College of Liberal Arts

Departments and Degree Programs

Aims and Objectives

The College of Liberal Arts is composed of nine departments: the Departments of Communication, Communicative Disorders, Criminal Justice, English, Modern Languages, History and Geography, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology, Anthropology and Human Development & Family Science. These academic divisions offer major programs in three broad areas of study: the communication areas, the humanities, and the behavioral sciences. Adhering to the principle that advanced and professional studies should be based on a solid foundation of the liberal arts, the College has encouraged the development of programs to meet the needs and interests of individual students. Thus the students enrolled in the College participate in an educationally broadening experience in addition to obtaining needed expertise in an area of specialization. Opportunities to continue into graduate work exist in many individual areas.

Undergraduate Degree Requirements

Areas of Specialization

COMMUNICATION

Mass Communication

Mass communication plays a multiple role in society. Radio, television, newspapers, magazines and media advertising inform, entertain, educate, and provide access to the fine arts. The curriculum in this area recognizes that practitioners in mass communication must draw upon a variety of knowledge and experience to function effectively; thus there are a wide range of specialties offered in this diverse discipline.

Broadcasting students have access to the campus radio station, television studios and multiple lab facilities as well as television field equipment for diverse practical experiences. Journalism and media advertising students have opportunities to work on the staff of the campus newspaper, on various local papers or at broadcast stations. Career opportunities for print journalists include work on newspapers and magazines, and preparation of corporate or government publications or publicity materials. Graduates in broadcasting are in demand in production, in news, and in sales and advertising. The explosion of electronic communication technology suggests an ever expanding field of opportunities for mass communication students. Graduates in media advertising work for newspapers, broadcast stations, ad agencies, and in specialty advertising. All students complete internships prior to graduation.

Organizational Communication

Studies in organizational communication are concerned with spoken communication that affects the behavior of individuals, the functioning of small work and social groups, and the attitudes of entire societies. Pursuit of this curriculum gives students an intellectual understanding of communication and develops their skills in small group communication, problem solving, platform speaking and argumentation. Students desiring a broad-based liberal arts education can use this approach to prepare for later careers in sales, law, personnel, communication consulting, government service, teaching, or the ministry.

Public Relations

The Public Relations curriculum prepares students for the professional practice of public relations in business, corporate enterprises, public administration, trade and professional associations, governmental agencies, or non-profit institutions. (Careful programming allows students to cross departmental and college lines in a series of courses that embraces the humanities, behavioral sciences, and business.) Course work emphasizes persuasive writing and presentation of material, organization of research, problem analysis, and development of effective public relations strategies.

HUMANITIES

The Departments of English, Modern Languages, and History and Geography are primarily responsible for the humanities degree programs at the University. Students majoring in any one of these departments are given, first of all, the opportunity to achieve the breadth of knowledge and vision which the humanities represent and, secondly, the analytical and communication skills to prepare for those professions which require this kind of training. Majors may be pursued in Modern Languages (French/ Francophone Studies and Spanish/Hispanic Studies); in the various areas of British and American literature, language and folklore; in the study of American, European, Latin American, and public history.

Students who elect one of the humanities majors prepare themselves to become knowledgeable citizens of their communities, wherever these communities may be, and to pursue studies in professional and graduate schools. Those who do not wish to pursue further academic work are prepared by their undergraduate studies to engage in a variety of activities in which humanistic training is paramount, such as diplomatic/government services, social services, or corporate business functions.

The Humanities Program

The Humanities Program is an interdisciplinary program which deals with culture in its individual, historical and sociological dimensions. As a discipline, the Humanities courses examine a variety of forms of expression, including art, music, literature, history and philosophy, in order to better understand human values, beliefs and emotions.

The Center for Louisiana Studies

The Center for Louisiana Studies, a research center devoted to the state’s history and culture, seeks to interpret historical and cultural data through print and electronic media, pictorial exhibitions, and lecture series. The facilities of the Center are available to anyone interested in the history and culture of Louisiana. This center also houses the Center for Cultural and Ecotourism as well as the Cinematic Arts Workshop.

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

A major in one of the behavioral sciences (anthropology, human development and family science, communicative disorders, criminal justice, political science, psychology and sociology) prepares students for careers in many service professions connected with government, industry, and various social institutions; it also provides the broad educational foundation necessary to enter graduate school.

The Department of Communicative Disorders offers a pre-professional degree that prepares students for advanced studies in communicative disorders. Upon completion of the appropriate level of training, students are prepared to work in schools, hospitals, laboratories, community service centers, and colleges and universities or as industrial consultants or private practitioners.

The degree programs offered by the other behavioral science areas are planned to help students understand the complexity of modern society and its problems. Students are stimulated to search for solutions to these problems by studying the contributions which social scientists have already made towards ameliorating the social conditions of our times.

The pre-law and international relations concentrations are administered by the Department of Political Science. The goal of the pre-law program is to provide students the guidelines for pre-legal education suggested by the Association of American Law Schools, the curriculum is designed as a four-year program leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a concentration in Pre-law. The concentration in international relations was created in recognition of the necessity of preparing students for life and work in an increasingly global society. The focus of this interdisciplinary concentration is to develop a broad appreciation for the whole range of international politics, cultures, issues and influences. The program leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations.

