Academic Programs

Major Fields of Concentration

A major field of concentration normally consists of not more than 36 semester hours with a maximum of 24 semester hours of cognate courses, exclusive of any  departmental requirements that also satisfy Integrative Liberal Studies requirements. Regulations regarding declaration of the major are listed below; the requirements for each major are found in the alphabetical listing of Courses of Instruction, as are the descriptions of all courses.

A student may major in more than one subject by completing the requirements of each major. A currently enrolled student who has completed the requirements for a double major will receive one degree, according to which major the student considers to be his or her primary field. Double majors will be noted on transcripts. A student wishing two baccalaureate degrees must earn the second degree pursuant to the requirements described in the Second Baccalaureate Degree section of this catalog.

Baccalaureate Degree

The University of North Carolina at Asheville offers a four-year undergraduate program leading to Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. A student may choose a major field of concentration from the following areas:

Courses in Education leading to teacher licensure are also available. In addition, the university offers a range of specialized programs and educational opportunities, including joint degree programs offered cooperatively with other universities, summer instruction and studies abroad. Details about these programs follow the descriptions of undergraduate degree programs.

Declaration of Major

Students may declare majors at any time that they have reached a decision and prerequisites are met. However, after earning 60 semester hours, students are required to declare a major by registering with the chair of the chosen department. The department chair gives written notice to the Office of the Registrar and assigns the student an advisor within the department. Students proceed according to the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of their formal declaration, although prior work in major fields is not invalidated. Before declaring a major, students must satisfy the LANG 120 requirement. If changing majors or concentrations within a major, students must meet any new requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of the change, subject to such exceptions in favor of the earlier catalog as the chair of the major department and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs may approve. Only enrolled degree-seeking students and post-baccalaureate students seeking a certificate of major may declare majors.

Optional Minor Fields of Concentration

In addition to the major field of study, a student may choose to complete one or more minor fields of concentration. A minor that is awarded by an academic department shall require at least 18 semester hours from the minor discipline, as indicated by the course prefix. Departmental minors may also require cognate courses. Minors awarded by programs not associated with an academic  department shall also require at least 18 semester hours, but need not require a minimum number of hours from a single department. All minors require a minimum C (2.0) average on all work attempted at UNC Asheville. One-half of the hours required for a minor must be completed at UNC Asheville. All minors require that a minimum of 6 semester hours of 300-400 level courses be completed at UNC Asheville. Minor fields of concentration will be recorded along with majors on the student’s permanent transcript. Minors are available in the fields listed below: 

Declaration of Optional Minor

Students eligible to declare majors may also declare minors in those subjects where minors have been established. Students declare minors by registering with the chair of the chosen department. The department chair gives written notice to the Office of the Registrar. Students proceed according to the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of their formal declaration, although prior work in the minor field is not invalidated. Students are responsible for knowing their minor requirements and for completing them; minor requirements are not listed on graduation check sheets. Minors must be officially declared before the deadline for applying for graduation.

Requirements for the Baccalaureate Degree

Students receiving a baccalaureate degree must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 120 semester hours of credit. Some majors require more credit hours for graduation, and this is indicated in their program descriptions. The requirements for the degree are distributed within four primary areas—major field of study, cognate courses, electives and Integrative Liberal Studies. Some courses may satisfy requirements in more than one area, and some requirements may be satisfied by a proficiency examination. Therefore, the numbers listed below for the ILS Program are an estimate only; the exact number of credits in the ILS Program will depend upon the student’s interest in terms of the major field of study and the electives.

Major Field of Study, Cognate Courses, Electives

The hours required for these will vary depending on chosen major, and concentration or emphasis area within the major. Please see Graduation in the Academic Policies and Procedures  section of the catalog for additional requirements and information.

Integrative Liberal Studies Program

**Intensive courses offer curricular emphases in skills and content areas as a way for students to integrate their Liberal Studies education with other offerings in their academic experience. Students may take courses designated as Intensives within the Integrative Liberal Studies Program, in their majors, or among their electives. These courses do not necessarily add credit hours, but need to be fulfilled for graduation.

The Integrative Liberal Studies (ILS) Program is grounded in the principle that a liberating education—one that emphasizes humane values and promotes the free and rigorous pursuit of truth—creates good citizens, individuals who assume responsibility for their thoughts and actions and their impact on the world. Their personal development is inextricably linked to the contributions they make to their scholarly, social and political communities. To be good citizens, people must be able to think critically and to communicate their ideas effectively. In serving UNC Asheville’s liberal arts mission, the ILS Program works alongside the majors to help people develop and improve these skills by immersing them in an interdisciplinary community of mutually supportive scholars.

At UNC Asheville, primary responsibility for developing the ideas and methodologies to communicate within a disciplinary community lies with the major department. The purpose of the ILS Program is to provide a broader context for the discipline. An integrated and liberal education offers exposure to the ideas essential for students to understand how their work in the major is part of a larger range of human concerns. With these ideas, people can make connections across the liberal arts. An integrative liberal education helps specialists learn to communicate with people in different scholarly communities and enables them to understand problems outside their areas of study. By promoting the integration, synthesis and application of knowledge, the ILS Program provides individuals with an awareness of their role in a diverse culture and highlights their responsibilities to the larger community.

At the heart of the ILS Program, then, lies the philosophical conviction that liberal arts students should experience how the disciplines investigate, understand and construct bodies of knowledge differently, through a range of concepts and methods. A liberal arts education exposes the student to the ways that individual disciplines approach those topics, problems and issues that inform the human condition. Such an education creates opportunities for students to experience many points of contact and divergence across the curriculum.

