Mar 19, 2024  
2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

College of Arts and Sciences


Arts and Sciences Advising Services
Programs of Study
Readmission
Requirements for Degrees
College-wide Requirements: Foundations
    — First Year English Composition
    — Communicating Through Writing
    — Communicating Orally
    — Quantitative Reasoning
College-wide Requirements: Perspectives
      — Arts and Humanities
      — Natural Sciences
      — Social Sciences  

      — Foreign Language
      — Non-U.S. History
College-wide Requirements: Upper-Level Distribution
Majors
Minors
Elective Courses
Writing-Emphasis Courses
Program for Prospective K-12 Teachers
Academic Departments


Theresa M. Lee, Dean
Angela Batey, Associate Dean for Diversity
Christine R. Boake, Associate Dean for Research and Facilities
Robert J. Hinde, Associate Dean for Academic Programs
Brent Mallinckrodt, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies
Melissa Parker, Director, Arts and Sciences Advising Services
Cynthia B. Peterson, Associate Dean for Academic Personnel

http://artsci.utk.edu/

The College of Arts and Sciences is home to a wide array of academic disciplines and interdisciplinary programs. The departments, schools, and special programs housed within the college stretch across several broad divisions: the arts and humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. Although the faculty of the college have disciplinary interests that range across many diverse academic fields, the college faculty are united by a commitment to the goals and values of liberal education: unfettered intellectual inquiry, a dedication to the quest for knowledge as a worthwhile goal in and of itself, the development of a responsible and creative mind, and the cultivation of intellectual tolerance.

The liberally educated individual is characterized not so much by specific subject matter knowledge as by the habits of mind that are cultivated during a liberal education. A liberally educated person is thus one who is able to reason and communicate effectively, who values lifelong learning, and who can confront the uncertainties of human experience. A liberal education provides a strong foundation for research, scholarship, and teaching in a student’s chosen academic discipline. It also provides an invaluable educational background for a student who enters business, industry, the professions, or government or public service. A liberal education offers all individuals the opportunity to share in a rich intellectual heritage, to enjoy the adventures of the mind, and to live an engaged and fulfilling life.

The faculty of the college are committed to cultivating the habits of mind of liberal education in all of the students they teach: both those students who are pursuing concentrated study in a field within the college and those students who enroll in the academic courses offered by the college to complete University-wide general education requirements. General education serves as the underpinning of liberal education, both by providing students with opportunities to master basic learning skills and by acquainting students with the “ways of knowing” that characterize diverse academic disciplines. General education thus prepares students to become engaged lifelong learners.

Students who pursue focused studies in the College of Arts and Sciences will join a community of teacher-scholars dedicated to the generation, transmission, and preservation of knowledge in the many fields that constitute the college. The faculty of the college maintain robust agendas of research, scholarship, and creative activity in their chosen fields, and they encourage undergraduate students to join them as partners in research and creative activity. Through faculty-directed independent study and participation in faculty members’ research projects and creative activity, students hone their abilities to think critically and communicate effectively and learn how the frontiers of human knowledge are extended.

The great universities of the world are so labeled because their faculties have earned the reputation of being renowned scholars. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has earned such a reputation because of the quality of the research and creative activity of its faculty. To study with such a talented faculty is to experience the best education possible.

Arts and Sciences Advising Services

Mission

The mission of Arts and Sciences Advising Services is to guide our diverse undergraduate population in developing and implementing sound educational plans that are consistent with their values and their academic and career goals. Our purpose is to encourage students to become self-directed learners and decision-makers. Further, we serve as a resource to faculty and support their work with undergraduate students within the college. Finally, our efforts support the University of Tennessee’s broader mission, specifically by encouraging student persistence towards graduation.

Academic Advising

In addition to the university policy regarding academic advising described in the policies section of the catalog, all Arts and Sciences students must be advised every term until they have earned 45 credit hours. This Arts and Sciences policy further supports students as they develop academic plans consistent with Universal Tracking (uTrack). Transfer students are required to meet with an advisor each term until they have earned 30 hours at UT Knoxville.

