The university offers a number of interdisciplinary programs and courses. These programs usually combine course offerings from several departments so the subject is examined from a multidisciplinary approach. While most persons who earn certificates do so in the process of completing their undergraduate degree, non-degree seeking students may complete a certificate. Below are descriptions of these interdisciplinary offerings:
- Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree;
- Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree;
- Interdisciplinary undergraduate certificates;
- Interdisciplinary minors;
- Interdisciplinary courses.
Interdisciplinary certificates for international or areas studies are housed in the Center for International Studies.
Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS)
The Bachelor of Liberal Studies is a degree program that enables students to combine structured academic emphases in ways more relevant to their interests than the standard academic major.
Students who participate in this program must declare their areas of study (two minors or a minor and undergraduate certificate) at the time they declare that BLS is their intended degree. The plan of study should be approved at the beginning of the program.
To obtain a Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS), a student must complete:
- UMSL General Education Requirements
General Education (consult General Education section of course listings)- Communication Skills 6 credit hours
- Managing Information 3 credit hours
- Valuing Skills 3 credit hours
- Social and Behavioral Sciences 9 credit hours
- Humanities 9 credit hours
- Math/Science 12 credit hours
- (for a total of 42 credit hours )
In addition, students must complete the State Requirement (3) and Cultural Diversity Requirement (3) if not met in General Education course selection
- The university requirement of proficiency in English Composition
ENGL 1100 - First Year Writing
ENGL 3100 - Junior Level Writing - The university requirement of proficiency in Mathematics (to be completed in first 24 hours at the university)
- A Liberal Studies Concentration (33-41 hours) to consist of designated BLS Minors in participating departments or other units (minimum of 15 hours each) or
- A designated minor and any undergraduate certificate (minimum of 15 hours in each). No course may be used more than once AND
- A capstone course (minimum of 3 hours) selected from one of the minors that make up the identified BLS core.
Note: (Not all minors have designated BLS capstone course so students must be careful to pair minors and certificates so that they have a capstone course.)
Also Required
- Minimum of 45 credit hours in upper level course work (2000 or higher)
- Electives 28-42
- A minimum of 120 credit hours
- Overall GPA of 2.0 with minimum GPA of 2.0 with a minimum grade of C in all courses used in BLS combination areas
- Residency requirement, in addition to campus residency, unless otherwise specified, 9 graded hours in each minor and certificate at 2000 level or above and one capstone course
The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), Fine Arts and Communication (CoFAC), Business Administration (BA), and the Pierre Laclede Honors College (PLHC) have joined together to make available Liberal Studies combinations involving the following units:
Department of Anthropology, (CAS)
Department of Art and Art History, (CoFAC):
Minor in Art History or Studio Art
Department of Biology, (CAS)
College of Business Administration, (BA)
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, (CAS)
Department of Communication, (CoFAC)
Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, (CAS)
Department of Economics, (CAS)
Department of English, (CAS)
Department of Foreign Languages and Literature, (CAS)
Department of History, (CAS)
Pierre Laclede Honors College (PLHC) *
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, (CAS)
Department of Music, (COFAC)
Department of Philosophy, (CAS)
Department of Physics and Astronomy, (CAS)
Department of Political Science, (CAS)
Department of Psychology, (CAS)
Department of Sociology, (CAS)
Department of Theatre, Dance and Media Studies, (COFAC)
Gender Studies Program, (CAS)
Any undergraduate certificate
Bachelor of Liberal Studies: Capstone and Other Restrictions
A. Students who are planning to earn a Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree should declare the BLS as their major within the first 90 hours of the program. Declaration past this time may prevent timely graduation as all capstone courses are not available every semester.
B. The School of Social Work, as well as the Colleges of Education, Nursing, and the Joint Engineering Program are not participants in the BLS program.
C. The College of Business is participating, however, NO capstone course will be available for business minors. Students selecting the Business Minor as one of the components for the BLS must select the other minor from among those that do offer a capstone.
D. The Studio Arts minors in the Department of Art and Art History will not have a capstone. Students selecting a Studio Art Minor will have to pair it with a minor that does have a capstone.
E. Undergraduate certificates and Interdisciplinary Minors may be paired with a minor to form a BLS core; however, since certificates and interdisciplinary minors do not have normally capstone courses, they must be paired with a minor that does have a capstone. Students admitted to the Pierre Laclede Honors College who wish to present the Honors Certificate as a minor for the BLS must complete the Honors Capstone (Honors 4100, one or two credit hours) and also direct three to six hours of their Honors independent study requirement to work demonstrably relevant to their BLS program. Students should consult the BLS faculty advisor in the Honors College about this requirement.