Increasingly, information is acquired and knowledge is constructed across subject-area boundaries, rather than within them. This becomes especially clear when we reflect on how real world issues are shaped by complex natural, social, economic, technological and cultural systems. Building on UNC Asheville’s general education tradition, the ILS Program—particularly by incorporating Integrative Topical Clusters and Liberal Studies Intensives—seeks to join traditional liberal arts study in the Humanities, Natural Sciences and the Social Sciences to these contemporary realities through an integrative and interdisciplinary curricular structure. The Core Cluster in the Humanities gives students a historical and intellectual foundation for evaluating truth claims and critiquing knowledge elsewhere in the curriculum.

This approach to general education maximizes student choice while directing attention more explicitly to the differences and similarities between the disciplines and how they do their work. Through its topical focus, the curriculum connects liberal arts methodology and pedagogy to a rapidly changing world. By taking their courses in Integrative Topical Clusters, students have experiences that are truly cross- and inter-disciplinary. Students are exposed broadly to the fundamental concepts, terminology, and practice of disciplines through exploring a topic, problem or issue in greater detail.

The integrative features of this curriculum call greater attention to foundational skills and methods that students ought to master in a liberal arts education. Students will continue to take courses in mathematics, writing and critical thinking, laboratory science, foreign language, and health and fitness. Liberal Studies Intensives—in Writing, Diversity, Quantitative Reasoning, and Information Literacy—will deepen and enrich students’ liberal arts education by integrating these skills and content areas into other coursework across the curriculum. These opportunities are enhanced by the ways in which the integrative character of the program structure allows general education courses to inform the major and, in turn, the manner in which the major links back into the ILS curriculum. The ILS Program thus removes barriers between general education, courses in the major and free electives by allowing courses to be used for multiple purposes.

Liberal Studies Colloquia

The ILS Program has two colloquium courses: a 3-hour introductory colloquium and a 4-hour senior capstone colloquium. The Liberal Studies Introductory Colloquium (LS 179  or 379 ) is taken at the beginning of a student’s education at UNC Asheville, and the Liberal Studies Senior Colloquium (LS 479 ) is taken at the end. Liberal Studies colloquium courses will ordinarily carry the prefixes of the departments out of which they are taught, but may not be used to fulfill major or minor requirements. Courses taken at other institutions cannot be used to satisfy these requirements.

Liberal Studies Introductory Colloquium (3 semester hours)

The Liberal Studies Introductory Colloquia, LS 179 and LS 379, introduce students to education in a liberal arts environment. The courses use a topical focus to assist students in making the transition to UNC Asheville. LS 179, a Writing Intensive course, is a required course designed for all incoming freshmen and first‐year students with less than 25 hours of college credit. LS 379 is an optional course designed for transfer students. Students who choose to take LS 379 will receive credit for both a Writing Intensive and an Information Literacy Intensive.

Both courses will integrate information and intellectual approaches from different disciplines, directly addressing the nature of liberal studies. To introduce students to opportunities specific to our campus, the students will be encouraged to see the campus within the civic community and the academic community, understanding how it has the possibility to affect each. They can explore the responsibilities of the liberally educated through Service Learning and the opportunities for active learning available through the Undergraduate Research experience. They should have an opportunity to experience cultural events and special opportunities offered by the campus.

To facilitate the first‐year college student’s transition to UNC Asheville, LS 179 will address topics that are important to a “first year experience,” including time and money management, health, proper use of college resources, academic advising, and an appreciation of the rhythms of the academic year. The optional LS 379 will address issues of relevance to transfer students entering a new four‐year institution.

Freshmen and first‐year students must successfully complete LS 179 within their first two semesters at UNC Asheville. Students who fail to successfully complete the course in their first semester will be limited to 14 or fewer credit hours, which must include LS 179, in their second semester. Students who do not successfully complete LS 179 in their first two semesters of enrollment will not be allowed to continue in a full time status at the University until this requirement has been satisfied. If LS 179 is not satisfied in the first two semesters of enrollment, the student will be allowed to register only for LS 179 until the requirement is successfully completed. All other courses for which the student has registered will be administratively dropped. Less than full‐time status may impact the student’s eligibility for financial aid, housing, veteran’s benefits, intercollegiate athletics, and progress toward graduation.

Students may receive credit for only one section of LS 179/379. If a student does not receive a grade of C or better in LS 179 or 379, he or she may replace that grade with a grade earned by taking another section at the same level, regardless of prefix.

Liberal Studies Senior Colloquium (4 semester hours)

The Liberal Studies Senior Colloquium, LS 479 , is also topical and is intended to be taken in a student’s final semester at UNC Asheville. It will incorporate content and insights from both the ILS Program and each student’s major and elective courses. In this way, it attempts to provide a capstone liberal studies experience in which students will be able to integrate the knowledge they have acquired through their major with the wider perspectives provided in their general education. Students will also be required to complete a self-directed project that demonstrates this level of integration. LS 479 cannot be taken in the student’s major department.

As a capstone course, the issue(s) explored in the class will be related to the concepts the students have been absorbing in the ILS Program, including Humanities courses, Arts courses, LS Introductory Colloquia and the Topical Clusters. A portion of every LS 479 course will have common content, devoted to important issues arising since 1945, and each section will have a topical focus. These topics will allow for consideration of issues of contemporary relevance from multiple disciplinary perspectives. Students from a variety of disciplines will be challenged to consider how their discipline has given them insight into the issue(s) and how the insights of other students in the class are affected by the approach they have learned through their particular discipline.

The student project will demonstrate the student’s ability to integrate material from his or her entire undergraduate experience, including both the major and the ILS Program. It should demonstrate that students are able to accomplish integrative, self-directed, active learning, and to communicate their ideas to a generalist audience. Students may use an idea originally encountered in another class, but they must approach the idea from an integrative perspective. Student projects must be approved in advance by the instructor and may include undergraduate research, research done specifically for the colloquium, service learning or an artistic production. The senior colloquium cannot be used to fulfill Intensive requirements.

Students may choose to take HUM 414 , The Individual in the Contemporary World, in lieu of LS 479 , but cannot receive credit for both courses.