Programs of Study

The college offers students a wide variety of undergraduate degree programs. These programs have been designed both to help students achieve specific educational and vocational objectives and to provide students with a broad-based liberal education that will prepare them to be engaged global citizens. The college also offers a small number of three-year pre-professional curricula that prepare students for advanced study in a specific profession. Detailed information about these pre-professional curricula can be found by consulting the Pre-Professional Programs major description and by contacting Arts and Sciences Advising Services.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Students earning the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees have achieved both broad knowledge of the arts and sciences and a comprehensive understanding of one or more focused areas of special interest.

Bachelor of Arts in College Scholars

The College Scholars program is a college-wide honors program that serves a limited number of especially qualified and motivated students. College Scholars have additional freedom to design an individualized undergraduate curriculum that meets particular academic interests and goals. Students must apply for admission to the College Scholars program. More information about the College Scholars program is available at http://web.utk.edu/~scholars.

VolsTeach Program

Students pursuing a major in selected programs in the College of Arts and Sciences are eligible to participate in the University’s VolsTeach program (http://volsteach.utk.edu/). This 4-year program permits students to complete a major in mathematics or science while also receiving secondary education teaching licensure through completion of a VolsTeach minor. For more information about VolsTeach, including advising associated with teaching licensure requirements, contact the Center for Enhancing Education in Mathematics and Science (101 Greve Hall).

Pre-Professional Programs

The college offers pre-professional undergraduate programs for students who wish to participate in the cooperative 3+1 curricula in the health sciences (medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, or veterinary medicine). Students taking one of the health sciences curricula proceed directly to specialized training in the chosen area after the third year of Arts and Sciences study. These students complete the first year of professional study in lieu of satisfying the requirements for a traditional major in the college.

Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

See Department of Chemistry .

Bachelor of Fine Arts

See School of Art .

Bachelor of Music

See School of Music .

Readmission

Information regarding readmission to the College of Arts and Sciences is available at http://admissions.utk.edu/important-dates/. The official notification of readmission from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions will provide additional details regarding academic advising. 

Requirements for Degrees

To earn a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree, these requirements must be completed.

  • All university degree requirements as described in the section Academic Policies and Procedures – General Requirements for a Bachelor’s Degree.
  • A minimum of 120 credit hours.
  • At least 42 credit hours in courses numbered 300 or above.
  • Appropriate work to satisfy the Foundations, Perspectives, and Upper-Level Distribution requirements. (These three requirements do not apply to students in the College Scholars Program.)
  • Completion of any required course work designed to prepare students for their chosen major(s). This work may be described as “preparation for” or “prerequisites to” or “corequisites to” the major(s) chosen by a student.
  • Completion of at least one major consisting of 30 to 48 credit hours at 200-level or above. Courses used for the major may also be used to satisfy Foundations and Perspectives requirements as described below.

Students may choose to complete one or more minors. A minor in the college consists of 15 or more hours at the 200-level or above.

Students may take up to 20 hours of courses graded Satisfactory/No Credit subject to the regulations described below.

Satisfactory/No Credit

A few courses in the college are offered only on a Satisfactory/No Credit (S/NC) basis. Students may elect to take other courses on this basis, except where the S/NC option is specifically prohibited. Courses taken on the S/NC basis, if successfully completed, will count as hours for graduation although neither S nor NC grades will be calculated in a student’s grade point average. Satisfactory is defined as C or better work on the traditional grading scale and No Credit is defined as less than C.

The option of taking courses on a S/NC basis is provided to encourage the curious and able student to explore subject matter in fields where the student’s performance may be somewhat less outstanding than work in the student’s primary field.

Note: Students planning to seek admission to graduate or professional schools (especially in the health sciences) should discuss with their advisors possible limitations on exercise of the S/NC option before registering for courses on this basis.

The following regulations apply to S/NC course work:

  • Except for courses offered only on the S/NC basis, courses taken under the S/NC option may not be applied towards Foundations, Perspectives, or Upper-Level Distribution requirements, towards major and minor requirements, or towards major or minor preparatory work, prerequisites, or corequisites unless specifically permitted by petition.
  • The maximum number of S/NC elective hours which may be counted toward graduation is 20, exclusive of courses that are offered only on the S/NC basis, physical education courses, and/or satisfactory hours earned by examination, military service, etc.
  • A transfer student with S/NC or equivalent credit earned prior to admission to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in a course which satisfies a Foundations, Perspectives, or Upper-Level Distribution requirement may count it for that purpose. Transfer students who want to apply S/NC or equivalent credit to a major or minor requirement, or to major or minor preparatory work, prerequisites, or corequisites, must receive permission to do so by petition.

