Dean • Waded Cruzado-Salas

Associate Dean • Kenneth R. Paap

Associate Dean • Jeffrey P. Brown

Advising Center Coordinator • Virginia Salcido

Advising Center Associate Coordinator • Debbie Hands

Advising Center Assistant Coordinator • James J. O'Connor

Student Records • Maria D. Saenz

Bachelor of Arts–Majors in Anthropology, Art, Biology, Chemistry, Communication Studies, Economics, English, Foreign Languages, Government, History, Journalism and Mass Communications, Philosophy, Physics, Psychology, Sociology, Theatre Arts, Women's Studies
Bachelor of Science–Majorsin Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, City and Regional Planning, Computer Science, Geography, Geology, Mathematics, Microbiology, Physics
Designated Bachelor's Degree–in Conservation Ecology, CriminalJus?tice, Fine Arts, Music, Music Education
Bachelor of Individualized Studies
Two-year Degrees–Associate of Arts, Associate in Criminal Justice

Programs offered in the College of Arts and Sciences prepare students for a variety of career opportunities and for graduate study. The broad curriculum offered provides both the motivation and the tools for lifelong learning experiences.

While the ultimate responsibility for planning an academic program in compliance with university, college, and departmental requirements rests with the student, the college recognizes the importance of helping students work out appropriate academic programs. All freshmen and other unclassified arts and sciences students are advised on academic matters in the college advising center, which is locatedin the dean's office. In addition, all students are encouraged to contact departments for specific subject area information and career planning.

Students with 28 or more credits who have declared a major are advised in the concerned departments.

Students should consult the University section of the catalog regarding general limitations for total credit hours,independent study, and registration under S/U option. Students in the College of Arts and Sciences on academic warning or probation are limited to 15 credits per semester or 5 credits per summer session. The University section of the catalog discusses registration and withdrawal deadlines. Students may not do additional course work or repeat course exercises after the semester has ended in order to raise a grade in any Arts and Sciences course. Exceptions would be made for students completing official incompletes.

COLLEGE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Students must meet the following degree requirements(numbers 1-5, below):

1. Basic Academic Skills requirements in English and mathematics. See "Basic Academic Skills" in the "General Information" chapter earlier in this catalog.
2. University graduation requirements. See "Graduation Requirements" in the "General Information" chapter earlier in this catalog. Students must pass university General Education requirements and earn a minimum of 128 university level credits of which at least 54 must be upper division.
3. College core requirements, with the following stipulations:
   1. A student must earn a grade of C or higher in each course that fulfills the college core requirements,including the final second language course when that course is part of a student's requirements. Courses satisfying the college core may also fulfill specific major or minor requirements, and may fulfill University General requirements.
   2. A student must pass three liberal studies courses, one from each of three different liberal studies area: English literature, fine arts (no more than one course in total from nonapplied art, music, and theatre), history, foreign languages(300 or above), taught in a foreign language, philosophy, or W S 202G.
   3. A student must pass three science courses, one from each of three science departments: astronomy, biology, chemistry and biochemistry, computer science, geological science, mathematical sciences, physics, or physical geography.
   4. A student must pass three social science courses, one from each of three social science areas: anthropology, communication studies, economics, social geography, government, psychology, sociology, JOUR 105G, LING 200G, or W S 201G.
   5. List of courses that fulfill the above areas may be obtained in the dean's office.
   6. Courses that do not meet the college core requirements include:
      • Interim courses
      • Journalism courses(except JOUR 105G)
      • Methodology courses
      • Criminal Justice courses
      • Applied fine arts courses and techniques courses
      • Courses labeled "N" for no credit
      • Courses offered in colleges other than the College of Arts and Sciences
      • Directed readings or independent studies courses
   7. A student must fulfill the second language requirement in all Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. To meet this requirement, the student must do one of the following:
      • Complete the normal foreign language course sequence: 111, 112, 211, 212. Students should enter the sequence at their proficiency level. Spanish speakers should complete the 113-213-214 sequence. Students who successfully complete either SPAN 113 or 213 or 214 (or all) may not take SPAN 111, 112, 211 or 212 for credit.
      • Challenge the 212 level of French, German, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish, or the 214 level for the Spanish-speaking student.
      • Obtain college certification of completion of three years of one second language at the high school level with a grade of C or higher in the third year level.(i.e., equivalent to French 211, German 211, Spanish 211, etc.)
      • Obtain, from the head of the Department of Languages and Linguistics, certification of a working knowledge of a second language if such language is not taught at New Mexico State University.
      • Obtain certification of a working knowledge of a native American language from the American Indian program director.
      • Successfully complete a regular university course taught in a language other than English. A student can receive credit only once for the same course taught in two languages.
      • Pass a three-credit upper-division course (numbered 300 or above) taught in a foreignlanguage by the Department of Languages and Linguistics.
      • Pass C D 476, America Sign Language III with a grade of C or better.
      • In the case of a foreign student who is required to take the TOEFL exam, the dean will automatically waive the foreign language requirement.
   Students should satisfy the language requirement as soon as possible and take the necessary courses in consecutive semesters.
4. University General Education courses and requirements. See "General Education Courses and Requirements" in the "General Information" chapter earlier in this catalog.
5. Earn a specified number of credits in one or more major subjects, or in the case of the B.I.S., follow the official approved curriculum.

