Andrew Hippisley, dean
200 Lindquist Hall • 316-WSU-6659
Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Webpage1
Brien Bolin, associate dean
David Eichhorn, associate dean
Jean Griffith, associate dean
Cheryl Miller, senior assistant dean

LAS Advising Center
115 Grace Wilkie Hall
316-WSU-4757
Advising Webpage1

The mission of Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is to cultivate intellectual curiosity and foster contemplation of the human experience and the natural world. Faculty members are dedicated to creating, expanding, applying and preserving knowledge, and to introducing students to the scholarship, theories, methods and perspectives of their diverse disciplines. A liberal arts and sciences education develops transferable analytical skills — the capacity to gather and interpret information, think critically and communicate effectively — and stimulates a lifelong love of learning that enriches graduates and their communities.

Fairmount College offers undergraduate majors in natural sciences, social sciences, humanities and programs of professional training. An education in these disciplines helps students develop knowledge and appreciation of our physical and biological world; the arts and different cultures; and an awareness of civic responsibilities, as well as professional preparation. Fairmount College provides foundation coursework, as well as general education, and courses required for graduation from other colleges at WSU. These provide students with skills that are intrinsically valuable and often fundamental to professional training and the needs of the workplace.

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Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Policies

Admission

Students are admitted to Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences upon meeting the general admission requirements for Wichita State University and declaring one of three categories:

  1. Degree-bound. These students enter with the intention of pursuing one of the degree programs offered by Fairmount College;
  2. Degree-bound as an exploratory student. These students have not yet decided on a major area of study when they enter WSU; and
  3. Nondegree-bound. These students enroll in classes or programs for purposes other than achieving a degree.

Admissions details are in the Admissions section of this catalog.

Probation and Dismissal Standards

Students are expected to make satisfactory progress in their studies. The Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences adheres to current WSU probation and dismissal policies found in the Academic Probation and Dismissal section of the Undergraduate Catalog.

In addition to meeting academic standards, students are expected to follow the Student Code of Conduct which can be found online in section 8.05 of the WSU Policies and Procedures Manual1, and to meet the professional standards governing any organization in which the student is participating as an intern, exchange student or other capacity.

Students who have been dismissed for academic reasons may seek readmission to the university by filing a written petition with the Fairmount College Exceptions Committee. Cases for readmission must be developed by the student after consultation with an advisor. The petition is then considered by the Fairmount College committee and forwarded to the university’s committee for final action.

Because advising and advance planning require careful attention and much time, students must meet the published deadlines to have their petitions considered.

Enrollment Limits

Students in good academic standing may enroll for a maximum of 21 credit hours during fall and spring semesters and a maximum of 12 credit hours during the summer session. Students wishing to enroll beyond these limits must request approval from an academic advisor in the LAS Advising Center (LASAC).

Academic Advising

Academic advising is an ongoing educational partnership between the student and the academic advisor. Advising promotes student academic success, supports diverse and equitable educational experiences, encourages students to become self-directed learners, responsible decision makers and knowledgeable global citizens. Academic advisors assist students in clarifying self-defined academic goals, selecting a major, understanding academic procedures, and using campus resources to their advantage. The Liberal Arts and Sciences Advising Center (LASAC) assists students who are degree-bound, exploratory or nondegree-bound.

Degree-Bound Students in Fairmount College Programs

Degree-bound students who have declared interest in any of Fairmount College’s programs receive advising from department faculty. Students with early and sustained involvement in their major departments develop methods of inquiry, peer and mentoring relationships, and intellectual and social perspectives which deepen and enrich their Fairmount College experience. Students with interdisciplinary or preprofessional interests also benefit from contact with faculty advisors qualified to discuss educational programs leading to the exercise of civic and social responsibility, enjoyment of intellectual pursuits, and realization of career fulfillment.

Degree-Bound Exploratory Students

LASAC advisors help degree-bound exploratory students make academic choices that allow for flexibility while pursuing general education requirements so that they may transfer to any college within WSU once a major is declared. Students develop educational planning skills, develop effective college-level study skills, choose an academic major, develop personalized academic and career/life plans, and complete part of the general education requirements. When a student declares a major field of study, an immediate transfer occurs to the college and department that sponsors that program. Exploratory students must declare a major or a degree preference within the first 48 credit hours of enrollment. Those students transferring 48 credit hours or more must declare a major or degree preference during the first semester of enrollment. Advising is then provided through the student’s academic major department. General education questions are answered by LASAC academic advisors. Advice on the major is given by the main department.