College-wide Requirements for B.A. and B.S. Students

To receive a B.A. or B.S. degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, students must satisfy the Foundations, Perspectives, and Upper-Level Distribution requirements as well as the requirements for a major in the college. The Foundations, Perspectives, and Upper-Level Distribution requirements are described in detail below.

Except as otherwise noted, no course may be applied to both the Perspectives requirement and the Upper-Level Distribution requirement, and no course may be used to satisfy two different components of the Perspectives requirement. Up to six credit hours of courses used to satisfy the Perspectives requirement may also be applied to the requirements of a student’s primary major. In addition, Foundations courses may be applied to the requirements of a major.

College-wide Requirements: Foundations

All students who earn a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete the Foundations requirement established by the college. Satisfying the Foundations requirement demonstrates that a student can communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing, and that a student can use the tools of quantitative analysis. The Foundations course work requirements consist of four parts: (1) first year English composition; (2) one additional course designated as a General Education Communicating through Writing (WC) course; (3) one course designated as a General Education Communicating Orally (OC) course; and (4) two courses that provide foundational instruction in quantitative reasoning. The specific course requirements are as follows.

First Year English Composition

Completing the University’s first year English composition requirement equips students with the skills needed to write persuasive, logical and coherent essays in English; teaches students to read critically and to evaluate and cite sources in research; and helps students understand how to write effectively for different audiences and purposes. Students may complete this requirement in one of two ways.

  • By completing 6 hours in English writing courses – either ENGL 101  and ENGL 102 ; or ENGL 118  and ENGL 102 ; or ENGL 131  and ENGL 132 . Students who obtain a grade of B or higher in ENGL 118  may complete the first year English composition requirement with ENGL 102 , or with a 200-level course in the English Department, or with ENGL 355 . The 200-level English course may, if so listed, also be used toward one component of the college-wide Perspectives requirement.
  • By earning a score of 4 or 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement Test in Literature and Composition. (Students who take the Advanced Placement Test in Language and Composition, and earn a score of 4 or 5, will receive credit for ENGL 101  only.)

First Year English Placement Information

Eligibility for ENGL 118  will be determined by ACT or SAT scores and a placement exam. Selected students enrolled in either ENGL 101  or ENGL 131  will also be placed in ENGL 103  based on ACT or SAT scores, and may not drop ENGL 103  without departmental approval. Details are available from the English Department.

A student must complete the first year composition requirement prior to enrolling in English courses numbered 200 or higher.

Communicating through Writing

To further develop the writing skills that are foundational to advanced work in the College of Arts and Sciences, all students pursuing a degree from the college must, after satisfying the first year English composition requirement, complete one additional course designated as a General Education Communicating through Writing (WC) course. This additional course may also be applied to either the Perspectives or Upper-Level Distribution requirement of the college. If applied to the Perspectives requirement, it may also be used to satisfy major requirements.

Communicating Orally

The ability to communicate one’s ideas orally is as important as the ability to express them in writing, and oral communication skills are foundational to advanced work in the College of Arts and Sciences. All students pursuing a degree from the college must therefore complete one course designated as a General Education Communicating Orally (OC) course. This course may also be applied to either the Perspectives or Upper-Level Distribution requirement of the college. If applied to the Perspectives requirement, it may also be used to satisfy major requirements.

Quantitative Reasoning

All students pursuing a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences must demonstrate the ability to use the tools of quantitative analysis. Students may meet this college requirement either by completing two of the following courses, or by completing one of the following courses and also COSC 100 , COSC 102 , PHIL 130 , or PHIL 235 .

MATH 113 , MATH 115 , MATH 117 , MATH 123 , MATH 125 , MATH 141 , MATH 142 , MATH 147 , MATH 148 , MATH 151 , MATH 152 , MATH 202 ; STAT 201 , STAT 207 .

