Individual Degree Concentration ||
Concentration in Ethics and Social Institutions (ESI) ||
Africana Studies
International Studies (INTS) ||
Legal Studies (LEGL) ||
Master of Liberal Arts (MLA)
Religious Studies (RELS) ||
Women's Studies (WMST)
UNCA Catalog: Courses of Instruction
UNCA Catalog: Table of Contents
Professor Nickless (Director)
Through UNC Asheville's interdisciplinary programs and courses, students are able to study topics that transcend traditional disciplines. These programs and courses formally recognize the importance of incorporating different disciplinary approaches and contributions in order to understand the challenging questions people face today. Interdisciplinary courses offer students the opportunity to develop the ability to synthesize and integrate ideas, perspectives and theories related to these questions. This encourages students to question conventional explanations and to search out and make explicit the assumptions of disciplinary theories.
Most interdisciplinary courses at UNC Asheville are structured around formal programs of study. These include Africana Studies, Arts Courses, Humanities, International Studies, Multimedia Arts and Sciences, Religious Studies, Women's Studies and UNC Asheville's single graduate program leading to the Master of Liberal Arts. Each of these programs and its requirements are listed on the following pages.
Major concentration options for the Bachelor of Arts degree are available in Interdisciplinary Studies in the Individual Degree Concentration and the Concentration in Ethics and Social Institutions. IST major programs for the B.A. require an introductory course or courses, a capstone experience, and provisions to satisfy major and oral competency. They incorporate at least 36 credit hours from at least three different departments with no more than one-half of the required credit hours coming from any one department. At least 21 of the required hours must be at the 300-level or above, and at least two-thirds of the major must be taken while at UNC Asheville. If a student is seeking a double major, no more than 6 hours of courses can be used for both majors. None of the hours used to fulfill requirements for a declared minor may be used for the Interdisciplinary Studies major.
In selected cases, specific interdisciplinary courses have been created which are not part of a formal program or major. These courses are generally considered electives. However, students must receive approval from their program or major advisor, as well as their department chair and/or program director in order to receive major or minor credit.
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Students have an opportunity to pursue an individual degree concentration in Interdisciplinary Studies resulting in a Bachelor of Arts degree. This concentration permits students to combine features of more than one discipline in a course of study outside the normal list of major programs. Students interested in the individual degree concentration obtain application materials from the Interdisciplinary Studies director. In consultation with their faculty advisor and the IST director, students develop a curriculum that follows the application guidelines. Students should begin the application process for the individual degree concentration prior to the completion of 60 semester hours of credit. The final proposal must be submitted before students complete 75 semester hours. A completed application includes the following:
When the IST director determines the submitted proposal is consistent with the university's mission, the student can formally declare a major in Interdisciplinary Studies. This declaration is contingent on the Registrar's Office certification that the proposal meets all graduation requirements. No changes may be made in the approved program without written authorization from the IST director. The title of the individual degree will be identified on the student's transcript at the time of graduation.
Declaring an Individual Degree Concentration major in Interdisciplinary Studies requires the student to meet the requirements listed above and then complete a Declaration of Major form that must be signed by the director of Interdisciplinary Studies. Before declaring a major, a student must satisfy the LANG 120 requirement.
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Associate Professor Konz (Director)
The concentration in Ethics and Social Institutions is designed to enable students to examine and evaluate social issues from interdisciplinary perspectives. Participating students will learn about economic, political and cultural institutions and the relationships between them. By examining markets, governments and community organizations, students will learn about decision-making processes and be able to determine their ethical implications and the outcomes of social choice. With the guidance of the ESI coordinator, students will design an individualized course of study by drawing on many disciplines including but not limited to Economics, Philosophy, Political Science and Sociology. Thematic possibilities could include Social Ethics; Ethics, Society, and the Law; Social Decision-making; Interaction of Societies; and The Individual and Society. A list of regularly scheduled courses which fall into these thematic categories will be available from the ESI concentration coordinator. With the proper planning, students graduating with a concentration in Ethics and Social Institutions will be well prepared for careers or advanced study in law, business or more specialized academic disciplines.
