Major Fields of Concentration || Optional Minor Fields of Concentration || Degree Programs
Integrative Liberal Studies Program || Post-Baccalaureate Study || Specialized Baccalaureate Degree Programs
Pre-Professional Programs || Joint Programs || Project Ahead
University Honors Program || Academic Honors || Academic Support Services
Other Special Academic Opportunities
UNCA Catalog: Courses of Instruction
UNCA Catalog: Table of Contents

Programs of Study

Major Fields of Concentration

A major field of concentration normally consists of not more than 36 semester hours with a maximum of 24 semester hours of cognate courses, exclusive of any departmental requirements that also satisfy Integrative Liberal Studies requirements. Regulations regarding declaration of the major are listed below; the requirements for each major are found in the alphabetical listing of Courses of Instruction, as are the descriptions of all courses.

A student may major in more than one subject by completing the requirements of each major. A currently enrolled student who has completed the requirements for a double major will receive one degree, according to which major the student considers to be his or her primary field. Double majors will be noted on transcripts. A student wishing two baccalaureate degrees must earn the second degree pursuant to the requirements described in the Second Baccalaureate Degree section of this catalog.

Baccalaureate Degree

The University of North Carolina at Asheville offers a four-year undergraduate program leading to Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. A student may choose a major field of concentration from the following areas:

Accounting (B.S.)	Literature (B.A.)
Art (B.A., B.F.A.)	Management (B.S.)
Atmospheric Sciences (B.S.)	Mass Communication (B.A.)
Biology (B.S.)	Mathematics (B.A.)
Chemistry (B.A., B.S.)	Mechatronics (B.S.)
Classics (B.A.)	Multimedia Arts and Sciences (B.A.)
Computer Science (B.S.)	Music (B.A., B.S.)
Drama (B.A.)	Philosophy Drama (B.A.)
Economics (B.A.)	Physics (B.S.)
Engineering (B.S.)	Political Science (B.A.)
Environmental Studies (B.S.)	Psychology (B.A.)
French (B.A.)	Sociology (B.A.)
German (B.A.)	Spanish (B.A.)
History (B.A.)
Interdisciplinary Studies (B.A.)
Industrial and Engineering Management (B.S.)

Courses in Education leading to teacher licensure are also available. In addition, the university offers a range of specialized programs and educational opportunities, including joint degree programs offered cooperatively with other universities, summer instruction and studies abroad. Details about these programs follow the descriptions of undergraduate degree programs.

Declaration of Major

Students may declare majors at any time that they have reached a decision and prerequisites are met. However, after earning 60 semester hours, students are required to declare a major by registering with the chair of the chosen department. The department chair gives written notice to the Registrar and the Office of Academic Advising and assigns the student an advisor within the department. Students proceed according to the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of their formal declaration, although prior work in major fields is not invalidated. Before declaring a major, students must satisfy the LANG 120 requirement. If changing majors or concentrations within a major, students must meet any new requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of the change, subject to such exceptions in favor of the earlier catalog as the chair of the major department and the Provost may approve. Only enrolled degree-seeking students and post-baccalaureate students seeking a certificate of major may declare majors.

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Optional Minor Fields of Concentration

In addition to the major field of study, a student may choose to complete one or more minor fields of concentration. A minor field of concentration shall require not more than 18 semester hours above the introductory level and not more than 24 total semester hours. One-half of the hours required for the minor must be completed at UNC Asheville. In addition, minors shall require a minimum of 6 semester hours at the 300-400 level to be taken at UNC Asheville. Minor fields of concentration will be recorded along with majors on the student's permanent transcript. Minors are available in the fields listed below:

Africana Studies Accounting Art Art History Atmospheric Sciences Biology Chemistry Classics Computer Science Creative Writing Dance Drama Economics Environmental Studies French German Health Promotion History

Humanities International Studies Literature Management Mass Communication Mathematics Multimedia Arts and Sciences Music Philosophy Physics Political Science Psychology Religious Studies Sociology Spanish Sports Medicine Women's Studies

Declaration of Optional Minor

Students eligible to declare majors may also declare minors in those subjects where minors have been established. Students declare minors by registering with the chair of the chosen department. The department chair gives written notice to the Registrar. Students proceed according to the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of their formal declaration, although prior work in the minor field is not invalidated. Students are responsible for knowing their minor requirements and for completing them; minor requirements are not listed on graduation check sheets. Minors must be officially declared before the deadline for applying for graduation. Minors are officially recorded on the academic record only upon graduation from UNC Asheville.

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Degree Programs

Requirements for the Baccalaureate Degree

Students receiving a baccalaureate degree must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 120 semester hours of credit. Some majors require more credit hours for graduation, and this is indicated in their program descriptions. The requirements for the degree are distributed within four primary areas: major field of study, cognate courses, electives and Integrative Liberal Studies. Some courses may satisfy requirements in more than one area, and some requirements may be satisfied by a proficiency examination. Therefore, the numbers listed below for the ILS Program are an estimate only; the exact number of credits in the ILS Program will depend upon the student's interest in terms of the major field of study and the electives.

Major Field of Study, Cognate Courses, Electives

The hours required for these will vary depending on chosen major, and concentration or emphasis area within the major.

Please see Graduation in the Academic Regulations section of the catalog for additional requirements and information.

