offers a number of interdepartmental and interdivisional majors and minors.

For a list of the majors and minors offered, refer to Academic Offerings .

Undergraduate General Regulations

For academic rules and regulations applying to all University students, see Academic Rules above, which also contains special regulations that apply to Arts and Sciences students. The regulations below apply to all students matriculated in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Degrees

The College of Arts and Sciences is authorized by New York State to grant the bachelor of arts (B.A.) and the bachelor of science (B.S.) degrees. Students dually enrolled in two colleges at Syracuse University are granted the appropriate degree for the home college. For example, a student in Arts and Sciences and the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications might receive the B.A. in English/advertising, with Arts and Sciences as the home college. The degree(s) available for each program of study are indicated under Academic Offerings .

Minimum Requirements

A minimum of 120 credits of coursework is required for the B.A. or B.S. degree. For all students enrolling in the College of Arts and Sciences, 30 of the 120 credits must be taken in upper-division courses. Every major leading to the bachelor’s degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must include at least 18 credits of upper-division work (courses numbered 300 and above) in the field of study. Every B.S. degree program must include at least 30 credits of upper-division coursework in the field of study, or at least 6 credits more than the B.A. program in the same field (whichever is greater), in upper-division work in the field of study. Of the upper-division credits counted toward the completion of a major, at least 12 must be taken at Syracuse University. In order to be awarded a B.A. in a program, a student must earn at least 12 upper division credits uniquely counting toward the B.A. In order to be awarded a B.S. in a program, a student must earn at least 15 upper division credits uniquely counting toward the B.S. In the case of the Integrated Learning Majors, a student must earn at least 12 upper division credits uniquely counting towards the B.A. or B.S. In order to be awarded a minor in a program, a student must earn at least 6 upper division credits uniquely counting toward the minor. Students must earn the grade point average of at least 2.0 (C) in upper-division courses taken at Syracuse University and counted toward the completion of a major or minor. To be eligible for graduation, students must attain the minimum grade point average of 2.0 in courses taken at Syracuse University.

Ninety-Six Credit Rule

Except in the dual and some selected studies programs, it is required that all singly enrolled College of Arts and Sciences students earn at least 96 arts and sciences credits (earned in the College of Arts and Sciences or transferred from another institution and accepted as arts and sciences credit). Up to 24 credits toward the 120 required for graduation may be taken in other Syracuse University colleges or schools or accepted in transfer as non-arts and sciences credit from other accredited institutions. In dual programs, the college requires that at least 90 credits be earned in the College of Arts and Sciences (or transferred from another institution and accepted as arts and sciences credit). Up to 30 non-arts and sciences credits may count toward the degree. Combined degrees require 96 arts and sciences credits and a minimum of 150 credits. Under selected studies, programs leading to the B.A. degree must include at least 90 arts and science credits, and programs leading to the B.S. degree must include at least 75 arts and science credits. A maximum of 24 credits of the combination of independent study, experience credit or pass/fail coursework may be counted toward a degree in the college. Up to 4 credits in physical education (PED) courses numbered 100 to 299 may be included among the 24 non-Arts and Sciences credits counted toward a degree in the college for singly enrolled students.

Intra-University Transfer

The college will review applications for intra-university transfer on a continuing basis throughout the academic year. The application deadline for acceptance to Arts and Sciences and Maxwell is the course add deadline for the effective term which the student is seeking to IUT. Applicants who are making satisfactory progress and have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above will be admitted to the college. Students with a current cumulative GPA below 2.0 should submit a letter with the application, explaining the reason(s) for prior academic problems, why they believe they will be academically successful in the College of Arts and Sciences, and what major they are interested in pursuing. Students who will have junior standing when entering the College must include a plan of study form signed by their intended major department. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The Assistant Dean of Student Success will review applications. Students will be notified by e-mail prior to the start of the semester.