F. Either the theatre minor or media studies minor may be used from the Department of Theatre, Dance and Media Studies; however the department offers no capstone at this time. These minors will need to be paired with a minor that does have a capstone.
G. There is no capstone course in Statistics. The student will have to choose a capstone course from either the other area of concentration in Mathematics and Computer Science or another minor.
H. The capstone is required in addition to the courses presented for the minor. A minimum grade of C must be earned in the capstone course. The capstone course is not counted toward the minor residency requirement.
I. Students choosing to combine the minor in History of Science and Technology with a minor in the Philosophy of Science and Technology may use the same course to satisfy the Logic and Methodology requirement for both minors and may select either PHIL 4491 or HIST 4004 as the capstone. However students selecting HIST 4004 must have also taken HIST 2999.
J. The following have identified a Capstone, so at least one of these minors must be included in the BLS program:
Anthropology
ANTHRO 4301, Ideas and Explanations in AnthropologyArt & Art History
One additional 4000 level topics course in Art HistoryBiology
BIOL 4889, Senior SeminarChemistry/Biochemistry
CHEM 3022, Introduction to Chemical Literature (1) and CHEM 3905-Chemical Research (1) and CHEM 4897-Seminar (1)Communication
One additional 3000/4000 level Communication course.Criminology & Criminal Justice
An additional 4000 level course in Criminology and Criminal Justice, not used as part of the minor.Economics
ECON 4100, Introduction to Econometrics [If this course is used to complete the minor, the students must take an additional 4000 level Economic course.]English
Additional 4000 level English Literature course [Student must identify themselves as using the additional 4000 level course as a Capstone so additional requirements can be assigned.]Foreign Languages and Literatures
FRENCH 3211, Contemporary French Culture
GERMAN 3210, German Culture and Civilization
SPANISH 3210 Hispanic Culture and Civilization: Spain [or]
SPANISH 3211, Hispanic Culture and Civilization: Spanish AmericaHistory
HIST 4004, Senior Seminar (5 credits)Honors College*
HONORS 4100, (1 or 2 credit hours) and three to six credit hours of HONORS 4900 or 4910 are required. *(must be admitted to Honors program)Mathematics/Computer Science:
Computer Science: 4000 Level Course in Computer Science not counted as elective in the minor.
Mathematics: 4000 Level Course in Mathematics not counted as elective toward the minor.
Music:
Select one of the following:
M H L T 4000, Directed Studies (3 credits)
THRY COM 4000, Directed Studies (3 credits)
PDGOGY 4000, Directed Studies (3 credits)
PRACTM 4000, Directed Studies (3 credits)Philosophy
PHIL 4491, Senior SeminarPhysics
PHYSICS 4381, Directed Readings in PhysicsPolitical Science
POL SCI 3950, Senior Seminar in Political SciencePsychology
An additional 4000 level Psychology course beyond Psychology courses presented for the MinorSociology
An additional 4000 level course in Sociology excluding SOC 4350 (Special Study) or SOC 4385 (Internship)
Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies
The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree (B.I.S.) provides a flexible, individualized program of study for the self-directed adult learner. Each student develops the area of study with faculty advisement.
Oversight of the B.I.S. degree is the responsibility of the Interdisciplinary Studies committee, composed of faculty from Arts and Sciences (Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences), Business, Education, Engineering, Fine Arts and Communication, and Nursing. The Interdisciplinary Studies Committee will be convened and supported by the Office of the Provost.
Admission Requirements for the B.I.S. Program
Candidates for the B.I.S. degree must complete an application for admission to the program. The Interdisciplinary Studies Committee approves applications.
- Approved programs of study are well-designed, coherent, structured to meet the student’s unique educational goals, and not readily available under any other UMSL degree program.
- Students must have demonstrated the equivalent of academic proficiency required for any other undergraduate degree at UMSL.
Degree Requirements for the B.I.S. Program
General Education Requirements
Students must complete the university’s general education requirements. For details refer to the general education
requirements section of this Bulletin.
Area of Study
In consultation with faculty and staff advisers, students will carry out an area of study of at least 36 advanced semester hours of graded credit that meets their educational goals. Graded credit consists of degree credit courses in which the student received a letter grade of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-.
