WVU :: ECAS

Frequently Asked Questions
About An Arts and Sciences Education

What is a college of arts and sciences?
Colleges of arts and sciences (in some universities termed "College of Liberal Arts") generally constitute a collection of departments in the traditional academic disciplines: literature and the humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and mathematics and natural sciences. In the case of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University, those disciplines include Africana studies, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, communication studies, computer science, economics, English, environmental geoscience, foreign languages, forensic and investigative science, geography, geology, history, international studies, mathematics, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, public administration, religious studies, social work, sociology and anthropology, statistics, and women's studies.
What do you do with a degree from a college of Arts and Sciences? Will I get a job after I graduate?
The primary mission of the Eberly College is to promote the full development of the student as an individual and as a member of society. Arts and sciences programs prepare you for many specific careers as well as readying you for life-long learning that will extend well beyond your first job, for positions and programs not yet created in an ever-evolving job market in a rapidly-changing world. As an arts and sciences major, you will learn to communicate effectively, refine your abilities to analyze complex problems, and grow the confidence to develop solutions and make critical judgments -- all of which are preparation for the roles you will play in society and in your career.
Why does my arts and sciences degree have non-vocational requirements?
Arts and sciences degrees have non-vocational requirements for several reasons. First, in certain areas of study, it is important that the student come prepared with some background knowledge that may be attained in prerequisite or preparatory courses. For example, many disciplines, such as history, political science, philosophy, and religious studies, require students to have well-developed communication and analytical skills, which can be achieved at least in part through freshman English courses. Other disciplines, such as biology, chemistry, and physics, require preparation in mathematics.

Second, the philosophy behind the arts and sciences degree is that it teaches a student how to think and how to learn. In order to think and learn effectively in a wide variety of vocational situations throughout his or her career, a student will need exposure to and understanding of organizing principles and methodology across a variety of academic disciplines.
Why do I have to take General Education requirements?
General Education requirements are required of all students at WVU, no matter the major and no matter the College or School. Thus, whether you are in arts and sciences or in engineering, you must meet the General Education requirements. At WVU, we believe that every college or university graduate should have a certain base of knowledge. Completion of these requirements will help you to gain that base and will also prepare you for more advanced courses in your major field or study. You may choose from a variety of courses, and generally can apply courses required by your major to fulfill General Education requirements.
Why do I have to take a foreign language?
Only candidates for BA degrees in the Eberly College have a foreign language requirement. BA candidates are required to take four semesters of courses in a single language (e.g., Spanish 101, 102, 103, and 104). The College faculty feel strongly that foreign language study sharpens students' communication skills and fosters an attitude of open-mindedness. On a practical level, foreign language study helps prepare students for study or travel abroad and can be a useful skill in many parts of the United States.
I didn't take chemistry in high school. Will I be completely lost in the college courses?
High school chemistry is not a pre-requisite for college chemistry, but a good math background is. Students with good math skills should be able to handle college chemistry without having had high school chemistry. Similar stories may be true in other academic disciplines.
How does the University compare to my high school academic experience?
Most subject matter will be examined in greater depth. In most courses, critical thinking skills, which may not have been part of your high school experience, will be expected as well as developed.
Who will my advisor be?
In the system currently in use, some Eberly College programs advise their own students from the freshman year. Others are advised in the Undergraduate Academic Services Center through the end of the freshman or sophomore year and then move into their departments. Advisors in departments are faculty members; at the UASC, they are staff members whose professional time is devoted to academic advising. They work in concert with our departments.
What should I major in? Is there someone who will help me decide which major is right to suit my individual needs? How do I know whether I'm really going to like the job track that my major leads to?
The Career Services Center offers an interactive computer program called "Sigi" which helps students clarify values and career goals. It also has a great deal of literature available on major and career choices, and may also suggest areas where "shadowing" a practitioner in the field is possible. In addition, the Carruth Center offers the "Strong Vocational Interests" form which helps students identify the professional groups with which they would be comfortable. Students can also seek out individual help at the Career Services Center in the Mountainlair
Will I be in large classes, with hundreds of other students?
Some classes may hold as many as 200 or 300 students. Such courses are either the lecture portion of a laboratory course that has much smaller laboratory sections (usually about 24 students), or they are large lecture courses with recitation sections (of about 30 to 40 students) that meet once a week to provide time for individual attention. As students progress toward the senior year, they generally find that class size decreases significantly in their upper-level courses.
Will WVU be personal enough to satisfy my academic needs?
We believe so. A successful academic experience is available to all who seek it out. Taking an active part in learning, sustaining intellectual curiosity, and using the available resources such as Learning Centers, Libraries, etc., will all contribute toward satisfying your academic needs.
If I get an arts and sciences bachelor's degree, can I still go to medical school or law school or graduate school?
Yes. Required and recommended courses for professional or graduate schools can easily be incorporated into an arts and sciences major. This is especially the case for medical school, with possible majors in a variety of areas, and also true with law school, which does not have fixed requirements. Graduate programs expect students to have a background in the discipline of the graduate program, and it is certainly possible for a student with a bachelor's in one area to acquire a strong background in another.
Why can't I take more than 42 hours in my major field of study?
An arts and sciences education is not designed to focus in one narrow area to the exclusion of others. Arts and sciences students achieve depth in one or more major areas of concentration and are expected to achieve breadth in various related or non-related fields. Majors in departments that offer more than one subject, such as Sociology and Anthropology or Foreign Languages, can accumulate as many as 84 hours in their departments, but such a narrow focus is discouraged at the undergraduate level.

