College of Arts and Science

Administration

A. Cooper Drury, Dean
Jamie Arndt, Senior Associate Dean of Faculty
Tim Glass, Associate Dean for Research
Sheri-Marie Harrison, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Faculty Success
Chris Josey, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies

Arts and Science Dean’s Office
317 Lowry Hall
(573) 882-4421

Arts and Science Office of Academic Operations and Advising Support
105 Lowry Hall
(573) 882-6411
muasadvising@missouri.edu

About the College

Established in 1841, the College of Arts and Science is the oldest and largest academic unit in the university. The College offers over 60 undergraduate and graduate degrees in humanities, the fine and performing arts, social and behavioral sciences, and the biological, physical, and mathematical sciences. A&S also provides general education and foundational courses for students across all of MU’s schools, colleges, and divisions, as well as support for professional and specialized programs in other academic units.

A liberal arts education is the foundation for lifelong career readiness, preparing students to pursue careers across the private and public sectors; it also prepares students for advanced academic and professional degrees. In support of these goals, the college encourages excellence in teaching and scholarship among its faculty and provides both traditional and innovative undergraduate curricula. All of our degree programs allow some flexibility for individualized courses of study. Students work closely with their academic advisors as well as the A&S Career Development Office and the MU Career Center while deciding on their primary program of study, as well as exploring additional majors, minors and certificates within and outside of the College. Thanks to the 40+ A&S undergraduate degree programs, including two individualized baccalaureate degrees (Interdisciplinary Studies and General Studies), and 70+ A&S minors and certificates, our students can build personalized academic pathways to take them where they want to go after college.

• College of Arts and Science Requirements: Overview
• College Foundation Requirements
• Requirements for Major
• Requirements for Optional Minor
• Requirements for Optional Certificate
• Double Majors
• Dual Degrees
• Second Degrees
• Graduate Dual Enrollment
• Credit Restrictions
  • Maximum Credits Enrolled
  • Other Maximum Credit Policies
  • Courses Forming a Sequence
  • Enrolling at Other Institutions
  • Time Limit on Credits Earned
• Dean's List and College Honors
• Academic Standing and Dismissal
• Career Readiness
• Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC)
• Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (AROTC)

College of Arts and Science Requirements: Overview

To earn a degree from the College of Arts and Science, students must meet all requirements of the University, the College of Arts and Science, and their declared major. Additionally, students must complete the following:

• Arts and Science Foundation requirements (Basic Skills, Breadth of Study, Depth of Study).
• Earn a minimum of 30 credits in courses numbered 3000 or above, which may include courses in the major. A few specifically identified math, science, and music courses numbered at the 2000-level may be used to meet this requirement; please consult an advisor.
• Earn a minimum GPA of 2.0 in courses taken at MU to meet requirements for the major.
• Complete requirements for a major in the College with grades of C- or higher.

*Please note: the requirements for the Bachelor of General Studies degree are listed here.

College Foundation Requirements

The A&S Foundation requirements are comprised of the University General Education requirements together with additional College and degree-specific requirements and/or courses.

The purpose of the Arts and Science Foundation requirements is to assure that students fulfill the common educational objectives of the College of Arts and Science. Courses satisfying these requirements impart specialized knowledge and help students fulfill the broader objectives of a liberal education. Thus, these courses help students develop the following abilities:

• To communicate clearly and effectively in both writing and speech
• To generate and test hypotheses
• To locate and develop information needed to solve problems
• To think critically and use analytic skills effectively
• To examine their lives critically and objectively
• To enrich their lives through appreciation of present and past cultural achievements

Foundation requirements include three categories:

• Basic Skills requirements ensure competency in composition and communication, mathematics and analytic reasoning, and where applicable, a second language.
• Breadth of Study requirements are met by completing course work from a wide array of disciplines to ensure that graduates are broadly educated.
• Depth of Study requirements are met by completing advanced coursework that allows for fuller understanding of a discipline than can be gained in introductory course work alone.

All students must complete Arts and Science Foundation requirements in order to earn a degree, regardless of prior baccalaureate degrees earned. Courses must be chosen from the Distribution of Content List on the website of the General Education Program. Previous course work will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis. For students who earn an Associate of Arts degree from a regionally accredited institution or complete Core 42, all Breadth of Study requirements will be considered to be met. Students will be required to complete at least one Depth of Study class with MU course work. All students must complete English 1000 and the Math and Quantitative Reasoning requirement with a minimum grade of C-.