College-wide Requirements: Perspectives

All students who earn a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences must complete the Perspectives requirement established by the college. The Perspectives requirement is designed to introduce students to the modes of inquiry and discourse that characterize various academic disciplines and to the ways in which hypotheses are constructed and evaluated. In completing the Perspectives requirement, students also gain an informed appreciation for the diverse natures of the world’s cultures and societies, whether historical or present-day, and for the artistic and cultural milestones created by these cultures and societies. Perspectives courses thus prepare students to become broadly-educated, engaged, and responsible citizens.

Arts and Humanities

By studying the arts and humanities, and by participating as an informed and appreciative observer of artistic and cultural achievements in fields within the visual, spatial, musical, theatrical, or written arts, we gain new perspectives on the human experience and on humankind’s creative impulse. Studying the arts and humanities also develops our critical thinking and analytical skills as we consider historical and present-day answers to the enduring question “What common experiences, if any, make up the human experience?” The Arts and Humanities component of the Perspectives requirement serves to introduce students to the modes of inquiry that are employed in the fields that constitute the arts and humanities, to help students understand how aesthetic and moral judgments are arrived at and defended, and to acquaint students with the artistic and cultural achievements of both the past and the present.

Students may meet this requirement by completing two courses, from two different departments, chosen from the lists below. At least one course must be chosen from List A (Literature and Philosophical and Religious Thought).

List A – Literature and Philosophical and Religious Thought

AFST 225 ; CLAS 221 , CLAS 222 , CLAS 253 ; ENGL 201 , ENGL 202 , ENGL 206 , ENGL 207 , ENGL 208 , ENGL 221 , ENGL 222 , ENGL 226 , ENGL 231 , ENGL 232 , ENGL 233 , ENGL 237 , ENGL 238 , ENGL 247 , ENGL 248 , ENGL 251 , ENGL 252 , ENGL 253 ENGL 254 , ENGL 258 ; PHIL 101 , PHIL 107 , PHIL 200 , PHIL 244 , PHIL 252 ; RUSS 221 , RUSS 222 .

List B – Study or Practice of the Arts

ARCH 111 , ARCH 117 , ARCH 211 , ARCH 212 , ARCH 217 , ARCH 218 ; ARTD 150 ; ARTH 162 , ARTH 167 , ARTH 172 , ARTH 173 , ARTH 177 , ARTH 178 ARTH 183 , ARTH 187 ; CLAS 232 ; MUCO 110 , MUCO 115 , MUCO 120 , MUCO 125 , MUCO 290 ; THEA 100 , THEA 107 .

Natural Sciences

Science and technology play an important role in many aspects of modern life, and as citizens we are increasingly asked to make decisions about public policy questions with scientific or technological aspects. Familiarity with scientific methods of inquiry and with the development and testing of scientific hypotheses provides us with the foundation to make these decisions in an informed and responsible way, and also helps us distinguish science from pseudoscience. The Natural Sciences component of the Perspectives requirement serves to introduce students both to the basic discoveries, foundational knowledge, and logical organization of a scientific discipline and to the experimental methods used in that discipline for scientific inquiry and for the testing of scientific hypotheses.

Students may satisfy this requirement by completing one of the 8-credit laboratory sequences listed below.

ASTR 151 -ASTR 153  and ASTR 152 -ASTR 154  (all four of these courses must be completed to fulfill the 8-credit requirement), ASTR 217 -ASTR 218 ; BIOL 101 -BIOL 102 , BIOL 111 -BIOL 112 , BIOL 150 -BIOL 160 -BIOL 159  (all three of these courses must be completed to fulfill the 8-credit requirement), BIOL 158 -BIOL 168 -BIOL 167  (all three of these courses must be completed to fulfill the 8-credit requirement); CHEM 100 -CHEM 110 , CHEM 120 -CHEM 130 , CHEM 128 -CHEM 138 ; GEOG 131 -GEOG 132 , GEOG 137 -GEOG 132 ; two courses chosen from GEOL 101 , GEOL 102 , GEOL 103 , GEOL 104 , GEOL 107 , GEOL 108 ; PHYS 135 -PHYS 136 , PHYS 137 -PHYS 138 , PHYS 221 -PHYS 222 .

Social Sciences

The disciplines that make up the social sciences help us analyze the interactions that take place between individuals, between groups or societies, and between an individual and a group. Studying these interactions helps us understand the political and social dynamics that govern contemporary societies. Equipped with this understanding, we can participate more effectively, and as informed and engaged citizens, in social, political, and economic decision making. The Social Sciences component of the Perspectives requirement serves to introduce students both to the principal concerns of disciplines in the social sciences and to the methods by which social scientists collect and evaluate knowledge and test hypotheses.