Regardless of the focus, theme, or purpose, the area of study should contribute to an advanced level of academic competence and achievement.
Hour and Grade Requirements
The degree requires completion of 120 semester hours with a 2.0 campus grade point average overall and in the area of study. No more than 15 hours may be taken in one department. At least 45 hours must be earned in courses beyond the introductory level. A minimum of 24 hours of graded credit must be completed in residence at UMSL, of which 18 hours must be in the area of study and completed after admission to the B.I.S. program. Each candidate must be in residence for 24 of the last 30 hours of graded credit (exclusive of courses taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis).
Supervised Professional or Service Internship and Independent Research
Credit not exceeding 6 hours may be earned for department-approved professional internship, service internship, or independent research. The projects or activities must be formulated by the student and carried out under the supervision of a faculty member with the approval of the adviser. Students must submit a written report approved by the supervisor upon completion of the projects or activities.
Interdisciplinary Certificates
Minor in Environmental Studies
This is an interdisciplinary minor that integrates the natural and physical sciences with the social sciences and humanities to study current environmental problems resulting from human population growth, global climate change, over use of natural resources, pollution and biodiversity loss. A minimum 18 credit hours are required, 9 of which must be in the natural and physical sciences, including the listed Honors College courses, and 9 must be from the social sciences and humanities. A total of 12 credit hours must be taken at or above the 2000 level, and one course at or above the 3000 level. At least 9 credit hours must be take while in residence at UMSL. A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required.
Natural and Physical Sciences (9 credit hours):
BIOL 1202, Environmental Biology
BIOL 1821, Introductory Biology: Organisms and the Environment
BIOL 2102, General Ecology
BIOL 3103, General Ecology Laboratory
BIOL 2501, Biology of Plants
BIOL 3122, Tropical Resource Ecology
BIOL 3202, Conservation Biology
BIOL 3203, Conservation Biology Laboratory
BIOL 3302, Introduction to Evolution
BIOL 4102, Behavioral Ecology
BIOL 4192, Applications of Geographic Information Systems
BIOL 4222, Tropical Ecology and Conservation
BIOL 4245, Field Biology
BIOL 4270, Global Climate Change
BIOL 4402, Ornithology
BIOL 4422, Entomology
BIOL 4501, Plant Families
GEOL 1002, Historical Geology
HONORS 2050, Inquires in the Natural Sciences (when topic appropriate)
HONORS 2051, Inquires in the Sciences: Laboratory or Fieldwork (when topic appropriate)
Social Sciences and Humanities (9 credit hours):
ANTHRO 1005, Introduction to Biological Anthropology
ANTHRO 3270, Human Ecology: Cultural Collapse and Sustainability
ECON 4160, Geospatial Analysis in the Social Sciences
ECON 4170, Cost-Benefit Analysis
ECON 4550, Natural Resources Economics
INTBUS 4281/INTBUS 5198, Entrepreneurship in the Global Environment
PHIL 2255, Environmental Ethics
POL SCI 3480, Environmental Politics
POL SCI 3595, Studies in Comparative Politics (when topic appropriate)
POL SCI 3850, International Organizations & Global Problem Solving (when topic appropriate)
POL SCI 3900, Special Readings (when topic appropriate)
POL SCI 4460, Urban Planning and Politics
Disaster and Risk Management Certificate
The undergraduate certificate program on Disaster and Risk Management offers a multi-disciplinary course of study focusing on the key challenge of developing resilience against disaster—preventing, preparing for, and responding to disasters and catastrophes. It brings together a range of disciplines to provide students with theoretical and practical insights into managing risks posed by natural, accidental, and intentional threats confronting urban communities. The certificate program emphasizes social psychological, organizational, legal, and political relationships brought to bear on the socio-technical systems designed to prevent, prepare for, or respond to disasters and catastrophes. It provides educational and practical opportunities for students planning careers in public safety, counterterrorism, community and research planning, public policy making, emergency management, leadership in the public sector, and the mass media. The certificate program aims to guide students in learning to manage efforts of public and private institutions to build resilience in their own socio-technical systems and in the community. Each discipline participating in the certificate program brings a distinct perspective to bear on the key issues involved in developing resilience in homeland security. Sociology offers a framework on the relationship of socio-technical systems and community organization that will prove conducive to students gaining both theoretical and practical insights into threats posed by disaster and catastrophe.