ILS Core Cluster in Humanities (12 semester hours)

Students are required to complete HUM 124 , HUM 214 , and HUM 324  as a cluster of courses on the intellectual and cultural history of human civilization, including both Western and non-Western cultures. These courses consider subject matter from all of the liberal arts, especially history, literature, and philosophy, but also religion, natural science, social science and fine arts. The courses must be taken sequentially, ordinarily beginning in the spring semester of the freshman year and continuing through the junior year.

ILS Topical Cluster (9 semester hours)

Students are required to complete a Topical Cluster of at least three courses, totaling 9 credit hours or more, from a set of courses that investigates a topic from the perspective of multiple disciplines and divisions. Within a Topical Cluster no more than three of the 9 credit hours that a student applies toward the Topical Cluster requirement may have the same course prefix. Of these three or more courses, one must be designated as ILSS (ILS Social Science) and one as ILSN (ILS Natural Science), defined below. While Laboratory Natural Science courses may appear in an ILS Topical Cluster, a student may not use the same class to fulfill both the Laboratory Natural Science and the ILS Topical Cluster requirement. An ILS Arts course may be taken within the Topical Cluster, but it is not required. Students are invited to take more than the required 9 hours. If students choose to do so, they may take additional courses from any listed in the Topical Cluster.

A list of available clusters and designated courses/sections appropriate for the clusters will be posted at the ILS Web site. Students are responsible for ensuring that they choose the correct section of a course. When the cluster has been completed, students must fill out a Cluster Declaration Form and submit it to the Office of the Registrar. Neither Colloquia nor ILS Humanities courses may be used for required cluster courses, although HUM courses may appear within a cluster. Courses fulfilling major requirements may appear as part of a cluster if they meet the appropriate guidelines.

ILS Social Science

ILSS courses will be devoted to either the implications of social institutions or the methods and world views of the social sciences. Most ILSS courses will be offered in the social sciences. However, other departments may offer courses that receive an ILSS designation. ILSS courses will be at least 3 credit hours.

ILS Natural Science

ILSN courses will be devoted to either the perspective of the natural sciences or an investigation of the implications of scientific knowledge or scientific methodology. ILSN courses will have a natural science prefix (ASTR, ATMS, BIOL, CHEM, ENVR, PHYS) and must be at least 3 credit hours.

ILS Arts Courses (3 semester hours, may be taken as part of the Topical Cluster)

Students must complete a 3-hour intellectual engagement with the arts that includes consideration of the significance of the arts in human experience, the cultural context of creative composition and performance, the foundations of aesthetic values, and the communicative function of the arts. This requirement may be fulfilled in one of four ways:

1. ARTS 310 , Arts and Ideas.
2. One course from ARTS 322 , Arts of the Ancient World; ARTS 323 , Arts of the Medieval and Renaissance World; or ARTS 324 , Arts of the Modern World. These 3-hour courses are linked to HUM 124 , HUM 214 , and HUM 324 , respectively, which are co- or prerequisites for the appropriate Arts course.
3. A 3-hour course designated as an ILSA course which can be taken as a component of a Topical Cluster. See the Integrative Liberal Studies Web site for a list of ILSA courses and their corresponding Topical Clusters.
4. Three credit hours of studio/workshop courses designated as ILSA. See the ILS Program Web site for a list of ILSA studio/workshop courses.

ILSA courses taken as part of a Topical Cluster will consider not only the particular subject matter of the Topical Cluster and the topic of the course, but also the broader human context of the arts. Likewise, ILSA studio/workshop courses will do more than teach about the process of artistic production and performance. ILSA courses will consider such issues as communication through the arts, aesthetic values, the political, cultural and historical context of the arts, and/or the role of the audience in the arts.

Learning Foundations

Foundations of Academic Writing (4 semester hours)

The writing component of the ILS Program consists of LANG 120 , Foundations of Academic Writing, and three Writing Intensive courses (see the ILS Intensives for more details about Writing Intensive requirements). In LANG 120 , students will develop their academic writing skills. The course emphasizes writing as a tool of discovery and analysis; practice in active, critical reading; and attention to audience, purpose and structure. It also introduces students to writing conventions of various discourse communities and serves as an Information Literacy Intensive course.

Proficiency in Writing. A grade of C- or better in LANG 120  is necessary to demonstrate proficiency for the requirement. Students who fail to demonstrate proficiency in LANG 120  must repeat it.

Foreign Language (0-8 semester hours)

Students must fulfill the foreign language requirement by demonstrating competence through the first-year level or above. This can be done either through a placement exam or through completion of the appropriate level course work. Students who wish to use French, German, Spanish or Latin to fulfill their foreign language requirement, and who have had previous exposure to their chosen language, should take a foreign language placement exam during their first year at UNC Asheville. Placement exams are given during new student orientations and during preregistration in the fall and spring.

Foreign Language Courses

Courses numbered 110, 120 and 130 in the modern foreign languages will combine intensive conversational study of the language with the study of its associated culture. Courses in Greek, Latin and Hebrew will emphasize reading comprehension of the language in combination with a study of the associated culture.

Health and Wellness (2 semester hours)

Students will be required to complete at least two credit hours chosen from HWP 152 - Health and Fitness ; HWP 153 - Health Promotion and Wellness ; HWP 154 - Women’s Health ; HWP 155 - Men’s Health ; or EDUC 319 - Teaching of Health and Physical Education in the Elementary School, K–6 . In these classes, students will be exposed to the role of exercise, nutrition, lifestyle choices, stress management, and substance abuse in the promotion of health and wellness. They will also assess their own lifestyle and health and consider changes that would contribute to improvements in personal health and wellness. Students should complete this requirement before their junior year.

Students cannot receive credit for HWP 152  if taken simultaneously with, or subsequent to, HWP 153  or HWP 154  or HWP 155 . Students with credit for HF 120 cannot receive credit for HWP 152 .

