College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

www.las.iastate.edu/

Peter W. Rabideau, Dean
Zora D. Zimmerman, Associate Dean
Steven R. Rodermel, Associate Dean
Michael B. Whiteford, Associate Dean
Ruth W. Swenson, Associate Dean Emerita

Departments of the College
Air Force Aerospace Studies
Anthropology
Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology
Botany
Chemistry
Computer Science
Economics
English
Foreign Languages and Literatures
Geological and Atmospheric Sciences
Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication
History
Mathematics
Military Science
Music
Naval Science
Philosophy and Religious Studies
Physics and Astronomy
Political Science
Psychology
Sociology
Statistics
Zoology and Genetics

In the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, students select from a wide and rich range of program options. The goal of the college is to prepare the student to enter the world beyond the university with skills in reasoning, analysis, and communication; with an appreciation of history and culture, an understanding of the challenges of the future, and a sensitivity toward people and their environments. To achieve this goal, the college asks students to acquire depth in learning within disciplines of their own choice, by way of single or multiple majors and breadth through elective courses and courses fulfilling general education requirements.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the academic home, the foundation, for many essential learning disciplines. The college provides students with all the components of a modern liberal education. Students may choose to study in various fields of the physical, biological, and social sciences; in mathematical disciplines; in methods and systems of communication; and in the arts and humanities.

The flexible degree requirements in the curriculum in Liberal Arts and Sciences permit programs of study suited to a variety of interests and goals. Students having academic interests not fully met by a departmental major may pursue a major offered by one of the College’s interdepartmental programs or may apply for an undergraduate major in interdisciplinary studies (See Index, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Cross-Disciplinary Studies). The college participates in the University Honors Program; thus, students of exceptional academic promise can develop unique and challenging programs of study.

The college has three curricula: a curriculum in Liberal Arts and Sciences, leading to the bachelor of arts or the bachelor of science degree; a curriculum in music, leading to the bachelor of music degree; and a curriculum in liberal studies, leading to the bachelor of liberal studies degree.

High School Preparation/ Admission Requirements
Students entering the college are required to present evidence of the following high school preparation:

4 years of English (Typically this preparation includes courses in British, American, and world literature in which critical reading and writing skills are emphasized and courses in speech and composition, including at least one senior-level writing course.)

3 years of social studies (Typically such preparation includes two semesters of world history, two semesters of American history, and a semester of American government. Electives can be chosen from areas such as economics, sociology, or psychology.)

2 years of a single foreign language (Three years or more of a single foreign language are strongly recommended for students who wish to continue their work in that language. A minimum of three years of a single foreign language is required to fulfill the foreign language graduation requirement in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.)

3 years of mathematics (Such preparation shall include two semesters of beginning algebra, two semesters of geometry, and two semesters of intermediate algebra. A fourth year of study involving analytic geometry, trigonometry, linear algebra, and/or calculus is strongly recommended for students who will major in mathematical or scientific disciplines.)

3 years of science (At least two years of such preparation shall be chosen from biology, chemistry, and physics.)

Recommended but not required as a condition of admission to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is one semester of computer experience. (Such a course should stress problem-solving with computers and should not substitute for courses in mathematics. In schools where computer use is an integral part of most courses, separate instruction in computers is not necessary.)

Students who transfer from another college or university with at least 24 credits of satisfactory coursework may be exempt from most of these requirements. Students who do not meet the requirements listed here may be admitted with a limited number of deficiencies. Contact the college office for further information about resolving these deficiencies.

Transfer Students
To graduate from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, a transfer student must complete the general requirements of the college as well as those of the university. Students planning to transfer to Iowa State University for the purpose of enrolling in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are advised to contact the college office for information concerning degree program requirements. Prospective transfer students are urged to learn about the academic programs that are of interest to them well before arriving on campus so that pretransfer courses are appropriate to the planned major and transferable toward graduation from ISU. Additional information concerning transfer credit evaluation may be obtained through the Office of Admissions as well as the department in which a student is interested.

A transfer student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences may choose to graduate under the catalog in effect at the time of his or her graduation or under one of the two immediately preceding catalogs, provided that it covers the period of his or her enrollment either at Iowa State or any other accredited school. Full requirements of the chosen catalog must be met except that adjustments will be made in instances where courses are no longer available or where programs have been changed. A transfer student is responsible for reviewing his/her transfer credit evaluation with the academic adviser during the first semester of enrollment.

University Requirements
The university requirements for the bachelor’s degree, including statements of academic standards, the university residence requirement, the English proficiency requirement, U.S. diversity and international perspectives requirement, and the library requirement, appear in the Colleges and Curricula portion at the beginning of this bulletin.