Students may meet this requirement by completing two courses, from two different departments, chosen from the list below.

AFST 201 , AFST 202 ; ANTH 130 , ANTH 137 ; CFS 210 , CFS 220 ; ECON 201 , ECON 207 ; EDPY 210 ; GEOG 101 , GEOG 111 , GEOG 121 ; POLS 101 , POLS 102 , POLS 107 ; PSYC 110 , PSYC 117 ; REST 232 , REST 233 ; SOCI 110 , SOCI 120 , SOCI 127 ; UNHO 267 , UNHO 268 .

Foreign Language

Learning a foreign language helps prepare a student to become an engaged global citizen. Studying the vocabulary, grammatical structure, and literary milestones of a second language can help students understand the close relationship between language and culture, and can provide students with tools that can be used to both understand and bridge cultural differences. Study of a foreign language can also help us understand better the structure and nuances of our own native language. The Foreign Language component of the Perspectives requirement supports the broad goals of liberal education by promoting intellectual tolerance and flexibility, informing students’ understanding of cultural diversity, and introducing students to the literary achievements of authors writing in other languages.

Students may meet this college requirement in one of four ways.

Foreign Language Placement Information

All students who wish to enroll in a foreign language course, who have completed at least two years of this language in high school and who have not yet taken a college course in the language, must take a placement examination before enrolling. Placement in the appropriate course will be determined by the score on the examination. Examinations for most languages will be given online prior to orientation and at any time during the fall, spring, and summer. Students who place into 200-level courses will receive 6 hours of elementary language credit upon successful completion of a 200-level course in the same language, provided that they do not subsequently enroll and receive credit for any 100-level course in the same language. If they do, elementary placement credit is forfeited and removed from the student’s transcript.

Students who place into 300-level courses will receive 6 hours of intermediate language credit upon successful completion of a 300-level course in the same language, provided that they do not subsequently enroll and receive credit for any 200-level course in the same language. If they do, intermediate placement credit is forfeited and removed from the student’s transcript. Those students who place into 200- or 300-level courses and do not wish to continue in a language, but wish to receive six hours of 100- or 200-level credit, respectively, for their online exam, may do so by completing a proctored placement exam during the fall, spring, or summer and confirming the results of their online placement exam.

Placement test scores expire after one year. Students have one year from the date on which they take the placement exam to either register for the course for which they are eligible (as determined by their placement test score) or complete the proctored placement exam to confirm the results of the online exam. After the one-year period elapses, students will have to take the placement test again.

Non-U.S. History

Careful and thoughtful study of the past, and of the diversity of human societies and cultures found around the world, helps us understand the historical origins of contemporary society. By investigating change and continuity in human societies, and by asking how historical contexts shape people, events, and ideas, students can also further develop their analytical and critical thinking skills. The Non-U.S. History component of the Perspectives requirement serves to introduce students to the modes of inquiry that are employed in the study of human history, to help students understand how hypotheses about the historical past are formulated and tested, and to improve students’ understanding of how historical events have shaped present-day society.

Students may meet this requirement by completing one of the following pairs of courses. All courses listed here are writing-emphasis courses.

AFST 235 -AFST 236 ; HIST 241 -HIST 242 , HIST 247 -HIST 248 , HIST 255 -HIST 256 , HIST 261 -HIST 262 , HIST 267 -HIST 268 ; LAC 251 -LAC 252 ; MRST 201 -MRST 202 .

College-wide Requirements: Upper-Level Distribution

In these courses, students use skills and knowledge acquired in their Foundations and Perspectives courses to understand and analyze a highly interdependent world system and to make informed comparisons among contemporary cultures. These courses develop understanding of United States society, of national and international diversity, and of critical issues of the modern world. All students must complete one course from List A and one course from List B. All courses are writing-emphasis courses. A course that is used to satisfy the Upper-Level Distribution requirement may not also be used to satisfy major requirements.