Laboratory Natural Science (4 semester hours)

Since understanding the methods of science is critical to evaluating its quality and value, students are required to take at least 4 semester hours of a lecture/laboratory course or a two-course combination in the natural sciences that includes a laboratory. The course(s) must be taken outside the student’s major department. While Laboratory Natural Science courses may appear in an ILS Topical Cluster, a student may not use the same class to fulfill both the Laboratory Natural Science and the ILS Topical Cluster requirement.

Mathematics (4 semester hours)

Students must complete a 4-hour course or sequence of courses with a MATH or STAT prefix. Mathematics is valued as one of the cornerstones of liberal education because of its inherent beauty and elegance as well as its utility. The study of mathematics also facilitates the development of the critical and analytical thinking processes central to a liberal education. Students will develop analytical thinking abilities, modeling and problem-solving skills, and an understanding of both symbolic and graphical representations of quantitative concepts. The course a student takes to fulfill the mathematics requirement cannot be used to satisfy the Quantitative Intensive requirement.

Intensive courses emphasize skills and content as a way for students to deepen their Liberal Studies education and integrate it with other offerings in their academic experience. Students may take courses designated as Intensives within the Integrative Liberal Studies Program, in their majors, or among electives.

Writing Intensives

Students will be required to take three Writing Intensive courses in addition to the Foundations of Academic Writing (LANG 120 ) requirement. One of these three courses, LS 179 , is taken by incoming freshmen and first‐year students with less than 25 hours of college credit. LS 379 , the optional introductory colloquium for transfer students, is also designated as Writing Intensive. The other two courses may be taken within the ILS Program, in the major, or among electives.

By integrating writing more intentionally with content areas, Writing Intensive courses offer students ways to deepen their education in writing and critical thinking and to integrate it with other offerings in their academic experience. This type of education also promotes linkages across the curriculum, especially Writing Intensive courses taken within the major. Instructors in Writing Intensive courses provide instruction in writing appropriate to the discipline or subject area in which course material is encountered. Instructors also offer feedback to students on writing assignments and often incorporate such pedagogies as peer editing, whole-class critique, guided revision, conferences and workshops to assist students in improving their writing. Writing Intensive courses encourage students to continue to develop their writing skills throughout their academic program rather than only focusing on writing in a composition class taken during their first year.

These courses need not add credit hours, but must be fulfilled for graduation.

Diversity Intensives

Students will be required to take one Diversity Intensive course of 3 semester hours or more within the ILS Program, in the major or among electives.

Successful engagement with others in a multicultural and pluralistic society requires an understanding of how social forces shape our sense of identity as individuals and as part of a culture. In order to acquire this understanding, students must go beyond exposure to the perspectives of others to a consideration of the ways in which social institutions impact identity formation. By promoting this understanding, Diversity Intensive courses do not merely consider the experience of the “Other”; nor are they merely about inclusivity. Diversity Intensive courses examine sexism, racism, or other related ideologies and institutions of oppression/discrimination. Diversity Intensive courses explore the social construction of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual identities, class or other identity formations. These courses explore how identity relates to power; they will offer a critique of identity issues appropriate to the disciplines in which this content is studied. Diversity Intensive courses incorporate materials produced by people of color, women or members of other groups, as appropriate to the course content. Even more important, they also incorporate materials and pedagogies aimed at examining multiple perspectives and ideologies, as appropriate to the course content. Diversity Intensive courses may also incorporate innovative teaching approaches aimed at addressing the needs of students from diverse backgrounds. Diversity Intensive courses offer opportunities for students and faculty to examine their own experiences and values, alongside those of others.

This course need not add credit hours, but must be fulfilled for graduation.

Information Literacy Intensives

Students will be required to take two Information Literacy Intensive courses. Ordinarily, students will complete their first Information Literacy Intensive course in LANG 120 . LS 379 , the optional introductory colloquium for transfer students, is also designated as Information Literacy Intensive. Information Literacy Intensive courses may be taken within the ILS Program, in the major, or among electives.

When completed as part of LANG 120  or LS 379 , Information Literacy Intensive courses will require assignments, course work or tutorials that make extensive use of information sources. At least one assignment will require students to find, evaluate, cite and use information presented in diverse formats from multiple sources and to integrate this information effectively within the assignment. Sources include books, scholarly journals and authoritative Web sites. Instructors will introduce issues of plagiarism and academic integrity in order to foster evaluative critical thinking skills. Students will demonstrate the ability to select and evaluate relevant information using tools most appropriate for course-related information needs.

Information Literacy Intensive experiences in other courses will require assignments, course work or tutorials on finding information using advanced, discipline-specific research methods and resources (both print and electronic). At least one assignment will be a significant discipline-specific research project that requires students to find, evaluate, cite and use information presented in diverse formats from multiple sources, and to integrate this information within a single product (whether textual, visual or digital). Students will be introduced to the complexities and vagaries of the literature of the discipline. Students will be expected to demonstrate familiarity with the core information resources within the discipline and, using critical thinking skills and techniques for assessing information sources, develop appropriate research strategies. How the research strategies used in the discipline relate to those of other disciplines will also be considered, along with issues of copyright, intellectual property and the ethical use of information.

These courses need not add credit hours, but must be fulfilled for graduation.

Quantitative Intensives

In addition to the Mathematics requirement, students will be required to take one Quantitative Intensive course of 3 semester hours or more. This course may be taken within the ILS Program, in the major or among electives. The course a student takes to fulfill the mathematics requirement cannot be used to satisfy the Quantitative Intensive requirement.

Quantitative Intensive courses provide students with experience in using mathematics critically in a content area. These courses assist students in developing skills such as numeracy and the abilities to estimate and understand quantities; to interpret and critically analyze graphs and other symbolic representations of quantities; to complete computations as needed for specific purposes; and/or to recognize inaccurate results in specific critical contexts.