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Integrative Liberal Studies Program

The ILS Program will be implemented in phases with full implementation scheduled for the 2008-09 academic year. Please see the ILS Web site for a specific timetable.

**Intensive courses offer curricular emphases in skills and content areas as a way for students to integrate their Liberal Studies education with other offerings in their academic experience. Students may take courses designated as Intensives within the Integrative Liberal Studies Program, in their majors, or among their electives. These courses do not necessarily add credit hours, but need to be fulfilled for graduation.

The Integrative Liberal Studies (ILS) Program is grounded in the principle that a liberating education: one that emphasizes humane values and promotes the free and rigorous pursuit of truth, creates good citizens, individuals who assume responsibility for their thoughts and actions and their impact on the world. Their personal development is inextricably linked to the contributions they make to their scholarly, social and political communities. To be good citizens, people must be able to think critically and to communicate their ideas effectively. In serving UNC Asheville's liberal arts mission, the ILS Program works alongside the majors to help people develop and improve these skills by immersing them in an interdisciplinary community of mutually supportive scholars.

At UNC Asheville, primary responsibility for developing the ideas and methodologies to communicate within a disciplinary community lies with the major department. The purpose of the ILS Program is to provide a broader context for the discipline. An integrated and liberal education offers exposure to the ideas essential for students to understand how their work in the major is part of a larger range of human concerns. With these ideas, people can make connections across the liberal arts. An integrative liberal education helps specialists learn to communicate with people in different scholarly communities and enables them to understand problems outside their areas of study. By promoting the integration, synthesis and application of knowledge, the ILS Program provides individuals with an awareness of their role in a diverse culture and highlights their responsibilities to the larger community.

At the heart of the ILS Program, then, lies the philosophical conviction that liberal arts students should experience how the disciplines investigate, understand and construct bodies of knowledge differently, through a range of concepts and methods. A liberal arts education exposes the student to the ways that individual disciplines approach those topics, problems and issues that inform the human condition. Such an education creates opportunities for students to experience many points of contact and divergence across the curriculum.

Increasingly, information is acquired and knowledge is constructed across subject-area boundaries, rather than within them. This becomes especially clear when we reflect on how real-world issues are shaped by complex natural, social, economic, technological and cultural systems. Building on UNC Asheville's general education tradition, the ILS Program particularly by incorporating Integrative Topical Clusters and Liberal Studies Intensives seeks to join traditional liberal arts study in the Humanities, Natural Sciences and the Social Sciences to these contemporary realities through an integrative and interdisciplinary curricular structure. The Core Cluster in the Humanities gives students a historical and intellectual foundation for evaluating truth claims and critiquing knowledge elsewhere in the curriculum.

This approach to general education maximizes student choice while directing attention more explicitly to the differences and similarities between the disciplines and how they do their work. Through its topical focus, the curriculum connects liberal arts methodology and pedagogy to a rapidly changing world. By taking their courses in Integrative Topical Clusters, students have experiences that are truly cross- and inter-disciplinary. Students are exposed broadly to the fundamental concepts, terminology, and practice of disciplines through exploring a topic, problem or issue in greater detail.

The integrative features of this curriculum call greater attention to foundational skills and methods that students ought to master in a liberal arts education. Students will continue to take courses in mathematics, writing and critical thinking, laboratory science, foreign language, and health and fitness. Liberal Studies Intensives in Writing, Diversity, Quantitative Reasoning, and Information Literacy will deepen and enrich students' liberal arts education by integrating these skills and content areas into other coursework across the curriculum. These opportunities are enhanced by the ways in which the integrative character of the program structure allows general education courses to inform the major and, in turn, the manner in which the major links back into the ILS curriculum. The ILS Program thus removes barriers between general education, courses in the major and free electives by allowing courses to be used for multiple purposes.

Specific Requirements

Liberal Studies Colloquia

The ILS Program requires students to complete two 3-hour colloquia. The Liberal Studies Introductory Colloquium is taken at the beginning of a student's education at UNC Asheville and the Liberal Studies Senior Colloquium is taken at the end. Liberal Studies courses will ordinarily carry the prefixes of the departments out of which they are taught but may not be used to fulfill major requirements. Courses taken at other institutions cannot be used to satisfy these requirements.

Liberal Studies Introductory Colloquium (3 SEMESTER HOURS)

The Liberal Studies Introductory Colloquium, LS 179, and the Liberal Studies Introductory Colloquium for Transfer Students, LS 379, introduce students to education in a liberal arts environment and assist them in making the transition to UNC Asheville. LS 179 is designed for first-year students while LS 379 is intended for transfers. This introduction to the liberal arts takes place in a topical context. LS 179 is Writing Intensive and LS 379 is both Writing Intensive and Information Literacy Intensive.

Both courses will integrate information and intellectual approaches from different disciplines, directly addressing the nature of liberal studies. To introduce students to opportunities specific to our campus, the students will be encouraged to see the campus within the civic community and the academic community, understanding how it has the possibility to affect each. They can explore the responsibilities of the liberally educated through Service Learning and the opportunities for active learning available through the Undergraduate Research experience. They should have an opportunity to experience cultural events and special opportunities offered by the campus.

To facilitate first year college students' transition to UNC Asheville, LS 179 will address topics that are important to a "first year experience," which will include time management, money management, health, proper use of college resources, academic advising, and an appreciation of the rhythms of the academic year. LS 379 will address issues of relevance to transfer students entering a new four-year institution.

