College of Arts and Sciences

Mark Peceny, Dean
College of Arts and Sciences, Ortega Hall 201
MSC03 2120
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
(505) 277-3046

Introduction

The College of Arts and Sciences offers Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in a variety of subjects that relate to humanity’s cultural, social and scientific achievements. Although the fields of study offered by the departments in the College underlie the more specialized work of graduate and professional schools, most of the degree programs are not designed as vocational ends, but rather as the means for understanding society’s condition, achievements and problems. Students obtaining a degree from Arts and Sciences should have a broad understanding of the world in which they live and should be able to think logically and express themselves clearly. Consequently, the College requires preparation based on the offerings of several departments.

College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Admission Requirements

Continuing Students from other Colleges within UNM

Upon completion of the College of Arts and Sciences and the major department admission requirements, admission to the major department is automatic, if the student is in University College. Students who wish to transfer from other colleges within UNM are required to initiate the transfer process manually by scheduling an appointment at the Arts and Sciences Advisement Center once eligible for admission. Students who are in non-degree status must first apply through the UNM Admissions Office as degree-seeking. All new students are required to attend a group advising/orientation session. Sessions are held regularly throughout the academic year. Please contact the Arts and Sciences Advisement Center for details.

The College of Arts and Sciences requires the following to be admitted:

A minimum of 26 credit hours; 23 credit hours must be in courses acceptable toward graduation.

A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 on all work.

Transfer students must have a 2.0 transfer GPA.
Continuing UNM students must have a 2.00 institutional GPA.

Demonstrated academic achievement by satisfying the following:

Completion of the University Speaking and Writing Core.
Completion of the University Mathematics Core.
Completion of the University Foreign Language Core.

Completion of departmental admission coursework with grade(s) of C or better. See individual departments and programs for their specific admission requirements.

Transfer Students from other Accredited Universities

New students will have an advisement hold placed on their account when their admission to the College of Arts and Sciences is processed. Students must visit the College Advisement Center before they will have this hold removed, allowing them to register for classes. This may be done during or prior to attending a Transfer Orientation Session.

Transfer students are also required to meet with their Major department before the end of their first semester at UNM.

Transfer students with a transfer grade point average of lower than a 2.0 may petition to be admitted to the College. Those who are admitted by the petition process will automatically be placed on probation their first semester at UNM. These students must earn at least a 2.0 semester grade point average at UNM to avoid being eligible for suspension.

Graduation Requirements

A degree from the College of Arts and Sciences is designed to give students a relatively broad background while allowing concentrated study in at least two disciplines. This is accomplished through the selection of major and minor and the opportunity to select upper division electives from a wide range of disciplines.

Students must attend a Graduation Planning Workshop upon completion of 75 earned hours. Once the workshop is complete, students will submit a projected graduation date to the college. The College Advisement Office will only certify graduation when the LoboTrax audit reads complete (see below). Each student is solely responsible for being familiar with and completing all graduation requirements.

A degree from the College of Arts and Sciences is awarded upon completion or accomplishment of the following:

A total of 128 acceptable hours.
A grade point average of at least 2.00 as defined in the General Academic Regulations section of the catalog.
The University of New Mexico Core Curriculum, as described below.
A minimum of 96 hours of courses taught by Arts and Sciences departments. Exceptions are allowed for majors in family studies (88 hours). Effective Fall 1997, 18 hours of honors courses count for Arts and Sciences credit.
A major and minor or a double major, or one of the special curricula of the College (see approved programs listed below). At least one of which must be housed within the College of Arts and Sciences.
One semester/session of enrollment subsequent to admission to the College of Arts & Sciences with a minimum of 6 semester hours taught by Arts & Sciences departments.
Fifty-four hours of upper-division course work (courses numbered 300 or 400) with a minimum grade point average of 2.00 on all upper-division hours accepted by the College.

Fifty-one hours of upper-division course work and completion of a second language at the 4th semester level or equivalent. Fulfillment may be met through testing. Students with proficiency in a foreign language, (for example, any student who uses English as a second language) should consult with the department offering the alternate language or the A&S Advisement Center for advisement, referral, placement and/or testing.