This course need not add credit hours, but must be fulfilled for graduation.

Post-Baccalaureate Study

Those who hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution have three options for further credentials from UNCA:

1. Second Baccalaureate Degree

This student is considered a transfer student, even if the initial degree was earned at UNC Asheville, and must meet all the conditions of transfer students, with the additional stipulation that at least two-thirds of the courses required in the major department must be taken at UNC Asheville. Approval of the proposed program must be given by the department chair. A bachelor’s degree is awarded. Students with a B.A. from UNC Asheville may not earn a second B.A. from the university, but may earn a B.S. or complete requirements for a second major. Students with a B.S. from UNC Asheville may not earn a second B.S. from UNC Asheville, but may earn a B.A. or complete requirements for a second major.

2. Post-Baccalaureate Major

The university grants a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate of Major to those who have already received a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution other than UNC Asheville. The certificate is awarded for work done in a major program different from that for which the baccalaureate degree was awarded. Students enrolling for this certificate must complete all the requirements for a major at UNC Asheville, including prerequisites, correlate courses, the demonstration of competency required for the major, and a foreign language (if a specific language is required for the major). Normally, a minimum of 30 semester hours is required for this certificate. These hours must be earned after the initial baccalaureate degree is awarded. Additionally, at least two-thirds of the courses required in the major department must be taken at UNC Asheville. Students must officially declare the major, and approval of the proposed program must be given by the department chair. In order to have the Certificate of Major recorded on the transcript, students must notify the Registrar when the last required course is in progress.

3. Master of Liberal Arts Degree

The Master of Liberal Arts degree is a broad interdisciplinary, liberal studies program at the graduate level. It focuses on the theme The Human Condition, exploring human nature, human values and the quality of human life. This degree program is designed for college-educated adults seeking intellectual stimulation and personal growth. See Master of Liberal Arts  for a full description of the program and application procedures.

The University of North Carolina at Asheville offers a number of specialized degree opportunities to provide more flexible academic routes for its students. Among these are special pre-professional programs in preparation for professional study in law, medicine and dentistry; joint programs with other universities leading to degrees in specialized fields; and independent degree programs.

Pre-Professional Programs

The university provides special advising and individual programs for students who are preparing for entry into medical, dental, veterinary or law schools.

Health Professions.UNC Asheville emphasizes a strong liberal arts curriculum as the best preparation for medical, dental, veterinary and pharmacy programs. Accordingly, students interested in these fields major in a wide range of academic disciplines at UNC Asheville, and our graduates have gained admission to some of the best professional schools in the nation. Advisors in the Pre-Health Professions program encourage and support students through a variety of pre-health professions experiences.

Pre-Law Program. UNC Asheville believes the best preparation for law school consists of developing a quality grade-point average within a solid academic curriculum rather than majoring in “pre-law.” Accordingly, undergraduates interested in the law have majored in a wide range of disciplines at the university and have gained acceptance to law schools throughout the nation.

Students interested in one of the pre-professional programs should consult the Advising and Learning Support Center for referral to the appropriate campus advisor. Model programs are available, and students should avail themselves of such aid as early as possible in their studies.

Joint Programs

The following programs allow students to combine work at the University of North Carolina at Asheville with work at other universities, leading to degrees in majors otherwise unavailable. For more information, contact the offices listed.

Joint Bachelor of Science in Engineering Degree with a Concentration in Mechatronics from North Carolina State University and UNC Asheville

The University of North Carolina at Asheville and North Carolina State University offer a joint Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree with a concentration in Mechatronics. The Mechatronics degree is offered entirely on the UNC Asheville campus. Mechatronics is a unique, multidisciplinary field of study which integrates electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer and control engineering and information technology. Mechatronics incorporates a contemporary engineering design methodology which involves integrating microelectronics and information technologies into mechanical and electromechanical systems.

The joint degree program gives students the benefits of a strong foundation in the liberal arts combined with rigorous studies in engineering disciplines and allows students to complete an engineering degree while living and working in the Asheville area. It is designed to be accessible to students employed in local industries as well as to traditional students. Prospective students should apply to UNC Asheville through the UNC Asheville Admissions Office. Currently enrolled students can obtain information through the Engineering Programs Office in Robinson Hall at UNC Asheville.

Bachelor of Science in Engineering Degree in 14 Program Areas through North Carolina State University

The University of North Carolina at Asheville and North Carolina State University also offer a Two-Plus-Two Engineering Program leading to a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree in one of 14 areas listed below. Students complete approximately one half of the NCSU BS degree requirements while attending UNC Asheville, and then transfer to NCSU. Many NCSU engineering courses are available at UNC Asheville via distance education through the North Carolina State University Engineering Programs Office in Robinson Hall. The Two-Plus-Two Engineering Program includes the following curricula:

Aerospace Engineering
Civil Engineering
Computer Engineering
Construction Engineering and Management
Electrical Engineering
Environmental Engineering
Industrial Engineering
Mechanical Engineering

The following curricula are also supported, but must be completed on a 1 1/2 + 2 1/2 schedule:

Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Materials Engineering
Nuclear Engineering
Textile Engineering

Joint Program with North Carolina State University in Chemistry and Textile Chemistry

The University of North Carolina at Asheville and the Department of Textile Chemistry, School of Textiles, North Carolina State University, have arranged a program that allows students to take three years with a concentration in chemistry at UNC Asheville and one year in textiles and textile chemistry at North Carolina State University. Satisfactory completion of the program will enable students to earn simultaneously a B.S. in Textile Chemistry from North Carolina State University at Raleigh and a B.A. in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Asheville.

Project Ahead

The University of North Carolina at Asheville has joined with the U.S. Armed Services in a cooperative program to assist young men and women in obtaining a college degree. High school graduates or holders of a GED certificate enlisting in the U.S. Armed Services may at the same time apply and be considered for admission to UNC Asheville.