List A – United States Studies

AFST 315 , AFST 331 , AFST 333 , AFST 343 , AFST 352 , AFST 353 , AFST 376 , AFST 380 , AFST 429 , AFST 471 , AFST 472 , AFST 480 , AFST 484 ; AMST 310 , AMST 312 , AMST 320 , AMST 334 , AMST 343 , AMST 354 , AMST 355 , AMST 381 , AMST 423 ; ANTH 305 , ANTH 310 , ANTH 315 , ANTH 320 , ANTH 322 , ANTH 360 , ANTH 454 ; ARTH 470 , ARTH 472 , ARTH 473 ; CNST 312 , CNST 334 , CNST 469 ; EEB 305 ; ECON 331 , ECON 333 , ECON 361 , ECON 362 , ECON 413 , ECON 435 , ECON 471 , ECON 472 ; ENGL 331 , ENGL 332 , ENGL 333 , ENGL 334 , ENGL 381 ; GEOG 361 , GEOG 363 , GEOG 365 , GEOG 366 , GEOG 423 , GEOG 441 ; HIST 325 , HIST 326 , HIST 345 , HIST 349 , HIST 350 , HIST 351 , HIST 354 , HIST 355 , HIST 363 , HIST 364 , HIST 379 , HIST 380 , HIST 417 ; PHIL 390 ; POLS 311 , POLS 312 , POLS 330 , POLS 374 ; PSYC 434 ; REST 351 , REST 352 , REST 353 , REST 354 , REST 355 , REST 430 ; SOCI 310 , SOCI 341 , SOCI 343 , SOCI 455 , SOCI 472 ; WOST 310 , WOST 325 , WOST 332 , WOST 340 , WOST 434 , WOST 484 .

List B – Foreign Studies

This list is subdivided by geographic area and topic. If Western Civilization (HIST 241 -HIST 242 ) or Medieval Civilization (MRST 201 -MRST 202 ) is used to satisfy the Non-U.S. History Perspectives requirement, courses from the Europe list may not be used to satisfy the Upper-Level Distribution requirement.

Africa

AFST 335 , AFST 371 , AFST 372 , AFST 373 , AFST 381 , AFST 421 , AFST 452 , AFST 464 , AFST 465 , AFST 466 ; ANTH 324 , ANTH 373 ; ARTH 461 , ARTH 462 , ARTH 463 ; ENGL 335 ; GEOG 343 ; HIST 371 , HIST 372 , HIST 381 ; POLS 452 ; REST 373 .

Asia

ARTH 411 , ARTH 413 , ARTH 414 , ARTH 416 , ARTH 419 , ARTH 464 ; ASST 374 ; CNST 315 , CNST 495 ; GEOG 374 , GEOG 375 ; HIST 382 , HIST 389 , HIST 390 , HIST 391 , HIST 392 , HIST 393 , HIST 495 ; JAPA 321 , JAPA 413 ; JST 382 ; POLS 454 ; REST 374 , REST 375 , REST 376 , REST 379 , REST 383 , REST 384 , REST 401 , REST 476 .

Europe

ANTH 436 , ANTH 442 , ANTH 443 , ANTH 444 , ANTH 462 ; ARTH 425 , ARTH 431 , ARTH 441 , ARTH 442 , ARTH 451 , ARTH 452 , ARTH 453 , ARTH 454 , ARTH 475 , ARTH 476 ; CNST 323 , CNST 325 , CNST 420 , CNST 422 ; CLAS 340 , CLAS 345 , CLAS 362 , CLAS 381 , CLAS 382 , CLAS 384 , CLAS 435 , CLAS 436 , CLAS 442 , CLAS 443 , CLAS 444 , CLAS 445 , CLAS 461 , CLAS 471 , CLAS 472 , CLAS 473 ; ENGL 301 , ENGL 302 , ENGL 321 , ENGL 401 , ENGL 422 ; FREN 420 , FREN 431 , FREN 432 ; GEOG 371 ; GERM 323 , GERM 350 , GERM 363 ; HIST 319 , HIST 320 , HIST 323 , HIST 324 , HIST 332 , HIST 333 , HIST 429 , HIST 471 , HIST 472 , HIST 473 ; ITAL 414 , ITAL 422 ; JST 322 , JST 350 , JST 426 , JST 432 ; LING 321 ; MRST 322 , MRST 403 , MRST 405 , MRST 432 , MRST 442 , MRST 452 ; PHIL 320 , PHIL 322 , PHIL 324 , PHIL 326 , PHIL 327 , PHIL 328 ; POLS 459 ; REST 345 ; RUSS 325 , RUSS 371 , RUSS 372 ; WOST 326 , WOST 384 , WOST 422 .