Undergraduate students earn a certificate on Disaster and Risk Management by completing 18 hours with a GPA of 2.0 or better from the following courses:
COMM 3150, Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Communication (3 hrs)
ECON 4160, Geospatial Analysis in the Social Sciences (GIS) (3 hrs)
POL SCI 3200, Constitutional Law (3 hrs)
PSYCH/GS 2232, Psychology of Victims (3 hrs) OR
SOC 3250 Sociology of Victimization (3 hrs)
SOC 4414, Social Perspectives on Catastrophes and Homeland Security Policies (3 hrs)
Special topic courses relevant to disaster and risk management may be included in the certificate program when approved in advance by the Coordinator of the Disaster and Risk Management Certificate.
Labor Studies Certificate
The Labor Studies Certificate is designed for students who are interested in a focused specialty in labor studies. The 18 credit hour curriculum consists of six credit courses offered over a three-semester period.
HIST 2219, U.S. Labor History
ECON 3900, Selected Topic in Economics
POL SCI 1450, Introduction to Labor Studies
POL SCI 3220, Labor Law
POL SCI 3430, Union Leadership and Administration
Studies in Religions Certificate
A certificate in studies in religions requires the completion of 18 hours with a grade of C or better.
Courses must be chosen from two or more departments (interdisciplinary offerings excluded), and the program must include two or more courses that focus on different major religious traditions. (Courses that fulfill this requirement are marked with an asterisk [*] in the list below.)
In addition, students are encouraged to broaden their understanding of religions and religious experience by enrolling in several courses in which these subjects are studied in philosophical or cultural contexts.
Students must obtain the approval of the coordinator of studies in religions before completing 12 hours toward this certificate.
Requirements
Students must take 18 hours chosen from the following list in accordance with the guidelines above:
Anthropology
ANTHRO 2173, Archaeology and Cultures of the Biblical World
ANTHRO 3244, Religion, Magic, and ScienceArt
*ART HS 2214, Early Christian and Byzantine Art
ART HS 2225, Medieval ArtEnglish
*ENGL 2240, Literature of the New Testament
*ENGL 2250, Literature of the Old Testament
*ENGL 4950, Special Topics in Literature
*Note: ENGL 4950 should only be taken when Religious Literature is the topic.Philosophy
PHIL 1120, Asian Philosophy
PHIL 1185, Philosophy of Religion
PHIL 3302, Medieval PhilosophyPolitical Science
POL SCI 2610, Ancient and Medieval Political Thought
POL SCI 2650, American Political Thought
Trauma Studies Certificate
The trauma studies certificate is designed for students who are interested in a focused specialty in trauma studies or victim services in addition to their own major. It is appropriate for students in the College of Arts and Sciences or any of the schools of the university. It is particularly appropriate for students wishing to pursue careers in psychology, social work, sociology, criminology, law, public health, or nursing.
Requirements
A student may earn a trauma studies certificate by completing 18 hours with a GPA of 2.0 or better from at least three departments from the following courses:
Students must complete at least 12 hours from the following group:
Criminology and Criminal Justice
CRIMIN 1120, Criminal Law
CRIMIN 4300, Communities and Crime
CRIMIN 4350, VictimologyPsychology
PSYCH 2232, Psychology of Victims
PSYCH 3295, Selected Projects in Field Placement: Helping Victims of Crime (for three credits only toward certificate).
PSYCH 3390, Directed Studies, if trauma-related topic (for three credits only toward certificate). Please seek approval of the Coordinator of the Trauma Studies Certificate in advanceSocial Work
SOC WK 3100, Introduction to Interventive Strategies for Social Work Practice
SOC WK 4601, Abused and Neglected Children
SOC WK 4602, Child Welfare Practicum SeminarSociology
SOC 3250, Sociology of Victimization
Students may count up to 6 hours from the following group toward the trauma studies certificate:
Criminology and Criminal Justice
CRIMIN 2230, Crime Prevention
CRIMIN 2240, Policing
CRIMIN 4340, Race, Crime, and Justice (same as SOC 4340)Political Science
POL SCI 2400, Public Administration
POL SCI 2420, Introduction to Public Policy
POL SCI 4940, Leadership and Management in Nonprofit Organizations (same as SOC WK 4940 and SOC 4940)Psychology
PSYCH 2160, Social Psychology (same as SOC 2160)
PSYCH 2230, Psychology of Women
PSYCH 2245, Abnormal Psychology
PSYCH 4235, Community PsychologySocial Work
SOC WK 4630, Women's Social Issues
SOC WK 4940, Leadership and Management in Nonprofit Organizations (same as POL SCI 4940 and SOC 4940)Sociology
SOC 2102, Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies
SOC 2160, Social Psychology (same as PSYCH 2160)
SOC 3268, Sociology of Conflict
SOC 4340 Race, Crime, and Justice (same as CRIMIN 4340)
SOC 4940, Leadership and Management in Nonprofit Organizations (same as POL SCI 4940 and SOC WK 4940)
Special Topics courses relevant to trauma studies may be included in the certificate when approved in advance by the coordinator of the trauma studies certificate.
