Programs of Study Fall 2005 illinois home
 

Areas of Study

Major in Sciences and Letters Curriculum

The major consists of course work designated by the department and approved by the faculty of the college. The major should be chosen no later than the junior year. Since most majors require that the student choose courses in consultation with a faculty adviser, students should plan to discuss the major with a faculty adviser early in the junior year. In most cases, a student will be expected to submit to the LAS Student Affairs Office (270 Lincoln Hall) a Major Plan of Study Form (available at Departmental Offices) before the end of their fifth semester.

Students must take all course work for the minimum requirements of the major for a traditional letter grade (or on the satisfactory-unsatisfactory basis). The credit-no credit grading option may not be used for courses in the major.

The satisfactory completion of a major requires not only the completion of a stated amount of course work, but also that the student earn at least a 2.0 average in courses for the major. In order to graduate, a student should earn at least a 2.0 grade point average in all courses that are included in the major average and taken on this campus and at least a 2.0 average in all courses that are included in the major average and taken here and elsewhere. Consult the department or the college office for a list of courses included for a specific major's average.

Bachelor degree programs are offered in the following areas:
  • Actuarial Science
  • Anthropology
  • Art History
  • Astronomy
  • Biology Teaching
  • Chemistry
    • Chemistry Option
    • Chemistry Teaching Option
  • Classics
    • Classical Archaeology Option
    • Classical Civilization Option
    • Classics Option
    • Greek Option
    • Latin Option
  • Comparative and World Literature
    • Comparative Literature Option
    • World Literature Option
  • East Asian Languages and Cultures
  • Economics
  • English
    • English Option
    • English Teaching Option
  • Finance
  • French
    • French Studies Option
    • French Commercial Studies Option
  • Geography
    • Environmental Geography Option
    • General Geography Option
    • Geographical Information Systems Option
    • Human Geography Option
    • Physical Geography Option
  • Geology
    • Geology Option
    • Earth and Environmental Science Option
    • Earth Science Teaching Option
  • Germanic Languages and Literatures
    • German and Commercial Studies Option
    • Language and Literature Option
    • Language Studies Option
    • Modern German Studies Option
    • Scandinavian Studies Option
  • History
    • History Option
    • Social Studies Teaching Option
  • Individual Plans of Study
  • Integrative Biology
  • Interdisciplinary Studies
    • American Civilization Option
    • Cinema Studies Option
    • Gender and Women’s Studies Option
    • Medieval Civilization Option
    • Renaissance Studies Option
  • International Studies
  • Italian
  • Latin American Studies
  • Linguistics
    • General Linguistics Option
    • Hebrew Language and Linguistics Option
  • Mathematics
    • Mathematics Option
    • Graduate Preparatory Option
    • Applied Mathematics Option
    • Operations Research Option
    • Mathematics Teaching Option
  • Mathematics and Computer Science
  • Molecular and Cellular Biology
  • Music
    • Ethnomusicology Option
    • Music History Option
    • Music Theory/Composition Option
  • Philosophy
  • Physics
    • Physics Option
    • Physics Teaching Option
  • Political Science
  • Portuguese
  • Psychology
  • Religious Studies
    • Asian Religions Option
    • Biblical Studies Option
    • Christianity Option
    • Islam Option
    • Judaica Option
    • Philosophy of Religion Option
    • Religion and Culture Option
  • Rhetoric
    • Creative Writing Option
    • Professional Writing Option
  • Russian and East European Studies
  • Russian Language and Literature
  • Sociology
  • Spanish
  • Speech Communication
  • Statistics
  • Statistics and Computer Science

Specialized Curricula

Specialized curricula are designed for specific educational purposes which cannot be accommodated within the majors of the Sciences and Letters Curriculum. Specialized curricula are prescriptive programs that are offered as preprofessional study, preparation for graduate pursuits, or designed to meet the demands of an outside accrediting agency.

Each specialized curriculum consists of a more rigidly structured course of study than that generally described for the sciences and letters majors.

  • Biochemistry
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemistry
    • Environmental Chemistry Option
  • Geology and Geophysics
    • Geology Option
    • