SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES

Ken Proctor, Dean
Olufunke A. Fontenot, Associate Dean

INTRODUCTION

The School of Liberal Arts and Sciences houses ten academic departments and programs encompassing some thirty-five disciplines. Students who choose to major in one of the Liberal Arts and Sciences disciplines receive a broad-based education as well as in-depth knowledge and skills in particular disciplines. Whether they go on to professional school, graduate school, or directly into employment, Liberal Arts and Sciences graduates are ideally suited for our rapidly changing world. The fundamental mission of the School is to promote critical reflection and the advancement of knowledge.

The College of Arts and Sciences houses two separate but closely related Schools: the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the John H. Lounsbury School of Education. This unique partnership of programs in the liberal arts and educator preparation underscores Georgia College & State University's historical commitment to both disciplines.

The School of Liberal Arts and Sciences plays a pivotal role at GCSU. The arts, sciences, humanities, and social sciences are at the heart of every liberal arts graduate's education. The School of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers a strong interdisciplinary core curriculum and rigorous degree programs that help students develop the knowledge and skills that will last a lifetime. The faculty in Liberal Arts set high standards for themselves and for students and are deeply committed to helping students achieve excellence in their academic endeavors. Liberal Arts and Sciences faculty and students recognize that a liberal arts education liberates minds and prepares future leaders. The faculty are actively engaged in their disciplines and are dedicated to challenging students and fostering excellence in the classroom and beyond. Faculty in the School of Arts and Sciences are distinguised scholars and teachers in their fields. Students have numerous opportunities to participate in faculty research and other scholarly activities. Critical and creative thinking, communication, and analytical skills are common threads throughout the curriculum. Liberal arts students are exposed to a wide range of ideas, both popular and unpopular. Civil discourse is required of everyone and is framed around knowledge of and respect for cultural and ethnic differences and commonalities.

An important part of a liberal arts education is the opportunity to develop skills learned in the classroom by applying them to real-world situations. Students at GCSU are able to participate in internships, research projects, and practica to further sharpen their expertise in the subject matter of various courses and degree programs. There are also valuable opportunities for international study and exchanges that allow students to broaden their understanding of the world and of themselves.

SCIENCE EDUCATION CENTER

In an era where the public is required daily to make scientific decisions, the ability to construct and communicate reasoned scientific arguments is of grave importance. The Science Education Center at Georgia College provides opportunities to develop and explore these constructs by offering strong liberal arts programs that examine the role of science in life, in education, and to the economy. In so doing, the Center complements the University's mission to promote "lifelong curiosity" and "civic and global responsibility" through the exploration of the natural and physical sciences. At the same time, the Center provides visibility on the critical shortage of science teachers in schools and provides educational support for Georgia's P16 and future teachers that meet national and state certification requirements. The Center also strives to increase the number of students qualified to pursue careers in science by making them aware of the essential steps necessary to open the doors to many career options. Similarly, the Center offers significant opportunities for GCSU students to act in capacities that strengthen their science education and encourage civic engagement and responsibilities. The Science Education Center nurtures the discovery and synthesis of scientific knowledge through professional development opportunities, course curricula, research, workshops, camps, scientific competitions, partnerships and educational activities at the local, statewide and national levels. Dedicated to excellence in science teaching and learning, the Center serves to cultivate a community of science that promotes the intellectual possibilities of students, educators, researchers and the community at large.

(The Science Education Center is funded primarily through the Science Education Endowment at GCSU through generous donations by the kaolin industries)

THE CENTER FOR GEORGIA STUDIES

Formally recognized by the University System Board of Regents in 1998, the Center for Georgia Studies was created to explore all aspects of Georgia. Employing a multi-disciplinary approach that is designed to bridge the gap that so commonly divides fields of knowledge, the Center encourages the study of material and intellectual culture, the built environment, and the physical environment. It embraces the professional and creative perspectives of literary scholars, musicologists, political scientists, historians, folklorists, artists, media experts, anthropologists, sociologists, and geographers to explore fully all the dimensions of the state of Georgia.

The Center offers students, educators, researchers, and the local and statewide community opportunities to examine various aspects of Georgia culture and history through public conferences and symposia, educational activities, course curricula, publications, and research.

Some of the topics and areas of interest that the Center covers are: geography, race relations, the natural and built environment, popular culture, politics, all time periods of the state's history, Georgia literature, religion, multi-culturalism, urbanization, Native American tribes, music, folk traditions, the arts, agriculture, education, social issues, rural issues, economics, governmental issues, and world issues as they relate to the state and its people.

For more information on programs in each School, please refer to their pages in this Catalog.