Interdisciplinary Minors
Minor in American Studies
American Studies is an internationally recognized academic field that involves an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the culture(s) of the United States, its colonial antecedents, and its indigenous peoples.
Students interested in this minor should contact the coordinator of American Studies for advice and information.
Candidates must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better in the 18 credit hours required for the minor. Three hours of the minor may be taken on a satisfactory/
unsatisfactory basis. Candidates wishing to take American Studies courses from the Honors College (see below) must be members of the Honors College or must have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.
Requirements for the Minor
Completion of the American Studies minor requires at least 18 semester credit hours, including at least two courses (six hours) from Section A and at least two courses (six hours) from Section B. The other six hours may be chosen from Section A, B, and/or C. Please read the special requirements below.
A. Core courses in American Studies (all courses are three credits except where otherwise indicated).
At least two of the following core courses are required to qualify for the minor. Of this minimal requirement, one course must be chosen from either American Studies or English and the other from either History or Political Science. Students may take up to two additional courses from this group, and these may be chosen from any department or discipline.
Anthropology
ANTHRO 2120, Native Peoples of North AmericaArt and Art History
ART HS 1104, Indigenous Arts of North America
ART HS 2270, American Art to 1876
ART HS 2279, American ArchitectureEnglish
ENGL 1170, American Literary Masterpieces
ENGL 1710, Native American Literature
ENGL 2710, American Literature I
ENGL 2720, American Literature IIHistory
HIST 1001, American Civilization to 1865
HIST 1002, American Civilization 1865 to Present
HIST 1003, African-American History
HIST 1004, The History of Women in the United StatesHonors
HONORS 1230, American Traditions: Social and Behavioral Sciences
HONORS 1310, Non-Western Traditions: Humanities
HONORS 1330, Non-Western Traditions: Social Sciences
Admission to these Honors Seminars requires consent of the dean of the Honors College: note that depending on instructor and content, HONORS 1210 can fulfill the requirements from this group in literature/American Studies and HONORS 1230 can fulfill the History/Political Science requirement. HONORS 1310-1330 can qualify as additional Group A choices when their focus is on Native American traditions.Music
M H L T 1060, Introduction to African American Music
M H L T 1070, Introduction to JazzPhilosophy
PHIL 3307, American PhilosophyPolitical Science
POL SCI 1100, Introduction to American Politics
POL SCI 2300, State Politics
POL SCI 2350, Introduction to Urban Politics
POL SCI 2650, American Political Thought
POL SCI 2900, Studies in Political Science (when appropriate).
B. Optional courses in American Studies (all courses are 3 credits except where otherwise indicated).
To complete the American Studies minor, students must choose at least two courses from this group, from any department or discipline, and may choose up to four courses in this group. Courses chosen from this group must be chosen from at least two departments.
