The College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Tasneem Khaleel, Dean
LA 427, (406) 657-2177
tkhaleel@msubillings.edu
www.msubillings.edu/CAS/
The liberal arts and sciences are the core of a complete college education, stimulating our spirit, deepening our understanding, and broadening our horizons. They cultivate clear and imaginative thinking, effective communication, critical evaluation of ideas, and effective adaptation of knowledge. The student who experiences the liberal arts and sciences becomes informed, inquiring, critical, and concerned, while building strong foundations for future career opportunities.
In all of its programs, Montana State University Billings places great emphasis upon the liberal arts and sciences as the foundation of each student’s General Education. Upper-division courses in those areas also fill an important role in the education of students across campus.
Academic Advising
All new, transfer, and re-admitted students are encouraged to visit the Advising Center on McMullen Hall first floor west, to meet with an academic advisor. New students will receive information regarding General Education requirements and Plan of Study worksheets related to their major and minor programs. Transfer and readmitted students will work with an advisor to complete a transcript evaluation and to develop a Plan of Study. After the initial contact with the Advising Center, students who have declared a specific major will be assigned a faculty advisor in their major department.
General Studies majors will work with the Advising Center and the Office of Career Services until a specific academic program has been selected and a Plan of Study has been developed.
Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees and Majors
The College of Arts and Sciences offers both the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science degrees in the following majors:
Bachelor of Arts degree: Majors in Applied Science, Art, Biology, Communication Arts Ñ, English, Environmental Studies, History, Music, Psychology, Sociology, and Spanish.
Bachelor of Fine Arts Major in Art
Bachelor of Science degree: Majors in Biology, Broadfield Science, Chemistry, Criminal Justice, Liberal Studies Ñ, Mathematics, Political Science,Psychology, Public Relations Ñ, and Sociology.
Medical Lab Science and Environmental Science Options are available in the Biology Major.
Ñ This program is also offered in an online format.
Teaching Licensure Options: Available in the following Arts and Sciences Majors: Art (K-12), Biology (Secondary), Broadfield Science (Secondary), Chemistry (Secondary), English (Secondary), History (Secondary), Mathematics - Multiple Subject Endorsement (Secondary), Mathematics - Single Subject Endorsement (Secondary), Music (K-12), Political Science, and Spanish (K-12).
Associate of Arts: Program of Study in Applied Psychology
Associate of Science: Programs of Study in Allied Health, Environmental Science, and Pre-Engineering.
Minors: Art, Biology, Chemistry, Communication Arts (options in Mass Communication, Organizational Communication, and Theatre), Computer Science, Earth Science, English (plans of study in Writing Across the Curriculum, Creative Writing, and Literature), Environmental Studies, Geography, History, International Studies, Mathematics, Music, Native American Studies, Philosophy (Philosophy, Religious Studies), Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Spanish, and Statistics.
Teaching Minors: For students who are gaining teacher licensure in a content major, the following majors lead to endorsement: Art (K-12), Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology and Spanish (K-12), Speech Communication, and Theatre.
Licensure: Social Science (Broadfield) Endorsement
These degree programs and other programmatic options are described in the specific discipline areas in this General Bulletin. Information about programs and options approved subsequent to the publication of this Bulletin may be obtained from the Student Advising Center and the individual department offices.
See the Academic Support section, page 60, for some of the resources and opportunities the College of Arts and Sciences provides students and the public.
Graduate Education (see Graduate Catalog)
Master of Science in Psychology: A professional graduate degree and doctoral preparation degree in the Department of Psychology.
Master of Public Administration: A professional graduate degree in the Department of Sociology, Political Science, Native American Studies and Environmental Studies.
Master of Science in Public Relations: A professional graduate degree in the Department of Communication and Theatre.
For details on Master degrees, see: Graduate Catalog
Mission Statement
The mission of the College of Arts and Sciences is to serve the educational needs of the people of Montana through:
- a General Education program providing a foundation of liberal education to all students;
- selected undergraduate degree programs in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences;
- selected pre-professional programs; and
- various graduate, continuing education, and non-conventional learning opportunities consistent with the mission of the University.
Through these learning experiences, the College seeks to provide knowledge and cultivate skills to allow a student to select realistic future directions for study and/ or employment. These learning experiences should be of high quality and be consistent with the mission and resources of the University. With its inherent diversity, the College serves as an intellectual and cultural resource for all students, faculty, and staff of the University, and for the larger community and region which it serves.
Career Areas
The liberal arts and sciences provide the basic background which is essential for careers in many areas. Some examples are listed below:
| Actuarial Science Advertising Agriculture Architecture Business Management College Teaching Dentistry Engineering Forestry Government Service Health Services |
Home Economics Law Library Science Medicine Nursing Pharmacy Scientific Research Social Work Veterinary Medicine Wildlife Management |
The baccalaureate degree is sufficient preparation to begin a career in many such areas. For others, graduate or professional training after the baccalaureate degree is necessary. Montana State University Billings does not offer baccalaureate degrees in all of these areas, but information concerning career opportunities in specific areas and the kinds of college degrees and specializations that employers look for in a student’s preparation for a career is available through the various academic departments and the Office of Career Services.
NEXT: Requirements for Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science Degrees