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	Frequently Asked Questions About An Arts and Sciences Education What is a college of arts and sciences? Colleges of arts and sciences (in some universities termed "College of Liberal Arts") generally constitute a collection of departments in the traditional academic disciplines: literature and the humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and mathematics and natural sciences. In the case of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University, those disciplines include Africana studies, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, communication studies, computer science, economics, English, environmental geoscience, foreign languages, forensic and investigative science, geography, geology, history, international studies, mathematics, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, public administration, religious studies, social work, sociology and anthropology, statistics, and women's studies. What do you do with a degree from a college of Arts and Sciences? Will I get a job after I graduate? The primary mission of the Eberly College is to promote the full development of the student as an individual and as a member of society. Arts and sciences programs prepare you for many specific careers as well as readying you for life-long learning that will extend well beyond your first job, for positions and programs not yet created in an ever-evolving job market in a rapidly-changing world. As an arts and sciences major, you will learn to communicate effectively, refine your abilities to analyze complex problems, and grow the confidence to develop solutions and make critical judgments -- all of which are preparation for the roles you will play in society and in your career. Why does my arts and sciences degree have non-vocational requirements? Arts and sciences degrees have non-vocational requirements for several reasons. First, in certain areas of study, it is important that the student come prepared with some background knowledge that may be attained in prerequisite or preparatory courses. For example, many disciplines, such as history, political science, philosophy, and religious studies, require students to have well-developed communication and analytical skills, which can be achieved at least in part through freshman English courses. Other disciplines, such as biology, chemistry, and physics, require preparation in mathematics. Second, the philosophy behind the arts and sciences degree is that it teaches a student how to think and how to learn. In order to think and learn effectively in a wide variety of vocational situations throughout his or her career, a student will need exposure to and understanding of organizing principles and methodology across a variety of academic disciplines. Why do I have to take General Education requirements? General Education requirements are required of all students at WVU, no matter the major and no matter the College or School. Thus, whether you are in arts and sciences or in engineering, you must meet the General Education requirements. At WVU, we believe that every college or university graduate should have a certain base of knowledge. Completion of these requirements will help you to gain that base and will also prepare you for more advanced courses in your major field or study. You may choose from a variety of courses, and generally can apply courses required by your major to fulfill General Education requirements. Why do I have to take a foreign language? Only candidates for BA degrees in the Eberly College have a foreign language requirement. BA candidates are required to take four semesters of courses in a single language (e.g., Spanish 101, 102, 103, and 104). The College faculty feel strongly that foreign language study sharpens students' communication skills and fosters an attitude of open-mindedness. On a practical level, foreign language study helps prepare students for study or travel abroad and can be a useful skill in many parts of the United States. I didn't take chemistry in high school. Will I be completely lost in the college courses? High school chemistry is not a pre-requisite for college chemistry, but a good math background is. Students with good math skills should be able to handle college chemistry without having had high school chemistry. Similar stories may be true in other academic disciplines. How does the University compare to my high school academic experience? Most subject matter will be examined in greater depth. In most courses, critical thinking skills, which may not have been part of your high school experience, will be expected as well as developed. Who will my advisor be? In the system currently in use, some Eberly College programs advise their own students from the freshman year. Others are advised in the Undergraduate Academic Services Center through the end of the freshman or sophomore year and then move into their departments. Advisors in departments are faculty members; at the UASC, they are staff members whose professional time is devoted to academic advising. They work in concert with our departments. What should I major in? Is there someone who will help me decide which major is right to suit my individual needs? How do I know whether I'm really going to like the job track that my major leads to? The Career Services Center offers an interactive computer program called "Sigi" which helps students clarify values and career goals. It also has a great deal of literature available on major and career choices, and may also suggest areas where "shadowing" a practitioner in the field is possible. In addition, the Carruth Center offers the "Strong Vocational Interests" form which helps students identify the professional groups with which they would be comfortable. Students can also seek out individual help at the Career Services Center in the Mountainlair Will I be in large classes, with hundreds of other students? Some classes may hold as many as 200 or 300 students. Such courses are either the lecture portion of a laboratory course that has much smaller laboratory sections (usually about 24 students), or they are large lecture courses with recitation sections (of about 30 to 40 students) that meet once a week to provide time for individual attention. As students progress toward the senior year, they generally find that class size decreases significantly in their upper-level courses. Will WVU be personal enough to satisfy my academic needs? We believe so. A successful academic experience is available to all who seek it out. Taking an active part in learning, sustaining intellectual curiosity, and using the available resources such as Learning Centers, Libraries, etc., will all contribute toward satisfying your academic needs. If I get an arts and sciences bachelor's degree, can I still go to medical school or law school or graduate school? Yes. Required and recommended courses for professional or graduate schools can easily be incorporated into an arts and sciences major. This is especially the case for medical school, with possible majors in a variety of areas, and also true with law school, which does not have fixed requirements. Graduate programs expect students to have a background in the discipline of the graduate program, and it is certainly possible for a student with a bachelor's in one area to acquire a strong background in another. Why can't I take more than 42 hours in my major field of study? An arts and sciences education is not designed to focus in one narrow area to the exclusion of others. Arts and sciences students achieve depth in one or more major areas of concentration and are expected to achieve breadth in various related or non-related fields. Majors in departments that offer more than one subject, such as Sociology and Anthropology or Foreign Languages, can accumulate as many as 84 hours in their departments, but such a narrow focus is discouraged at the undergraduate level.