Nondegree-Bound Students

The nondegree-bound category includes students from other colleges who attend WSU for a short time period, high school guests who attend classes and earn credit on the WSU campus, and high school students in concurrent enrollment partnerships who earn WSU credit while taking classes in their high schools. Other nondegree students take courses to pursue their education with no immediate degree plans. This may involve self-enrichment, job advancement, career change, skills updating or professional certification. Students in this latter category are admitted as open admissions students. (See the information in the Undergraduate Admission section of the catalog.) LASAC advisors can assist students in defining their academic goals and in making the transition to a degree-earning status where that is appropriate. Students in this category are not eligible for financial aid.

Application for Graduation

Students apply for graduation when they have completed 80 credit hours of coursework that counts toward the degree. Applying at this time facilitates scheduling required courses for the three or four semesters that typically remain before graduation.

Two documents are required of all students graduating with a degree from Liberal Arts and Sciences:

  • The Senior Form and
  • The online Application for Degree.

The Senior Form is a written list of all remaining requirements for graduation. Students begin in the LAS Advising Center in 115 Grace Wilkie Hall. The student and the academic advisor complete the general education portion of the form. The student takes the form to the faculty advisor for their major. The faculty advisor completes the academic major portion of the form. The student is responsible for returning that form to the LAS Advising Office.

The online Application for Degree (AFD) is the only document that alerts the college of the semester and year in which the student intends to graduate. A student who does not complete this document will not graduate, because the student’s name will not appear on the graduation list generated by the AFD.

How to complete the AFD: The online application for degree link can be found in the myWSU portal. Students are able to complete the application for a bachelor’s degree once they have earned 80 credit hours. Students may apply for a graduation date for the current semester, or for any of the three semesters beyond the current semester. The correct graduation date is determined by the length of time needed to complete remaining requirements as listed on the Senior Form.

Students who wish to have their names listed in the official commencement program must complete both the Senior Form and the online Application for Degree by March 1, for a May graduation, and October 1, for a December graduation.

Additional application process for students earning the Bachelor of General Studies degree: Students declare their intention to earn this degree and create a plan of study for completion no later than 30 credit hours before the degree is granted. Students are advised by the academic department of the primary concentration or by an LASAC advisor.

Additional BGS requirements are listed under Graduation Requirements: Bachelor of General Studies.

Assessment of Academic Programs

Fairmount College participates in a university-wide program to assess the effectiveness of all curricula and instruction within the university. Individual departments within Fairmount College have established assessment strategies which are shared with their students. Assessment activities involving students occur throughout enrollment.

Field Trips

Attendance on field trips is mandatory in any course that includes in its catalog description a statement that field trips are required or in which the instructor states that field trips are essential for earning credit. Absences are permitted only with the instructor’s approval. Students may have credit withheld for a course if they do not complete the required field trips.

Credit for Life Experience

Fairmount College awards life experience credit. LAS requires that the learning from life experience fits the approved curriculum of the college. Students must be fully admitted to WSU. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is conservative in protecting the autonomy of the faculty and the goals of the curriculum. Credit for life experience is granted only when a student’s learning from life experiences duplicates the content of a course described in the catalog. Students pay for Life Credit on a course by course basis. The student begins by contacting an advisor in the LASAC to obtain the Credit for Life Experience form. The student contacts the faculty member who teaches the course that duplicates the student’s life experience. That faculty member must certify that the life experience is the same as the content of the course. The student returns the signed form to the LASAC, which facilitates the process for student payment and posting the credit to the student’s transcript.

Cooperative Education and Internships

Fairmount College participates in the cooperative education program which matches paid internships with undergraduate and graduate students who wish to combine their classroom studies with academically related employment. In LAS, a maximum of 12 credit hours of cooperative education may be applied to baccalaureate degree requirements.

Interested students should contact the Career Development Center, located in Brennan Hall III, at the corner of 17th Street and Yale Avenue. The telephone number is 316-978-3688, or register online1.

Academic Honesty and Code of Conduct

The faculty of Fairmount College strongly endorses the statement on academic honesty, the student code of conduct and the appeals procedure outlined in policy 2.17/Student Academic Honesty of the WSU Policies and Procedures Manual1. Also see Student Academic Honesty, Student Code of Conduct and Court of Student Academic Appeals in this catalog.

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Degrees and Certificates Offered

Undergraduate

The Associate of Arts, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of General Studies degrees are conferred by Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Each baccalaureate degree requires the completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours, the attainment of an overall grade point average of 2.000 including transfer work, a grade point average of 2.000 in the major and minor fields of study, and a 2.000 WSU grade point average. Some majors may require a higher GPA.