Additional relevant information:

Students must comply with University requirements for a Bachelor’s Degree as outlined in the Student Services section of this catalog. Students who have not been in continuous attendance must follow the current catalog requirements upon re-enrollment.
All paperwork and requirements documenting transfer equivalencies, grade changes, removals of incompletes, substitutions and/or waivers awarded at the departmental or college level must be filed at the appropriate department. Procedures for petition are available in the A&S Advisement Center. Once a degree is awarded, no further changes may be made to a student’s undergraduate record.
Students in the College of Arts and Sciences receive a LoboTrax report detailing their status with respect to University and college requirements, as well as those in the major and minor areas of study. This automated degree-audit is intended to aid students in planning their academic program and assist them with graduation planning. Each student’s LoboTrax report must read complete for the College of Arts and Sciences to certify the degree.

University Core Curriculum

New University requirements are applicable to students starting at the University of New Mexico beginning Fall 1999, including readmitted students and transfers to the University of New Mexico. The University of New Mexico Core Curriculum reflects the values of the University and its faculty toward the value of a liberal arts education: students graduating from the University of New Mexico should have developed common skills and abilities based on shared experiences regardless of their particular degree programs. These skills and abilities include 1) a high level of ability in written expression and communication; 2) mathematical literacy–that is, the capacity to understand and utilize mathematics in the modern world; 3) the essential concepts in the physical and natural sciences and appreciation for the natural environment and methods of evaluating it; 4) an understanding of the social and behavioral sciences and an elemental understanding of the human environment; and 5) an appreciation of cultural values, creative expression and the history and experience of human society through courses in the humanities, fine arts and languages. Specific courses (listed below) will fulfill the University of New Mexico Core in seven subject areas delineated below. For updated information regarding courses acceptable in fulfillment of the University of New Mexico Core Curriculum, see A&S Advisement Center. A grade of C (not C-) is required in all courses used to fulfill the requirements of the Core Curriculum. A grade of Credit (CR) is acceptable for core courses except for ENGL 102 as this is also a University Graduation requirement.

The University of New Mexico Core Curriculum is as follows:

Writing and Speaking (9 hours): English 101 and 102 plus an additional course chosen from English 219, 220; Communication and Journalism 130; Philosophy 156; University Honors 201. Students with ACT English scores of 29 and higher or SAT Critical Reading scores of 650 or higher have satisfied the University Writing Requirement and should enroll for courses of their choice in the Writing and Speaking Core. Students with ACT English scores of 26, 27, 28 or SAT Critical Reading scores of 610 or higher may enroll directly in English 102 and, upon passing, meet the University Writing Requirement. Students with ACT English scores of 25 or lower or SAT Critical Reading scores below 610 should enroll in English 101. Students who have taken an Advanced Placement examination in English Language or Literature should refer to “Advanced Placement” for placement and credit information.
Mathematics: One course chosen from Mathematics 121, 129, 150, 162, 163, 180, 181, 215; Statistics 145; University Honors 202.
Physical and Natural Sciences: Two courses, one of which must include a laboratory, chosen from Anthropology 150 and 151L, 120 (lab required), 160 and 161L; Astronomy 101 and 101L; Biology 110 and 112L, 123 and 124L; Chemistry 101, 111 (lab required), 121 and 123L or 131L (lab required), 122L and 124L or 132L (lab required); Earth and Planetary Sciences 101 and 105L, 201L (lab required); Environmental Science 101 and 102L; Geography 101 and 105L; Natural Sciences 261L (lab required), 262L (lab required), 263L (lab required); Physics 102 and 102L, 105, 151 and 151L, 152 and 152L, 160 and 160L, 161 and 161L; University Honors 203.
Social and Behavioral Sciences (minimum 6 hours): Two courses chosen from American Studies 182, 185; Anthropology 101, 130; Community and Regional Planning 181; Economics 105, 106; Engineering-F 200; Geography 102; Linguistics 101 (AOA Anthropology 110); Political Science 110, 200, 220, 240; Psychology 105; Sociology 101; University Honors 204.
Humanities (6 hours): Two courses chosen from American Studies 186; Chicana and Chicano Studies 201; Classics 107, 204, 205; Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies 222, 224; English 150, 292, 293; Foreign Languages (MLNG) 101; Geography 140; History 101, 102, 161, 162, 181, 182; Honors Legacy Seminars at the 100- and 200-level; Philosophy 101, 201, 202; Religious Studies 107, 263, 264; University Honors 205.
Foreign Language (non-English language; minimum 3 hours): One course chosen from any of the lower-division non-English language offerings of the Departments of Linguistics (including Sign Language), Spanish and Portuguese, Foreign Languages and Literatures, and foreign languages in other departments and programs.
Fine Arts (minimum of 3 hours): One course chosen from Architecture 121; Art History 101, 201, 202; Dance 105; Fine Arts 284; Media Arts 210; Music 139, 142; Theatre 122; University Honors 207. Students may elect to take one 3-hour studio course offered by the Departments of Art and Art History, Music, Theatre and Dance, and Media Arts to fulfill this requirement.