Students may complete any courses approved by the University General Education Course Certification Committee to meet University Gen?eral Education requirements. In the Viewing A Wider World section, these courses must come from colleges outside the College of Arts and Sciences.

Second Language and Designated Degrees

Exceptions to the college's second language requirement for designated degrees (Conservation Ecology, Fine Arts, Music and Music Education) are stated in the departmental descriptions of degree requirements. Criminal Justice has adopted a second language requirement.

S/U Grading Option

Instructors may establish individual standards for an S grade, but the minimum standard for an S grade in College of Arts and Sciences courses is a C.

Developmental and Applied Credit Limitations

The College of Arts and Sciences may accept up to 9 credits toward graduation of applied course work, whichinclude Occupational Education courses, BOT, S A, UNIV(not including UNIV 150 and UNIV 350), ART (applied), DANC(applied), MUS(applied and participation), THTR(applied), NURS, A EN, AXED, AG I, AGME, COLL, CCDL, CCDS, all lower-division RDG. Credits earned in developmental courses(N suffix)are not counted toward any arts and sciences degree. Students should contact the dean's office regarding the acceptability of specific courses.

In addition to the above limitation, the college will also accept a maxi?mum of 9 credits towards graduation of applied P E and PE P courses, and ANSC 190, 191, 290, 291, 380, and 381. This restriction does not apply to PE P 185, 280, 281, 285, 286G, 295, 309, 311, 320, 341, 342, and 411.

Independent Study Courses

Students are limited to six credits in any independent study course. Independent study courses include directed reading and special topic courses, which do not carry a subtitle.

Distance Education Courses

The College of Arts and Sciences offers a variety of distance education courses each semester. Specific courses can be found under departmental course listings and the Las Cruces Extension section of the Schedule of Classes. Students who successfully complete NMSU distance education courses receive the same credit as students who take an equivalent course on the main campus. Distance education courses appear on a student's transcript in the same way as does a course taken on the main campus.

Departmental Majors and Minors

Students who wish to obtain a bachelor's degree must select a major field or fields or apply for admission to the B.I.S. program at the completion of 36 credits. For a listing of major fields, the student should see the first page of this chapter. Course requirements for majors are listed under individual departments. Students seeking to major in criminal justice must be officially admitted to the major by the department of Criminal Justice. Students should consult the department for current admissions requirements. Until a major or B.I.S.is selected, the student is designated as unclassified.

Each major consists of not less than 20 credits of upper-division courses(300 and above) in a specific field. Students must earn a grade of C or better for all course requirements for a major, minor, or supplementary major. Some departments also require specific courses outside the major field. Please refer to the departmental section of the catalog for specific nondepartmental requirements. These nondepartmental requirements must be passed with a grade of C or better. It is imperative that students consult the departmental sections of this catalog and the concerned department or departments for advice in planning to fulfill requirements for declared majors.

For information on meeting minor requirements, the student must consult the department offering the minor.

Most students have considerable latitude in choosing elective courses. These are the courses beyond college and major requirements that a student must take to bring her or his total credits to 128. This latitude provides students with opportunities to major in more than one field or to devise interdisciplinary programs tailored to individual interests or future career needs.

Regardless of the option elected, the student should have a degree check donein the dean's office and draw up a detailed graduation plan. The first degree check should be requested at the completion of 80 credits and the second the semester prior to graduation.

BACHELOR OF INDIVIDUALIZED STUDIES

Committee: Jeffrey Brown, Ph.D., College of Arts and Sciences, program director; Gregory Butler, Ph.D., Government; J. Philip King, Ph.D, Civil and Geological Engineering; Martha Rowe, D.M.A, Music; Mark Workman, Ed.D. Extended Learning; Walter Zakahi, Ph.D., Communication Studies

The most rewarding curricula for the majority of students in the university are found in programs with traditional degree requirements. The Bachelor of Individualized Studies (B.I.S.) degree, however, provides an alternative degree for those students who have special educational objectives that can only be met by an individually tailored program of studies. Students are allowed to design individualized curricula that may vary from the requirements of other degrees in the university.