The Associate of Arts degree requires completion of a minimum of 60 credit hours including 15 credit hours in residency at Wichita State University and 48 of the 60 credit hours from liberal arts and sciences departments. This degree must include the 34 to 35 credit hours required in the university’s general education program (described in the General Education section of this catalog), and students must be enrolled in one of the university’s degree-granting colleges. An overall grade point average of 2.000 is required for both the degree and for WSU academic work.

Bachelor of Arts degrees are offered in anthropology, applied linguistics, biological sciences, chemistry, communication, creative writing, economics, English, geology, history, mathematics, modern and classical languages and literatures (French and Spanish), philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, social work, sociology and women’s studies. Concentrations in communication sciences and disorders, ethnic studies, geography, German and religion may be designed with the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of General Studies degrees.

The Bachelor of Science is available in biological sciences, chemistry, criminal justice, forensic sciences, homeland security, geology, mathematics and physics.

The Bachelor of General Studies requires breadth in distribution of coursework and allows for the development of areas of concentration which may be thematically or occupationally related. This degree is available through every college department.

Graduate

Graduate programs are offered through the Graduate School in many liberal arts and sciences areas. The Master of Arts (MA) may be earned in anthropology, communication (interdisciplinary), criminal justice, English, history, psychology, social work, sociology and Spanish. The Master of Science (MS) may be obtained in biological sciences, chemistry and mathematics.

The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in creative writing, the Master of Public Administration (MPADM) in public administration, and the Master of Social Work (MSW) in social work.

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree is offered in chemistry, applied mathematics and psychology — human factors and community/clinical.

For more information, consult the Wichita State University Graduate Catalog.

Certificate Programs

Certificate programs in Fairmount College are available to members of the community, to students who have already earned degrees, and to students pursuing degrees in Fairmount College or other degree-granting colleges. A certificate is awarded acknowledging a student’s completion of a disciplinary or interdisciplinary focus consisting of courses which provide thematic coherence in a unique area of applied or theoretical work. Specific requirements for the following certificate programs may be reviewed in the relevant departmental sections:

  • Museum Studies (graduate) — Anthropology
  • Geographic Information Systems — Anthropology
  • Pre-Genetic Counseling — Biological Sciences
  • English Literature and Composition Pedagogy (graduate) — English
  • Graphic Narrative Coding and Accessibility — English
  • Environment and Sustainability — Geology
  • Film Studies — English, Interdisciplinary
  • Medieval and Renaissance Studies — English, Interdisciplinary
  • Asian Studies — Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Global Competency — Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Great Plains Studies (graduate and under­graduate) — Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Tilford Diversity Studies — Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Mathematical Foundations of Data Analytics (graduate) — Math, Statistics and Physics
  • Space Science (graduate) — Math, Statistics and Physics
  • Hispanic Cultural Studies (graduate) — Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
  • Latin American and Latinx Studies — Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
  • Spanish for the Professions (graduate and under­graduate) — Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
  • Community Psychology — Psychology
  • Human Factors Psychology — Psychology
  • Social Work and Addiction — Social Work
  • Social Work and Child Welfare — Social Work
  • Health Equity and Leadership — Sociology
  • City and County Management (graduate) — Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs
  • Economic Development (graduate) — Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs
  • Nonprofit Management (graduate) — Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs
  • Public Finance (graduate) — Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs
  • Urban Policy and Innovation (graduate) — Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs

Graduation Requirements

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Field Major and Bachelor of General Studies

The following Fairmount College requirements must be met for students to receive the Bachelor of Arts (BA), the Bachelor of Science (BS) or the Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) degrees from Fairmount College.

  1. WSU graduation and general education requirements as stated in this catalog;
  2. Departmental requirements;
  3. Graduation GPA requirements; and
  4. Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences competency requirements.

Departmental Requirements

Each department has specific courses that must be completed. These courses and their descriptions are in the departmental sections of the catalog.

GPA Requirements

Candidates for a bachelor's degree must attain a 2.0001 grade point average in each of the following categories:

  1. All college and university work attempted (overall grade point average);
  2. All work attempted at WSU (institutional grade point average); and
  3. All work in the student's major.
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The Elliott School of Communication requires an overall and major grade point average of 2.500.

Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Competency Requirements

The following nine competencies are indispensable to a well-rounded education, effective citizenship and to career success. Courses designated as fulfilling these competencies may also be applied as general education, major or elective courses.