Curriculum in Liberal Arts and Sciences
To obtain a bachelor’s degree from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, curriculum in liberal arts and sciences, an undergraduate student must earn a minimum of 124.5 semester credits including a minimum of 32 semester credits earned in residence at Iowa State University. In addition, the student must meet general education, English proficiency, library proficiency, foreign language, and advanced credit requirements, as well as the requirements of a major. Courses taken on a pass/not pass basis may be counted toward the required total of 124.5 credits, and may be used to meet the advanced credit requirement, if appropriate, but may not be used to satisfy any other graduation requirement. No more than 9 credits of 490 (Independent Study) courses in a single discipline may be counted toward graduation.

General Education
Requirements
Students must earn the minimum credits listed in each of the four general education groups in courses outside the department of the first major listed on the degree program. Interdisciplinary courses may be used to satisfy requirements in any group for which they have been approved, but a student may not apply the same course to more than one group.

Credit by Examination Program
Individual departments may use CLEP Subject Tests for testout of specific courses. Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences may use CLEP General Test credits as free electives but not toward any of the general education group requirements.

General Education Groups
I. Arts and humanities (minimum 12 credits). The student should develop an understanding of human cultural heritage and history, and an appreciation of reasoning and the aesthetic value of human creativity.*

II. Verbal communication (minimum 2 credits). The student should develop skill in and an understanding of the principles involved in effective communication among people.*

III. Natural sciences and mathematical disciplines (minimum 11 credits including 3 in the mathematical disciplines and 8 in the natural sciences). The student should experience science as a rational search for understanding the structure and behavior of the natural world, and should appreciate mathematics as a valuable tool of the sciences and as an intrinsically important way of thinking.*

IV. Social sciences (minimum 9 credits). The student should develop an appreciation of the principal methods of studying human behavior and an understanding of the structure and functioning of institutions. Courses must be taken in at least two disciplines represented in Group IV.*

*Lists of approved courses are available from advisers or the Office of the Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Other Requirements
English Proficiency
The faculty of Iowa State University believes that its graduates should acquire competence in written communication during their undergraduate careers. All students must earn an average grade of C– or better in required basic composition courses (e.g., Engl 104 and 105). This should be regarded as a minimally
acceptable grade standard. Departments may have stricter criteria as appropriate to their
disciplines.

The continued development of communication skills following the freshman year is the responsibility of the student’s major department. The department shall promote this development by adopting measures to certify the writing proficiency of its own majors. Certification is to occur a reasonable time before graduation and shall be based upon satisfactory completion of a designated course in the student’s program in which writing is evaluated or an advanced writing course offered in the English department (e.g. Engl 302, 305, or 314).

Library Proficiency
A library minimum proficiency requirement must be met by satisfactory completion of one of the following options:
1. Library 160
2. A test-out examination for credit to be administered by the library staff, who will control the testing procedure and will determine those students who are eligible to take the examination.

Foreign Language Requirement
The faculty of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences believes that undergraduate students should acquire elementary practical experience in a second language, should be introduced to the theoretical study of language structure, and should begin to develop an understanding of a second culture through study of that culture’s language. As a means of achieving this objective, a student must satisfy a graduation requirement equivalent to the first year of university-level study in one foreign language (normally, completion of a two-semester sequence in any one foreign language).

Students who have completed three or more years of high-school foreign language study are deemed to have completed the LAS Foreign Language requirement. These students may not enroll in or receive credit for 101-102 or 110 in those languages; test-out credit may be obtained by passing an appropriate examination or by completing an advanced sequence (200-level or higher) in that language. 101-102 may not be taken on a remedial basis.

Students who have completed more than one year but less than three years of high-school foreign language study may not enroll in 101 in the same language. These students may satisfy the foreign language requirement by (a) passing the exam for credit at the 102 level, (b) receiving a passing grade in a 102 foreign language course, or (c) receiving a passing grade in a foreign language course at the 200-level or higher. For more information see Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. (Courses taught in English do not satisfy the foreign language requirement). Certification in American Sign Language is recognized by the University and satisfies the LAS foreign language requirement.

Students with disabilities who need to satisfy the foreign language requirement may direct questions to the Advising Coordinator in the Foreign Language Department and the Disability Resource Office.

Credits applied toward the foreign language requirement cannot be used to satisfy the general education requirements, but students who have fulfilled the foreign language requirement may apply additional courses in foreign languages toward the appropriate general education groups.