Additional Information

Major and Minor Studies. Upon entering the College, students shall formally declare 1) a major and a minor; or 2) two majors; or 3) one of the special curricula of the College. After declaring these, the program of studies must meet the approval of the chairpersons of the major and minor departments or the supervisor of the special curriculum. Students may not elect both a major and a minor outside the College of Arts and Sciences. Half of the major must be completed at the University of New Mexico. A quarter of the minor must be completed at the University of New Mexico.

Only work of C (2.00) quality or better is accepted for the major and minor. Pass/Fail (CR/NC) grades are not accepted in the major or minor unless they are courses specifically carrying only pass/fail (CR/NC) grades. No more than 24 pass/fail (CR/NC) credit hours are acceptable toward a degree over and above the specifically designated CR courses.

Grades of C- and D are not acceptable in the major or minor (unless otherwise stated by the department) but may be used as elective hours counting toward the 128 required for graduation. Only grades of C or better are accepted for core curriculum requirements.

NOTE: Some departments may have major requirements for grades which vary from the College’s established policies. For information contact the Arts and Sciences Advisement Center or the major department.

The same courses may not be used to fulfill both major and minor requirements. If the same course(s) are required for both major and minor or for both majors in the case of double majors, an equivalent number of approved hours shall be added to the total combined hours required. This does not apply to courses considered "Supportive Coursework." An example; Biology majors are required to have 12 hours of Chemistry included in their supportive coursework. If students have also selected a Chemistry minor, then they will be able to apply those same courses toward the minor. Contact the College Advisement Center for further information.

Distributed Minor. The major department may specify, in lieu of a specific minor, a distributed minor in courses in related departments. A distributed minor shall consist of not less than 30 semester hours or more than 36 hours. Information about the department-specified distributed minor is available in the individual departments offering such a minor or in the A&S Advisement Center. Students should consult with their major departmental advisor or chairperson if they wish to propose a distributed minor.

The student-proposed distributed minor allows a student to put together an individualized program of multidisciplinary study in support of the major or in another area of interest. In order to apply for a student-proposed distributed minor, the student must present a petition to the undergraduate advisor in the major department as early as possible and not later than two semesters prior to planned graduation. The petition must also contain a list of the specific courses proposed totaling at least 30 hours. At least 15 hours of those included in the student-proposed distributed minor shall be at the 300 or 400 (upper-division) level.

Course work must come from outside the major area of study and represent multiple departments. The list should indicate courses already completed (including semester taken and grade received), courses in progress and semester for planned completion. Documentation for distributed minor programs of study must on record in the College Advisement Center prior to application for graduation.

Double Major in the College of Arts and Sciences. The college of Arts & Sciences allows students to have two majors in lieu of or in conjunction with a minor. Only one degree is awarded but the transcript will indicate both majors. Because there is one degree being earned, degree requirements must be completed only once. Students must choose which major will determine degree designation (B.A. vs. B.S.).

Adding Majors or Raising Minors. Students who already have a B.A. or B.S. degree from Arts & Sciences and who are not enrolled in a graduate or professional program may complete the requirements for another major or raise a previously earned minor to a second major. Requirements must be complete within five years of the original degree awarded. These students must apply for admissions to the college of Arts & Sciences, declare the appropriate major on the application, and register as a senior. This provision is limited to the applicability of previous course work to the most current catalog major requirements.