The Schedule of Courses produced each semester outlines specific courses approved in each of the following categories:

  1. Written Communication (3 credit hours)
    Competence in written communication is built on the foundation writing skills acquired in ENGL 101, ENGL 102 or equivalents. Having competence in written communication gives students the ability to generate clear, organized writing and use it to express their ideas and thoughts; to analyze and explore key topics and questions; and to inform, persuade and inspire others.
  2. Textual Analysis (3 credit hours)
    Competence in textual analysis provides students with the ability to comprehend, analyze and respond critically to a broad range of written texts.
  3. Oral Communication (3 credit hours)
    Competence in oral communication is built on the foundation speech skills met in COMM 111 or equivalent. Having competence in oral communication gives students the ability to deliver speeches that are appropriate for the topic, audience and occasion, based on the effective use of research, organization and delivery.
  4. Civic Responsibility (3 credit hours)
    This competency prepares students with the ability to become informed, engaged, curious and socially responsible citizens. This includes the ability to recognize and help mitigate the marginalization of individuals and groups of individuals based on perceived differences. It also includes articulating one’s own views while evaluating different perspectives and interpreting information on public matters. Civic responsibility involves examining and evaluating the actions and values of people in social or political systems. It includes assessment and comparisons of various political systems, together with an understanding of the foundation documents, perspectives and issues that continue to shape and challenge the political culture. As a result, students will be better equipped to fulfill their responsibilities as citizens.
  5. Cultural Literacy (3 credit hours)
    Competence in cultural literacy provides students with the ability to recognize the nuances of their own culture and the culture of others. Students will achieve this competency by coming to an understanding of culture as an integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thoughts, communication systems, beliefs, values, customs and rituals. Cultural literacy is essential for approaching differences between individuals, groups and nations with empathy in order to better comprehend and interact with others in our highly interconnected world.
  6. World Language (0-12 credit hours) -- only required for Bachelor of Arts degrees
    Competence in a world language provides an opportunity to better understand the world since it serves as a portal to other cultures and opens a valuable alternative perspective on an array of global pressing issues. The competency is gained by reaching intermediate proficiency in a world language, a level of knowledge high enough to give the student such a perspective. Being proficient in a world language not only provides unique access to the perspectives that the speakers of the language carry but promotes an appreciation of the gift of language as an instrument and catalyst of thought itself, vital preparation for navigating the complexities of our modern world.
    Notes:
    1. Qualifying score on departmental placement exam required for enrollment in most world language courses.
    2. Students having earned the KSDE Kansas State Seal of Biliteracy have met the college's world language requirement for a baccalaureate degree.
    3. Students with English as their second language have met the college’s world language requirement for a baccalaureate degree.
  7. Quantitative Literacy (3 credit hours)
    Competence in quantitative literacy provides students with the ability to reason and solve quantitative problems from a wide array of authentic contexts and everyday life situations. Students become quantitively literate by being able to understand and create sophisticated arguments supported by quantitative evidence and being able to clearly communicate those arguments in a variety of formats (using words, tables, graphs, mathematical equations, etc., as appropriate). Being comfortable with numerical data is an essential life skill in an information age.
  8. Scientific Reasoning (3 credit hours)
    Competence in scientific reasoning enables students to practice inductive and deductive reasoning through systematic observation and experimentation to form and test hypotheses and theories. This competency can be gained by an array of experiences including laboratory work; application of theories, models or empirical data for problem solving; and the use of scientific theories, models or analogies to explain phenomena. Competency in scientific reasoning also entails an historical, philosophical or sociological understanding of the basis for the reliability of scientific reasoning and the impact of science on society. Scientific literacy allows students to engage with the form of human activity which most shapes our modern world.
  9. Technological Literacy (3 credit hours)
    Competence in technological literacy can be met through a choice of arenas where a given technology can be applied, such as GIS to solve a mapping problem, R to create data visualizations, or coding to develop a website. Students will be provided with the opportunities to be not merely technological observers but technological users. Competence in technology enables students to use proper technology to solve practical problems in their discipline and lower the hurdle for proper use of current or future technology after graduation. Technological competence is also an essential transferrable skill that will make the student competitive in the job market.

BA, BS: Major

All specific departmental major courses and requirements are listed in the catalog by department. While the department controls its own requirements for the major, the following expectations apply to all majors:

  1. A minimum of 12 upper division hours (numbered 300+) are required in the major or area of concentration.
  2. No more than 48 credit hours in the major may be used for graduation with a BA degree, and no more than 50 credit hours in the major may be used for graduation with a BS degree.
  3. A minimum of 9 hours of credit in the major discipline must be taken from Wichita State University.
  4. A minimum of 100 hours of credit in Liberal Arts and Sciences courses is required.