The cooperative program has built-in financial advantages; the participant draws salary and receives tuition assistance benefits (the Army pays 75 percent of the tuition costs for college courses taken while on active duty). Upon the completion of active duty, the GI Bill of Rights provides participants financial support for up to 36 months of full-time study. Those interested in Project Ahead—including U.S. Armed Services personnel now on active duty, who are also eligible—should contact the Office of Admissions for additional information.

University Honors Program

The University Honors Program is an enrichment program for bright, eager and active students. Students formally admitted to the Honors Program are eligible to enroll in special sections of Integrative Liberal Studies and Honors courses including Freshman Introductory Colloquia and Special Topics courses taught at all undergraduate levels. The Honors Program sponsors co-curricular activities including special speakers, films, trips, cultural events and socials. Students are invited to meet with distinguished campus guests. Honors students are expected to be active members of the program, involving themselves in the co-curricular activities including service learning as well as social gatherings, and to maintain outstanding grades.

Academic Support Services

Career Center

The Career Center, located in 259 Highsmith Union, provides students and alumni with comprehensive guidance and services for their lifelong career development. Professional staff is available to assist with career-related concerns including choice of a major, career assessment, obtaining occupational information, developing a resume, honing interviewing skills and determining internships, graduate school, and job-searching strategies. The Career Center coordinates the campus Student Employment Program, on-campus job fairs and information sessions with employers, and maintains a website (http://career.unca.edu/) with career-related information and job and internship listings. Additional career and graduate school resources are housed in the Career Center’s library.

Disability Services

UNC Asheville complies with laws designed to protect the rights of persons with disabilities, including The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as amended in 2008, and Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. UNC Asheville focuses on the student as an individual and works to ensure equal access to opportunity, full integration into the campus environment, access to auxiliary aids and services, and the provision of reasonable accommodations to qualifying students. Accommodations are designed and developed based on individual needs, and students may use any of the appropriate services at no charge. Academic and personal supports are available to students with and without disabilities including writing, math and subject-specific tutoring, self advocacy training, health services and counseling as well as other services. A visit to the campus before acceptance or matriculation is highly recommended. For additional information, please visit the Disability Services website at http://disabilityservices.unca.edu. 

Parsons Mathematics Lab

The Parsons Mathematics Lab is an extra-help tutoring service available to all UNC Asheville students without charge. The lab is specifically designed to provide assistance with 100-level courses. Assistance with upper-level courses is provided when possible. The Parsons Mathematics Lab is a drop-in service, so no appointment is necessary. Hours are extensive and are posted each semester.

University Writing Center

The University Writing Center (UWC) provides support for all kinds of writing projects, to all kinds of writers (freshmen through seniors), and in all kinds of courses (or no course!). Student writing consultants offer friendly, informed attention at any point of the writing process—whether brainstorming, drafting, revising, or final editing. Appointments last 45 minutes and are available Monday through Friday, morning through evening hours. The UWC is located on the main floor of the library, RL 136.

Peer Tutoring Program

The Peer Tutoring Program offered by Advising & Learning Support is a helpful, low-cost option available to all students who want or need extra help with their course work. Tutors are available for most departments and courses. Tutors are trained fellow students who are approved by department chairs and specific instructors. For additional information please visit http://advising.unca.edu/PeerTutoring.
 

Information Technology Services

UNC Asheville Information Technology Services (ITS) provides a variety of services to the student community including:

• Wireless internet connectivity in specified areas. See http://its.unca.edu/ for more information.
• Web-based email, calendaring, and productivity software through Google Apps for Education. See https://sites.google.com/a/unca.edu/googleapps/ for more information.
• An open-use, academic computer lab (NH 008) and support of other departmental, teaching, and non-academic computer labs on campus. See http:// its.unca.edu/ for more information.
• Assistance with basic campus IT services through the ITS Help Desk.  The ITS Help Desk should be your first point of contact for technical assistance. Contact the Help Desk by sending an email to helpdesk@unca.edu or by calling 828.251.6445.
   

ResNet

Information Technology Services in collaboration with the Office of Housing Operations provides the following additional services to our resident students:

• Wired connectivity in residence halls.
• Limited support to help resident students keep their computers virus and spyware/malware free.
• Business centers in residence halls

See http://its.unca.edu/resnet for additional information.

Other Special Academic Opportunities

Undergraduate Research Program

The Undergraduate Research Program at UNC Asheville seeks to encourage the establishment of faculty/student research pairs who work together on a project of mutual interest. Research may be performed in any discipline on campus. The mentoring relationship developed through the research process is beneficial to the student and to the faculty member. Students have the opportunity to participate in the research from beginning to end, to go beyond the classroom experience and investigate an idea in great depth and to learn about the excitement (and frustrations) of research.

The Undergraduate Research Program provides academic-year and summer student research and travel grants. These are monetary awards given to students for research and/or travel expenses. Students apply by submitting a brief description of the research project and a budget plan to the Undergraduate Research Program Advisory Council. Projects to be funded are selected by the Council. Forms for grant submission are available from the Undergraduate Research Office.

High School Enrichment Program

Enrichment courses are offered during the summer to qualified high school juniors and seniors who are recommended by their high school teachers. Three hours of UNC Asheville transcript credit can be earned from each of the courses.

Summer Sessions

The university conducts a summer semester during which a limited selection of courses from the regular schedule is offered along with special courses, workshops and institutes. All degree-credit courses offered in the summer semester are the equivalent of those offered during the fall and spring semesters. Summer school courses are billed on a per-credit-hour basis.

The dates of the summer semester are printed in the academic calendar on the Office of the Registrar website. Information about admission to the summer semester may be obtained from the Admissions Office of the University of North Carolina at Asheville. The schedule of summer courses is available at http://registrar.unca.edu/.

