College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

At-a-Glance

Introduction

Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences will prepare individuals to face a lifetime of challenging situations. The college encompasses a wide spectrum of departments in the humanities, the fine and performing arts, and the social sciences. By completing course work in a major field of interest, as well as in a variety of other subject areas, students acquire the analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills vital to critical thinking. Furthermore, students are exposed to diverse points of view and academic disciplines. These can help form values and outlooks conducive to a meaningful life, a rewarding career, and learning and intellectual growth in the future.

Academic Philosophy

The basic mission of CLASS is vitally important to the university. The subjects that our faculty study and teach are at the heart of a well-rounded education. Human nature is the unifying focus of our disciplines. The social sciences study how human beings function in groups, how groups and societies interact with each other, and how groups empower or marginalize individuals or subgroups. The humanities explore how humans perceive themselves and the world, how belief systems and values inform the judgments and the choices people make, and how we communicate. And the fine arts reveal humans at their most creative-in their ability to shape and transform how we see, hear, and order the world around us. Such knowledge is fundamental to a high quality of life. It helps us become more culturally alive, and it also gives us the broad intellectual resources to help us analyze complex problems and to make difficult moral and social choices. In addition, it prepares us to earn a living. Indeed, because the economy is changing rapidly, the specific jobs skills of today may not be the same as those required tomorrow. An education in the liberal arts and social sciences, which prepares students with broad knowledge and transferable skills, is most likely to help students not only to find a place in the current economy but also to create new places for themselves as the economy grows and changes.

Academic Procedures

Introduction

All students are strongly encouraged to consult with an academic adviser on a regular basis. The CLASS Advising Center is located in Room 221 of Berkman Hall and can be contacted at 216-687-5040.

The advising staff provides a wide range of services including information on college and university graduation requirements, information on academic regulations, preliminary evaluation of transfer credit, assistance in planning a course schedule, and help in preparing student petitions.

After declaring a major, students should also meet regularly with their major-field advisor to discuss course selection and long-range academic and career plans.

Selecting and Declaring a Major

Although Liberal Arts and Social Sciences students must declare a major by the beginning of their junior year, they are encouraged to declare their major as soon as possible. By doing so, students are put into contact with the faculty members who will become their major-field advisers and mentors. By declaring a major early, students will also have more opportunities to work with faculty members and to participate in either the research or creative activities of their academic department.

Major programs may differ in the number and nature of credit hours required. In selecting a major, students should consider their own interests, aptitudes, and professional aspirations. Also, students should pay close attention to university, college, and major-field requirements and plan a schedule to ensure that they do not unnecessarily extend the period of time it takes to complete a degree.

To declare a major, contact the CLASS Advising Center, Berkman Hall 221, 216-687-5040.

Evening Majors

The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences offers a major for evening students in Communication Studies. Requirements for this major, which are the same as those of the day majors, can be found under the heading of the School of Communication.

Before declaring a major in the evening program, a student should consult with the director of the School of Communication to determine the pattern and frequency of offerings of evening courses. A student should also meet with a faculty adviser on a regular basis to discuss course selections, prepare a timetable for completing degree requirements, and receive advising on educational and career goals.

If a particular major field is not offered in the evening, contact the director of the School to explore if possible alternatives exist.

General Requirements

Introduction

The faculty of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences awards its degrees to students who meet the following general requirements:

Successful completion of a minimum of 120 semester credit hours, of which 42 semester credit hours must be earned in 300- and/or 400-level courses. (Transfer students: See note on Other Requirements below.) Credit toward the degree must be earned in: (1) introductory and advanced college courses in the liberal arts and social sciences, (2) those practical and technical courses taught by the departments of this university, and (3) those practical and technical courses acceptable to the departments and curricula of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

Fulfillment of all university GenEd requirements. (See section on University Requirements in the chapter on University Regulations .)

Achievement of a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.00 and other specifications as noted in the section on Graduation Requirements in the chapter on University Regulations.

Completion of the requirements, as set forth in this catalog, for a major field in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

Achievement of a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.00 in a major program in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. (Note: A minimum grade-point average higher than 2.00 may be required by a department. Students must meet the requirements as specified by their major department.)

GenEd Semester Requirements for the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

See section on University GenEd Requirements at: http://www.csuohio.edu/academic/gened/

Foreign Language or Foreign Culture Requirement

The state entrance requirement, called the Foreign Language Deficiency, is two years of a single foreign language in high school or the equivalent (one year of university study). Students who graduated from high school prior to 1987 are exempt from this state requirement. See the section on Foreign Language Deficiency below.

The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences has an additional language requirement called the Foreign Language Requirement. Students completing three years or more of a single foreign language in high school will have fulfilled this requirement. See below for completion options.

