George Mason University 1997-98 Catalog Catalog Index
Course Descriptions

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College of Arts and Sciences


The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest and most diverse academic unit within the university. Its programs reflect the traditions of the liberal arts and sciences and the contemporary innovation of flexible interdisciplinary offerings.

Undergraduates are taught by a faculty that has achieved a record of academic excellence. Faculty members strive to prepare the undergraduate for the complexities and changes of modern society.

The disciplines within the college's 16 undergraduate departments represent the core curricula of a modern university. Through its programs, the college exposes students to principles of sound reasoning and judgment, while providing the skills for understanding and using information. The college strives to give students some of the knowledge needed in today's world and to develop within them the lifelong process of self-education.

The college offers ample opportunities for double majors that can be tailored to student needs, combining intellectual pursuits with preparation for employment. Faculty advisory committees assist undergraduates who are interested in careers such as medicine, law, and the ministry.


Administration

Hans Bergmann, Interim Dean
Zita E.Tyer, Vice Provost for Administration and Finance
Doris A. Bitler, Associate Dean for Student Academic Affairs and Technology
Deborah E. Kaplan, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies
Daniele C. Struppa, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies
J.P. Lewis, Assistant Dean for Student Academic Affairs


Degree Requirements

Students should consult the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements section of Academic Policies for information concerning the literacy requirement, English composition requirement, catalog requirements, residence requirements, academic requirements, and the writing-intensive requirement.


General Education Requirements

The general education portions of the bachelor's degree programs offer insights into a broad range of human thought and activity. General education prepares students to fulfill various roles in society by providing a foundation for continued learning and personal development.

Through general education, students gain knowledge of the basic disciplines, skill in relating materials within the disciplines, and some understanding of human civilization as a whole. All courses fulfilling general education requirements are intended to combine these elements. Thus, in a single course, students should gain basic knowledge of a particular discipline, skill in the methods that produced that knowledge, and an understanding of the discipline's common attitudes and its place within human thought and activity.

Students at George Mason meet their general education requirements either by completing the number of hours in the courses listed below or by completing the interdisciplinary courses of the PAGE program. The Linked Courses Program enables students to register for two or more complementary general education courses with professors who have coordinated readings and assignments.

The courses are grouped below to allow the student to exercise certain options among disciplines using similar modes of thought.


Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements

Semester Hours
A. General Education 50-62
    1. Communication
 9-21
    a. Written
    ENGL 101, 302. Non-native speakers of English with limited proficiency in the language may substitute ENGL 100 for ENGL 101. Students must attain a minimum grade of C to have ENGL 100, 101, 302 fulfill degree requirements.
 6
    b. Oral
    COMM 100, 101, or 102.
 3
    c. Foreign Language
    A student must demonstrate intermediate-level proficiency in one foreign language. The requirement is fulfilled by completion of one foreign language course at the 202 level or higher or by a satisfactory score on an approved proficiency test. International students should consult with the CAS student academic affairs office about a possible waiver of this requirement.
 0-12
    2. Analytical Reasoning
    Logic (PHIL 173 or 376) or mathematics (except MATH 105, 271, and 272), STAT 250, or DESC 200.
 3
    3. Humanities
 12
    a. Literature
    Any course in literature at the 200 level in English, the 300 level or above in modern and classical languages, or PHIL 253.
 6
    b. Fine Arts
    Art, dance, film (ENGL 332), music, or theater (lecture, studio, ensemble, or private lessons).
3
    c. Philosophy or religious studies
    A logic course does not satisfy this requirement.
3
    4. Social Science
 12
    a. Economics, geography (except GEOG 102, 309), government, history
 6
    b. Anthropology, psychology, sociology
 6
    5. Natural Science
    A two-semester laboratory science sequence in astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, or physics. BIOL 124, 125 does not satisfy this requirement.
 8
    6. Non-Western Culture
    Six credits must be earned in courses devoted to non-Western culture. This requirement is waived for a student who has attended, for four or more years, a native school in a non-Western country. Requests for a waiver should be made through the student academic affairs office.

    The following courses, which are designated as meeting this requirement, may also be presented in partial fulfillment of requirements stated in sections 1, 3, and 4:

    ANTH 114, 300, 301, 302, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 311, 313, 332
    ARTH 319, 320, 380, 381
    FREN 451
    GEOG 101, 316, 325, 330
    GOVT 332, 333
    HIST 130, 251, 252, 261, 262, 271, 281, 282, 328, 329, 353, 354, 356, 463, 464, 465, 466
    MUSI 103
    RELI 211, 212, 313, 314, 315, 337, 490
    RUSS 353, 354
    STAM 303, 304

6
B. Major
See appropriate departmental sections of the catalog for required credits.		 30-42
C. Electives
See appropriate departmental sections of the catalog for required credits.		 16-40
Total minimum semester hours
(45 of these must be upper-division hours)		 120

Physical Education Courses
Activity courses offered by Human Service Programs (Physical Education and Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies) cannot be counted toward the hours required for a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences.


Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements

Semester Hours
A. General Education 40-63
    1. English and Literature
 12
    a. English Composition
    ENGL 101, 302. Nonnative speakers of English with limited proficiency in the language may substitute ENGL 100 for 101. Students must attain a minimum grade of C to have ENGL 100, 101, 302 fulfill degree requirements.
 6
    b. Literature
    Any courses in literature at the 200 level in English, the 300 level or above in modern and classical languages, or PHIL 253.
 6
    2. Course Work Outside the Area of Specialization
 12
    a. 12 hours outside the fields of economics, geography, government, or history if the degree is in one of these fields; six of these hours must be chosen from these fields: astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, geology, mathematics, and physics.
    b. 12 hours outside the natural sciences or mathematics fields if the degree is in those fields; six of these hours must be chosen from these fields: anthropology, economics, geography, government, history, linguistics, psychology, and sociology.
    c. 12 hours outside the fields of psychology or public administration if the degree is in one of these fields; six of these hours must be chosen from these fields: astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, geology, mathematics, and physics.
    3. Additional Required Courses
    See departmental sections of the catalog for specifics.
 16-39
B. Major
Fulfillment of requirements for the major as listed under the respective departments: Biology, Chemistry, Economics, GESS, Mathematical Sciences, Physics and Astronomy, Psychology, and Public and International Affairs.		 38-74
C. Electives
Fulfillment of requirements for the major as listed under the respective departments: Biology, Chemistry, Economics, GESS, Mathematical Sciences, Physics and Astronomy, Psychology, and Public and International Affairs.		 17-42
Total minimum semester hours
(45 of these must be upper-division hours)		 120

Physical Education Courses
Activity courses offered by Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources Programs (Physical Education and Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies) cannot be counted toward the hours required for a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences.


Bachelor of Music Degree Requirements

A. General Education 30
B. Major 85-90
C. Electives 0-5
Total minimum semester hours
(45 of these must be upper-division hours)
See the Music section of this catalog for details.		 120


Physical Education Courses
Activity courses offered by Human Service Programs (Physical Education and Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies) cannot be counted toward the hours required for a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences.


PAGE Requirements

Students enrolled at George Mason University may fulfill their general education requirements through the Plan for Alternative General Education (PAGE). PAGE courses will not be available after May 1998.

General Education Requirements/PAGE Equivalents
PAGE courses correspond to general education requirements as detailed. Note that most PAGE courses contribute to meeting more than one requirement.


Equivalent Semester Hours
1. Communication 21
    a. Semesters I, II, and III
    (equivalent to English 101 or 100)
 3
    b. Semester IV
    (equivalent to English 302)
 3
    c. Semesters I, II, III, and IV
    (equivalent to COMM 100, 110, 120, or 130)
 3
    d. Foreign Language
    (PAGE does not satisfy this requirement.)
 12
2. Analytical Reasoning 3
    PAGE 120 and 125, or mathematics substitution as approved
    (equivalent to logic or mathematics)
 3
3. Humanities 12
    a. PAGE 121, 130, 150, 151
    (equivalent to Literature I)
 3
    b. PAGE 122, 131, 152, 153
    (equivalent to Literature II)
 3
    c. PAGE 121, 122, 150, 151, 152, 153
    (equivalent to fine arts)
 3
    d. PAGE 130, 131, 150, 151, 152, 153
    (equivalent to philosophy or religion, except logic)
 3
4. Social Science 12
    a. PAGE Semesters II and IV
    (equivalent to economics, geography, government, or history)
 6
    b. PAGE Semesters I and III
    (equivalent to anthropology, psychology, or sociology)
 6
5. Natural Science 8
    PAGE 125, 225, 227, 228, or mathematics/science sequence as approved
    (equivalent to two-semester science sequence)
 8
6. Non-Western Culture 6
    a. PAGE 121, 122, 130, 131, 150, 151
    (equivalent to Culture I)
 3
    b. PAGE 230, 250, 251
    (equivalent to Culture II)
 3
PAGE Courses Total 45
    PAGE courses total 45 credit hours and fulfill all general education requirements except foreign language.


PAGE Curriculum Sequence
First Semester
PAGE 120
PAGE 121
PAGE 130
PAGE 150
PAGE 151
Elective
Total


4
3
3
1
1
3-4
15-16

 Second Semester
PAGE 122
PAGE 125
PAGE 131
PAGE 152
PAGE 153
Elective(s)
Total


3
3
3
1
1
3-6
14-17

Third Semester
PAGE 225
PAGE 227
PAGE 230
PAGE 250
PAGE 251
Elective
Total


3
4
3
1
1
3
15

 Fourth Semester
PAGE 228
PAGE 252
PAGE 253
Electives
Total


4
3
3
6
16


Physical Education Courses

Activity courses offered by the Human Service Programs (Physical Education and Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies) cannot be counted toward the hours required for a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences.


Teacher Licensure (Certification)

Students who wish to become elementary, middle, or secondary school teachers should consult the sections on licensure (certification) found in the catalog under the Graduate School of Education.

Minors

Students may elect minor programs in addition to their major field of study. Minors require no fewer than 15 hours and no more than 21 hours of study. At least six hours of the minor must be completed at George Mason. No more than three hours of D grade in the minor is accepted. Not all departments in the College of Arts and Sciences offer minor programs. The following minors are now available in the College of Arts and Sciences:

Students may elect a minor by completing the appropriate section of the Change/Declaration of Academic Program form. Declaration of a minor must be made with, and approved by, the faculty adviser and the director of the program.


Study Abroad

Majors are strongly encouraged to participate (for a summer, a semester, or a year) in a study abroad program related to their regional concentration and to their chosen language. Interested students must work out their plan of study with their faculty adviser and the director of the program. With approval of the faculty adviser and program director, language study abroad can count toward the language requirement for the major.

PAGE Program

The general education requirements (with the exception of foreign language) for a B.A. degree are satisfied by successful completion of the Program for Alternative General Education (PAGE). See PAGE category in this catalog. Also, contact the PAGE office for sample schedules for Study of the Americas majors. PAGE courses will not be available after May 1998.


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