Math and Quantitative Reasoning: MATH 1100, MATH 1160, MATH 1050, STAT 1200 or transferable equivalent with grade of C- or higher

• Majors may require specific course to meet this requirement.

ENGLSH 1000 or transferable equivalent with grade of C- or higher

Foundation Requirements for Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degrees:

• Second language requirement (12 hours, courses used to meet the second language requirement may not be used to meet other Arts and Science foundation requirements).
• Biological, Physical, Mathematical Science (9 hours from 2 areas, including one lab science course).
• Behavioral and Social Science (15 hours, including 6 hours from Behavioral Science, 9 hours from Social Science from 2 subjects, and 6 hours of Arts and Science coursework).
• Humanities and Fine Arts (12 hours, including 3 subject areas and 3 hours of Arts and Science coursework).
• 9 hours of coursework at the 2000+ level (depth of study), including:
  • 3 credits of Arts and Science coursework,
  • 1 MU course
  • 2 distribution areas represented from Biological, Physical, Mathematical Science, Behavioral or Social Science, and Humanities. A minimum of 3 credits must be completed in each area chosen.
• Students earning a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies without emphasis may not use courses in the major to meet foundation requirements.

Foundation Requirements for Bachelor of Science (BS) Degrees:

• Second language requirement or Second language alternative (12 hours, courses used to meet the second language or the second language alternative may not be used to meet other Arts and Science foundation requirements).*
• Biological, Physical, Mathematical Science (9 hours from 2 areas, including one lab science course).
• Behavioral and Social Science (9 hours, including 1 behavioral science course).
• Humanities and Fine Arts (9 hours, including 2 subject areas).
• 6 hours of coursework at the 2000+ level (depth of study), including:
  • 3 credits of Arts and Science coursework,
  • 1 MU course
  • 2 distribution areas represented from Biological, Physical, Mathematical Science, Behavioral or Social Science, and Humanities. A minimum of 3 credits must be completed in each area chosen.

*The second language requirement does not apply to Architectural Studies, Data Science, Microbiology, and Textile and Apparel Management

Foundation Requirements for Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Degrees:

• Biological, Physical, Mathematical Science (9 hours from 2 areas, including one lab science course).
• Behavioral and Social Science (9 hours, including 1 behavioral science course).
• Humanities and Fine Arts (9 hours, including 2 subject areas).
• 6 hours of coursework at the 2000+ level (depth of study), including:
  • 3 credits of Arts and Science coursework,
  • 1 MU course
  • 2 distribution areas represented from Biological, Physical, Mathematical Science, Behavioral or Social Science, and Humanities. A minimum of 3 credits must be completed in each area chosen.

Foundation Requirements for Bachelor of Music (BM) Degrees:

• Second language requirement for non-Music Education emphases (12 hours, courses used to meet the second language or the second language alternative may not be used to meet other Arts and Science foundation requirements).
• Biological, Physical, Mathematical Science (9 hours from 2 areas, including one lab science course).
• Behavioral and Social Science (9 hours, including 1 behavioral science course).
• Humanities and Fine Arts (9 hours, including 2 subject areas).
• 6 hours of coursework at the 2000+ level (depth of study), including:
  • 3 credits of Arts and Science coursework,
  • 1 MU course
  • 2 distribution areas represented from Biological, Physical, Mathematical Science, Behavioral or Social Science, and Humanities. A minimum of 3 credits must be completed in each area chosen.

Second language Requirement

Students earning BA, BS (except for Architectural Studies, Data Science, Microbiology, and Textile & Apparel Management), and BM degrees (except Music Education) are required to attain the degree of proficiency equivalent to the completion of at least 12 hours of college-level work in a single language other than English. Courses used to meet the second language or the second language alternative may not be used to meet other Arts and Science foundation requirements.

• Alternative for selected BS degrees: 12 credits numbered 2000 or above in an area approved by the major department substituted with the concurrence of the dean’s office. 

There are four categories of students who may meet the A&S language requirement by demonstrating proficiency in a language other than English outside of college coursework:

1. Students who have completed four years of second language instruction in a single language in high school. This must be officially recorded on the student's high school transcript. In this case a student may not use college-level credit earned for the elementary sequence in the same language toward the Arts and Science foundation requirement. 