Bachelor of Arts:

All students seeking the B.A. degree must complete two courses in a single foreign language beyond the state entrance requirement. (See above). Students who graduated from high school prior to 1987 without taking a foreign language who are exempt from the state Foreign Language Deficiency may fulfill the college requirement by completing two foreign culture classes. Students should contact the CLASS Advising Center (Berkman Hall 221; 216-687-5040) for more information.

The two courses used to fulfill the College requirement may be intermediate-level foreign-language courses at the university level in the same language used to meet the state entrance requirement. Or, students may complete two introductory-level foreign language skills courses at the university level in a single foreign language which is different from the one used to meet the state entrance requirement. Students should begin their language study at a level that reflects their current level of competency. Placement tests in French and Spanish and advising from the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures faculty can help determine the appropriate level. Students who repeat language courses taken in high school can count those credits toward graduation, but not toward the CLASS Foreign Language Requirement.

Bachelor of Music:

All students seeking a B. Mus. degree must complete two approved foreign culture courses or two courses in a foreign language beyond the state entrance requirement.

Other Requirements

Upper-Division Requirement:

42 semester credit hours.
(The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences requires that all students successfully complete a minimum of 42 semester credit hours at the 300- and/or 400-level. For transfer students, no more than 18 semester credit hours may be applied toward this requirement.)

Introduction to University Life:

1 semester credit hour.
(Must be successfully completed by all newly admitted freshmen. Not required for a transfer student.)

Total Minimum Number of Semester Credit Hours Required:

120 Semester Credit Hours.
(All students must successfully complete a minimum of 120 academic semester credit hours. However, please note that some degree programs may require more than the college minimum. Students must consult with their major-field program.)

Academic Policies

Earning a Second Degree

A student who wants to earn a second baccalaureate degree must meet all requirements of the university, college, and department for the second degree and must earn a 2.00 GPA or better for those hours taken to apply to the second degree. The student may receive both degrees by applying and paying the graduation fee for each.

To earn a second baccalaureate degree, a student whose first baccalaureate degree was earned at another institution must complete all degree requirements of Cleveland State University, the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and the major-field department. Also, the student must fulfill the minimum credit-hour requirement and distribution for the university’s Residency Requirement. (See chapter on University Regulations .)

A student may not earn the same baccalaureate degree twice: e.g., two B.A. degrees with different major fields. (See Earning a Second Major.) Also, a student majoring in Music cannot be awarded both the B.A. and B.Mus. degrees.

A student who seeks to earn a second degree in business, engineering or science must first apply to and be admitted into the College of Business Administration, the College of Engineering, or the College of Sciences and Health Professions. In such a case, a student will be matriculating in two colleges and will be subject to all of the requirements and regulations of each college.

Earning a Second Major

Students may elect to complete the requirements for two major fields, provided both majors lead to a Bachelor of Arts degree and are offered by departments in either the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences or the College of Sciences and Health Professions.

In order to have both majors recorded on the transcript, both majors must be listed on the student’s Graduation Application. Only one baccalaureate degree will be conferred.

Students who wish to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree, need to earn a second degree. (See Earning a Second Degree.)

Foreign Language Deficiency

The Foreign Language Deficiency (the state requirement) applies to all undergraduate students, including those who are not native speakers of English and students for whom English is a second language (unless specifically exempted in the policy on Foreign Language Requirement; for example, post-baccalaureate students). Such students, if deficient in foreign language studies credits upon admission to Cleveland State University, may remove the deficiency by completion of appropriate courses at Cleveland State (see policy on Foreign Language entrance requirement) or by verification of appropriate knowledge of the language through the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at the university.

Verification of the student’s knowledge of language and culture to remove the deficiency status will be assessed by a faculty member of the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures who is proficient in the applicable language. In the event no faculty member is proficient in the student’s non-English language, the student may request assessment by an individual outside the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures who has been deemed qualified by said department to assess the student’s knowledge of language and culture. Students should consult with the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures for more information about criteria and guidelines for language and culture assessment at 216-687-4646.

Late Adding a Course and Late Registration

Students must complete the late registration process by the end of the first week of classes in the semester in which enrollment is sought. Students wishing to add a course after this deadline should refer to the academic calendar.

Maximum Registration

The privilege of carrying a maximum load of as high as 18 semester credits per term without petition is granted to any student with a sophomore or junior standing who has a cumulative grade-point average of 3.25 and to any senior who has a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better.

Students who have less than the required grade-point average, or who wish to take more than18 credit hours, must submit a petition through the CLASS Advising Center in Berkman Hall 221.

Special Course Prerequisites

Courses at the 300- and 400- level in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences may not be taken by freshmen except with the written permission of the course instructor.