Declaring a major in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Ethics and Social Institutions for a Bachelor of Arts degree requires the student to have their course of study approved by the ESI coordinator. After a copy of the program and the ESI coordinator's approval are presented to the director of Interdisciplinary Studies, the student completes a Declaration of Major Form that must be signed by the director. Before declaring a major a student must satisfy the LANG 120 requirement.
Social Institutions. The research project serves as the student's senior capstone experience. See program director.
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Associate Professor Omer (Director)
The Africana Studies minor allows students to supplement existing UNC Asheville majors. Africana Studies courses offer an interdisciplinary exploration of the centrality of humane values expressed in the thoughts and actions of Black people throughout the world. The program's aim is to encourage freedom of thought, excellence in scholarship and creativity of expression as fuller understandings are sought regarding the roles of Black people in society and culture.
21 hours distributed as follows: AFST 130, 330, 430; and 12 hours selected from the list of elective courses below. Special topics courses may count as electives in the minor with the approval of the Africana Studies Director. Courses must be taken from at least two different academic departments.
| ANTH | 215 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | |
| IST | 263 | African American Colloquium | |
| LIT | 244 | African-American Literature | |
| LIT | 358 | Black Literature | |
| MCOM | 362 | Women and Minorities in Media | |
| MUSC | 357 | Jazz History | |
| POLS | 341 | Evolution of African-American Politics | |
| POLS | 342 | Contemporary African-American Politics | |
| POLS | 361 | Imperialism and Revolution in Colonial Africa | |
| POLS | 362 | Contemporary African Politics | |
| SOC | 221 | Sociology of Race and Ethnicity | |
| SOC | 350 | Sociology of the Third World |
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Assistant Professor Cornett (Director)
The university offers a minor in International Studies, allowing undergraduate students to pursue an interdisciplinary and comparative study of cultural diversity in the world today. The purpose of the International Studies minor is to provide students with a greater knowledge and appreciation of the diverse cultural, economic and political systems in the global community. It is designed to enhance and enrich a major in any department or program offered at UNC Asheville by emphasizing a global perspective.
Students majoring in any discipline may choose the minor in International Studies with the consent of the Director of International Studies. Students pursuing the minor may select from a variety of courses and disciplines, including modern foreign languages, humanities, the arts, and the natural and social sciences. Individual programs of study require coordinated planning between each student's academic advisor and the director.
The program may be of particular value to those with career objectives in any number of fields, including government, business, environmental studies, law, journalism and teaching. It also serves those interested in inter-governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations, such as the United Nations, and private religious and humanitarian service organizations.
Students participating in UNC Asheville-approved study abroad programs may apply their overseas study credits to the minor or, where appropriate, to their major. The study abroad program must be incorporated into the approved study plan prior to the student's participation.
Students choosing to minor in International Studies determine a concentration perspective through consultations with their department advisor and the Director of International Studies. The selected concentration provides a theme around which a program that best suits the student's intellectual and career objectives is developed. A study abroad experience is recommended, but not required, for the minor.
Students seeking a minor in International Studies must take 21 semester hours which satisfy the requirements outlined below. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative 2.0 grade-point average in the International Studies courses listed in their program.
Specific requirements for the International Studies minor include the following:
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Assistant Professor Burchard (Director)
The Legal Studies minor helps students to understand the nature of law and its role and functions from different disciplinary perspectives. Students must complete 18 hours from the list of courses below. (Note: prerequisites for these courses may increase the total number of hours.) Courses must be selected from at least three different disciplines and no more than 9 hours can come from any one discipline. Appropriate special topics courses may be substituted with the approval of the director of Legal Studies. Students should understand that the minor is not intended as a pre-law program or as a preparation for law school. The courses must be distributed as follows:
At least 6 hours from the following list which explore the nature of law in society.
| PHIL 305 | Philosophy of Law | |
| POLS 334 | Political Foundations of Law | |
| SOC 480 | Sociology of Law |
At least 3 hours from the following list which examine the nature of case law.
| POLS 327 | Constitutional Law | |
| POLS 330 | Individual Rights and Civil Liberties | |
| MGMT 341 | Commercial Law |
At least 6 hours from the following list which either explore the role of law in different policy areas, develop analytical skills important in legal thinking, or provide a wider context for understanding law and legal issues.