Latin America

AFST 319 , AFST 336 ; ANTH 313 , ANTH 316 , ANTH 319 , ANTH 323 ; CNST 326 , CNST 434 , CNST 465 ; ENGL 336 ; GEOG 373 ; HIST 343 , HIST 344 , HIST 360 , HIST 361 , HIST 475 ; LAC 303 , LAC 313 , LAC 314 , LAC 319 , LAC 326 , LAC 331 , LAC 343 , LAC 344 , LAC 360 , LAC 361 , LAC 373 , LAC 401 , LAC 430 , LAC 456 , LAC 465 , LAC 475 ; POLS 456 ; PORT 303 , PORT 326 , PORT 430 ; SPAN 331 , SPAN 401 , SPAN 434 , SPAN 465 , SPAN 489 .

Middle East

ANTH 463 ; ASST 332 , ASST 333 ; HIST 369 , HIST 370 , HIST 383 , HIST 400 ; JST 311 , JST 369 , JST 370 , JST 381 , JST 383 , JST 385 , JST 405 ; REST 311 , REST 332 , REST 333 , REST 381 , REST 385 , REST 405 , REST 423 .

Critical Issues in Foreign Studies

AFST 442 ; ANTH 302 , ANTH 325 ; CNST 482 ; ECON 322 ; GEOG 344 , GEOG 345 , GEOG 445 , GEOG 451 ; GLBS 482 ; HIST 375 , HIST 395 , HIST 418 , HIST 484 JST 320 , JST 386 , JST 395 , JST 484 ; MATH 400 ; MFLL 482 ; POLS 350 ; REST 302 , REST 320 , REST 380 , REST 386 , REST 401 , REST 425 , REST 440 ; SOCI 442 , SOCI 446 ; WOST 320 , WOST 360 .

Literature Courses Taught in a Foreign Language

CLAS 351 , CLAS 352 , CLAS 401 , CLAS 402 , CLAS 405 , CLAS 406 , CLAS 414 , CLAS 431 , CLAS 432 , CLAS 435 , CLAS 471 , CLAS 472 ; FREN 353 , FREN 410 , FREN 415 , FREN 430 ; GERM 321 , GERM 322 , GERM 325 , GERM 419 , GERM 420 , GERM 431 , GERM 432 , GERM 433 , GERM 434 ; ITAL 405 , ITAL 411 ; LAC 301 , LAC 432 ; PORT 301 , PORT 432 ; RUSS 451 , RUSS 452 ; SPAN 330 , SPAN 332 , SPAN 333 , SPAN 334 , SPAN 433 , SPAN 479 , SPAN 480 , SPAN 482 , SPAN 484 , SPAN 486 .

Majors

Requirements for specific majors vary by program and are discussed under each department or program. A major consists of 30 to 48 credit hours in courses numbered 200 or above as specified by the department or program. Courses taken to satisfy the college Foundations requirement may, when appropriate, be used in the major. Up to six credit hours used to satisfy major requirements may also be used to satisfy Perspectives requirements. A minimum grade of C must be earned in every course counted as part of the major. This grade requirement does not apply to preparatory course work, prerequisites, or corequisites unless otherwise stated by the department.

All full-time, degree-seeking UT Knoxville students who first entered Fall 2013 or later must transition out of the exploratory track into a major no later than the end of their fourth tracking semester. Transfer students with less than 45 hours of transferable work who are admitted as exploratory students must transition out of the exploratory track into a major no later than the end of their second full semester at UT. Transfer students with 45 hours or more of transferable work must be admitted directly into a major. Returning students may declare a major as soon as they have met required standards; however, they must officially declare a major by the time they have earned 75 credit hours.

The requirements for declaring a specific major are stated under the department or program listing. To declare a major, students should go to the academic department which houses the major. To declare an interdisciplinary major and for more information, contact Arts and Sciences Advising Services.