Undergraduate students may be granted permission to take one or more graduate courses if all of the following conditions are met:

The student must be within 30 semester credit hours of graduation
The student must maintain an overall grade-point average of 2.75 or better through the preceding semester
The student must have a 3.00 grade-point average in the major field
The student must submit, at the time of registration, a completed Permission for an Undergraduate Student to Take a Graduate Course form
Postgraduate students should discuss the requirements for taking a graduate course with the College of Graduate Studies.

Course Withdrawal Policy

A student may withdraw from a course until the university’s published date for withdrawal. If circumstances beyond the student’s control arise which necessitate a withdrawal after this deadline, the student may submit a petition to the CLASS Committee on Academic Standards for consideration. The petition must state the specific reasons for withdrawal and include full documentation of the circumstances. The committee will not consider petitions that do not include clear documentation. To initiate a petition, contact the CLASS Advising Center in Berkman Hall 221.

Student Responsibility

Each student is solely responsible for meeting all curricular requirements and for knowing and following all academic regulations and policies of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, the university, and the major-field department. Students are urged to review all appropriate sections of this catalog, in particular the chapters on University Regulations and Academic Procedures and Academic Policies for the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

Petitions for a waiver of a requirement or for an exception to a regulation (either for the college or university) can be obtained from the CLASS Advising Center located in Berkman Hall 221. Petitions involving past courses must be filed no later than one calendar year from the month the course ended unless extraordinary circumstances, which must be fully documented, make this deadline impossible.

Although students are responsible for knowing and fulfilling graduation requirements and for knowing and following policies and regulations, they can benefit from advisers who are available to assist them. Whenever in doubt, a student should consult his or her academic adviser for assistance.

Special Opportunities

Accelerated 3+3 Degree

The CSU/Cleveland-Marshall College of Law 3+3 program permits a student who has completed three years of undergraduate study to be admitted to the College of Law to begin J.D. studies. The undergraduate degree will be awarded upon successful completion of the first full year of the J.D. curriculum, thus permitting the student to graduate with both an undergraduate and law degrees in six rather than seven years of full-time study (or its equivalent). In effect, the first year of law school completes the fourth year of the undergraduate degree (essentially serving as undergraduate elective courses) and serves as the first year of law school. This arrangement saves both time and money for the student.

Accelerated 4+1 Programs

High-achieving undergraduates in select College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences programs have the opportunity to earn a Master’s degree with one extra year of study. 4+1 programs are available for the Bachelor of Arts in Communication/Master of Arts in Applied Communication Theory and Methodology, Bachelor of Arts in International Relations/Master of Arts in Global Interactions, and Bachelor of Arts in Spanish/Master of Arts in Spanish. Students must meet eligibility criteria set by the academic department. Interested students should contact their faculty advisor.

Internships

Internships are available and may be required in some programs. These experiences place students in actual work settings related to their educational and career interests. Students will be able (or may be required) to register in a corresponding course, thereby earning academic credit. Students must meet eligibility criteria set by the academic department. Interested students should contact their faculty advisor.

Credit by Examination

Departments in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences may accept credit by examination for specific courses. The subject material to be covered, the method of examination, the minimal acceptable score/grade for passing, and the number of semester credit hours to be granted will be determined by the academic departments. Contact the faculty advisor for further information. Credit may also be earned through CLEP examinations, administered through the Testing Center.

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Articulation Agreements with Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C), Lakeland Community College, and Lorain Community College

The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences has articulation agreements with Cuyahoga Community College, Lakeland Community College, and Lorain Community College for those students who have completed or have been accepted to and intend to complete an associate degree in one of the eligible arts, humanities or social science programs. The articulation agreements enable the associate-degree holder to complete the degree of Bachelor of Arts in approximately two years of additional full-time study beyond the associate degree, and will facilitate the transfer of credits from the associate degree to the baccalaureate degree. Interested Cuyahoga, Lakeland, or Lorain Community College students should contact their community college counselor/advisor or the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences’ Advising Center. Cuyahoga Community College or Lorain County Community College students who have not yet completed their associate’s degree are also encouraged to participate in the Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) Dual Admission Program/Degree Link or the Lorain County Community College (LCCC) Dual Admission Program/UPExpress, respectively.

INDEPENDENT STUDY/RESEARCH

Most departments of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences offer credit for independent study conducted under the supervision of a member of the college’s faculty. A student should contact the faculty advisor or a specific faculty member to inquire about independent study/research. Typically, students engaged in independent study/research have junior or senior standing.

Independent study/research is arranged with a specific professor who will determine the quantity and quality of work expected and the number of semester credit hours to be granted. In general, an independent study is intended for scholarly work not included in a department’s formal course offerings, and it is offered only when a formal course is not available.

Although neither the university nor the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences has a limit on the number of independent study courses that may be applied toward graduation, individual academic departments can limit the number that may be applied toward the major and/or minor.