Admission Requirements

Application for admission to the B.I.S. program must be filed in the office of the dean of Arts and Sciences no later than October 31 (fall semester) or March 31 (spring semester). Applicants must include a letter of support from a potential faculty adviser. Admission to candidacy is subject to the approval of the program director who is advised by the B.I.S. Admissions Committee.

Acceptance is based upon these criteria:

• The candidate must have earned at least 28 credits and should earn at least 30 credits while in the B.I.S. program in order to complete the B.I.S. degree.
• The candidate must be in good academic standing with a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.0.
• The candidate must have met the university basic skills requirement.
• The candidate must have clearly defined educational goals that cannot be met by traditional degree programs.
• The candidate must submit a study plan appropriate for accomplishing the stated educational goals. All courses approved for the study plan must be passed with a grade of C or higher.
• A candidate for the B.I.S. degree may not be simultaneously a candidate for another degree. A student may not apply for a B.I.S. degree after having received another baccalaureate degree.
• A B.I.S. student who has been out of the university for two years must apply for readmission to the B.I.S. Admissions Committee upon returning to the university.
• A B.I.S. student may be asked to participate in Outcomes Assessment of his or her learning in this program.

Degree Requirements

• Completion of a total of at least 128 credits, of which at least 54 are upper division credits. The student must fulfill university General Education requirements. Viewing A Wider World requirements should be met with one course from each of two colleges outside the colleges of the student's principal areas of emphasis.
• Regular consultation with the approved B.I.S. adviser. Failure to meet with the adviser and obtain the adviser's signature on each course request card submitted during candidacy will result in disenrollment from the program.
• Compliance with university academic regulations.
  

ASSOCIATE OF ARTS REQUIREMENTS

English Composition. ENGL 111G, Rhetoric and Composition

Mathematics Basic Skills. Completion of mathematics basic skills as described under "Basic Academic Skills" in the "General Information" chapter of this catalog.

Liberal Studies. Three courses are required and must be selected from three different liberal studies areas: English literature, fine arts,(nonapplied art, theatre, and music courses), languages(over 300), history, philosophy, or W S 202G.

Sciences. Three courses are required and must be selected from three different science departments: astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, geology, mathematics, physics, or physical geography.

Social Sciences. Three courses are required and must be selected from three different social studies departments: anthropology, communication studies, economics, social geography, government, psychology, sociology, JOUR 105G, LING 200G, or W S 201G.

Electives to bring total credits, including upper-division credits but excluding developmental credits, to 66.

The College of Arts and Sciences may accept up to 9 credits toward graduation of applied course work, which include Occupational Educational courses, BOT S A, UNIV(notincluding UNIV 150 and UNIV 350), ART (applied), DANC(applied), MUS(applied and participation), THTR(applied), NURS, A EN, AXED, AG I, AGME, COLL, CCDL, CCDS, all lower-division RDG.

In addition to above limitation, the college will also accept a maximum of 9 credits toward graduation of applied P E and PE P courses, and ANSC 190, 191, 290, 291, 380, and 381. This restriction does not apply to PE P 185, 280, 281, 285, 286G, 295, 309, 311, 320, 341, 342, and 411.

Admission, grade point, and application requirements are the same as for all other degrees. The last 15 credits must be taken in residence at a campus of New Mexico State University.

Students who plan to earn a bachelor's degree at NMSU are strongly encouraged to select courses that will satisfy the university general education requirements when choosing courses for the Associate of Arts degree.

SUPPLEMENTARY MAJORS

Applied Mathematics

Committee: Caroline Sweezy, Ph.D., Mathematics, Advisor;John Harding, Ph.D., Mathematics; Hing Leung, Ph.D., Computer Science; Ronald J. Pederson, Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering; Krist Petersen, Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering; Tony Wang, Ph.D., Mathematics

The Department of Mathematical Sciences coordinates a supplementary major in applied mathematics that may be taken in addition to a regular major in any college. This program is designed to provide a multidisciplinary education in the applications of mathematics for undergraduates intending to go to graduate school or who are interested in entering professions that require a strong background in applied mathematics, such as engineering, physical science and economics. Please refer to the entry under the Department of Mathematical Sciences.

