Arts and Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis

Arts and Sciences at Washington University
Type Private
Established 1853
Parent institution
 Washington University in St. Louis
Dean Barbara Schaal
Academic staff
 600
Undergraduates 3,788
Postgraduates 1,589
Location St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Campus Suburban
Website http://artsci.wustl.edu/

The Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis are composed of three divisions: the College of Arts & Sciences, the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, and University College in Arts & Sciences. The current Dean of the Faculty is Barbara Schaal, Mary-Dell Chilton Distinguished Professor in the Humanities, who began her tenure in the 2012-13 Academic year.[1]

Of Washington University's 11 Fulbright Scholarship recipients in 2011, 7 were recent alumni of the College of Arts & Sciences, and 3 were Arts & Sciences graduate students.[2]

College of Arts & Sciences

The College of Arts & Sciences is the central undergraduate unit of the University with 387 tenured and tenure-track faculty, 158 non-tenure track faculty (including lecturers, artists-in-residence, and visiting faculty), and 70 research scientists, serving about 4,000 undergraduates in 40 academic departments and programs divided into divisions of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences and Mathematics.[3] The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest undergraduate unit at Washington University, which is ranked 13th among national Universities by U.S. News & World Report.[4]

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.[5] 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.[6]

Undergraduates at the University are encouraged to participate in faculty research. Research is available in all areas of study in Arts & Sciences, and is available to students as early as their freshman year. An Undergraduate Research Journal is published semesterly, featuring the most outstanding projects from undergraduates. The Office of Undergraduate Research helps students find research opportunities that match their interests. Undergraduates can also apply for grants and awards from the University, which may be used towards their research endeavors.

Leading the College of Arts & Sciences from 1992 to 2011 was Dean James E. McLeod, who died Sept 7, 2011, of cancer. McLeod (b. 1944) had also served the University as Vice Chancellor for Students since 1995.[7][8]

Graduate School of Arts & Sciences

The Graduate School serves over 1,500 students pursuing master's 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 Languages and Literatures, Creative Writing, Political Science, Anthropology, and the interdisciplinary degree in Philosophy-Neurosciences-Psychology. Richard J. Smith is the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

University College in Arts & Sciences

University College 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.[9] Mark Rollins is the Dean of University College.

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.[10]

Graduate degrees conferred by University College include Master of Arts in American Culture Studies, Master of Arts in Biology, Master of Arts in Education, Master of Arts in Human Resources Management, Master of Arts in International Affairs, Master of Arts in Nonprofit Management, Master of Liberal Arts, Master of Science in Applied Health Behavior Research, Master of Science in Biology for Science Teachers, Master of Science in Clinical Research Management, and Doctor of Liberal Arts.

Undergraduate degrees offered by University College include Bachelor of Science in Anthropology, Clinical Research Management, Communications and Journalism, Economics or Managerial Economics, Education, English, Global Leadership and Management, Health Care, History, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, International Studies, Mathematics or Applied Mathematics, Political Science, Psychology, and Sustainability.

University College also offers an Associates in Arts degree, a combined bachelor's and master's program, and several undergraduate and graduate-level certificates including the Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program and Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "WUSTL's new Arts & Sciences dean to be installed as the Lewin Distinguished Professor in the Humanities." http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/14627.aspx, Retrieved 10 May 2011.
  2. ↑ Parker, Debbie. "WUSTL named a top producer of U.S. Fulbright students". Washington University Record. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  3. ↑ "About". Arts & Sciences official website. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  4. ↑ "Washington University in St. Louis U.S. News Rankings" http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/washington-university-st-louis-2520/rankings, Retrieved 10 May 2011.
  5. ↑ The Discovery Curriculum | The College | Arts & Sciences Archived February 22, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ↑ Clusters | The College | Arts & Sciences
  7. ↑ http://www.studlife.com/news/administration/2011/09/06/campus-mourns-dean-mcleod/, Retrieved 6 September 2011.
  8. ↑ http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2007/09/17/focus10.html, Retrieved 6 Sept 2001.
  9. ↑ University College | Arts & Sciences
  10. ↑ History of University College | Arts & Sciences Archived December 22, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  11. ↑ http://ucollege.wustl.edu/programs
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