College of Arts and Sciences 
 Admissions, Academic and Degree Requirements

Please Note: Fine Arts majors should refer to program requirements listed in the Division of Fine Arts section of this Bulletin.

Introduction

The College of Arts and Sciences began its work on September 21, 1867, as the Collegiate Department, with an academic program which included courses in English, Greek, Latin, French, German, Spanish, mathematics, philosophy, and botany. During the subsequent ten years, the curriculum was expanded to include theology, history, and additional courses in science. By 1934, the College was organized basically as it is today. It has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools since 1921, and it was placed on the approved list of the Association of American Universities in 1939. With 19 academic departments, it is the largest of the University’s schools and colleges. 

The College of Arts and Sciences offers broad and balanced programs in the fine arts, the humanities, the natural sciences and social sciences. The curriculum of the College is designed to meet the needs and interests of a diverse multicultural student body. A liberal education, in the traditional sense, is the central focus of programs that provide opportunities for exploring modern technologies and gives attention to the College’s historical concern and sensitivity to social justice. The College is located on the main campus, a setting which fosters a variety of academic and social activities for students. 

A formal faculty advising program augments the low student-faculty ratio and encourages student contact with faculty from a variety of personal and intellectual perspectives. These contacts are enhanced further through departmental organizations and student associations. Washington, D.C., the nation’s capital, supplements campus academic and extracurricular resources with an inexhaustible pool of cultural, political, and recreational opportunities. Through the undergraduate experience inside and outside the classroom, students acquire expertise in their chosen fields of study, strengthen and refine their powers of communication, reasoning, and judgment, and increase their capacities to lead productive, responsible lives. 

Studies at the College typically cover four years. During the freshman and sophomore years, students concentrate on fulfilling general education requirements by taking courses in the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences. During the junior and senior years, students pursue courses in their major and minor areas. In the senior year all students must pass a comprehensive examination or approved option in their major field as a requirement for graduation.

For academically gifted and highly motivated students who thrive in an atmosphere of creative learning and intellectual exploration, the College offers the Honors Program. In addition, the College maintains chapters of 13 national honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa. Many departments offer departmental honors. Numerous scholarships are also available to eligible students.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted into the College of Arts and Sciences, students must have taken the courses listed below with the unit requirements:
English (4), mathematics (2), foreign language (2), natural science (2) social science (2) and any other academic courses counted toward graduation (4).

Freshmen applicants must be in the upper half of the graduating class or submit a GED Certificate; have a minimum SAT score of 1000 or ACT composite score of 20. Two letters of recommendation from the high school are required. Transfer applicants from regionally accredited institutions must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale on 15 hours which shall include one English and one college-level Mathematics course.