Liberal Studies Senior Colloquium (3 SEMESTER HOURS)

The Liberal Studies Senior Colloquium, LS 479, is also topical and is intended to be taken in a student's final semester at UNC Asheville. It will incorporate content and insights from both the ILS Program and each student's major and elective courses. In this way, it attempts to provide a capstone liberal studies experience in which students will be able to integrate the knowledge they have acquired through their major with the wider perspectives provided in their general education. Students will also be required to complete a self-directed project that demonstrates this level of integration. LS 479 cannot be taken in the student's major department.

As a capstone course, the issue(s) explored in the class will be related to the concepts the students have been absorbing in the ILS Program, including Humanities courses, Arts courses, LS Introductory Colloquia and the Topical Clusters. A portion of every LS 479 course will have common content, devoted to important issues arising since 1945, and each section will have a topical focus. These topics will allow for consideration of issues of contemporary relevance from multiple disciplinary perspectives. Students from a variety of disciplines will be challenged to consider how their discipline has given them insight into the issue(s) and how the insights of other students in the class are affected by the approach they have learned through their particular discipline.

The student project will demonstrate the student's ability to integrate material from his or her entire undergraduate experience, including both the major and the ILS Program. It should demonstrate that students are able to accomplish integrative, self-directed, active learning, and to communicate their ideas to a generalist audience. Students may use an idea originally encountered in another class, but they must approach the idea from an integrative perspective. Student projects must be approved in advance by the instructor and may include undergraduate research, research done specifically for the colloquium, service learning or an artistic production. The senior colloquium cannot be used to fulfill Intensive requirements.

ILS Core Cluster in Humanities (12 SEMESTER HOURS)

Students are required to complete HUM 124, 214, and 324 as a cluster of courses on the intellectual and cultural history of human civilization, including both Western and non-Western cultures. These courses consider subject matter from all of the liberal arts, especially history, literature, and philosophy, but also religion, natural science, social science and fine arts. The courses must be taken sequentially, ordinarily beginning in the spring semester of the freshman year and continuing through the junior year.

ILS Topical Cluster (9 SEMESTER HOURS)

Students are required to complete a Topical Cluster of at least three courses, totaling 9 credit hours or more, from a set of courses that investigates a topic from the perspective of multiple disciplines and divisions. Within a Topical Cluster no more than three of the 9 credit hours that a student applies toward the Topical Cluster requirement may have the same course prefix. Of these three or more courses, one must be designated as ILSS (ILS Social Science) and one as ILSN (ILS Natural Science), defined below. An ILS Arts course may be taken within the Topical Cluster, but it is not required. Students are invited to take more than the required 9 hours. If students choose to do so, they may take additional courses from any listed in the Topical Cluster.

A list of available clusters and designated courses/sections appropriate for the clusters will be posted at the ILS Web site. Students are responsible for ensuring that they choose the correct section of a course. When the cluster has been completed, students must fill out a Cluster Declaration Form and submit it to the Office of Advising and Registration. Neither Colloquia nor ILS Humanities courses may be used for required cluster courses, although HUM courses may appear within a cluster. Courses fulfilling major requirements may appear as part of a cluster if they meet the appropriate guidelines.

ILS Social Science

ILSS courses will be devoted to either the implications of social institutions or the methods and world views of the social sciences. Most ILSS courses will be offered in the social sciences. However, other departments may offer courses that receive an ILSS designation. ILSS courses will be at least 3 credit hours.

ILS Natural Science

ILSN courses will be devoted to either the perspective of the natural sciences or an investigation of the implications of scientific knowledge or scientific methodology. ILSN courses will have a natural science prefix (ASTR, ATMS, BIOL, CHEM, ENVR, PHYS) and must be at least 3 credit hours.

ILS Arts Courses (3 SEMESTER HOURS, MAY BE TAKEN AS PART OF THE TOPICAL CLUSTER)

Students must complete a 3-hour intellectual engagement with the arts that includes consideration of the significance of the arts in human experience, the cultural context of creative composition and performance, the foundations of aesthetic values, and the communicative function of the arts. This requirement may be fulfilled in one of four ways:

1. Arts 310, Arts and Ideas.
2. One course from Arts 322, Arts of the Ancient World; Arts 323, Arts of the Medieval and Renaissance World; or Arts 324, Arts of the Modern World. These 3-hour courses are linked to Humanities 124, 214 and 324, respectively, which are co- or pre-requisites for the appropriate Arts course.
3. A 3-hour course designated as an ILSA course and taken as a component of a Topical Cluster. See the Integrative Liberal Studies Web site for a list of ILSA courses and their corresponding Topical Clusters.
4. Three credit hours of studio/workshop courses designated as ILSA. See the ILS Program Web site for a list of ILSA studio/workshop courses.

ILSA courses taken as part of a Topical Cluster will consider not only the particular subject matter of the Topical Cluster and the topic of the course, but also the broader human context of the arts. Likewise, ILSA studio/workshop courses will do more than teach about the process of artistic production and performance. ILSA courses will consider such issues as communication through the arts, aesthetic values, the political, cultural and historical context of the arts, and/or the role of the audience in the arts.

