College of Arts and Sciences Philosophy and Mission
The mission of the College of Arts and Sciences is to provide a broad range of knowledge, programs, and opportunities in support of the overall mission of the university. The College of Arts and Sciences emphasizes the applied nature of the disciplines within its scope inside the framework of a liberal education and strives to serve the needs of the whole student.

Serving the whole student means providing courses, programs, and activities leading to a balanced education. Towards this end undergraduate and graduate courses throughout the College of Arts and Sciences foster openness to new ideas, inquisitiveness, problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and a desire for continued learning. The college provides opportunities to students, both undergraduate and graduate, for original research, advanced training and skills, and exposure to cooperative experiences with private industry. A further part of the mission of the college is to help students develop a critical perspective on themselves and their work by providing them with an understanding of their own culture, as well as an exposure to other cultures and societies and an appreciation of the world in which they live. In general, students are active participants rather than observers; they are regarded as citizens and future leaders as well as potential masters of their disciplines.

Objectives
Among its specific objectives, the College of Arts and Sciences strives to:

  • Ensure that all Southern Polytechnic State University students attain substantive knowledge and methodological skills in each of its various departments.
  • Cultivate throughout the curriculum well-developed skills in synthesis, analysis, problem-solving, and evaluation.
  • Strengthen every student’s communication skills so that graduates can speak and write effectively.
  • Encourage students to engage in independent learning, to pursue intellectual excellence, and to formulate questions and possible solutions about individuals, society, and nature within an international context.
  • Provide opportunities for students to develop a better understanding of the world’s diverse cultural heritage.
  • Encourage a careful examination of the effects of technological change on human behavior, society, value systems and ethics.
  • Provide opportunities to students for original research and exposure to cooperative experiences with private industry.
    • Current Offerings
    The College of Arts and Sciences offers an associate degree transfer program in General Studies; discipline certificate programs in a number of fields; programs leading to either Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees in Computer Science, International Technical Communication, Mathematics, Physics, and Technical and Professional Communication; master’s degree programs in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Technical and Professional Communication and Information Technology (offered in conjunction with the School of Management); and undergraduate minors in Asian Studies, Computer Science, International Studies, Mathematics, Physics, Spanish, and Technical and Professional Communication.

    Advising for Pre-Health Programs
    The College of Arts and Sciences offers the courses needed by students seeking to apply to medical, dental, pharmacy, or veterinary school.

    All of the above health oriented programs, except pharmacy, are predoctoral programs. That is, normally a student earns a baccalaureate degree before matriculation into a doctoral program at the professional school. However, in the case of pharmacy students apply for admission to a professional school after they have satisfied the prerequisite requirements for admission. Students should note that within any one field, different professional schools may vary slightly in their requirements, and thus, the student may want to consult a particular school's admission office.

    Students considering any of the aforementioned programs must, from the very beginning, face the reality that admissions are very competitive. In fact, a great majority of students find, by their junior year, that they do not have the grades needed to gain admission to a professional school. This reality leaves many students with the need to consider alternative careers.

    Students interested in any of the above programs should note that there are no preprofessional majors per se; for example, a predental student may choose to major in any of the programs offered by the schools of Arts and Sciences, Management, Architecture, or Technology. The choice of majors is wide open provided the student satisfies all requirements of the professional school. In addition, in the process of completing the requirements for the aforementioned programs, the student may also want to satisfy the requirements needed to earn an Associate of Science in General Studies. Students interested in one or more of the aforementioned programs are encouraged to contact the Department Head for Physics, Chemistry, and Biological Sciences.

    Advising for Pre-Engineering Program
    The Mathematics Department conducts a program of advisement for freshmen and sophomores who wish to begin college locally, but plan to transfer to a full engineering program later. Students who wish to participate in this program should enter as mathematics majors. They will be asked later to sign a statement that their intention is to transfer to an engineering program at another college rather than to complete a mathematics degree.

    The advisors in the program will guide the students through an organized course of study which will provide a strong preparation in mathematics and science for the study of engineering and which will transfer with minimum loss of credit or time to most engineering programs.
    For those students who declare the college or university to which they wish to transfer, the advisor will endeavor to obtain a catalog for that college or university and design a specific program for transfer.