Undeclared Major

The undeclared major is a temporary option for first year students who have not yet decided on a particular major. During the first year, undeclared students are advised to take core courses which fit into all majors. The career counseling and/or testing provided by the professional staff in the Junior Division is recommended for undeclared students, along with the course, ACSK 140 - Selecting A Major .

Undeclared students must declare a major upon the completion of 45 credit hours; failure to declare a major after earning 45 credit hours will result in blocking the student’s registration.

Procedures

Although the academic rules and regulations in this catalog guide students through their academic careers at the University, some of these rules and regulations appear to require amplification. Several significant problem areas are treated below:

1. When students transfer into the College of Liberal Arts from another institution, from another college of the University, or when they transfer from one curriculum to another within the College, they must fulfill the catalog requirements in effect at the time of their transfer.
2. Any variation from the courses listed in the student’s curriculum must be requested in writing by the student’s academic advisor and approved in writing by the department head and dean.
3. International students who do not have test scores or a level 6 IEP score must see the ESOL coordinator for placement. International transfer students’ transcripts should be sent to the ESOL coordinator for placement. International students who have not graduated from a U.S. high school are required to enroll in ESOL courses instead of ENGL 101  and ENGL 102  to complete their freshman writing requirement. Students must complete the course sequence in the same department (ENGL 101  AND ENGL 102 ; ESOL 101  AND ESOL 102 ).
4. Students must attain the grade of “C” in English ENGL 101  and ENGL 102 ; and in all ESOL courses in order to progress to the next higher course.
5. A student may not schedule more than 20 semester hours in a regular semester or more than 10 semester hours in a summer session without WRITTEN PERMISSION of the dean of the college. After obtaining this permission, a student may schedule the maximum semester hour load allowed by the University: 22 semester hours during a regular semester and 12 semester hours during a summer session. 
6. Students are responsible for submitting a degree plan to the Office of the Dean during the semester immediately preceding the semester or session in which graduation is expected. The maximal period of time for which the provisions of any catalog may be used in preparing a degree plan is five years. Students who began their degree programs six or more years prior to the date of their anticipated graduation must consult the dean to determine which catalog should be used for preparation of the degree plan. Once the degree plan has been accepted, any change must be requested in writing by the student and approved in writing by the dean, the advisor and the department head on forms obtainable in the Office of the Dean.
7. The graduation check sheet is not to be considered as a substitute for the application for the degree, which is initiated in the Office of the Registrar. This application is to be processed by the end of the second week of the semester in which the student plans to graduate.
8. Students in the College of Liberal Arts may not audit courses they must take for credit (ex: MTHS 105  or MATH 105 ) to fulfill requirements of their degrees.

Specific Degree Requirements of the College

1. In addition to fulfilling the general requirements for the degree, a student in the College of Liberal Arts is required to complete a minor of at least eighteen hours in an acceptable subject matter field outside his or her area of concentration. The minor area is supervised by the student’s major department and must be selected in consultation with the student’s academic advisor. The minor may consist of more than eighteen hours; at least six of these eighteen hours must be at the 300/400 level. Note: ENGL 101 Intro to Academic Writing , ENGL 102  and ENGL 115  do not count in the 18 hours for the English minor; MODL 101 does not count in the 18 hours for minors in French, German or Spanish.
2. A general University requirement is that, in order to be certified for graduation, students must achieve an overall adjusted grade point average of 2.0. The College imposes one additional requirement: that students achieve grades of “C” or better in those courses in their major presented to fulfill the credit hour requirement in that major.
3. No more than 42 of the hours required for graduation shall be taken in the major subject and no more than 64 hours shall be taken in the student’s area of specialization.
4. All majors in the College of Liberal Arts require students to fulfill a language requirement. Students should select their language in consultation with their academic advisor. Ideally, students begin to study their language in their first year and complete their language requirement before beginning their senior year. Students who have already begun studying their selected language should take the Language Placement Exam, which is offered at the beginning of each semester. Native speakers of the language are not eligible to take the placement exam and should consult with the Department of Modern Languages before enrolling in coursework in their native language. Depending on the score achieved, students can receive credit for courses through the 200 level, or up to 12 hours of credit. Credit earned through this test will appear on the student’s transcript. Students with prior study are strongly encouraged to take the placement exam in their first semester; once students enroll in a language course, they are no longer eligible to take and receive credit through the placement exam. 
5. Language courses at the 100 and 200 levels are sequential - 101, 102, 201, and 202 for each language - and students must take each course in order and in subsequent semesters. Students must successfully complete the highest numbered language course listed in each curriculum to fulfil this requirement.
6. International students may not enroll in courses below the 300 level in their native language, and they should meet with the Department of Modern Languages to determine which language course(s) to take. In rare instances, certain courses in English may substitute for language courses for international students, but only with the approval of the student’s advisor, department head, and dean.
7. Only 4 credit hours of KNEA may be used towards completing graduation requirements.
8. Electives (except for free electives) must be chosen in consultation with the student’s academic advisor. It should be noted that many of the electives in any curriculum must be chosen at the 300 and 400 levels in order to meet the graduation requirement of 45 hours of upper level courses.