2. Students who have earned a Missouri Seal of Biliteracy. 

3. International students whose native language is other than English. Note: International students may not receive credit for elementary sequence courses in that native language.

4. Non-international students who can demonstrate proficiency at the mid-intermediate level or higher in a language other than English. 

• If the student is proficient in a language offered at MU: the student may be evaluated by that language program. The evaluation must test the student’s ability in all the modalities appropriate for that language (reading, writing, listening, and/or speaking) at the mid-intermediate or higher as defined by ACTFL proficiency guidelines. Upon verification of proficiency level, the language program will notify the A&S Academic Operations and Advising Support office. 
• If the student is proficient in a language not offered at MU: the student is responsible for finding a qualified examiner in that language, who must then be approved by the A&S undergraduate dean. The evaluation must test the student’s ability in all the modalities appropriate for that language (reading, writing, listening, and/or speaking) at the mid-intermediate level or higher as defined by ACTFL proficiency guidelines.

Requirements for Major

A major consists of at least 21 credits, including at least 15 credits in courses numbered 2000 or above, 12 of which must be taken in MU course work. See detailed departmental information for additional requirements for specific majors.

Each student must declare and receive official approval for a major by submitting a graduation plan during the semester after completion of 60 credits. The purpose of the graduation plan is to acquaint students with all requirements that must be met prior to graduation and to plan for the timely completion of these requirements. 

Requirements for an Optional Minor

A minor consists of at least 15 credits, including at least 6 credits numbered 2000 or above, within a department or program that offers a minor; 9 of the required credits must be taken in MU course work. This requirement can be reduced from 9 to 6 at the discretion of an individual department. See detailed departmental information for additional requirements for specific minors. Courses outside the major department but required for the major may be used towards a minor. In addition, courses required in the minor may be used to meet Foundation requirements.

The College of Arts and Science awards minors only to undergraduate students who are simultaneous recipients of bachelor’s degrees. Students may not earn a major and a minor in the same field concurrently. However, students may return to complete a subsequent degree in a field for which they have earned a minor as part of an earlier undergraduate degree.

Students must meet the minimum GPA requirements for a minor, which in no case can be lower than 2.0. In addition, a student cannot receive a grade lower than a C- in any course applied towards a minor in the College.

Requirements for an Optional Certificate

A certificate consists of at least 12 credits; at least 12 credits must be taken in MU course work. See detailed information for additional requirements for specific certificates. Courses required for a certificate may be used to meet major, minor or Foundation requirements. 

Students must meet the minimum GPA requirements for a certificate, which in no case can be lower than 2.0. In addition, a student cannot receive a grade lower than a C- in any course applied towards a certificate in the College.

Students may not earn a certificate and a major or minor in the same field.

For more information, please see the following website: https://provost.missouri.edu/undergraduate-certificates/

Double Majors

Arts and Science students may choose to complete multiple majors while earning one degree. The requirements of each major, along with requirements for the degree, must be completed. Often, this does not result in additional hours to the degree program.

Dual Degrees

A dual degree is when a student is pursuing two different degrees, for example, a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science from Arts and Science or a Bachelor of Science from Arts and Science and a Bachelor of Science from the College of Engineering. To receive two bachelor’s degrees, a student must complete all requirements for both degrees.

The College of Arts and Science maintains dual-degree undergraduate + professional degree programs with the schools of Law, Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. To enroll in these programs, the student must have completed all specific course requirements for the bachelor’s degree prior to admission to the professional school and must have completed the junior year in residence in the College of Arts and Science. Under certain circumstances, Arts and Science undergraduates may be assured admission to MU’s schools of Law or Medicine.

Second Degrees

The following guidelines apply to students wishing to obtain a second undergraduate degree:

• A student must complete any college, general education or department requirements that are unique to the new degree program. Requirements that are in effect at the time a student begins work toward the second degree are applicable.
• Students applying for second-degree status will be considered only if they have final term and cumulative GPAs no less than 2.0.
• The student must submit a graduation plan in consultation with an advisor in an appropriate department or program before the dean’s office will approve a request from the student to enroll as a candidate for a second degree.
• With the exception of Interdisciplinary Studies majors with an emphasis in Black Studies, Peace Studies, or Women's and Gender Studies, the college does not approve applications for a second undergraduate degree in General Studies or Interdisciplinary Studies.
• A student who has earned a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (excluding those with emphasis areas in Black Studies, Environmental Studies, Peace Studies, or Women's and Gender Studies) or General Studies may not pursue a second degree in a field that was used as a component of the first degree.
• Once enrolled for a second degree, a student is committed to enrolling in course work required for completion of that degree. A student will not be allowed to continue as a candidate for a second undergraduate degree if not enrolled in courses required for the second bachelor’s degree.

