College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences is unique in offering students a broad-based, liberal arts education transmitting a core of knowledge and cultural values. The college provides the service courses required by all university academic degree programs and specialized courses that may lead to employment or post baccalaureate studies.

The college is committed to providing a humanistic and analytical education through a student-focused educational environment. Its faculty excel in teaching, scholarship and service. The curriculum and its orientation are responsive to the cultural diversity of the students and to the entire South Texas region. In this way, the college helps to expand the academic, social and cultural horizons and expectations of the people it serves.

Through teaching, scholarship and service, the college provides students with a core of cultural knowledge and understanding necessary to function as global citizens and with the life skills and judgment essential to contribute fully to society. The college provides oral and written communication skills required for all disciplines and helps students attain general professional competency in the area of their major. Fulfilling its mission, the college fosters lifelong learning.

The college is composed of the following departments (with the nonteaching degrees each offers):

• Art, Communications and Theatre (B.A, Art, Communications; B.F.A.)
• Biological and Health Sciences (B.A., Biology; B.S., Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Human Nutrition)
• Chemistry (B.S.)
• Clinical Health Sciences (B.S., Communication Sciences and Disorders; B.S.W., Social Work)
• History, Political Science and Philosophy (B.A., Criminal Justice, History, Political Science)
• Language and Literature (B.A., English, Spanish)
• Mathematics (B.A.; B.S.)
• Music (B.M.)
• Physics and Geosciences (B.S., Geology, Physics)
• Psychology and Sociology (B.A., Psychology, Sociology; B.S., Criminology)

The college also houses the program in Applied Arts and Sciences, which offers the B.A.A.S. degree, programs in International Studies, Religion, and Women & Gender Studies, as well as the Dual Enrollment Program.

Laboratory Fee

For each laboratory course a fee ranging from $2 to $30 is charged depending upon cost of materials used in the course.

Teaching Certification

Students seeking a certificate to teach in the secondary schools of Texas must earn a bachelor’s degree in a recognized major. The State Board for Educator Certification approved new teaching fields and grade levels for certification beginning in 1999. Majors in the College of Arts and Sciences that may lead to all-level certification include the following:

• Art
• Music

Majors in the College of Arts and Sciences that may lead to secondary certification include the following:

• Biology (Life Science)
• Chemistry
• Communications (Speech)
• English (see Language and Literature)
• History
• History (Social Studies emphasis)
• Mathematics
• Physics (Science emphasis)
• Spanish (see Language and Literature)

For specific degree requirements, contact the chair of the department of the academic discipline involved. For additional information, refer to the College of Education and Human Performance section regarding the Standard Certificate in this catalog.

Pre-Law

Students who desire to enter the law profession should consult the Pre-Law Adviser in the Department of History, Political Science and Philosophy upon enrollment regarding a degree plan and selection of courses.

Pre-Health Professions

Students who desire to pursue any health profession (medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, pharmacy, nursing, etc.) should consult the Pre-Health Professions Coordinator in the Center for Student Success. General information regarding programs offered by Texas A&M University-Kingsville is listed separately in this catalog.

Requirements for the Degree

All students obtaining a bachelor's degree must satisfy the "General Requirements for Graduation" as set forth in this catalog. This includes, among others, the residence requirements and grade average rules.

Each program sets the minimum number of hours required for its major and for graduation. A minimum of 36 of the total number of hours must be on the advanced level. Individual degree programs are outlined below.

A minimum grade point average of 2.0 is required on:

1. Overall GPA: all course work attempted, including coursework attempted at other universities.  
2. Institutional GPA: all course work attempted at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. 
3. Major GPA: all required courses comprising the major, excluding electives both in and outside the discipline, that are attempted at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. For courses that are attempted more than once, only the most recent grade will be utilized for calculation in the major GPA.
4. Minor GPA: all required courses comprising the minor, excluding electives both in and outside the discipline, that are attempted at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. For courses that are attempted more than once, only the most recent grade will be utilized for calculation in the minor GPA. This rule will apply regardless of whether a minor is required or optional. 
   1. When non courses in the minor field are taken at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, minor GPA calculations shall be based upon all attempted, required courses comprising the minor. 
5. Subject Area GPA (Bachelor of General Studies degree only) all required courses comprising a subject area, excluding electives both in and outside the discipline, that are attempted at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. For courses that are attempted more than once, only the most recent grade will be utilized for calculation in the subject area GPA. 
   1. When no courses in the subject area are taken at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, subject area GPA calculations shall be based upon all attempted, required courses comprising the subject area. 

Foreign Language

All Bachelor of Arts degrees must include two years (12 SCH) of foreign language study. Students are required to complete their foreign language requirements in a single language.

Major

A major shall consist of a minimum of 24 semester hours in one subject, 6 of which must be taken at this university. At least 50% of the work offered in the major field must be advanced. Double majors must complete the specific requirements for both fields.

Minors

Some degree programs in the College of Arts and Sciences have required minors included in the degree plan. Refer to the individual degree plans to see those programs requiring a minor. A minor consists of 18 or more hours. Certain minors have specific requirements; see "Recognized Minors" below. At least six hours in the minor field must be on the advanced level. 

Recognized Minors

The following minors are available to Arts and Sciences majors: Agribusiness, Agriculture Science, Animal Science, Anthropology, Art, Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Communication, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Criminology, English, Generic Special Education, Geographic Information Systems, Geography, Geology, Geophysics, Health, History, Human Sciences, International Studies, Journalism, Kinesiology, Mathematics, Mexican American Studies, Military Science, Music, Philosophy, Physics, Plant and Soil Science, Political Science, Psychology, Range and Wildlife Management, Reading, Social Work, Sociology, Southwest Borderlands Studies, Spanish, Spanish Journalism, Theatre Arts, Women and Gender Studies, and Writing.

In addition, any group of courses which leads to a specific state-recognized teaching certification or similar endorsement, and which meets the minimum requirements indicated above for all minors, may be accepted as a minor, subject to approval by the dean and by the student’s major department. An interdisciplinary or other specialized minor which meets the minimum requirements indicated above, may be recognized in individual cases, subject to approval by the student’s major department, the dean and any department in which at least 9 hours of the proposed minor will be taken. The dean’s office will circulate a list of minors that has been approved under either of these conditions.

Certificates

The Department of Mathematics offers an undergraduate SAS Certification Program jointly with SAS Institute, Inc. See Department of Mathematics for details.

The Department of Physics and Geosciences offered an undergraduate Geophysics certificate program. See Department of Physics and Geosciences for details.

The Department of Physics and Geosciences offers an undergraduate Geographic Information Systems (GIS) certificate program. See Department of Physics and Geoscience for more information.

An undergraduate transcripted certificate in Women and Gender Studies requires 12 semester hours. See the detailed requirements in the Women and Gender Studies section of the catalog.

The School of Music offers a Sound Recording Technology certificate. The certificate program is open to any major at the University, allowing students to pursue other degree opportunities while continuing with their musical studies. See Sound Recording Technology, Certificate for details.

The School of Music offers an undergraduate transcripted certificate in Jazz Studies, requiring 12 hours of required courses from the Jazz Studies curriculum. See Jazz Studies, Certificate for details.