Advising and Career Services

On the Web:
Advising and Career Services
Health Professions Advising
Pre-Law Advising

Office:
342 Hall of Languages
Call: 315-443-3150
E-mail: casadvising@syr.edu

The College’s Advising and Career Services are designed to ensure academic success for students from the time they arrive on campus through graduation. Our professional staff members work as a team to help students make a successful transition to college, to explore their interests, to develop a plan for their academic career, and to successfully meet their academic and career goals. Specifically, our professional staff members help students:

Develop time management skills
Identify academic enrichment opportunities
Map strategies to improve academic performance
Understand the Liberal Arts Core
Select courses, majors, and minors
Maintain steady progress toward completing degrees
Plan for graduate school or entry into the job market

Additionally, staff members help students understand the purpose and benefits of a liberal arts education and how to effectively market a liberal arts degree to prospective employers.

Pre-professional advising services are designed for students interested in pursuing careers in the health and legal professions. Services include individual and small group, workshops designed to enable students to successfully prepare for, and transition to, post-baccalaureate degree programs in the health and legal professions. Pre-health and pre-law advising is available to all matriculated Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF undergraduate students and alumni.

Special Note: Medical schools require applicants to obtain either a Sponsorship or Credentials letter from their respective college’s pre-health advising program.

Office:
342 Hall of Languages
Phone: 315-443-3150
Fax: 315-443-9397
Email: casadvising@syr.edu

Declaring Majors

Each student in the College of Arts and Sciences must fulfill the requirements of at least one major. The majors available, including dual and combined degree programs, are described under individual headings under Academic Offerings and also on the College’s website. See below for rules governing the selection of a program.

Declaring a Major

Before or during the second semester of the sophomore year, each student in the College of Arts and Sciences selects a major in consultation with their academic advisor. The student applies to the department or committee administering major studies in that field for admission to the major.

The Declaration of Major Form is used for this purpose and is available online through Casadvising.syr.edu on the Academic Forms page. To declare a major officially, a student secures the signature of the appropriate department or committee chair, or program director, on this form and returns the form to the Advising and Career Services office. Students who fail to submit a completed Declaration of Major Form to the college Advising and Career Services office before earning 60 total credits will be declared ineligible to register for subsequent semesters.

At various times, students are asked to state on other routine forms, including the admissions application, what their major will be. Such declarations are informal expressions of interest and intent and are not binding, either on the part of the student or the department/program (or committee). Completion of such routine forms does not secure admission to any major program. Only submission of the Declaration of Major Form, with the appropriate signatures can accomplish that end.

Changing Majors

Students may change a major at any time before registration for the last full semester of study by submitting a new Declaration of Major Form with the approval of the new major department/program or committee.

Double Majors

Students may wish to declare, to fulfill the requirements for, and to graduate with two or more majors. To do so, they should indicate both majors and obtain the appropriate signatures on the Declaration of Major Form. The second major may be added no later than the registration period for the last full semester of study.

Special Degree Options and Combinations

Double Majors

Two majors may be pursued simultaneously in the College of Arts and Sciences/ Maxwell, or in the college and another school or college at the University. Students must fulfill all the requirements for both majors as well as all other degree requirements of The College. A single degree is conferred by the College. The two majors appear on the transcript. In order to be awarded a BA in a program, a student must earn at least 12 upper division credits uniquely counting toward the B.A. In order to be awarded a B.S. in a program, a student must earn at least 15 upper division credits uniquely counting toward the B.S. In the case of the Integrated Learning Majors, a student must earn at least 12 upper division credits uniquely counting towards the B.A. or B.S. Students singly enrolled in the College who have a second major in another school or college must still earn the minimum of 96 credits in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Please note: Arts and Sciences students may not declare the double major in any of the following areas: English education; science education; mathematics education; social studies education; Spanish education; advertising; broadcast journalism; graphic arts; magazine; newswriting; photography; public relations; television, radio, and film. These majors require dual enrollment.