Second or Dual Undergraduate Degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students wishing to pursue a second baccalaureate degree must complete a minimum of 30 hours in addition to those required for the first degree and must choose majors and minors different from the first degree. The minor used for the first degree may be raised to a major, but the first major may not be used as the minor for the second degree. Students may elect to complete coursework for both degrees simultaneously or consecutively. Students should consider all academic and financial consequences when deciding the timing of the degree awards.

Dual degrees from both Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering may be obtained upon completion of a five-year program as approved by the Dean of each college. Interested students should consult with each Dean before the end of their sophomore year.

A combined program in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Anderson School of Management allows for a bachelor’s and master’s degree upon completion of a five-year program. This “Three-Two” M.B.A. program allows students to complete Arts and Sciences general education and major requirements in the first three years and an M.B.A. in the fourth and fifth years. M.B.A. course work in the fourth year will constitute the student’s minor requirements for the Arts and Sciences undergraduate degree. Requirements for admission to the “Three-Two” M.B.A. Program are outlined in the Anderson Schools of Management section of this catalog or click here for the Web site.

Certification to Teach in High School. Students in Arts and Sciences who wish to acquire certification as secondary school teachers should confer with appropriate personnel in the College of Education regarding suitable majors and minors and necessary education courses.

Cooperative Education Program. The College of Arts and Sciences offers a cooperative education program (Co-op) for students majoring in some departments in the College. The Co-op curriculum is a work-study program which alternates a semester or a year of full-time academic study with a semester or year of full-time employment. Co-op students gain employment experience in major subject-related areas, which provides career guidance and makes their academic study more meaningful. Also, Co-op students earn a substantial part of their educational expenses.

Students who are interested in the Co-op Program should contact the Co-op Director soon after being admitted to the University. Co-op students normally must finish the first semester of the freshman year with at least a 2.50 grade average before beginning interviews for a Co-op job. Thus, Co-op students normally begin their first work phase after the end of the freshman year at the earliest. To be eligible for Co-op a student must be enrolled in a degree-granting college.

While on each work phase, Co-op students must register in a special Arts and Sciences course, Cooperative Education Work Phase, and pay a registration fee. This registration maintains the student’s academic status, including eligibility for dormitories, activity cards, library privileges and insurance. After completing each work phase, Co-op students who wish to earn credit may enroll in a course, Evaluation of Co-op Work Phase, for 1–3 credit hours. A maximum of 6 hours of academic credit earned from Co-op evaluation courses may be counted as elective credit toward the degree but not toward the major or minor.

Courses for Which Degree Credit is Not Given. The College of Arts and Sciences does not accept any courses which are by nature remedial, tutorial, skills or preparatory. Examples include: any course numbered 100 or below and such courses as Women Studies 181.

Except as noted below, the College does not accept courses that are primarily technical or vocational, such as courses in Radiography, Business Technology Programs, Medical and Biomedical Technology, etc. or any course with a “T” suffix; courses taken in a law or medical school. Students may be allowed to enroll in these courses in pursuit of their own interests but should not expect degree credits for them.

Limitations and Exceptions

Credit will be given toward a degree:

for ensemble music or dance, up to 4 hours, separately or in combination. Declared dance minors may exceed the 4-hour limit in dance only to the extent required by the Theatre and Dance Department.
for Undergraduate Seminar Program courses that are approved for credit by the College of Arts and Sciences, up to 4 hours.
for nonprofessional PE activity courses, up to 4 hours.
Undergraduates may qualify to register for Graduate courses for Undergraduate Credit. Please see your A&S advisor for more information.

Honors

At the end of each Fall and Spring semester, the College of Arts & Sciences compiles the College Honor Roll (Dean’s List) of students who have achieved outstanding academic success in that semester. To qualify, students must be enrolled in the College, have earned a semester grade point average of at least 3.75 for at least 12 graded credit hours in that semester, and have all grades recorded for that semester by the deadline established by the Registrar’s Office for processing distinctions. Late starting courses that will not be complete by the date of evaluation, incompletes, or non-recorded grades (NR) will prevent a student from qualifying for this recognition. Qualifying courses must be graded (not CR/NC). The Dean’s List is compiled after all grades for the semester are reported, and students are notified via email. Students may request a hard copy through the Arts and Sciences Advisement Center.

