College of Arts and Sciences

Christopher Culbertson, Dean
Scott Tanona, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Planning
Mary Cain, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies
Christie Launius, Assistant Dean for Student Success, Engagement, and Undergraduate Studies
Kimathi Choma, Assistant Dean for Student Success, College Health Initiative and Retention
Ben Stark, Assistant Dean for Infrastructure and Faculty Support

110 Calvin Hall
785-532-6900
Fax: 785-532-7004
www.k-state.edu/artsci

The College of Arts and Sciences is the home of a wide range of disciplines in the arts and humanities, social sciences, and natural and quantitative sciences—representing the foundational areas of a university education. An Arts & Sciences education provides a broad base of educational experience and general readiness for a variety of life and job options; discipline-specific knowledge and career skills; and opportunities for interdisciplinary study, involvement in cutting-edge research, and preparation for graduate or professional school. Most undergraduate degree programs offer a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). The college also offers specialized degrees such as the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), the Bachelor of Music (B.M), and the Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E). All B.A. and B.S. programs in Arts and Sciences contain a set of requirements meant to ensure student success, breadth of training, and a general foundation for civic and global responsibility.

Orientation Requirement (1 credit):

An orientation is required for all Arts & Science majors. The orientation supports student success by introducing them to resources and tools for effective learning within and beyond their primary major. The orientation will introduce students to other students across the college to foster and model interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration.

Outside Concentration requirement for B.A. and B.S. (9 credit hours)

Arts & Science students are expected to study another area of their choice outside of their major. Many A&S students earn second majors, minor, or certificates that broaden their knowledge base and provide them additional context and skills that might enhance their careers or lives more generally. At a minimum, students must pursue at least 9 credit hours of an outside concentration, though some credits may overlap with their own major.

Overlays (9 credit hours total)

The college requires all students in all Arts and Sciences degree programs to take a total of three courses in the areas below. These courses may “overlay” other requirements for the degree, and be satisfied by courses taken for the K-State Core, courses in the major or other B.A. or B.S. program requirements, the outside concentration, or general electives.

Ethical Reasoning (3 credit hours)

This overlay provides students with the tools for reasoning about moral behavior and just social arrangements, including forms of government and legal and social conventions. It provides a wide basis for negotiating moral complexity and for critically reflecting upon fundamental issues that shape social institutions and individual actions.

US Multicultural Overlay (3 credit hours)

This overlay ensures that students learn about historical and contemporary cultural contexts and societal realities of race and ethnicities that are considered as non-white in the United States.

Global Perspectives Overlay (3 credit hours)

This overlay equips students better to become citizens of the world and learn how to understand and approach global issues.

Other Requirements

All B.S. and B.A. programs must ensure that their majors take a distribution of courses in several areas, typically as at least a second or upper-level class in the subject areas. For example, all B.A. students must fulfill a language requirement, additional arts and humanities and social science courses, and an additional natural and quantitative course. B.S. programs must ensure that their students earn sufficient natural and quantitative credits, as well as a minimum of additional arts & humanities and social sciences. Depending on the major and the requirement category, particular courses in these areas may be required as part of the core major requirements, or students may be given a choice to pick from a wide range of “restricted electives” in these areas.

Arts & Sciences offers the following interdisciplinary credentials that are not housed in or listed under any particular unit: