College of Arts & Sciences Requirements
- University arts and science colleges have similar education requirements.college's building image by Leonid Tarassishin from Fotolia.com
Colleges of arts and sciences are usually located within a university system. These colleges provide students with the "liberal arts" education that usually makes up the core of general education requirements for all academic disciplines. Requirements for these colleges can vary slightly by institution, but they are usually very similar in terms of the courses they require at the undergraduate level. Admission requirements tend to vary based on the school's selectivity. - Admission requirements for undergraduate admission can vary greatly among institutions. For instance, entry to the College of Arts and Science at the University of Missouri will be easier for most students than admission to the University of Pennsylvania, a highly selective Ivy League university. Regardless of the program, all students need to complete high school. Admission usually revolves around three or four key items: the application, your grade point average (GPA), standardized test scores on the ACT or SAT and your extra-curricular activities. In general, the more selective the program, the higher your scores on the ACT or SAT need to be; the same is true of your GPA and your involvement in extra-curricular activities. Schools usually take these into consideration when they have multiple applicants with nearly identical qualifications. So, in short, the primary admission requirement to get into the school you want to, is to stand out from among the crowd.
- Admission to a graduate school of arts and sciences will also vary greatly depending upon, not only the school, but also the program or department you are applying to. The application process is similar to the undergraduate process. Most schools require that you submit an application, standardized test scores (usually the GRE or Graduate Record Examination), letters of recommendation and usually some kind of statement of purpose. Some schools will require a minimum GPA (sometimes 3.0 or higher) as well. The main thing that schools look for in your application is your aptitude for advanced study and a clear understanding of how your work at the graduate school level will correspond with their curriculum.
- Curriculum requirements will vary somewhat among most colleges of arts and science, but a good number of the required courses will be nearly identical. What often varies is the number of courses you have to take in each subject. Each department within the college of arts and science will also have its own academic requirements. As a general rule, you can expect to take courses in U.S. history, English composition, speech and communication, psychology, math and the basic sciences. Mot undergraduate degree programs require 120 or more credit hours for completion. Of these, usually about 60 to 75 credit hours come from general education requirements in the liberal arts. Approximately 30 credit hours come from your major field of study and the remainder from elective courses.
- Graduate degree curriculum requirements in most liberal arts programs are specific to the university and its research strengths. They also tend to be specific to the discipline being studied and what level of degree you are seeking (master's or doctoral). Most graduate programs require a certain number of core courses in the field of study and give students leeway to determine what other courses meet their research needs. Most master's programs will require 30-45 credit hours and most doctoral programs, 45 hours or so beyond the master's degree.