Chicano Studies

Committee: Laura Gutirrez Spencer, Ph.D., Chicano Programs, Adviser; John Nieto-Phillips, Ph.D., History; Diane Prindeville, Ph.D., Government; Cecilia Rodriguez Pino, M.A., Languages and Linguistics

The supplementary major in Chicano Studies is an important interdisciplinary addition to the undergraduate preparation offered in several areas of the social sciences and humanities. Students completing traditional majors in such fields as social work, economics, sociology and anthropology, history, government, theatre arts, art, English, languages and linguistics, nursing, mass communications, and criminal justice should consider the possibility of completing a supplementary major in Chicano Studies. This is due to the close relationship among the fields and in light of the need professionals have to deal with the cultural background of the Mexican American/Chicano inhabitants of the state, the Southwest United States, and population centers throughout the nation where Mexican American/Chicano culture is a contemporary reality. For a full description of the supplementary major in Chicano Studies and information on specific requirements of the major, please refer to the entry under the Department of Languages and Linguistics.

Latin American Studies

Committee: Ricardo Aguilar-Melantzon, Ph.D., Languages and Linguistics; Jose Manuel Garcia, Ph.D., Languages and Linguistics; Jose Z. Garcia, Ph.D., Government;M. Lois Stanford, Ph.D., Sociology and Anthropology;Elizabeth Zarur, Ph.D., Art

The supplementary major in Latin American Studies is an important interdisciplinary addition to the undergraduate preparation offered in several areas of the humanities and social sciences. Students completing traditional majors in such fields as Spanish, history, government, art, sociology and anthropology, linguistics, business, economics, health science, and mass communications, as well as students from other majors, should consider the possibility of completing a supplementary major in Latin American Studies. Due to New Mexico's strategic geographical position and the growing cultural and economic importance of Latin America, it will be advantageous for any professional in the areas mentioned above to have a solid background in the field. For a full description of the course offerings in Latin American Studies and information on specific requirements of the major, please refer to the entry under the Department of Languages and Linguistics.

Law and Society

Committee: Nancy Baker, Ph.D., Government; Lisa Bond-Maupin, Ph.D., CriminalJustice; Greg Butler, Ph.D., Government;Peter Gregware, Ph.D., CriminalJustice; G. Larry Mays, Ph.D., Criminal Justice; Ken Mentor, Ph.D., Criminal Justice; Steve Pasternack, Ph.D., Journalism and Mass Communications; Danny Scoccia, Ph.D., Philosophy;Kim Seckler, J.D., Government;William Taggart, Ph.D., Government;Russell Winn, D.P.A., Government

Students interested in studying the American legal system andissues in law and society may choose to pursue a supplemental major in Law and Society, sponsored by the Department of Government. The Law and Soci?ety program is designed to prepare studentsinterested in the law by devel?oping critical thinking skills, introducing methods and conceptsinvolved in the study of law, and providing a context for understanding lawin modern society. For a description of and information on specific requirements of the major, refer to the entry under ?Government?later in this chapter. Addi?tionalinformationis also available from the Department of Government.

Linguistics

Committee: Patricia MacGregor-Mendoza, Ph.D., Languages and Linguistics, Adviser;David Farwell, Ph.D., Computer Research Laboratory; Peter Foltz, Ph.D., Psychology;Ana Huerta-Mac?as, Ph.D., Curriculum and Instruction;Scott Rushforth, Ph.D., Sociology and Anthropology;Robert Weissberg, Ph.D., Communication Studies

The supplementary major in linguistics is a program whose offerings bridge two colleges and several departments. This interdisciplinary concentration offers an important supplement to the undergraduate preparation offered in several areas of the social sciences, humanities and education. Students completing traditional majors in fields that focus on understanding human nature such as communication studies, social work, sociology and anthropology, government, history, English, French, German, Spanish, journalism and mass communications, philosophy, psychology, early childhood education, elementary education, secondary education, bilingual education, TESOL, special education and communication disorders should consider completing a supplementary major in linguistics to heighten their awareness of the important rolelanguage plays in human interaction on individual and global levels. Moreover, in this day of digital text, computer science majors may also benefit from a greater understanding of linguistics. For a full description of the supplementary major in linguistics and information on specific requirements of the program, please refer to the entry under the Department of Languages and Linguistics.