University Requirement

First Year Seminar

Liberal Arts Core

The Liberal Arts Core requirements are a set of principles that flexibly guide students to select courses and serve to define the common structural core of a liberal arts education at Syracuse. They were devised and adopted by the faculty of the College. They assure that each student’s course of study includes the most important features of an education in the liberal arts. The fundamental parts to the Liberal Arts Core requirements are: I. Liberal Skills; II. Divisional Perspectives; III. Critical Reflections, and IV. IDEA Course Requirement .

I. Liberal Skills

The Liberal Skills Requirement asks each student to further develop fundamental intellectual skills of effective writing and gives the student a choice of whether to satisfy a requirement in second language skills or quantitative skills.

II. Divisional Perspective

A student must take four 3- or 4-credit courses in each of the three curricular divisions of the College of Arts and Sciences: the Humanities, the Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and the Social Sciences divisions.
In each division, two of the courses must constitute an approved sequence.
Of the twelve courses used to satisfy the Divisional Perspective Requirement, no more than three courses may be taken from a single department or program (even if the courses of the department or program are in more than one division), with the exception of 3-credit HNR courses offered by the Renée Crown Honors University Program. Any course cross-listed is considered to belong to each of the departments in the cross-listing. Therefore, it counts as one of the maximum of three allowed from a single department to fulfill the Divisional Perspective Requirement. Experience Credit and Independent Study credit cannot be used to satisfy the Divisional Perspective Requirement.
In each division, no more than one course may be selected from schools and colleges outside the College of Arts and Sciences.
In the Natural Sciences and Mathematics Division, at least one laboratory course must be included.

III. Critical Reflections Requirement

Students are required to take three courses from the list provided on the College of Arts and Sciences web site. These courses may be simultaneously used to partially satisfy other liberal arts core requirements or requirements for majors and minors.

Transfer credit is not accepted for Critical Reflections requirements except when defined in articulation agreements.

IV. IDEA Course Requirement

The IDEA course requirement provides undergraduate students the opportunity to explore concepts in social justice, broadly defined. The IDEA acronym encapsulates the core concepts of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility. These concepts are integral to models of social justice, and through their examination students can learn about important values, voices, and lives that have been marginalized and erased, along with strategies to create stronger and more just communities.

Students are required to take two courses from the list found here . These courses may be simultaneously used to partially satisfy other Liberal Arts Core requirements or requirements for majors and minors.

Transfer credit is not accepted for IDEA requirements.

Liberal Skills Requirement

Divisional Perspective Requirement

Critical Reflections Requirement

Critical Reflections on Ethical and Social Issues Requirement

IDEA Course Requirement

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility

Special Degree Offerings

For additional information on the following options, contact: Advising and Career Services Office:
342 Hall of Languages
Call: 315-443-3150
E-mail: casadvising@syr.edu

Options for Study in the College of Arts and Sciences

There are two general options for study leading to the B.A. or B.S. degree for undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences: the Standard Program and the Selected Studies Program.

The Standard Program involves the Liberal Arts Core, a major, electives and, perhaps, a minor or an additional major. The first two years are devoted largely to work that satisfies requirements of the Liberal Arts Core. Each student must have a primary major before they reach 60 credits.

The selected studies program offers the student an opportunity to develop a highly individualized curricular plan. This program, which can lead to the B.A. or the B.S. degree, is intended to meet individual needs. It provides considerable freedom in curricular planning, but also requires greatly increased responsibility on the part of the student. Each student in the selected studies program develops a four-year program of study based on academic goals. They are assisted by a faculty advisor who helps to formulate an academically sound curriculum. For additional information please see Selected Studies.