Learning Foundations

Foundations of Academic Writing (4 SEMESTER HOURS)

The writing component of the ILS Program consists of LANG 120, Foundations of Academic Writing, and three Writing Intensive courses (see the ILS Intensives for more details about Writing Intensive requirements). In LANG 120, students will develop their academic writing skills. The course emphasizes writing as a tool of discovery and analysis; practice in active, critical reading; and attention to audience, purpose and structure. It also introduces students to writing conventions of various discourse communities and serves as an Information Literacy Intensive course.

LANG 103 Writing Intensive Workshop, is a 1-credit-hour course for students who need more personal attention, support and guidance in writing. Enrollment is concurrent with LANG 120 and stems from faculty evaluation and permission at the beginning of the semester.

Proficiency in Writing. A grade of C- or better in LANG 120 is necessary to demonstrate proficiency for the requirement. Students who fail to demonstrate proficiency in LANG 120 must repeat it.

Foreign Language (6 SEMESTER HOURS)

Students must fulfill the foreign language requirement by demonstrating competence through the first-year level or above. This can be done either through a placement exam or through completion of the appropriate level course work. Students who wish to use French, German, Spanish or Latin to fulfill their foreign language requirement, and who have had previous exposure to their chosen language, should take a foreign language placement exam during their first year at UNC Asheville. Placement exams are given during new student orientations and during preregistration in the fall and spring.

Foreign Language Courses

Courses numbered 110 and 120 in the modern foreign languages will combine intensive conversational study of the language with the study of its associated culture. Courses in Greek, Latin and Hebrew will emphasize reading comprehension of the language in combination with a study of its associated culture.

Health and Fitness (2 SEMESTER HOURS)

Students will be required to complete at least two credit hours chosen from HF 152, Health and Fitness; HF 153, Health Promotion and Wellness; HF 154, Women's Health; HF 155, Men's Health; or EDUC 319, Teaching of Health and Physical Education in the Elementary School. In these classes, students will be exposed to the role of exercise, nutrition, lifestyle choices, stress management, and substance abuse in the promotion of health and wellness. They will also assess their own lifestyle and health and consider changes that would contribute to improvements in personal health and wellness.

Laboratory Natural Science (4 SEMESTER HOURS)

Since understanding the methods of science is critical to evaluating its quality and value, students are required to take at least 4 semester hours of a lecture/laboratory course or a two-course combination in the natural sciences that includes a laboratory. The course(s) must be taken outside the student's major department.

Mathematics (4 SEMESTER HOURS)

Students must complete a 4-hour course or sequence of courses with a MATH or STAT prefix. Mathematics is valued as one of the cornerstones of liberal education because of its inherent beauty and elegance as well as its utility. The study of mathematics also facilitates the development of the critical and analytical thinking processes central to a liberal education. Students will develop analytical thinking abilities, modeling and problem-solving skills, and an understanding of both symbolic and graphical representations of quantitative concepts. The course a student takes to fulfill the mathematics requirement cannot be used to satisfy the Quantitative Intensive requirement.

Intensives

Intensive courses emphasize skills and content as a way for students to deepen their Liberal Studies education and integrate it with other offerings in their academic experience. Students may take courses designated as Intensives within the Integrative Liberal Studies Program, in their majors, or among electives.

Writing Intensives

Students will be required to take three Writing Intensive courses in addition to the Foundations of Academic Writing (LANG 120) requirement. One of these three courses will be LS 179 or LS 379. The other two courses may be taken within the ILS Program, in the major, or among electives.

By integrating writing more intentionally with content areas, Writing Intensive courses offer students ways to deepen their education in writing and critical thinking and to integrate it with other offerings in their academic experience. This type of education also promotes linkages across the curriculum, especially Writing Intensive courses taken within the major. Instructors in Writing Intensive courses provide instruction in writing appropriate to the discipline or subject area in which course material is encountered. Instructors also offer feedback to students on writing assignments and often incorporate such pedagogies as peer editing, whole-class critique, guided revision, conferences and workshops to assist students in improving their writing. Writing Intensive courses encourage students to continue to develop their writing skills throughout their academic program rather than only focusing on writing in a composition class taken during their first year.

These courses need not add credit hours, but must be fulfilled for graduation.

Diversity Intensives

Students will be required to take one Diversity Intensive course of 3 semester hours or more within the ILS Program, in the major or among electives.

Successful engagement with others in a multicultural and pluralistic society requires an understanding of how social forces shape our sense of identity as individuals and as part of a culture. In order to acquire this understanding, students must go beyond exposure to the perspectives of others to a consideration of the ways in which social institutions impact identity formation. By promoting this understanding, Diversity Intensive courses do not merely consider the experience of the "Other"; nor are they merely about inclusivity. Diversity Intensive courses examine sexism, racism, or other related ideologies and institutions of oppression/discrimination. Diversity Intensive courses explore the social construction of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual identities, class or other identity formations. These courses explore how identity relates to power; they will offer a critique of identity issues appropriate to the disciplines in which this content is studied. Diversity Intensive courses incorporate materials produced by people of color, women or members of other groups, as appropriate to the course content. Even more important, they also incorporate materials and pedagogies aimed at examining multiple perspectives and ideologies, as appropriate to the course content. Diversity Intensive courses may also incorporate innovative teaching approaches aimed at addressing the needs of students from diverse backgrounds. Diversity Intensive courses offer opportunities for students and faculty to examine their own experiences and values, alongside those of others.