Departmental Honors

Students are urged to consult with their major departments about the availability and requirements of departmental honors programs.

Probation, Suspension, Dismissal

Students enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences are placed on probation at the end of any semester in which the cumulative grade point average on the University of New Mexico work falls below 2.00.

Students on probation are liable for suspension at the end of any semester in which the cumulative grade point average does not rise to 2.00 or better.

Students placed on probation may be continued on probation if they substantially raise the cumulative grade point average and are making reasonable progress in meeting Arts and Sciences course requirements. “Substantially raise the cumulative grade point average…” is defined as earning a semester grade point average of at least 2.5. “Reasonable progress…” is defined as at least one-half of the student’s course load being in courses offered by Arts and Sciences departments (exclusive of Introductory Studies courses) and courses taught by departments outside Arts and Sciences which apply towards the student’s major or minor requirements. If these conditions are not met, the student is suspended from the University of New Mexico.

The first suspension is one semester. The second suspension is one year. The third suspension is five years. UNM students may attend other institutions that allow matriculation while on suspension from UNM (Ex: CNM). Repeating specific failed UNM courses at other institutions is highly discouraged as students will not be able to replace the failing grade on the UNM transcript and improve UNM GPA.

At the end of the suspension period, a student must apply for readmission to Arts and Sciences with a written petition addressed to the Associate Dean for Advisement and Student Success. All petitions for readmission or revocation of suspension must be received by the Arts and Sciences Advisement Center no later than one week prior to the start of the semester in which the student wishes to return.

Departments or Programs of Instruction

A student may not elect both a major and minor outside the college.

Major in A&S	Minor in A&S
Africana Studies (B.A..)	Africana Studies
American Studies (B.A..)	American Studies
Anthropology (B.A.. or B.S.)	Anthropology
	Arabic
Asian Studies (B.A..)	Asian Studies
Astrophysics (B.S.)	Astrophysics
Biochemistry (B.A.. or B.S.)
Biology (B.A.. or B.S.)	Biology
Chemistry (B.A.. or B.S.)	Chemistry
Chicana and Chicano Studies (B.A..)	Chicana and Chicano Studies
Classical Studies (B.A..)	Classical Studies
Communication (B.A..)	Communication
Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies (B.A..)	Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies
Criminology (B.A..)	Criminology
Earth and Planetary Sciences (B.A.. or B.S.)	Earth and Planetary Sciences
Economics (B.A..)	Economics
English Studies (B.A..)	English
English-Philosophy (B.A..)
Environmental Science (B.S.)	Environmental Science
European Studies (B.A..)	European Studies
French (B.A..)	French
	Geographic Information Science
Geography and Environmental Studies (B.A.. or B.S.)	Geography and Environmental Studies
German (B.A..)	German
	Greek
History (B.A..)	History
	Italian
Health, Medicine and Human Values (B.A..)	Health, Medicine and Human Values
International Studies (B.A..)	International Studies
	Japanese
Journalism and Mass Communication (B.A..)	Journalism and Mass Communication
Languages (B.A..)	Languages
Latin American Studies (B.A..)	Latin American Studies
	Latin
	Law, Environment and Geography
Linguistics (B.A..)	Linguistics
Mathematics (B.S.)	Mathematics
	Medieval Studies
	Navajo Language and Linguistics
	Peace Studies
	Period Studies
Philosophy (B.A..)	Philosophy
Physics (B.S.)	Physics
Physics and Astrophysics (B.A.,)
Political Science (B.A..)	Political Science
Portuguese (B.A..)	Portuguese
	Professional Writing
Psychology (B.A.. or B.S.)	Psychology
Religious Studies (B.A..)	Religious Studies
Russian (B.A..)	Russian
Signed Language Interpreting (B.S.)
Sociology (B.A..)	Sociology
	Social Welfare
Spanish (B.A..)	Spanish
Speech and Hearing Sciences (B.A..)	Speech and Hearing Sciences
Statistics (B.S.)	Statistics
	Sustainability Studies
Women Studies (B.A..)	Women Studies

NOTE: Concentrations within major fields are available or required in some departments. Students should consult the individual departments listed.