Majors in any foreign language are deemed to have fulfilled the college foreign language requirement. International students for whom English is a second language may satisfy the foreign language requirement by completion of Engl 104 and 105 at ISU with an average grade of C– or better. See Foreign Languages and Literatures for additional information on international students.

Advanced Credit Requirements
To obtain a baccalaureate degree from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, curriculum in liberal arts and sciences, a student must earn at least 45 credits at the 300 level or above taken at a four-year college. Credits earned in electives taken on a pass/not pass basis or in the major or a minor may be used to meet this requirement.

Major
Students must complete the requirements of a major which will include 24 to 48 credits in the major discipline as specified by the major department or program. Tracks within a major must have a common 24 credit core. Some courses outside the major discipline may also be required as supporting work for the major. (See Index for page reference to individual department and program requirements.)

The major must contain at least 8 credits in courses taken at Iowa State University that are numbered 300 or above and in which the student’s grade is C or higher. In addition, the average grade of all courses in the major (those courses listed under major on the degree audit) must be 2.0 or higher. Courses from the first major listed on the degree program may not be counted in the general education groups.

Courses in general education may be counted in meeting the requirements of additional majors. When choosing an additional major, students must confirm that the additional major is not prohibited (see list under “Double Majors”).

The major shall be chosen from the following list, which also indicates the degree(s) offered in the respective majors.

Advertising, B.A.
Anthropology, B.A., B.S.
Applied Physics, B.S.
Biochemistry, B.S.
Biological/Pre-Medical Illustration, B.A.
Biology, B.S.
Biophysics, B.S.
Botany, B.S.
Chemistry, B.A., B.S.
Communication Studies, B.A.
Computer Science, B.S.
Earth Science, B.A., B.S.
Economics, B.A.*, B.S.
English, B.A., B.S.
Environmental Science, B.S.
Environmental Studies (may be taken as a second major with the degree to be determined by the first major)
French, B.A.
Genetics, B.S.
Geology, B.S.
German, B.A.
History, B.A., B.S.
Interdisciplinary Studies, B.A., B.S.
International Studies (may be taken as a second major with the degree to be determined by the first major)
Journalism and Mass Communication, B.A., B.S.
Linguistics, B.A.
Mathematics, B.S.
Meteorology, B.S.
Music, B.A., B. Mus.
Performing Arts, B.A.
Philosophy, B.A.
Physics, B.S.
Political Science, B.A.
Psychology, B.A., B.S.
Religious Studies, B.A.
Russian Studies, B.A.
Sociology, B.A., B.S.
Spanish, B.A.
Speech Communication, B.A., B.S.
Statistics, B.S.
Technical Communication, B.S.
Women’s Studies, B.A., B.S.
Zoology, B.S.

*Available only to students who were enrolled as majors before the 1995-1996 year. (See Index, Economics.)

The major in interdisciplinary studies (B.A., B.S.) is available for undergraduate students who have unique interdisciplinary educational goals. Such a major is designed by the faculty and the student and is approved only when the educational goals cannot be met by a reasonable combination of existing majors, minors, and electives. (See Index, Interdisciplinary Studies.)

A curriculum in liberal studies leading to a bachelor of liberal studies degree (B.L.S.) is also available. (See Index, Liberal Studies.)

Double Majors
Students may elect a second major from the departments and program areas listed above, or from a major field offered for the bachelor’s degree in another college of the university. Double majors between the following are prohibited: Chemistry with Biochemistry and Agricultural Biochemistry; Biology with Animal Ecology, Agricultural Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Botany, Genetics, Microbiology, and Zoology.

The major departments must then approve the degree program, and if those majors involve two colleges, both deans must approve. Such programs must fulfill the general education requirements of the college of the primary major. If one major leads to the B.A. degree and the other to the B.S. degree, the degree awarded will be the one offered by the department of the primary major.

If the primary major may lead to either a B.A. or a B.S., a student may choose to receive either degree. In all cases, the student must satisfy the requirements of each major and of the degree that is chosen for the primary major. Students with a primary major in another college who wish to take a second major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are not required to meet the Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education and Foreign Language requirements. Majors from the Curriculum in Liberal Arts and Sciences may not be added to a Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree or a Bachelor of Music degree.

A student may earn two degrees in this curriculum with two appropriate majors and at least 30 additional credits. Either the B.A. or the B.S. in this curriculum may be earned with the bachelor of music. Any degree offered by this college may be earned together with a degree with a major in any other college of the university. For the requirements for two degrees, see Index, Bachelor’s Degree Requirements.