| CLAS 355 | Athenian Democracy | |
| CLAS 493 | Roman Literature and Roman Life | |
| DRAM 102 | Public Speaking | |
| ECON 316 | Transaction Cost Economics | |
| HIST 303 | Colonial and Revolutionary America | |
| HIST 340 | Classical Greece | |
| HIST 342 | The Roman Empire | |
| IST 283 | Mediation | |
| MCOM 490 | Mass Communication Law and Ethics | |
| MGMT 300 | Legal and Ethical Environment | |
| MGMT 421 | Legal Environment of Health Care Institutions | |
| PHIL 101 | Introduction to Logic | |
| PHIL 200 | Introduction to Ethics | |
| PHIL 214 | Philosophy of Human Rights | |
| POLS 335 | Law, Ethics and Public Policy | |
| POLS 387 | International Organizations and Law | |
| POLS 388 | Human Rights and International Politics | |
| SOC 200 | Introduction to Criminology | |
| SOC 340 | Social Control and Deviant Behavior |
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Professor Uldricks (Director)
The Master of Liberal Arts degree (MLA) is a broadly interdisciplinary, part-time program designed for a wide spectrum of adults. It provides a challenging, structured liberal arts curriculum at the graduate level.
The objectives of the MLA Program are to cultivate appreciation of the dimensions of the human spirit and condition; sensitivity to problems concerning values; ability in critical analysis; appreciation of the interrelationships among disciplines as they relate to our humanity; and greater awareness of the importance of viewing contemporary problems from a variety of perspectives. The program is not specifically intended to train students for a particular vocation, to provide accreditation for a profession or to prepare students for further graduate study.
The Master of Liberal Arts degree is designed around the theme "The Human Condition." The program explores human nature, human values and the quality of human life. The theme integrates studies ranging from the humanities and the arts to the natural and social sciences.
UNC Asheville is a member of the Association of Graduate Liberal Studies Programs. The university welcomes applications for admission into the Master of Liberal Arts Program from all persons interested in a rigorous program of post-baccalaureate education in the liberal arts. The requirements and procedures are explained below. Those interested may inquire by mail, telephone or in person to the Master of Liberal Arts Program Director, University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, NC 28804-8509; telephone 828/251-6227.
Admission to the University of North Carolina at Asheville Master of Liberal Arts Program is based upon the applicant's possession of a baccalaureate degree, or its equivalent, in any field, and demonstrated interest in pursuing advanced study in the liberal arts.
All applicants for admission as MLA degree candidates must submit:
In addition to these requirements, each applicant will also be interviewed on campus by members of the Graduate Council. Candidates for admission may submit their scores from the Graduate Record Examination, or other standardized tests, but that is not required.
All applicants will be informed by the program director of their admission status as soon as possible after all of their credentials have been reviewed. The notice of admission may include mention of any academic condition under which a student is offered admission. Unless otherwise indicated, failure to meet those conditions will result in the student's dismissal.
Each student will complete 36 semester hours of MLA course work with a minimum grade-point average of 3.0. At least 30 of these credits must be taken at UNC Asheville. Courses offered through the Asheville Graduate Center may be taken as MLA electives with the prior approval of the Graduate Council.
*To be taken at the first opportunity.
Each student will consult with the program director for orientation and advising before beginning graduate course work. Students are expected to maintain contact with a designated graduate advisor to insure progress through the program. A Thesis/Project Committee, composed of the thesis director, the graduate advisor and one or more additional faculty members selected by the student and approved by the Graduate Council will supervise the final thesis or project. The thesis or project topic must be approved by the Graduate Council and any subsequent changes must be sanctioned by the program director. The student will present the thesis or project for approval by the Thesis/Project Committee and by the Graduate Council.
It is expected that a student will need no more than 10 years to complete the MLA degree. Permission of the Graduate Council is necessary in order to remain a candidate for the degree beyond this time limit. Students must complete at least one MLA course per year and maintain regular contact with their assigned graduate advisors in order to remain candidates for the degree.