Other Programs

The majors and minors listed below are not programs in the College of Arts and Sciences. A student may elect to complete either a major or minor, but not both, from the following programs outside the College of Arts and Sciences. (Students should remember that they must have 96 hours in Arts and Sciences.)

Major	Minor
	Art (Studio or History)
	Arts Management
	Community and Regional Planning
	Computer Science
	Dance
	Flamenco
	World Dance
	Electrical and Computer Engineering (for mathematics and physics majors only)
Family Studies (B.A..)	Family Studies
	Fine Arts
	Library Science
	Management
	Marketing Management
	International Management
	Media Arts
	Music
	Military Studies
	Native American Studies
	Nutrition
	Special Education (Non-Teaching)
	TESOL
	Theatre

Major and minor requirements and course descriptions will be found listed by the offering departments.

Pre-professional and Other Curricula

Students are cautioned against assuming that four-year college courses prepare them for professional work. At least one year of specialized graduate work is advisable in many fields, even if not actually required.

Law School Admissions

Information on Law School Admissions and on Law Schools may be obtained in the The Official Guide To U.S. Law Schools: Pre-Law Handbook, which may be obtained from: Publications, LSAC/LSAS, Dept. 0, P.O. Box 63, Newtown, PA 18940-0063. See an Arts and Sciences Advisor or visit the Pre-Law Web site at http://www.unm.edu/%7epre/law.

Curriculum Preparatory to Medicine

Specific requirements for admission to medical schools in the United States and Canada are included in a volume published by the Association of American Medical Colleges and is titled Medical School Admission Requirements, U.S.A. and Canada. Interested students should consult this volume and see an Arts and Sciences Advisor or visit the Pre-Med Web sites at http://www.unm.edu/%7epremed and http://advisement.unm.edu/pre-med/index.html.

Curriculum Preparatory to Dentistry

Specific requirements for admission to dental schools in the United States and Canada may be obtained by writing to the individual schools. Lists of the schools and their addresses can be obtained by contacting Dental Programs or by writing to the American Dental Association, 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. Students interested in dental school should see an Arts and Sciences Advisor or visit the Pre-Dental Society Web site or download the reference document here.

Graduate Program

Programs of graduate study in the various departments and programs of the College of Arts and Sciences lead to the M.A. or M.S. and Ph.D. degrees as follows:

American Studies
Anthropology
Biology
Chemistry
Communication and Journalism
Comparative Literature (M.A. only)
Earth & Planetary Sciences
Economics
English
French (M.A. only)
French Studies (Ph.D.)
Geography (M.A. only)
German Studies (M.A. only)
History
Latin American Studies (M.A., Ph.D.)
Linguistics
Mathematics
Optical Science and Engineering (Ph.D. only–see Physics)
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Portuguese (M.A. only)
Psychology
Sociology
Spanish (M.A. only)
Spanish and Portuguese (Ph.D.)
Speech-Language Pathology
Statistics

For details on degree requirements, appointment as graduate assistant or research assistant or other details, see listing by department and general information about graduate study. Prospective graduate students are urged to address all inquiries to department chairpersons or directors of programs.

M.S. and Ph.D. in Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering (NSMS)

The M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs in NSMS prepares individuals for careers in the emerging fields in nanotechnology and microsystems. The program includes three Concentrations: Nano-Bio Interfaces, Complex Functional Materials, and Information Nanotechnology. It is a collaborative effort among several departments in the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering, with numerous cross-listed and team-taught courses. In the College of Arts and Sciences the departments of Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, and Physics and Astronomy participate with some of their faculty in the NSMS teaching and research team. Therefore, students who choose the NSMS degree program can continue to be advised by and to conduct research with faculty in those departments. For more details, see the full description in the Graduate Interdisciplinary Studies section of the catalog.