Minor
A minor, which is optional, must consist of at least 15 credits, with at least 6 credits in courses numbered 300 and above taken at ISU with a grade of C or higher. The minor must include at least 9 credits that are not used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement. (See Index, Minors.)

The following minors are offered by the college of Liberal Arts and Sciences:
Advertising
African American Studies
American Indian Studies
Anthropology
Astronomy
Biochemistry
Biological Illustration
Biology
Botany
Chemistry
Chinese Studies
Classical Studies
Criminal Justice Studies
Economics
Emerging Global Disease
English
Environmental Science
Environmental Studies
French
Genetics
Geology
German
History
International Studies
Journalism and Mass Communication
Latin
Linguistics
Mathematics
Meteorology
Military Studies
Music
Performing Arts
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Portuguese
Psychology
Religious Studies
Russian Studies
Sociology
Spanish
Speech Communication
Statistics
Technical Communication
Technology and Social Change
Women’s Studies
Zoology

Courses applied toward the general education groups may be used to meet the requirements of a minor. (For restrictions, see the Index, Minors.)

If a student declares a minor and completes the requirements specified by the offering department/program, the minor will be recorded on the transcript.

Electives
Students will take additional courses, freely elected, sufficient to accumulate a total of 124.5 credits. These additional courses together with the general education courses may be used to meet the requirements of a minor or of another major, provided that they are taken on a graded basis.

Planning the Program of Study
Careful, comprehensive planning is important for meeting graduation requirements and taking advantage of the resources offered by the university. Each student is encouraged to work with his or her academic adviser in developing a four year plan as soon as possible after declaration of the major. A degree audit listing all completed courses and those remaining to be taken for fulfillment of the degree requirements in the student’s chosen major is provided to the student and the adviser each semester. The student should review the audit each semester and consult with the adviser when changes are required. Any changes to the audit must be approved by the academic adviser and by the dean’s office. It is essential that the audit be reviewed and updated in a timely fashion in order to avoid delay in the student’s graduation.

During the first year, students should meet proficiency requirements in English and in library. They should also make progress toward meeting the general education requirements, a large part of which should be completed by the end of the second year. The third and fourth years should emphasize completion of the major (and minor, if elected) and of general education requirements, and should give the student an opportunity to take electives.

The Open Option
Recognizing the fact that many students entering Iowa State University will not have selected a major, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences provides the open option in order to give them time to explore possible majors and programs. Open option students who enter as freshmen are expected to declare a major by the beginning of the third semester of enrollment. Entering students who have completed three semesters in another school and students who wish to change majors but are not yet ready to declare the new major may register under the open option for one semester, provided they have completed no more than 75 credits.

Program planning information is available through advisers of open option students, in departmental offices, and in the office of the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Early enrollment in certain course sequences is essential for students who are considering sciences or mathematical disciplines, and selection of a major field by the end of the first year is strongly recommended.

Honors Program
For information on the Honors Program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, see Index, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Cross-Disciplinary Programs, Honors Program.

ROTC Programs
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences also offers students the opportunity to combine their academic programs with ROTC programs in the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

Teacher Licensure
Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences may be recommended for the Iowa Professional License for full-time teaching of certain subjects in secondary schools. For further information see Index, Teacher Education Program.

Preprofessional Programs
Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences may participate in preprofessional programs in human health-related fields, law, and theology by taking the courses required for admission to professional schools. Students may enter the college with the designation Premed, Prelaw, or Preprofessional Health Programs. Most will earn a bachelor’s degree by choosing a major and meeting the requirements for the major while taking the preprofessional courses.

Others will spend one to three years as students in the college before transferring to a professional school to which they have applied and been accepted. For further information, see Index, Preprofessional Study.

Experiential Learning (Internship/ Co-op) Program
The Experiential Learning (Internship/Co-op) Program assists students in gaining career-related experience while going to school. Internships/Co-ops provide students with the opportunity to gain specific skills, apply academic knowledge in practical situations, pretest their career choice, earn a salary, and establish a network of professional contacts.

Most internships are full-time and last for a semester or a summer, but a part-time experience is possible. Students wishing to receive academic credit for their internship must make arrangements with a faculty member in their major department. In contrast, co-op students work full-time on an extended basis (work two semesters) or on an alternating basis (work, school, work, etc.) during any semester (fall, spring, summer).

It may take students participating in the Experiential Learning (Internship/Co-op) Program an additional semester or more to complete their academic curriculum requirements. For additional information, contact Business/Liberal Arts and Sciences Career Services.