Anthropology
ANTHRO 3250, American Folklore
ANTHRO 3291, Current Issues in Anthropology (when appropriate).Art and Art History
ART HS 3360, Photography and Society
ART HS 4475, Topics in American Art
ART HS 4481, Topics in Contemporary Art (when appropriate)Communication
COMM 1050, Introduction to Mass Communication
COMM 2243, Communications in American Politics
COMM 3352, Mass Media in SocietyEconomics
ECON 2800, History of American Economic Development (same as HIST 2800)English
ENGL 3800, Topics in Women and Literature (when appropriate)
ENGL 4610, Selected Major American Writers I
ENGL 4620, Selected Major American Writers II
ENGL 4640, American Fiction to World War I
ENGL 4650, Modern American Fiction
ENGL 4930, Studies in Gender and Literature (when appropriate) (same as GS 4930)
ENGL 4950, Special Topics in Literature (when appropriate)History
HIST 2012, The Indian in American History, 1600 - 1900
HIST 2016, African-American History: From Slavery to Civil Rights
HIST 2017, African-American History: From Civil Rights to Black Power
HIST 2043, History of Crime and Justice (same as CCJ 3043)
HIST 2219, U.S. Labor History
HIST 2800, History of American Economic Development (Same as ECON 2800)
HIST 3000, Selected Topics in History (when appropriate)
HIST 3031, History of Women in the United States (same as GS 3031)
HIST 4004, Senior Seminar (5 credits: when appropriate)
HIST 4013, United States History for the Secondary Classroom
Honors College
(When topics are appropriate, any of the seminars below can qualify as an "option" course for the American Studies minor. Admission to these courses requires the consent of the dean of the Honors College.)HONORS 2010, Inquiries in the Humanities
HONORS 2020, Inquiries in the Fine and Performing Arts
HONORS 2030, Inquiries in the Social Sciences
HONORS 2070, Inquiries in Education
HONORS 3010, Advanced Seminar in the Humanities
HONORS 3020, Advanced Seminar in the Fine and Performing Arts
HONORS 3030, Advanced Seminar in the Social Sciences
HONORS 3070, Advanced Seminar in Education
HONORS 3530, Research Seminar: Social and Behavioral SciencesPhilosophy
PHIL 4410, Significant Figures in Philosophy (when appropriate)Political Science
POL SCI 2280, Judicial Politics and Policy
POL SCI 2320, African Americans and the Political System
POL SCI 2380, The Politics of Gender in the United States (same as GS 2380)
POL SCI 3200, Constitutional Law
POL SCI 3210, Civil Liberties
POL SCI 3300, The American Presidency
POL SCI 3331, Congressional Politics
POL SCI 3340, Politics and the Media
POL SCI 3350, Political Parties and Elections
POL SCI 3390, Studies in American Politics (when appropriate)
Sociology
SOC 1040, Social Problems
SOC 3268, The Sociology of Conflict
SOC 4316, Power, Ideology and Social Movements
SOC 4360, Sociology of Minority Groups (same as GS 4360)
SOC 4380, Selected Topics in Social Policy (when appropriate)
C. American Studies elective courses (courses are three credit hours unless otherwise indicated).
Up to two courses from this group may be used for the American Studies minor. When two courses are chosen form this group, they must be chosen from different departments.
Anthropology
ANTHRO 2126, Archaeology of Greater St. Louis
ANTHRO 2131, Archaeology of Missouri
ANTHRO 2132, Archaeology of North America
ANTHRO 2138, African-American ArchaeologyArt and Art History
ART HS 2281, Art Since 1960Communication
COMM 3332, Intercultural CommunicationsCriminology and Criminal Justice
CRIMIN 2240, Policing
CRIMIN 4340, Race, Crime and Justice (same as SOC 4340)English
ENGL 4060, Adolescent Literature
ENGL 4740, Poetry since World War II
ENGL 4760, Modern Drama
ENGL 4770, Modern PoetryHistory
HIST 2001, United States History: Colonial America to 1763
HIST 2003, United States History: Nationalism and Sectionalism, 1815 to 1860
HIST 2004, United States History: 1860-1900
HIST 2005, The Modernization of the United States
HIST 2006, Recent United States History
HIST 2014, American Foreign and Military Affairs, 1900-Present
HIST 2041, Topics in American Constitutional History
HIST 3031, History of Women in the United States
Media Studies
MEDIA ST 2218, Public Policy in Telecommunication
MEDIA ST 3355, Media law and RegulationPolitical Science
POL SCI 2290, Gender and the Law
POL SCI 2420, Introduction to Public Policy
POL SCI 2820, United States Foreign Policy
POL SCI 3330, Introduction to Political Behavior
POL SCI 3460, The Politics of Poverty and WelfareSocial Work
SOC WK 2200, Social Welfare as a Social Institution
SOC WK 3210, Social Issues and Social Policy DevelopmentSociology
SOC 1040, Social Problems
SOC 2180, Alcohol, Drugs and Society
SOC 3202, Urban Sociology
In addition, courses with variable topics such as Topics in…, Studies in..., and seminars may be taken when the topics are appropriate. When in doubt, see the coordinator of American Studies; such courses must be approved for inclusion in your American Studies minor before the semester registration deadline.