Women's Studies

Committee: Diane-Michele Pinderville, M.P.A., Government, Director; Laurie Churchill, Ph.D., New Mexico Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate; Mia Kalish, M.A., Computer Science; Christine Marlow, Ph.D., Social Work ;Tammy May, Ph.D.; Edward Pines, Ph.D., Industrial Engineering; Grace Ann Rosile, Ph.D., Management; Karen Schaefer, Ph.D., Counseling Center; Elizabeth Schirmer, Ph.D., English; Natalie Strobach, Women's Studies & English;Monica Torres, Ph.D., English

Women's Studies is an interdisciplinary program which examines scholarship and theory on the history, contributions and experiences of women in diverse cultures, and on the importance of gender as a social construct. The curriculum includes a series of core courses as well as several cross-listed courses offered by other academic departments. By emphasizing knowledge of gender issues and cultural difference, the supplementary major and the minor help prepare students for a wide variety of careers including education, public policy, health, law, journalism, and social/community service. Information on specific requirements for a minor in Women's Studies is available in the department office.

PREPROFESSIONAL STUDIES

Prehealth Studies

Health Professions Advisory Committee: John Gustafson, Chair, Ph.D., Biology; Robert L. Armstrong, Ph.D., Physics; Brenda R. Benefit, Ph.D., Anthropology; Jeffrey P. Brown, Ph.D., Associate Dean, Arts and Sciences; Mary Hoke, Ph.D., Nursing; Daniel Howard, Ph.D., Biology; Wolfgang Mueller, Ph.D., Chemistry and Biochemistry; Larry Olsen, Ph.D., Public Health; Kevin Oshima, Ph.D., Biology; Stephen Pate, Ph.D., Physics; Daniel Scoccia, Ph.D., Philosophy; Elba Serrano, Ph.D., Biology; Wenda Trevathan, Ph.D., Sociology and Anthropology; Jerry O'Connor, Ed.D., member ex officio, Advising Center

Students planning to attend medical, osteopathic, or dental schools may major in any discipline. Biology, chemistry, biochemistry, and physics are common majors for students entering the health professions, and these fields are emphasized on medical entrance examinations like the MCAT or DAT. Summary statistics from national surveys of students taking medical entrance examinations show that majors in the social sciences and humanities score as well as science majors, so long as the minimal science requirements are met. Consequently, students should not be discouraged from pursuing a field of study outside traditional premedical curriculum. Most professional schools require chemistry, 16 credits;biology, 8-16 credits;calculus, 3 credits;and physics, 8 credits. Students planning to attend chiropractic, physicaltherapy, or pharmacy school may also choose to complete the preprofessional course requirements at NMSU and then transfer to the appropriate school for advanced study. The Advising Center can provide information about the area graduate programs at such institutions as Texas Tech, University of Texas at El Paso and the University of New Mexico. Students interested in public health should contact the College of Health and Social Services about that school's excellent MPH program.

Selection to professional schools is typically based on four separate but interrelated criteria: (1) evaluation of academic transcripts, (2) evaluation of scores on admissions tests, (3) letters of recommendation, and (4) personal interviews. Students interested in careers in the health profession are encouraged to enroll in A S 305, Prehealth Internship, in their junior or senior year and pursue volunteer community service activities. The Health Professions Advisory Committee works with all prospective applicants to professional school to provide advice and information on the admissions process and to ensure that all prehealth students have the best possible opportunity of gaining admission to the school of their choice. Each studentis expected to register with the committee no later than the sophomore year. Registration may be accomplished in the Office of the Dean, College of Arts and Sciences. In addition, there is a chartered student organization for students entering the health professions.

Prelaw Studies

Committee: Nancy Baker, Ph.D., Government; Lisa Bond-Maupin, Ph.D., Criminal Justice; Greg Butler, Ph.D., Government; Peter Gregware, Ph.D., Criminal Justice;G. Larry Mays, Ph.D., Criminal Justice; Ken Mentor, Ph.D., Criminal Justice; Steve Pasternack, Ph.D., Journalism and Mass Communications; Danny Scoccia, Ph.D., Philosophy;Kim Seckler, J.D., Government; William Taggart, Ph.D., Government; Russell Winn, D.P.A., Government

Students interested in attending law school may choose to pursue a supplemental major in law and society, a course of study corrdinated by the Department of Government. The program provides students with a foundation in the American legal system, constitutional law, and judicial process. The program also offers classes in critical thinking, communications skills, and legal policy issues courses key to effective law school preparation. Though most law schools require a bachelor's degree as a prerequisite for admission; few require specific undergraduate courses or majors. An undergraduate liberal arts program is an excellent background for law school.

Admission to law school generally is based on three separate but interrelated criteria: evaluation of academic transcripts, evaluation of score on the Law School Admissions Test(LSAT), and letters of recommendation. In addition, some law schools will use personal interviews or essays in the admission process. Prospective law students are advised to take the LSAT early in their senior year. The Department of Government offers a workshop on taking the LSAT and mock LSAT exams on an occasional basis.