Graduate Dual Enrollment

Seniors may be able to dually enroll in the College of Arts and Science and the Office of Graduate Studies with permission of the advisor, the Undergraduate Dean, and the Director of Graduate Studies in the department granting graduate credit. This enables the student to complete some graduate course work prior to receiving the bachelor’s degree.

 For more information on requirements, please refer to the following website. 

Credit Restrictions

Maximum Credits Enrolled 

Time Limit on Credits Earned

Credit that is applied toward a degree is considered valid for eight years. After that time, the validity of credit already on the transcript will be reevaluated. Departments of the college have the right to accept or to reject credit earned after eight years have passed.

Dean's List, Latin Honors, Departmental Honors, and Phi Beta Kappa

Deans list: A&S students who have earned a minimum 3.5 term GPA in twelve or more graded (A-F) hours in a single semester and who have a cumulative GPA of record are placed on the A&S Dean's List for that semester.

Latin honors: Please see Latin Honors for requirements. 

Departmental honors: Many, but not all, departments have established criteria for earning honors in the major. Those requirements are listed under the major page.  Students must have a minimum cumulative MU GPA of a 3.25 to be eligible for honors in the major.

Phi Beta Kappa: Arts and Science students may be recognized for membership in Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's oldest academic honor society. The local chapter of Phi Beta Kappa requires completion of a minimum of 60 credits of course work on the MU campus, usually during the last two years of study. Exceptions to this latter expectation may be made for students who study abroad in an approved program during their final semesters of study.

Academic Standing and Dismissal

A&S follows University definitions and standards for academic standing, including dismissal and appeal. These are defined in the MU Faculty Handbook and can be found in the Academic Standing section of this catalog.

Career Readiness

Employment opportunities in the various disciplines of the liberal arts are varied and many, and the College strongly supports career readiness and preparation across all of its departments and program. Students are encouraged to explore internships through the A&S Career Development Office; additionally, many A&S programs support degree-specific internship courses as part of their curriculum. Finally, the College promotes the integration of National Association of Colleges and Employees (NACE) competencies into curricula across our schools and departments. 

Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC)

The AFROTC provides the opportunity to become a United States Air Force officer while completing a college degree. The program combines traditional undergraduate education with military instruction in preparation for Air Force leadership challenges. Scholarships are available. Visit https://www.afrotc.com/ for the most current information. After graduating from college and successfully completing all AFROTC requirements, cadets receive a commission as as second lieutenant with an obligation of four years of service in the active duty Air Force. 

MU also offers a Minor in Aerospace Studies.

For additional information contact:

Department of Aerospace Studies
217 Crowder Hall
(573) 882-7621
https://www.afrotc.com/

Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (AROTC)

Army ROTC is a college elective program that teaches the skills needed to succeed in the Army or the corporate world. Students combine classroom time with hands-on experience and learn leadership and management skills. The experience of Army ROTC provides the confidence needed to excel in college and beyond. The Army ROTC program can be completed through a two- to four-year program designed to develop undergraduate students into junior commissioned officers in the Active Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. In addition to traditional combat roles, Army officers serve in such professional fields as aviation, medical service, finance, personnel management, communications and engineering. MU also offers a Minor in Military Science.

For additional information contact:

Department of Military Science and Leadership
202 Crowder Hall
(573)-882-7721
https://armyrotc.missouri.edu/

The College of Arts and Science is home to a broad spectrum of disciplines that prepare graduate students for challenging and rewarding careers. Our faculty mentors are known for both research and teaching excellence and many have received national acclaim for discoveries, disciplinary leadership, creative works and music or theater performance.

The School of Music, housed within the College, offers master's degrees, a doctoral degrees and a graduate certificate in jazz studies. Music education degrees are offered in conjunction with the College of Education, Department of Learning, Teaching and Curriculum.

Note: Prospective graduate students must apply to both the degree program of interest and to the Graduate School. In most cases, the entire application process may be completed online.