Minor in Classical Studies
The minor in Classical Studies is an interdisciplinary course of studies intended to encourage undergraduates in various disciplines to come to a fuller awareness of the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome and of the classical tradition that underlies much of modern Western civilization. In addition to appealing to any student’s curiosity about the early stages of society in the West, the minor provides an especially valuable supplement to those who are majoring in many liberal arts areas including history, literature, philosophy, foreign languages, and art.
Students pursuing the minor will acquire a foundation in either Greek or Latin. They may choose to use either sequence to fulfill the foreign language requirement in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Requirements
Candidates for the minor must complete 19 credit hours of course work including:
LATIN 1001
LATIN 1002 or GRK ANC 1001
GRK ANC 1002
and three courses from the following list and any other course approved by the coordinator:
ART HS 2211, Art and Archaeology of the Ancient World
ART HS 2212, Greek Art and Archaeology
ART HS 2213, Roman Art and Archaeology
ART HS 4411, Topics in Ancient Art and Archaeology
ENGL 1200, Myth
GRK ANC 2001, Intermediate Ancient Greek Language and Culture
HIST 2081, Rome: The Republic and Empire
LATIN 2101, Intermediate Latin Language and Culture
PHIL 3301, Ancient Philosophy
PHIL 4401, Plato
PHIL 4402, Aristotle
Minor in Legal Studies
The minor in Legal Studies is open to all undergraduate students at UMSL, whatever their major field. It offers a secondary field of concentration in one of the most important areas of social life. Students may use the minor as a complement to their major, as an additional qualification for career opportunities, or as general education.
This interdisciplinary minor coordinates liberal arts courses related to law. A faculty member in Legal Studies will advise students and will work with their major advisers in planning appropriate courses.
Candidates must take:
INTDSC 1200, Foundations of Law: An introduction to Legal Studies (crosslisted as POL SCI 1200 and CRIMIN 1200), and five courses from the following list. At least three courses must be taken at the 3000 level and above. No more than two courses from a single discipline may be included in the minor.
BUS AD 1900, Introduction to Personal Law
BUS AD 2900, Legal Environment of Business
BUS AD 3900, Business Law: Contracts, Sales, Secured Transactions, Bankruptcy
BUS AD 3901, Business Law: Negotiable Instruments, Business Organizations
BUS AD 3980, The Law of International Business Transactions
CRIMIN 1100, Introduction to Criminology and Criminal Justice
CRIMIN 1120, Criminal Law
CRIMIN 1130, Criminal Justice Policy
CRIMIN 2250, The Courts
CRIMIN 3345, Rights of the Offender
CRIMIN 4300, Communities and Crime
ECON 2650, Law and Economics
HIST 2041, Topics in American Constitutional History
HIST 2085, Medieval England
MEDIA ST 3355, Media Law and Regulation
PHIL 4487, Philosophy of Law (same as CCJ 4487)
POL SCI 2260, Law, Politics and Society
POL SCI 2280, Judicial Politics and Policy
POL SCI 2290, Gender and the Law
POL SCI 3200, Constitutional Law
POL SCI 3210, Civil Liberties
POL SCI 3260, The Supreme Court
POL SCI 3290, Studies in Public Law
POL SCI 4850, International Law
Minor in Public Affairs Journalism
The minor in Public Affairs Journalism provides students with an overview of media operations, including basic writing and reporting skills, as well as a specialty area of advanced study. Ordinarily the specialty or cognate area focuses on a particular field, such as consumer affairs, economics, or political science -- areas in which a journalist would specialize. Cognate areas are proposed by students seeking the minor and approved by a faculty committee.
A minimum grade point average of 2.0 is required in the minor. No more than 3 hours credit may be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. A total of 18 hours is required for the minor. At least 12 of the 18 required hours must be taken at UMSL.
Requirements
A. Nine hours in communication/English professional training:
ENGL 3140 or MEDIA ST 3214, News Writing
ENGL 3180, Reporting or MEDIA ST 2212, Broadcast Writing and Reporting
ENGL 4890, Writing Internship, or MEDIA ST 3394, 3396 or 3397, Internship
B. Nine hours in public affairs at the 3000 level or above
1.Students earning a writing certificate or majoring in communication with a mass communication emphasis must take 15 hours (at least 9 of these at the 3000 level or above) in economics, political science, or sociology.
2. Students majoring in economics, political science, or sociology must take nine hours (in addition to the required English/communication courses) at the 3000 level or above in addition to English/communication courses chosen from those listed above and/or in the two cognate areas outside their major (i.e., economics, political science, or sociology).