Students transferring from other institutions must complete at least 9 credit hours at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in each major earned in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students may elect as many courses as desired in any department or program. Majors available for students pursuing a B.A. or B.S. degree include: anthropology, art, art history, biological sciences, chemistry, classics, economics, English, geography, geology and environmental studies, history, interdisciplinary programs, mathematics, modern foreign languages and literatures, music, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, religious studies, sociology, statistics, and theatre.

Optional Multiple Majors

After a student has satisfied the general Foundations and Perspectives requirements, and the requirements of a major, additional majors may be recorded on the transcript without regard to course overlap among majors or among the additional majors and Foundations and Perspectives requirements, provided a minimum of 18 distinct credit hours differentiates the primary major from the additional majors. Students developing multiple majors must declare this intent at the time of application for graduation. Once a student has graduated, the establishment of additional majors becomes subject to university second degree requirements.

Students who satisfy the requirements of a degree in a college other than Arts and Sciences may also major inside the College of Arts and Sciences with the approval of the degree-granting unit. These students need complete only the major requirements, not the Foundations, Perspectives, or Upper-Level Distribution requirements for Arts and Sciences degrees. The Arts and Sciences major may also be listed on the student’s transcript.

Minors

At the time of application for graduation, single or multiple minors may be recorded on the academic record without regard to course overlap among minors and major or among minors and Foundations and Perspectives requirements. Students who satisfy the requirements of a degree in a college other than Arts and Sciences may also minor inside the College of Arts and Sciences with the approval of the degree-granting unit. The minimum requirement for a minor is 15 credit hours in courses numbered 200 or above. Minors are available in most departments or programs in which majors are offered and also in astronomy. Minors may be developed in other colleges or schools of the university, but must be approved by the head of the department in which the minor is proposed. At least 6 of the 15 credit hours required for a minor must be completed at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Elective Courses

Students completing a B.A. or B.S. degree in the college have the opportunity to select elective courses that supplement and support the work being done in the major and in the college-wide Foundations, Perspectives, and Upper-Level Distribution requirements. This dimension of the student’s experience at the university represents that freedom within which total education may be rounded out and enriched. Elective courses should be chosen with care so that they will truly enhance the student’s total program and help in the achievement of well thought-out educational objectives.

Some of the choices which the student might make in selecting the elective courses are additional courses in the major field; a related minor; an area in the arts; an off-campus semester.

Only the student’s imagination and initiative and the willingness to conceive and develop a meaningful academic program limit the choices of supplementary elective courses.

Writing-Emphasis Courses

A writing-emphasis course requires a student to complete at least 2,000 words of writing during the semester. This normally consists of at least one sustained formal essay or report of 1,000 or more words, plus additional writing assignments such as in-class essay exams, journals, book reviews, short-response papers, and the like. Writing-emphasis courses are designed to help students learn subject material through writing; develop critical thinking and written communication skills; and demonstrate the ability to craft and sustain an argument in writing. Writing-emphasis courses do not necessarily satisfy the University’s General Education Communicating through Writing (WC) requirement. A writing-emphasis course is so designated in the course description found in the Undergraduate Catalog.

Program for Prospective K-12 Teachers

Students planning careers in K-12 teaching must complete an Arts and Sciences major in a department, in one of the interdisciplinary programs, or, if eligible, in the College Scholars Program. Prospective secondary and middle school teachers must fulfill the requirements of appropriate content majors; prospective elementary teachers may choose any major in the College of Arts and Sciences.

To be licensed for teaching, students must also gain formal admission to the Teacher Education Program in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. The process involves successful completion of a series of requirements including presentation of satisfactory scores on certain tests, completing professional courses in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, maintenance of a 2.7 or higher GPA, and completing a fifth year program emphasizing practical application. For details, see the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences section of this catalog and contact the Advising Center, 332 Bailey Education Complex. 

Academic Departments

Anthropology  
School of Art 
Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology 
Division of Biology 
Chemistry 
Classics 
College Scholars Program 
Earth and Planetary Sciences 
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 
Economics (Arts and Sciences) 
English 
Geography 
History  

Interdisciplinary Programs  

Mathematics 
Medical Laboratory Science Major, BS 
Microbiology 
Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures 
School of Music 
Philosophy 
Physics and Astronomy 
Political Science 
Pre-Professional Programs 
Psychology 
Religious Studies 
Sociology 
Statistics (Arts and Sciences) 
Theatre  

VolsTeach Program