Curriculum in Music
This curriculum leads to the degree bachelor of music and is an alternative to the curriculum in liberal arts and sciences with a major in music. To obtain a bachelor of music degree, a student must earn a minimum of 124.5 credits including a minimum of 32 credits in residence at Iowa State University and a minimum of 45 advanced credits (credits in courses numbered 300 or above) and must meet all of the requirements specified below.

Courses taken on a pass/not pass basis may be counted toward the required total of 124.5 credits, and may be used to meet the advanced credit requirement, if appropriate, but may not be used to satisfy any other graduation requirement. No more than 9 credits in 490 (Independent Study) courses in a single discipline may be counted toward graduation. See Index, Music. Students interested in pursuing an emphasis in music theater should see Index, Theater and Performing Arts. A minor in music is available; the requirements appear under Music, Courses and Programs.

†A student must earn an average grade of C- or better in Engl 104 and 105.

††The requirement may be met by completion of three or more years of high school study in one foreign language. Prospective students are encouraged to begin foreign language training as early as possible in their academic careers. Students who have a strong foreign language preparation may attempt to acquire college credit by taking a test-out examination which is administered each semester by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.

*As described in the Teacher Education section of this bulletin, music education students must meet additional specific course requirements. In many cases these courses can be used to satisfy general education requirements as well.

**K-12 options include 16 weeks of student teaching. All students will complete at least 50 hours of field experiences, of which at least 40 hours must occur after admission to teacher education but before student teaching. Music education students should refer to the Teacher Education section of this catalog for further information.

Curriculum in Liberal Studies
The bachelor of liberal studies degree (B.L.S.) was established by the three Iowa Regent universities to meet the needs of Iowans who want to earn a college degree but whose circumstances present obstacles to completing a traditional on-campus degree program. The degree may be earned from Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, or the University of Northern Iowa.

The B.L.S. is a general studies degree in the liberal arts. There is no traditional major. Instead, students take coursework in three areas of distribution. These areas may be focused in a single discipline or diversified over several disciplines. With the assistance of a B.L.S. adviser, students can structure a program that meets their individual educational, vocational or personal goals.

Up to three-fourths of the total degree requirements can be transferred from accredited institutions. Work done in community colleges or other accredited colleges and universities can be applied toward the degree, as can applicable courses taken at any of the three Iowa Regent universities, whether on or off campus.

The B.L.S. program has no residence requirements. To complete the degree, students may offer credits earned in various study formats: correspondence courses; telecourses; Saturday and evening courses; off-campus courses, including those with distance-learning formats; and regular on-campus courses. Students may also earn credits by proficiency or test-out examinations.

Admission
Admission to the B.L.S. program is open to persons who meet either of the following levels of previous educational attainment:
Hold the associate in arts (A.A.) or associate in science (A.S.) degree from an accredited two-year college. (Holders of the associate in applied science or associate in applied arts degree are not automatically eligible, although some courses may be found applicable upon review.)

Have at least 62 semester credits of collegiate work acceptable toward graduation at ISU with a total cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 (a C average).

Requirements for the B.L.S. Degree
The B.L.S. candidate must earn a total of 120 credits in accordance with requirements listed below. Courses taken at Iowa State University on a pass/not pass basis may be counted toward graduation only as electives. No more than 9 credits of 490 (Independent Study) courses in a single discipline may be counted toward graduation.

A list of courses acceptable in the general education groups can be obtained from the college office.

36 Distribution Requirements
A minimum of 12 credits is required in each of three of the five distribution areas listed below.

Humanities (literature, philosophy, history, religion, art and music appreciation)

Communications and arts (journalism, speech, writing, drama, art, foreign language)

Natural sciences and mathematical disciplines (chemistry, physics, biology, geological and atmospheric sciences, mathematics, statistics, computer science)

Social sciences (sociology, psychology, economics, political science, anthropology, geography)

Professional fields (business, education, family and consumer sciences, social work, agriculture, engineering, nursing)

At least 24 upper-level credits are required in the three distribution areas with a minimum of 6 upper-level credits in each of the areas.

36 Electives
120 Total credits required for graduation

*The requirement may be met by completion of three or more years of high school study in one foreign language.

Other Requirements
Included in the total of 120 credits must be the following:

45 upper-level credits from a four-year college
30 credits from ISU earned during the junior/and or senior year.

Three credits of course work in U.S. Diversity and 3 credits in International Perspectives. A grade average of at least 2.00 (a C average) in all coursework applied to the B.L.S. degree, in all upper-level coursework, and in all work completed after admission to the B.L.S. program.

Proficiency in English demonstrated by completion of an approved composition course from a four-year college or by faculty evaluation, as advised.