A list of courses applicable to the minor is available from the coordinator.
Minor in Urban Studies
A minor in urban studies includes 18 hours of course work. Candidates must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better in the minor. Courses taken on a satisfactory/ unsatisfactory basis may not be applied to the minor. Special topics courses relevant to urban studies may be included in the minor when approved in advance by the coordinator of the urban studies minor.
Requirements
Students must take:
Six courses selected from the following list, at least three courses at the 3000 level or above. No more than two courses from a single discipline may be included in the minor.
Courses Applicable to the Minor
ANTHRO 3250, American Folklore
ART HS 2279, American Architecture
ART HS 3365, The Artist and the City
CRIMIN 2230, Crime Prevention
CRIMIN 4300, Communities and Crime
ECON 3700, Urban and Regional Economics
HIST 3000, Selected Topics in History (when urban or St. Louis history)
POL SCI 2350, Introduction to Urban Politics
POL SCI 3450, Urban Administration
PSYCH 3256, Environmental Psychology
PSYCH 4235, Community Psychology
SOC 1040, Social Problems
SOC 3202, Urban Sociology
SOC 4344, Problems of Urban Community
Course Descriptions
In addition to regular departmental offerings, the College of Arts and Sciences also offers several interdisciplinary courses, listed below. These courses bring together the resources of two or more disciplines to focus on topics that benefit from being studied from the point of view of more than one discipline. In many cases faculty from several departments teach an interdisciplinary course together, giving students the opportunity to experience faculty dialogue on issues in a cross-disciplinary fashion. Most interdisciplinary courses have no prerequisites. Freshman and sophomore students are especially encouraged to take these courses.
Interdisciplinary Studies (INTDSC)
INTDSC 1000 Special Topics (3)
Topics may vary from semester to semester, however, material will be selected which will focus in the social, economic, historical or political institution of Great Britain.
INTDSC 1002 Freshman Success Seminar (1)
An introduction to technologies and knowledge required in navigating the terrain of higher education, to improve their academic performance, to help determine their strengths and goals, and to encourage them to implement strategies to enhance their personal, academic, and career success. Topics will include study skills, time management, test taking skills, library skills, career development, financial management, health issues, and diversity awareness.
INTDSC 1010 Information Research & Success (1)
Students will gain knowledge and develop critical thinking skills to succeed academically by learning to frame meaningful questions; developing an understanding of the structure and content of library and electronic information resources; evaluating information; and using library and information resources as learning tools.
INTDSC 1030 Language and Communicative Arts Across the Disciplines (3)
This course is designed to advance the academic skills of university-level students. This course consists of listening to academic lectures across the disciplines; reading texts and articles to supplement lectures; writing summaries, essays and responses to exam questions; understanding and editing grammar and sentence structure; phonetics and word stress patterns; presentation skills; and advancing skills in note-taking, critical thinking, and comprehension of advanced college-level vocabulary of various fields of study.
INTDSC 1600 Monday Noon Cultural Seminar (2)
An interdisciplinary examination of topics in the Humanities. Students will attend the Monday Noon Cultural Series program of the Center for the Humanities each week and meet as a group to explore the nature and background of each presentation, e.g., fiction reading, musical event, presentation of scholarly research in the arts or culture, or social and historical analysis.
INTDSC 1990 The City (3) [MI, V, SS]
Same as SOC 1999 and POL SCI 1990. An interdisciplinary course. Consideration of economic factors, urban institutions, historical developments in urbanization, problems of the inner city, suburbia and the metropolitan area, ethnic groups, stratification, and Psychological implications of urban living. This course is primarily for freshmen and sophomores. It is open to juniors and seniors with the instructor's permission.
INTDSC 1999 Big History: From the Big Bang to the Blackberry (9) [C,SS,H]
An introduction to the humanities, social science, and science disciplines through a sweeping overview of natural and human history from the Big Bang to the present. Courses will include lectures from faculty in various Arts and Sciences units, films, field trips and group discussions.
INTDSC 2170 Aging in America: Concepts and Controversies (3)
Same as SOC 2170, SOC WK 2170, and GERON 2170. This course examines the major theoretical and service issues connected to the study of older adults and their families, using multidisciplinary perspectives. Students are provided with an introduction to the field of aging through an examination of current social issues and controversies. This course emphasizes student involvement through class discussion, and is appropriate for students in the arts and sciences, business, communication, education, and nursing.