This course need not add credit hours, but must be fulfilled for graduation.

Information Literacy Intensives

Students will be required to take two Information Literacy Intensive courses. Ordinarily, students will complete their first Information Literacy Intensive course in LANG 120 or, if they are transfer students, in LS 379. Information Literacy Intensive courses may be taken within the ILS Program, in the major, or among electives.

When completed as part of LANG 120 or LS 379, Liberal Studies Introductory Colloquium for Transfer Students, Information Literacy Intensive courses will require assignments, course work or tutorials that make extensive use of information sources. At least one assignment will require students to find, evaluate, cite and use information presented in diverse formats from multiple sources and to integrate this information effectively within the assignment. Sources include books, scholarly journals and authoritative Web sites. Instructors will introduce issues of plagiarism and academic integrity in order to foster evaluative critical thinking skills. Students will demonstrate the ability to select and evaluate relevant information using tools most appropriate for course-related information needs.

Information Literacy Intensive experiences in other courses will require assignments, course work or tutorials on finding information using advanced, discipline-specific research methods and resources (both print and electronic). At least one assignment will be a significant discipline-specific research project that requires students to find, evaluate, cite and use information presented in diverse formats from multiple sources, and to integrate this information within a single product (whether textual, visual or digital). Students will be introduced to the complexities and vagaries of the literature of the discipline. Students will be expected to demonstrate familiarity with the core information resources within the discipline and, using critical thinking skills and techniques for assessing information sources, develop appropriate research strategies. How the research strategies used in the discipline relate to those of other disciplines will also be considered, along with issues of copyright, intellectual property and the ethical use of information.

These courses need not add credit hours, but must be fulfilled for graduation.

Quantitative Intensives

In addition to the Mathematics requirement, students will be required to take one Quantitative Intensive course of 3 semester hours or more. This course may be taken within the ILS Program, in the major or among electives. The course a student takes to fulfill the mathematics requirement cannot be used to satisfy the Quantitative Intensive requirement.

Quantitative Intensive courses provide students with experience in using mathematics critically in a content area. These courses assist students in developing skills such as numeracy and the abilities to estimate and understand quantities; to interpret and critically analyze graphs and other symbolic representations of quantities; to complete computations as needed for specific purposes; and/or to recognize inaccurate results in specific critical contexts.

This course need not add credit hours, but must be fulfilled for graduation.

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Post-Baccalaureate Study

Those who hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution have three options for further credentials from UNCA:

1. Second Baccalaureate Degree
   This student is considered a transfer student, even if the initial degree was earned at UNC Asheville, and must meet all the conditions of transfer students, with the additional stipulation that at least two-thirds of the courses required in the major department must be taken at UNC Asheville. Approval of the proposed program must be given by the department chair. A bachelor's degree is awarded. Students with a B.A. from UNC Asheville may not earn a second B.A. from the university, but may earn a B.S. or complete requirements for a second major. Students with a B.S. from UNC Asheville may not earn a second B.S. from UNC Asheville, but may earn a B.A. or complete requirements for a second major.

2. Post-Baccalaureate Major
   The university grants a Certificate of Post-Baccalaureate Major to those who have already received a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution other than UNC Asheville. The certificate is awarded for work done in a major program different from that for which the baccalaureate degree was awarded. Students enrolling for this certificate must complete all the requirements for a major at UNC Asheville, including prerequisites, correlate courses, the demonstration of competency required for the major, and a foreign language (if a specific language is required for the major). Normally, a minimum of 30 semester hours earned after the baccalaureate degree is awarded is required for this certificate. Students must officially declare the major and approval of the proposed program must be given by the department chair. In order to have the Certificate of Major recorded, students must notify the Registrar when the last required course is in progress.

3. Master of Liberal Arts Degree
   The Master of Liberal Arts degree is a broad interdisciplinary, liberal studies program at the graduate level. It focuses on the theme The Human Condition, exploring human nature, human values and the quality of human life. This degree program is designed for college- educated adults seeking intellectual stimulation and personal growth. See Master of Liberal Arts for a full description of the program and application procedures.

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Specialized Baccalaureate Degree Programs

The University of North Carolina at Asheville offers a number of specialized degree opportunities to provide more flexible academic routes for its students. Among these are special pre-professional programs in preparation for professional study in law, medicine and dentistry; joint programs with other universities leading to degrees in specialized fields; and independent degree programs.

Pre-Professional Programs

The university provides special advising and individual programs for students who are preparing for entry into medical, dental, veterinary or law schools.

Health Professions. UNC Asheville emphasizes a strong liberal arts curriculum as the best preparation for medical, dental, veterinary and pharmacy programs. Accordingly, undergraduates interested in these fields major in a wide range of academic disciplines at UNC Asheville and have gained admission to some of the best professional schools in the nation.

Pre-Law Program. UNC Asheville believes the best preparation for law school consists of developing a quality grade-point average within a solid academic curriculum rather than majoring in "pre-law." Accordingly, undergraduates interested in the law have majored in a wide range of disciplines at the university and have gained acceptance to law schools throughout the nation.

Students interested in one of the pre-professional programs should consult the Academic Advising Office for referral to the appropriate campus advisor. Model programs are available, and students should avail themselves of such aid as early as possible in their studies.