Study Abroad

Through the Office of Study Abroad and Study Away, the University of North Carolina at Asheville offers a variety of organized educational opportunities in foreign countries, involving classroom instruction at fixed locations and travel for educational purposes. Study abroad is an ideal component of UNC Asheville’s liberal arts mission. UNC Asheville students can study abroad at affordable prices, earn credits toward their degrees and still graduate on time.

UNC Asheville has a number of direct exchange opportunities with universities in England, France, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Turkey. There are also exchanges with universities in over 40 countries through UNC- Exchange Program and the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP). UNC Asheville is a member of both organizations. Students can also study on a wide variety of direct enrollment programs that are affiliated with UNC Asheville.

Additionally, short-term faculty-led programs are offered over winter break, during spring break, and in the summer. Locations may include England, Ireland, Italy, Bolivia, Ghana, Honduras, Spain, Greece and Turkey. UNC Asheville faculty members teach courses that may include a service-learning component or fulfill graduation requirements. For more information please contact the Office of Study Abroad and Study Away or visit http://studyabroad.unca.edu.

Study Away

The University of North Carolina at Asheville offers students the opportunity to study for either a semester or a year at other participating universities in the United States and Canada though the National Student Exchange. Students are eligible to participate in this exchange program after completing their freshman year and earning a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher. Students participating in the study away program pay UNC Asheville tuition and fees while studying at other universities. For additional information please contact the UNC Asheville Office of Study Abroad and Study Away or visit the National Student Exchange website at http://www.nse.org.

Special Topics Courses

Special Topics courses are those planned to meet a specific academic need at a particular time. They provide flexibility beyond the catalog offerings to take advantage of available teaching talent and to assess new areas for program development. Special Topics courses may be offered on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) basis only with the approval of the department chair/program director and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

Independent Individual Courses

Students may arrange to meet an academic need which cannot be satisfied through the regular schedule of courses provided a faculty member is willing to assume the responsibility of teaching an “Independent Course” and the department chair/program director approves. The appropriate forms are obtained from the department chair/program director or from the Office of the Registrar. Completed forms must be presented during the registration period for the term in which the course is offered.

Graduate Studies, Continuing Education, and Sponsored Programs

The Office of Graduate Studies, Continuing Education, and Sponsored Programs houses the Asheville Graduate Center, the Master of Liberal Arts Program, the Great Smokies Writing Program, Professional Education Programs, and the Office of Sponsored Scholarship and Programs. 

Asheville Graduate Center

The Asheville Graduate Center makes available to the residents of Western North Carolina graduate degree programs from distinctive universities. Established in 1984, the Asheville Graduate Center is administered by the UNC Asheville Office of Academic Affairs. Quality graduate programs offered through the Asheville Graduate Center are responsive to the unique mission of UNC Asheville and the needs of our region and state, linking graduate education to innovation and helping our region gain a competitive edge. Future programs will be added, when appropriate, in response to the educational and economic needs of Western North Carolina. Additional information on the specific degrees and programs offered is available on the website, http://agc.unca.edu/, and from the director of the Asheville Graduate Center. 

Master of Liberal Arts Program

The Master of Liberal Arts program is an interdisciplinary, part-time course of study designed for a wide spectrum of adults. It provides a challenging, structured liberal arts curriculum at the graduate level. The program explores human nature, human values, and the quality of human life. Students may pursue a degree or take courses toward a certificate in Climate Change and Society. Complete information on program requirements can be found in the Master of Liberal Arts degree section of this catalog, or at http://mla.unca.edu/.

Great Smokies Writing Program

The Great Smokies Writing Program, administered by the Office of Distance Education, is a collaborative effort between the Creative Writing program in the UNC Asheville Department of Literature and Language and the Asheville Graduate Center. The program offers opportunities for writers of all levels to join a supportive learning community in which their skills and talents can be explored, practiced, and forged under the careful eye of professional writers. The program is committed to providing the community with affordable university-level classes led by published writers and experienced teachers.

Professional Education

The Office of Professional Education Programs offers numerous professional development conferences and seminars, test preparation courses including the SAT, GRE and LSAT, GMAT. Additional programs offered include Effective Teacher Training, which is presented several times per year for those interested in substituting in the area schools, and test proctoring services.

Office of Sponsored Scholarship and Programs

The Office of Sponsored Scholarship and Programs (OSSP) administers externally funded proposals and contracts for research, instruction, and extension projects at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. OSSP was formally established in 2003 as an administrative department under Academic Affairs.

Distance Education

The Office of Distance Education serves as liaison between the region and the various colleges, divisions and departments of the university in delivering educational services to its constituents in field-based settings. The primary function of the office is the promotion and development of off-campus credit courses and administrative services which meet the needs of a diverse undergraduate and graduate student population including efforts in teacher education throughout the state.

A limited number of online courses reflective of the liberal arts mission are offered each semester as UNC Asheville seeks to support and participate in the growing demand for asynchronous learning.

The Great Smokies Writing Program provides high quality instruction for those in the community interested in pursuing creative writing. Courses are offered throughout the year to both accomplished and novice writers and poets who wish to come together to learn from seasoned instructors and as well as their peers. The monthly Writers at Home series provides an opportunity for the community to become familiar with both regional and local writers.

The Lateral Entry Initiative is a collaborative effort between the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the UNC Asheville Distance Education office. UNC Asheville and Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College coordinate efforts to provide courses for lateral entry teachers. Evaluation and licensure is handled through the Regional Alternative Licensing Center. Courses are either hybrid, using teleconferencing, or are completely online. Courses meet the General Pedagogy Requirements for regular classroom teachers and the K-12 Special Education General Curriculum requirements. Courses are offered in the fall, spring and summer terms to address the teacher shortage in the state.
Hill.  