Combined Programs

The College of Arts and Sciences offers combined programs of study with certain professional schools and colleges within the University. These programs lead to two degrees and require at least 30 credits beyond the minimal requirement for one degree and a total of at least 150 credits. This means that it generally takes five years (10 semesters) to complete a combined program. Specific requirements vary from program to program and are described under individual program headings. Students pursuing a combined program in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete all college requirements relevant to the chosen program of study. A minimum of 96 credits in the College of Arts and Sciences is required. For a general definition and requirements of a combined program and comparison with other kinds of programs, refer to the appropriate chart in the Academic Rules section of this catalog.

A combined program in the College of Arts and Sciences is offered with the College of Engineering and Computer Science and results in the B.A. or B.S. in Arts and Sciences and the B.S. in Engineering.

Dual Enrollments

The College of Arts and Sciences offers dual enrollments in cooperation with certain professional schools and colleges within the University. These lead to a single degree jointly authorized and certified by the cooperating colleges. The standards and procedures for admission vary and are described under individual headings. With careful course selection and planning, students are able to finish within four years (eight semesters). (For a general definition and requirements of a dual program and comparison with other kinds of programs, refer to the appropriate chart in the Academic Rules section of this catalog.)

Dual enrollments in Arts and Sciences are offered only with the School of Education, the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, and the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

For the Dual program offered with the School of Education:

Contact Office of Academic and Student Services, 111 Waverly Avenue, Suite 230; 315-443-9319, or

For the College of Arts and Sciences, contact Advising and Career Services, 342 Hall of Languages, 315-443-3150, casadvising@syr.edu.

Dual enrollment options in the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education prepare subject matter teachers for grades 7-12, in biology, chemistry, earth sciences, English, mathematics, physics, social studies and Spanish. Students complete the Liberal Arts Core of the College of Arts and Sciences (with some specified courses), depth in the content area to be taught, and professional coursework and field experiences focusing on the skills and knowledge necessary to teach students from diverse backgrounds and with varying abilities. Students receive one bachelor’s degree jointly awarded by both colleges. Programs require a minimum of 124-127 credits.

For the Dual program offered with Martin J. Whitman School of Management:

Contact Lindsay Quilty, Assistant Dean, the Office of Undergraduate Programs, Whitman Suite 215, 315-443-2361, or

For the College of Arts and Sciences, contact Advising and Career Services, 342 Hall of Languages, 315-443-3150, casadvising@syr.edu.

Students in the College of Arts and Sciences who are dually enrolled in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management receive one bachelor’s degree jointly awarded by both colleges in Management and in one of the following programs: Applied Mathematics, Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, International Relations, Mathematics, and Statistics. At least 140 credits are required to graduate.

Students who wish to enroll in this program should request dual enrollment at the time of admission to the University.

For the Dual program offered with S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications:

Contact S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, 315 Newhouse 3, 315-443-1908 or

For the College of Arts and Sciences, contact Advising and Career Services, 342 Hall of Languages, 315-443-3150, casadvising@syr.edu

Students in the College of Arts and Sciences who are dually enrolled in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications receive one bachelor’s degree jointly awarded by both colleges.

Students complete the requirements for the B.A. degree or the B.S. degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, including at least 90 credits in Arts and Sciences coursework and an Arts and Sciences major, or a selected studies program approved by the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Students also satisfy requirements for a major in the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, chosen from the professional fields of advertising; broadcast and digital journalism; graphic design; magazine; newspaper and online journalism; photography; public relations; or television, radio, and film. At least 122 credits, including electives, are required to graduate.

Students who wish to enroll in this program should request dual enrollment at the time of admission to the University, or they may consult the School of Public Communications about an intra-University transfer to the dual program.

First-Year Students Entering the Dual Program

Students entering the Arts and Sciences/Public Communications Dual Degree in their first year will be required to satisfy the core requirements for the dual degree by completing the requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences Liberal Arts Core.

Students entering the dual program after the first year and who are either singly enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences or the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications satisfy the core requirements for the dual degree by completing the requirements of the school or college in which they were originally singly enrolled. In either case, the College of Arts and Sciences is the home college.

