Advising
BA Humanities | Student-Faculty Designed Major | Minor
The B.A. Humanities programs
The B.A. Humanities degree program offers two concentrations, in the History of Culture, and in Religion and Culture. A third program, B.A. Humanities—Elementary Education, prepares students to teach humanities subjects in primary schools
To declare a major in any of the B.A. Humanities programs, students should meet the requirements for taking LBRL 302, Methods of Interdisciplinary Study, normally taken in the junior year. Admission to LBRL 302 requires an average grade of B in all prior Liberal Studies courses. For admission students must have completed the first two courses in the department’s Western Tradition series, LBRL 121, The Ancient World, and LBRL 122, Medieval and Early Modern Europe, and simultaneously must take LBRL 123, The Modern World, if they have not already completed it.
Students considering any of the B.A. Humanities majors should meet with the Chair of the department, Prof. Scott Pearce, or with Prof. Jonathan Miran for formal advising and to begin making a plan of study. To arrange for an appointment, please contact the department office:
| Kimberley Kolb Ayre Bond Hall 152 Phone: 360-650-3031 Email: KimKolb.Ayre@wwu.edu |
Or you may directly contact Professor Pearce or Professor Miran:
| Prof. Scott Pearce Phone: 360-650-3897 Bond Hall 152 Email: Scott.Pearce@wwu.edu |
Prof. Jonathan Miran Phone: 360-650-4867 Bond Hall 166 Email: Jonathan.Miran@wwu.edu |
Both interested students and declared majors should feel free to contact any member of the department for informal advice. Declared majors may find it helpful to discuss their scheduling choices with the faculty members who know them and their work best.
Advising for the Student-Faculty Designed Major
The Student-Faculty Designed Major allows students to consult with appropriate faculty and together with them to design individualized major programs in subject areas or with educational objectives that are not served by existing departmental majors. Programs may have either an academic or pre-professional focus. Academic standards for the SFDM are not less than those of “regular” majors.
Students who wish to explore the option of a Student-Faculty Designed Major in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences should make an appointment with the Chair of the Liberal Studies Department. To arrange for an appointment, please contact the department office:
| Kim Kolb Ayre Bond Hall 152 Phone: 360-650-3031 Email: KimKolb.Ayre@wwu.edu |
In the initial meeting you will receive and discuss two forms. The first sets out policies and procedures for applying for the Student-Faculty Designed Major. The second is a contract for the major, which you will fill out together with your committee of faculty advisors. It includes a list of all the courses you will take which will be included in your major. In practice, most of these courses must be upper division courses.
Among important policies are the following: The major must include at least 70 credit hours and no more than 110 credit hours. It must include at least 45 credit hours from within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Each major must be approved first by the committee of faculty of advisors, who must meet with together with the student as a committee and review the student’s proposal. It then must be approved by the chairs of every department from which the student will take two or more courses, and chair must agree to arrange for access to courses in their departments. Finally, it must be approved by the Curriculum Council of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences in a meeting which the student should attend together with the chair of the faculty committee.
No more than half of the credits in the proposed major may be completed before the contract is approved by the Curriculum Council. The contract must include a plan for completing the Writing Proficiency requirement. The contract cannot substantially duplicate an existing program in the University.
Ordinarily a student should apply for the major not later than the beginning of the junior year.
Advising for Minors
The Liberal Studies department offers two minors, in Humanities, and The Study of Religion. Students may declare either of the department’s minors at the Liberal Studies department office, and receive a plan for completing the minor. At the time of credit evaluation for graduation, students should make an appointment with an advisor from the department. Please contact the department office:
| Kim Kolb Ayre Bond Hall 152 Phone: 360-650-3031 Email: KimKolb.Ayre@wwu.edu |