UNC Online Program

In response to growing statewide demand for affordable access to quality higher education, UNC Asheville participates in the UNC Online Program. The UNC Online Program maintains a central website that provides convenient one-stop access to course offerings and information for each of the participating 16 UNC system institutions. Students can search online course offerings as well as reference information on how to apply and the costs involved. Specific policies and procedures for each institution are outlined and accessible via the UNC Online website at http://online.northcarolina.edu.

UNC Asheville students wishing to participate in this program must adhere to the policies and procedures as outlined on the UNC Asheville Office of the Registrar’s website at http://registrar.unca.edu. Students from other institutions wishing to take online courses with UNC Asheville should consult with their home campus Registrar and review the UNC Asheville policies for visiting student participation on the UNC Online website.

Course offerings will vary from semester to semester. All students are encouraged to reference the central website of the UNC Online Program at http://online.northcarolina.edu for more information, course offerings and deadlines.

Key Center 

The Key Center for Community Citizenship and Service-Learning is the university’s hub for the promotion of service learning, a form of experiential education in which students work primarily with non-profit organizations, governmental agencies, and other civic groups on community problems or issues. The Key Center helps faculty, students and community members use best practices in service learning so that both the community and students benefit from their work together.

The Key Center, working with its advisory council, also coordinates the approval of Service-Learning Designated Courses and the recommendation of graduating students for the Community Engaged Scholar designation, which honors those who have demonstrated outstanding work in service learning. Additional information is available at http://keycenter.unca.edu/. The Key Center, located in Highsmith University Union, may be contacted by email at keyctr@unca.edu. 

Cultural and Special Events

The Office of Cultural Events (CESAP) oversees a year-round calendar of major performing arts and Distinguished Speaker programs as well as conferences, camps and institutes related to the mission of the University.

Our arts and speakers programs are designed to enrich and extend the undergraduate academic course curriculum and provide engaging events for our campus community and the surrounding region. Series offerings are chosen by a volunteer advisory committee composed of students, staff and faculty who work closely with CESAP staff. These programs not only provide free or low-cost enjoyable social networking for students but also have direct and intentional connections to Integrative Liberal Studies as well as most majors and disciplines.

Many of our programs have free, extended activities for students such as interactive workshops, master classes, pre- or post-performance discussions and exhibits. National and international touring companies in theatre or dance, and concerts of world class jazz, light classical or world music are featured. Renowned authorities on current issues, as well as poets and authors, give lectures and readings annually. CESAP publishes three editions of the Co-Curricular Events Guide which assists faculty in finding relevant campus programming for their current classes.

Exhibits in the Highsmith Union Art Gallery are coordinated by CESAP staff, providing a welcoming, professional home for B.A. and B.F.A. senior art exhibits and national and international touring art exhibits in all mediums.

Year-round camps, conferences and institutes coordinated by CESAP staff are designed to create opportunities for mainly non-credit bearing academic learning and hands-on experiences in a relaxed higher education atmosphere though there are some institutes devoted to professional advancement and for-credit study. Many of the conferences and camps are open to the community-at-large as well as college-level students, and there are also special activities for children. Summer camps and institutes on the UNC Asheville campus might offer sports, intensive experiences in writing or drama for all ages, music, art, wellness activities and science-related programs.

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNC Asheville

The mission of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNC Asheville is to promote thriving in life’s second half through programs in lifelong learning, leadership, community service, and research. OLLI plays a leadership role in the field of lifelong learning, enriching the lives of people in the greater Asheville area, and promotes innovative excellence by sharing its programs and research, both nationally and internationally.

OLLI (formerly the North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement) was established in 1988 as an integral part of UNC Asheville with the threefold purpose of providing today’s accomplished adult with opportunities for lifelong learning, leadership and community service, each combined with the fellowship of peers sharing a common quest for continued growth and service to others.

OLLI participants help to set annual objectives and implement programs through the Steering Council in collaboration with OLLI’s professional staff. OLLI draws financial support from public funding, private fees, consulting services, gifts and foundation grants. 

Asheville Area Educational Consortium

Degree-seeking students enrolled at UNC Asheville may enroll for credit in courses offered at Mars Hill College and Warren Wilson College through the Asheville Area Educational Consortium. Credit hours will be awarded by UNC Asheville. Students interested in participating should contact the UNC Asheville Registrar for approval and for registration information.

Participation guidelines:

1. Full-time degree-seeking students may take a total of four courses within their degree program under the consortium agreement. Enrollment is limited to fall and spring semesters.
2. In any semester of full-time status, a student may take up to 6 additional hours of credit through the consortium agreement.
3. Students may not normally cross-register for courses available on their home campus.
4. Regular UNC Asheville tuition and fees will be charged.

For specific cross-registration procedures and forms, UNC Asheville students should contact the UNC Asheville Registrar. Other students who wish to enroll in UNC Asheville courses should contact the registrar at their school.

North Carolina Research and Education Network

Colleges and universities across North Carolina are linked through the high-speed micro-communications system NC-REN (North Carolina Research and Education Network). Instruction is provided through teleconference by the faculty at the sponsoring institution. Work will be assigned and graded by the course instructor. Titles and topics will vary each semester.

Participation guidelines:

1. Participants must be enrolled as degree-seeking students at UNC Asheville. Non-degree students must be admitted at the sponsoring institution.
2. Students will be registered at UNC Asheville in courses designated with the departmental prefix MCNC. Tuition is calculated in the same manner as other UNC Asheville courses; special course fees must be paid by the student directly to the sponsoring institution.
3. UNC Asheville students must obtain permission from the Registrar. To be approved, courses must be appropriate for the student’s degree program and may not be available at UNC Asheville.
4. Courses completed through NC-REN will be designated with the departmental prefix MCNC on the UNC Asheville academic record. Grades and semester hours will be included in the computation of the UNC Asheville grade-point average.

Additional information is available from the Teleconference Video and Facilities Manager in Robinson Hall.