Field Major

Students may select a major that correlates three areas of study to receive a broad appreciation of the cultural and dynamic factors of human conduct. The selection of courses must be made with an LAS academic advisor. Although such a major cuts across departmental lines and is determined by the field of specific interest, the combination of courses must be acceptable to the college. A minimum of 36 credit hours are required for the field major, with a minimum of 18 credit hours in the primary area and a minimum of 9 credit hours in each of the two allied areas. Twelve (12) of the 36 credit hours must be upper-division, and the first two areas must be LAS or historically LAS. The third area may cross departmental or college lines or be thematically or occupationally related. Students may work with an academic advisor in developing an appropriate field major or may use one of the predesigned field majors indicated below. Students must meet BA graduation requirements for all field majors except biochemistry and chemistry/business which lead to the BS degree.

For the purposes of the field major, LAS courses can include the academic majors and disciplines housed historically in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, including aging studies (AGE) (formerly gerontology), art history (ARTH), communication sciences and disorders (CSD), economics (ECON), music composition (MUSC), and theatre (THEA). Additionally, any non-LAS courses used in the tertiary will apply toward LAS credit hours.

All 18 credit hours in the primary area of interest must be courses approved for a major or minor as defined for that department in the Undergraduate Catalog.

Bachelor of General Studies

The Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) degree allows students to design a major plan of study crossing departmental or even college lines. The BGS degree allows generalists, preprofessionals or nontraditional career students greater flexibility in planning their academic major plans.

For the purposes of the BGS major, LAS courses can include the academic majors and disciplines housed historically in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, including aging studies (AGE) (formerly gerontology), art history (ARTH), communication sciences and disorders (CSD), economics (ECON), music composition (MUSC), and theatre (THEA).

With the assistance of an LAS academic advisor, each student develops a major plan of study consisting of a minimum of 33 credit hours, divided into three areas. The primary and secondary areas must be in LAS departments or historically LAS departments. The tertiary area may cross departmental or college lines or be thematically or occupationally related. The primary area must consist of a minimum of 15 credit hours. The secondary and tertiary areas each must consist of a minimum of 6 credit hours. Additional credit hours beyond the area minimums will be required to meet the minimum of 33 credit hours across all three areas. All courses used in the primary area must be courses approved for an academic major or minor as defined by that academic department in the Undergraduate Catalog. A minimum of 12 LAS upper-division credit hours must be included in the major plan.

Additional requirements for the BGS degree include: no more than 30 credit hours may be counted toward the degree from one subject; no more than 60 credit hours may be counted toward the degree in one division (humanities, social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences and mathematics); and a minimum of 94 LAS credit hours must be completed, which can include majors and disciplines historically housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Additionally, any non-LAS courses used in the tertiary will apply toward LAS credit hours.

Minor

Minors are offered in all fields of study in which a major may be earned (except social work) as well as in geography, German, Greek, Latin, Russian and religion. The number of credit hours required for a minor is set by each department. A 2.000 minimum grade point average is required in the minor. Minors from other colleges are acceptable and must meet minimum requirements of those colleges.

Special Preprofessional Programs

Advisors in the LASAC or in various preprofessional academic departments provide specific information regarding courses and requirements.

Prelaw

The Association of American Law Schools states that students interested in pursuing a law degree should get a broad under­graduate education that provides “comprehension and expression in words, critical understanding of the human institutions and values with which the law deals, and creative power in thinking.” These qualities are to be achieved through disciplined study in fields of the student’s choice. Requirements for the bachelor’s degree provide students with both a general education and a concentration in a major field of study.

Law school admission requires completion of a baccalaureate degree. Many majors provide an appropriate foundation for the study of law. LAS academic advisors offer prelaw students assistance in contacting appropriate academic departments.

Premedical Professions — Medicine, Dentistry, Optometry, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine, Podiatry, Chiropractic Medicine

Academic advising for premedical professions is coordinated through the LASAC. A four-year bachelor’s degree is required for admission to medical and osteopathic schools and is strongly encouraged for other premedical professional programs. Any academic major is acceptable, as long as the degree includes the prerequisite core of courses in math and sciences. Medical and professional schools expect candidates to demonstrate the intellectual, analytical and problem-solving skills necessary to succeed in medical school. Students are strongly advised to balance coursework in the natural sciences with coursework in humanities and social sciences. The general education component of a liberal arts degree provides a sound foundation for demonstrating an interest in and knowledge of a diverse and global society. Candidates should also consider coursework in areas such as anthropology, communication, economics, ethics, logic, psychology, sociology and statistics.

Preparation for Secondary Education

A professional teaching field in world language Pre-K through 12 may be obtained through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. A professional teaching field for middle and secondary school teachers is offered through the College of Applied Studies as are teaching fields in all other areas.