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Joint Programs

The following programs allow students to combine work at the University of North Carolina at Asheville with work at other universities, leading to degrees in majors otherwise unavailable. For more information, contact the offices listed.

Joint Bachelor of Science in Engineering-Mechatronics Concentration Degree from North Carolina State University and UNC Asheville

The University of North Carolina at Asheville offers jointly with North Carolina State University a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE)-Mechatronics Concentration degree on the UNC Asheville campus. The BSE degree is a unique, multidisciplinary field of study which integrates electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer and control engineering and information technology. A contemporary engineering design methodology is established which involves integrating microelectronics and information technologies into mechanical and electromechanical systems. The BSE is intended to allow students to complete an engineering degree while living and working in the Asheville area. It is designed to be accessible to students employed in local industries.

The curriculum for the BSE degree follows closely the freshman year for all engineering degrees and follows most closely the sophomore year curriculum for the electrical engineering degree, as shown under the Two-Plus-Two Program. Prospective students should apply to UNC Asheville through the UNC Asheville Admissions Office. Currently enrolled students can obtain information through the North Carolina State University Engineering Programs Office in Robinson Hall at UNC Asheville.

Bachelor of Science Degree in 13 Engineering Program Areas with North Carolina State University

The University of North Carolina at Asheville offers jointly with North Carolina State University an Engineering Two-Plus-Two Program leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in one of 13 degree areas listed below. The purpose of this UNC Asheville/NCSU College of Engineering Two-Plus-Two Program is to offer students the opportunity to complete approximately one half of the NCSU Bachelor of Science degree requirements by attending UNC Asheville and then transferring to NCSU. Many NCSU engineering courses are available at UNC Asheville through North Carolina State University Engineering Programs Office in Robinson Hall.

The Two-Plus-Two Engineering Program allows students to complete the first two years of an engineering curriculum at UNC Asheville and to finish their education in two more years at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. The program includes the following curricula:

Aerospace Engineering
Civil Engineering
Computer Engineering
Construction Engineering and Management
Electrical Engineering
Environmental Engineering
	Industrial Engineering
	Mechanical Engineering

The following curricula are also supported, but must be completed on a 1 1/2 + 2 1/2 schedule:

Biological and Agricultural Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Materials Engineering

Nuclear Engineering

Textile Engineering

Freshman Year for All Engineering Degree Programs

* The Humanities and Social Science courses should be taken in accordance with the NCSU College of Engineering requirements. A list is available in the Engineering Programs Office on the UNC Asheville campus, which also has requirements for all engineering curricula. Examples follow.

Example 1: Sophomore-Year Curriculum for Electrical Engineering

Example 2: Sophomore-Year Curriculum for Civil Engineering

** Offered by Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

Joint Program with North Carolina State University in Chemistry and Textile Chemistry

The University of North Carolina at Asheville and the Department of Textile Chemistry, School of Textiles, North Carolina State University, have arranged a program that allows students to take three years with a concentration in chemistry at UNC Asheville and one year in textiles and textile chemistry at North Carolina State University. Satisfactory completion of the program will enable students to earn simultaneously a B.S. in Textile Chemistry from North Carolina State University at Raleigh and a B.A. in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Asheville.

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Project Ahead

The University of North Carolina at Asheville has joined with the U.S. Armed Services in a cooperative program to assist young men and women in obtaining a college degree. High school graduates or holders of a GED certificate enlisting in the U.S. Armed Services may at the same time apply and be considered for admission to UNC Asheville.

The cooperative program has built-in financial advantages; the participant draws salary and receives tuition assistance benefits (the Army pays 75 percent of the tuition costs for college courses taken while on active duty). Upon the completion of active duty, the GI Bill of Rights provides participants financial support for up to 36 months of full-time study. Those interested in Project Ahead, including U.S. Armed Services personnel now on active duty, who are also eligible, should contact the Office of Admissions for additional information.

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University Honors Program

The University Honors Program is an enrichment program for bright, eager and active students. Admission is on the basis of an application. Students in the Honors Program are eligible for special sections of Integrative Liberal Studies classes and special Honors courses including First-Year Experience classes and Special Topics courses at the junior and senior levels. The Honors Program sponsors co-curricular activities including special speakers, films, trips, cultural events and socials. Students are invited to meet with distinguished campus guests. Honors students are expected to be active members of the program, involving themselves in the co-curricular activities including service learning as well as social gatherings, and to maintain outstanding grades.

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Academic Honors

The university awards four kinds of academic honors to its graduating students: universitywide honors of cum laude (with honors), magna cum laude (with high honors) and summa cum laude (with highest honors); Departmental Distinction; University Research Scholar; and University Scholar.

Universitywide Latin honors are granted on the basis of cumulative grade-point average for those courses completed at UNC Asheville. Students must earn at least 75 semester hours at UNC Asheville to be eligible for Latin honors. Students who are readmitted to UNC Asheville under the Conditional Readmission policy are not eligible for universitywide Latin honors. Students must achieve a cumulative grade-point average of 3.60 to graduate cum laude, 3.75 to graduate magna cum laude, and 3.90 to graduate summa cum laude. Since the work of some students is not adequately represented by grades alone, the Honors Committee solicits recommendations from the faculty that are used for two purposes. The Honors Committee may recommend to the faculty that a student receive a higher honor than the one that would apply automatically; and, in numbers not to exceed 1 percent of the graduating class, the Honors Committee may also recommend to the faculty that students whose grades do not qualify them for automatic honors receive honors at appropriate levels.

