Washington University School of Arts and Sciences

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The School of Arts & Sciences at Washington University is composed of three divisions: the College of Arts & Sciences, the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, and University College in Arts & Sciences. Edward S. Macias is Executive Vice Chancellor. James E. McLeod is the Vice Chancellor for students and Dean of Arts & Sciences.

[edit] College of Arts & Sciences

The College of Arts & Sciences is the central undergraduate unit of the University with 330 tenured and tenure-track faculty along with over 100 research scientists, lecturers, artists in residence, and visitors serving about 3,000 undergraduates in 40 academic departments divided into divisions of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences and Mathematics. The College of Arts and Sciences is currently ranked 12th in the country according to U.S. News & World Report. Undergraduates in the other schools meet general education requirements by taking courses in the College of Arts & Sciences. Many of these students have double majors or minors in an Arts & Sciences discipline as well as in their professional field.

Beginning with the freshmen of 2001, Arts & Sciences students are required to satisfy the new Discovery Curriculum requirements.[1] Based on the Bowen Commission Report approved by the faculty in 1999, the Discovery Curriculum requires students to demonstrate breadth and depth of knowledge across four discipline areas (Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Social Sciences, Textual and Historical Studies, and Language and the Arts), as well as satisfy requirements in Quantitative Analysis, Social Differentiation, Cultural Diversity, and writing.[2] James E. McLeod is Vice Chancellor for Students and Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences.

[edit] Graduate School of Arts & Sciences

The Graduate School serves over 1,500 students pursuing Masters and Ph.D. degrees. It is ranked highly in terms of time to degree and the rate at which it places its graduates. Some of its many notable programs include: Germanic Language and Literatures, Creative Writing, Political Science, Anthropology and the interdisciplinary Philosophy-Neurosciences-Psychology. Robert E. Thach is the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

[edit] University College in Arts & Sciences

University College at Washington University in St. Louis grants both graduate and undergraduate degrees, offering courses primarily in the evenings for adult and continuing education. It also oversees the primary summer school program for the University. "University College" is named after the urban adult-education centers founded in the 19th century by Oxford and Cambridge universities in England.[3] Robert E. Wittenburg is the Dean of University College at Washington University in St. Louis.

When the first classes began at Washington University in St. Louis on October 22, 1854, all courses were offered in the evening. As the University grew and added new departments, identical evening courses were offered for the education and training of adult students. The Division of University Extension was created in 1915 to manage part-time programs, and by 1923, had more students than the University's full-time enrollment. University College was created in 1931, and had the power to confer baccalaureate degrees and enroll students in full-time programs. Post-WWII expansion in 1948 saw a University College enrollment of 8,000 students, with enrollment peaking at 17,000 in the 1970s.[4]

Graduate degrees conferred by University College include Master of Arts in Human Resources Management, Master of Arts in International Affairs, Master of Arts in American Culture Studies, and Master of Arts in Biology. Undergraduate degrees offered by University College include Global Leadership and Management, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Managerial Economics, and Political Science.


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