Other Undergraduate Programs of the College

English to Speakers of Other Languages

Contact: Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, 340C H.B. Crouse, 315-443-2175

Syracuse University offers a program in English to speakers of other languages (ESOL, ESL) for any student whose native language is not English. After taking the English Language Assessment Exam (ELAE) and receiving the results, students are recommended to take courses at the intermediate or advanced level. At the intermediate level, the program integrates the four skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. At the advanced level, the program focuses on composition, reading, critical thinking and research paper writing. For undergraduate students these courses may substitute for courses in the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition Program.

Renée Crown University Honors Program
Professor Danielle Taana Smith, Director
306 Bowne Hall, 315-443-2759

The Renée Crown University Honors Program is a selective, demanding, and rewarding program for outstanding students who seek intense intellectual challenge and are prepared to invest the extra effort required to meet that challenge.

It is marked by four distinguishing characteristics:

heightened expectations;
participation in a vibrant and active community of learners;
intensity of intellectual experience; and
special intellectual opportunities and responsibilities.

The program is open to qualified students from all undergraduate majors at Syracuse University. Its requirements, supplemental to those of their majors, stipulate that they demonstrate the attributes of depth, breadth, command of language, global awareness, civic engagement, and collaborative capacity.

Additional information can be found under Renee Crown University Honors Program in the catalog under Academic Offerings, Other Programs.

Soling Program

Contact: Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Programs, 441 Hall of Languages, 315-443-2875

The Soling Program is an all-University program whose purpose is to foster creative and collaborative work across academic boundaries. The program focuses on problem-solving, experiential learning, and originality. Students often work as multidisciplinary teams to explore solutions to specific, real-world problems posed by the University or the community. Students from different colleges typically work on projects with broader applications than usually found in academic courses.

Undergraduate Research Program

342 Hall of Languages, 315-443-3150

The Undergraduate Research Program (URP), housed in the College of Arts and Sciences but open to qualified participants from other colleges, exists to provide non-classroom, credit-bearing educational opportunities to undergraduate students. Interested qualified students work closely with Arts and Sciences faculty members in faculty-generated research projects, other projects representing the faculty member’s academic interests, learning environments provided by professionals affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences, or eligible off-campus internships with an identified Arts and Sciences advisor. The program features the apprenticeship model, and students gain firsthand experience in creative and investigative academic processes, translate theory into practice, explore the cutting edges of particular disciplines, develop closer working relationships with faculty members, and enhance their own career and educational credentials.

Faculty Participation

The program offers Arts and Sciences faculty members a chance to extend and expand the character of their teaching in the undergraduate context, to work closely with self-selecting, highly motivated students, to attract excellent students to continued study in their particular field of study, and to open both internal and external funding possibilities by way of undergraduate involvement in their work. Faculty member are invited to propose projects to the College. Individual projects may extend beyond a semester in length as appropriate. The character and requirements of these projects, as well as the number of credits involved, vary greatly, since they come from across the disciplines of the College of Arts and Sciences, and sometimes from other colleges as well. The common criterion for all, however, is appropriateness to an educational credit-bearing experience for qualified undergraduate students.

Syracuse University Abroad

Erika Wilkens, Assistant Provost and Executive Director
106 Walnut Place, 315-443-3471

Syracuse Abroad offers undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to study, research, and intern abroad. Ranked among the top-quality study abroad programs in the U.S., Syracuse Abroad has centers in six locations - London, Florence, Madrid, Strasbourg, Hong Kong, and Santiago, Chile – as well as summer, faculty-led short term and World Partner semester options offering 100 programs in 60 countries. All center programs and over 34 summer programs are available to Syracuse and visiting students alike. These programs provide fully accredited Syracuse University courses for students in majors and disciplines across the College.

Visit Syracuse University Abroad for the latest information about program availability.

Programs

Major

Minor

Combined Degree

Certificate