Upon recommendation by the major department, Departmental Distinction is granted for outstanding performance in the major program. For this award, each department applies standards approved by the Honors Committee.

Upon recommendation by the Undergraduate Research Council, which applies standards approved by the Honors Committee, the University Research Scholar designation is granted for outstanding performance in undergraduate research.

Students enrolled in the University Honors Program who have successfully completed the program, maintained an overall grade-point average of at least 3.25 and a 3.50 grade-point average for Honors courses may graduate with Distinction as a University Scholar.

The Honors Committee must approve all recommendations and report them to the faculty, which has sole authority to award honors.

The Manly E. Wright Scholarship Award is presented to the graduating student first in scholarship.

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Academic Support Services

Mathematics Assistance Center

The Mathematics Assistance Center is an extra-help tutoring service available to all UNC Asheville students without charge. The Math Center is specifically designed to provide assistance with 100-level courses. Assistance with upper-level courses is provided when possible. The Mathematics Assistance Center is a drop-in service, so no appointment is necessary. Hours are extensive and are posted each semester.

University Writing Center

The University Writing Center provides support in composition to everyone in the university community. Faculty guidance and peer tutoring are available for all kinds of writing at all stages of the writing process, from drafting and revising to reviewing grammar and mechanics. Occasionally, instructors may require students to seek assistance for specific writing needs.

Peer Tutoring Program

The Peer Tutoring Program is a helpful, low-cost option available to all students who want or need some extra help with their course work. Tutors are available for most departments and courses. Tutors are trained fellow students who are approved by departmental chairs and specific instructors.

Computer Center

The UNC Asheville Computer Center makes available a variety of services to all UNC Asheville students. The most popular of these services are: access to campus microcomputer laboratories, Internet accounts on the campus central computer, and microcomputer purchase programs for personal computers and Macintoshes.

Microcomputer Laboratories

The Computer Center operates seven microcomputer laboratories which are open, free of charge, to all students. Students will find available PCs and Macintoshes, and a wide variety of personal productivity software that is suitable for the preparation of assignments for many disciplines. Labs are kept open on evenings and weekends to ensure adequate student access.

Internet Accounts

Students may obtain Internet accounts at no cost on UNC Asheville's central academic computer, a UNIX system. The accounts provide comprehensive Internet applications, electronic mail, Telnet, FTP, Gopher and the World Wide Web. In addition to the Internet, students may access specialized software products, such as the statistical programs SAS and SPSSX (used for analysis of research data), and they may connect to the online catalog of Ramsey Library.

Microcomputer Purchase Programs

Students may purchase PCs through the Computer Center. Computer Center staff members consult with students to help them configure and order a system, either PC or Macintosh, that best meets their academic needs. No discounts are available for PCs but Computer Center staff members help students find good options in the PC retail market. Macintoshes are available at educational prices from the UNC Asheville campus bookstore. Further information on described services is available from the Computer Center, 013 Robinson Hall.

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Other Special Academic Opportunities

Undergraduate Research Program

The Undergraduate Research Program at UNC Asheville seeks to encourage the establishment of faculty/student research pairs who work together on a project of mutual interest. Research may be performed in any discipline on campus. The mentoring relationship developed through the research process is beneficial to the student and to the faculty member. Students have the opportunity to participate in the research from beginning to end, to go beyond the classroom experience and investigate an idea in great depth and to learn about the excitement (and frustrations) of research.

The Undergraduate Research Program provides academic-year and summer student research and travel grants. These are monetary awards given to students for research and/or travel expenses. Students apply by submitting a brief description of the research project and a budget plan to the Undergraduate Research Program Advisory Council. Projects to be funded are selected by the Council. Forms for grant submission are available from the Undergraduate Research Office.

High School Enrichment Program

Enrichment courses are offered during the summer to qualified high school juniors and seniors who are recommended by their high school teachers. Three hours of UNC Asheville transcript credit can be earned from each of the courses.

Summer Sessions

The university conducts a summer semester during which a limited selection of courses from the regular schedule is offered along with special courses, workshops and institutes. All degree-credit courses offered in the summer semester are the equivalent of those offered during the fall and spring semesters. Summer school courses are billed on a per-credit-hour basis.

The dates of the summer semester are printed in the calendar in this catalog; however, they are subject to change. Information about admission to the summer semester may be obtained from the Admissions Office of the University of North Carolina at Asheville. The schedule of summer courses is available on the UNC Asheville Web site, www.unca.edu.

Study Abroad

The University of North Carolina at Asheville offers, through the Study Abroad Program, a variety of organized educational opportunities in foreign countries, involving classroom instruction at fixed locations and travel for educational purposes. Study abroad is an ideal component of UNC Asheville's liberal arts mission. UNC Asheville students can study abroad at affordable prices, earn credits toward their degrees and still graduate on time. As an example, courses in such academic areas as literature, art, history and political science are offered annually in the month of July at St. Benet's Hall, Oxford University, England. The Oxford Program is operated jointly by UNC Asheville and North Carolina State University. Lecturers and tutors from Oxford and other European universities teach the courses, and students also travel to sites of scenic, cultural and historic interest. Courses carry 3 semester hours of credit, with a maximum load of 6 semester hours. Additionally, other summer programs are available in Cambridge (United Kingdom); Ecuador; Dijon, France; Ireland; Italy; and Greece. A semester program in Santander, Spain, with courses in Spanish language, literature, history, art and geography, is offered every Fall and Spring as well as a semester program in Granada, Spain. Exchange opportunities in England, France, Denmark, Ecuador, Germany, Finland, Australia, Sweden and Mexico are readily available, as well as other programs in almost 35 countries around the world. See the Study Abroad Office for more information on study abroad opportunities or visit online at www.unca.edu/studyabroad.