A student may withdraw officially from the program at any time, following consultation with his or her graduate advisor. If a student has not been in attendance for one full calendar year, he or she will be dismissed automatically from the program. Reinstatement requires permission of the Graduate Council.
Persons with a baccalaureate degree who wish to take graduate courses, but have no clear intention of obtaining a degree, may be admitted to the university as Graduate Special Students. At the discretion of the program director, graduate special students may take up to 6 credit hours of graduate courses each semester for credit. The usual program admissions requirements are waived for students in this classification and no application-processing fee is required. Admission as a Graduate Special Student does not of itself constitute regular admission to the MLA Program.
*Students who receive an IP grade for MLA 680 or MLA 690 will have four (4) additional semesters to complete their project or thesis.
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The Philosophy Department, in conjunction with other programs in the university, offers a minor in Religious Studies to help students understand religion and world religious traditions. The minor will enable students to explore religion in an intellectual, disciplined and methodologically objective way. 18 hours distributed as follows: PHIL 213 (Human Religious Experience), PHIL 303 (Philosophy of Religion) and 12 hours selected from the list below. Courses must come from at least two other departments besides Philosophy. Nine hours or more must be at the 300-400 level. Philosophy majors cannot include PHIL 200 or 250 within the 18 hours required for this minor. Additional courses, including special topics courses, may be approved by the director of the program for the minor, when the subject is relevant to religious studies.
| ANTH | 215 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | |
| CLAS | 365 | Introduction to the Hebrew Bible | |
| HIST | 343 | History of Christianity | |
| HIST | 361 | Renaissance and Reformation | |
| HIST | 386 | History of Buddhism | |
| HIST | 387 | History of Judaism | |
| LIT | 365 | Introduction to the Hebrew Bible | |
| PHIL | 200 | Introduction to Ethics | |
| PHIL | 220 | Existentialism | |
| PHIL | 255 | Medieval Philosophy | |
| PHIL | 309 | Medical Ethics | |
| PHIL | 313 | Oriental Philosophy | |
| POLS | 329 | Politics of Religion | |
| SOC | 302 | Sociology of Religion |
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Associate Professor Rizzo (Director)
Participating Faculty: Snoyer (Drama); Nickless (Economics); J.E. McGlinn (Education); Hardy, Judson, Rizzo (History); Ashburn, Downes, Ho, Horvitz, D. James, Moseley, Rackham (Literature); Mitchell (Mass Communication); Burchard (Philosophy); D.J. Mullen (Political Science); Himelein, Weber (Psychology); Bramlett, Ghidina, Kelley, Omer (Sociology)
The Women's Studies minor at UNC Asheville allows students to supplement existing UNC Asheville majors. Women's Studies courses offer an interdisciplinary exploration of the experiences of women and perspectives on women. Courses investigate the role of women in society and culture and the phenomenon of gender in psychological, biological, literary and humanistic terms.
18 hours distributed as follows: WMST 100, 400; and 12 hours elected from the list below. Additional Special Topics courses may count as electives in the Women's Studies minor with approval of the Women's Studies Program Director. Women's Studies electives must be distributed across the offerings of at least two different academic departments.
| ANTH | 361 | Writing Gender | |
| CLAS | 350 | Women in Antiquity | |
| HF | 154 | Women's Health | |
| HIST | 301 | Women in United States History: 1890s to the Present | |
| HIST | 354 | European Women: Antiquity to 1700 | |
| HIST | 355 | European Women: 1700 to the Present | |
| HIST | 383 | Women in China | |
| LIT | 359 | Major Women Writers | |
| LIT | 442 | Studies in Medieval Literature (Please see program director for approval prior to registration.) |
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| MCOM | 362 | Women and Minorities in the Media | |
| MCOM | 364 | 19th-Century Newspaper Women | |
| PHIL | 302 | Philosophy of Sex and Gender | |
| PHIL | 365 | Feminist Theory | |
| POLS | 348 | Women and Politics | |
| PSYC | 333 | Psychology of Women | |
| PSYC | 368 | Psychology of Close Relationships | |
| SOC | 365 | Violence in America |
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