Mission

The College of Arts and Sciences seeks to provide a learning environment where students are offered opportunities for intellectual and personal growth through a variety of programs and courses in the liberal arts and sciences. Committed to excellence in teaching and research, dedicated faculty encourage all students to develop their intellectual, moral and spiritual potential.

Goals

Faculty in the college work closely with all students to:

• Instill a dedication to academic excellence
• Foster a lifelong commitment to learning
• Establish the educational foundation needed for graduate and professional school and for careers in the 21st century
• Encourage the formation of ethical and moral values in the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul

Learning Outcomes

To achieve these goals, students in all academic programs in the college graduate with the ability to do the following:

1. Engage in critical thinking appropriate to their discipline.
2. Use information literacy skills, including research skills, appropriate to their major.
3. Communicate effectively in their discipline.
4. Work with others in their discipline.
5. Apply ethics appropriate for their major.
6. Use technological skills appropriate for their major.
7. Demonstrate awareness of key concepts, theories and/or knowledge of their discipline.
8. Integrate and apply key principles and concepts of their discipline.

Degree Programs

Academic Majors

The College of Arts and Sciences offers 17 majors leading to a bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree:

• Art History with Museum Studies
• Chemistry
• Communication and Media Studies
• English
• Environmental Science
• French
• History
• International Studies
• Liberal Arts
• Life Sciences
• Mathematics
• Philosophy
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Religious Studies
• Sociology
• Spanish

There is one major leading to the bachelor of fine arts (B.F.A.) degree in theater studies.

There are ten majors leading to a bachelor of science (B.S.) degree:

• Actuarial Science
• Biochemistry
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Computer and Information Sciences
• Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Environmental Science
• Mathematics
• Psychology
• Social Work

The college also offers an associate of arts (A.A.) degree in general studies, a six-year BA/BS/MS program in psychology and clinical mental health counseling, and a five-year BS/MS program in criminology and criminal justice

The College of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences jointly administer bachelor degree programs leading to provisional New York state teacher certification in seven general levels:

1. Early Childhood and Childhood (Birth–Grade 6)
2. Childhood (Grades 1-6)
3. Childhood and Middle Adolescence (Grades 1-9)
4. Middle Adolescence and Adolescence (Grades 5-12)
5. Adolescence (Grades 7-12)
6. Special Education and Childhood (Grades 1-6)
7. Special Education and Adolescence (Grades 7-12)

Degree programs leading to provisional certification in middle adolescence or adolescence are offered in biology, chemistry, English, French, mathematics, social studies and Spanish. Students in the early childhood or childhood education programs must pursue an academic concentration of study in biology, chemistry, English, French, Spanish, liberal arts, mathematics, or social studies. Details on the degree programs are described in the catalog in the College of Education section and under the respective departments.

Academic Minors

Students enrolled in a degree program in the College of Arts and Sciences are encouraged to obtain an academic minor in a field of study outside their major. The minor allows students to supplement their major field with a coherent sequence of courses which will provide substantive knowledge in a field ancillary to their major, extend knowledge in another area of interest, and develop an interdisciplinary outlook. An academic minor is also an important credential in a job market that values creativity and flexibility.

The College of Arts and Sciences offers academic minors in actuarial science, Africana and Black studies, American Sign Language and Deaf studies, art history, biology, Catholic Studies, chemistry, communication studies, computer and statistical sciences, computer crime, criminology and criminal justice, dance, design technology, digital media production, English, environmental studies, fine arts, forensic science, fraud examination and economic crime, French, gerontology, history, information, security and digital forensics, information systems, international studies, Italian Studies, justice and peace, Latin American studies, law and jurisprudence, mathematics, Middle Eastern and Islamic studies, military science, natural science, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, public history, religious studies, scientific computing, social sciences, social work, sociology, Spanish, statistics, studio arts, theater studies, Web design, women’s studies, and writing studies. Academic minors in the College of Arts and Sciences are open to all students in the university.

The requirements for these academic minors, which consist of five or six courses, are listed in the catalog under the respective departments. Interdisciplinary minors and their requirements are described in the catalog section for each minor. Courses in the distribution and the religious studies and philosophy courses in the foundations core may be applied toward the minor. The other courses in the foundation core may not be applied toward a minor. One-half of the minor course work must be outside the major.

Students who intend to pursue a minor must complete a minor application (available online on MyNU) which must be approved by the dean of the student’s college.

In the College of Arts and Sciences, almost all students will be able to complete their major and a minor within the minimum required 40 course/120 semester hours. In some instances, however, additional courses may be required in order to complete the major/minor sequence. Students seeking to acquire a second major may have to take additional courses beyond the 40 course/120 semester hours.

Curriculum

To receive an associate’s degree, a candidate must satisfy the degree requirements for the program and have a 2.00 QPA overall and in his/her concentration. To receive a bachelor’s degree, a candidate must satisfy the curriculum requirements as specified by the major department, maintain a 2.00 or better QPA overall and in his/her major, complete the specified number of course units, and be certified by the major department as competent in the major. Social work majors must earn a C or better in their preprofessional courses and have a 2.5 QPA overall and in their preprofessional sequence. 

Bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, and bachelor of fine arts degree programs in the College of Arts and Sciences consist of 40 course units; 20 courses are in general education and 20 are in the major. General education courses consist of nine foundation courses common to all Niagara University students and a distribution component which ensures that every student is exposed to the principal areas of knowledge in the liberal arts (see general education). Major requirements are listed under the respective departments.

Internships

Individual departments in the College of Arts and Sciences offer a wide variety of internship programs. These programs allow students to attain work experience in nonprofit and business organizations and in national, state and local governments. Students who participate in an internship often find their work experience is helpful in securing a job after graduation. Academic credit is available for most of the internships. Students interested in an internship must see their advisor for approval.

Study Abroad

Several opportunities to study in another country are available to students in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students interested in pursuing study abroad should discuss the options available to them with their adviser and the director of study abroad. See the study abroad section of the catalog.

Associate Degree Programs

Requirements for the associate in arts in general studies are described in the chapter on academic departments. (See general studies)

Student Research

Individual departments in the College of Arts and Sciences offer many opportunities to conduct research under the guidance of a faculty member. Academic credit is available for many of the research experiences. Students interested in doing research should see their advisor.