Study Away

The University of North Carolina at Asheville offers, through the Study Away Program, the opportunity for UNC Asheville students to study for either a semester or a year at other participating universities in the United States and Canada through the National Student Exchange. Students are eligible to participate in this exchange program after completing their freshman year and provided they have a GPA of 2.5 or higher. This study away program allows students to pay UNC Asheville tuition and fees while studying at universities throughout the United States and Canada. For additional information please contact the UNC Asheville Study Abroad and Study Away Office or visit the National Student Exchange Web site at www.nse.org.

Special Topics Courses

Special Topics courses are those planned to meet a specific academic need at a particular time. They provide flexibility beyond the catalog offerings to take advantage of available teaching talent and to assess new areas for program development. Special Topics courses may be offered on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) basis only with the approval of the department chair/program director and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

Independent Individual Courses

Students may arrange to meet an academic need which cannot be satisfied through the regular schedule of courses provided a faculty member is willing to assume the responsibility of teaching an "Independent Course" and the department chair/program director approves. The appropriate forms are obtained from the department chair/program director or from the Registrar's Office. Completed forms must be presented during the registration period for the term in which the course is offered.

Special Academic Programs

The Office of Special Academic Programs designs and develops courses that are offered for personal enrichment and intellectual enlightenment. Courses that complement the liberal arts mission of the university are offered in the fall and spring semesters. Literature, history, science, art, business affairs and computer science courses provide individuals an opportunity to explore areas of intellectual interest while simultaneously keeping them abreast of the latest developments in their respective fields. The courses are designed to prepare individuals to participate more fully in the cultural, civic and political life of the world community.

Special Academic Programs offers non-degree-credit programs, courses, workshops, seminars and lectures, both on and off the campus, to individuals and special-interest groups. It coordinates summer conferences and has the responsibility of serving as the liaison between conference coordinators and department heads in charge of campus facilities and services.

North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement

The North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement is an integral part of the university, providing an array of educational programs to retirement-age individuals. The center has a twofold mission: to enable mature adults to continue learning while supporting opportunities for older persons to serve their communities. Its comprehensive program and defined social purpose make the center unique in the nation.

The center fosters active participation of retirees in learning and community involvement through peer classes, periodic credit-bearing intergenerational courses within the regular UNC Asheville academic schedule, leadership training, facilitated discussion groups and community outreach. The center serves the academic community and the professional aging field through research projects and sponsorship of regional and national public issues forums.

By providing retirees with opportunities for meaningful social interaction in a university context and by documenting and research of its own efforts, the center has established a national reputation for helping both to define and to understand the evolving role of our society's maturing population.

Asheville Area Educational Consortium

Degree-seeking students enrolled at UNC Asheville may enroll for credit in courses offered at Mars Hill College and Warren Wilson College through the Asheville Area Educational Consortium. Credit hours will be awarded by UNC Asheville. Students interested in participating should contact the UNC Asheville Registrar for approval and for registration information.

Participation guidelines:

1. Full-time degree-seeking students may take a total of four courses within their degree program under the consortium agreement. Enrollment is limited to fall and spring semesters.
2. In any semester of full-time status, a student may take up to 6 additional hours of credit through the consortium agreement.
3. Students may not normally cross-register for courses available on their home campus.
4. Regular UNC Asheville tuition and fees will be charged.

For specific cross-registration procedures and forms, UNC Asheville students should contact the UNC Asheville Registrar. Other students who wish to enroll in UNC Asheville courses should contact the registrar at their school.

Asheville Graduate Center

The University of North Carolina has established a Graduate Center on the UNC Asheville campus to coordinate graduate work in Asheville. The director of the center should be contacted about the specific programs being offered through the center by the various branches of The University of North Carolina.

North Carolina Research and Education Network

Colleges and universities across North Carolina are linked through the high-speed microcommunications system NC-REN (North Carolina Research and Education Network). Instruction is provided through teleconference by the faculty at the sponsoring institution. Work will be assigned and graded by the course instructor. Titles and topics will vary each semester.

Participation guidelines:

1. Participants must be enrolled as degree-seeking students at UNC Asheville. Non-degree students must be admitted at the sponsoring institution.
2. Students will be registered at UNC Asheville in courses designated with the departmental prefix MCNC. Tuition is calculated in the same manner as other UNC Asheville courses; special course fees must be paid by the student directly to the sponsoring institution.
3. UNC Asheville students must obtain permission from the Registrar. To be approved, courses must be appropriate for the student's degree program and may not be available at UNC Asheville.
4. Courses completed through NC-REN will be designated with the departmental prefix MCNC on the UNC Asheville academic record. Grades and semester hours will be included in the computation of the UNC Asheville grade-point average.

Additional information is available from the Teleconference Video and Facilities Manager in Robinson Hall.

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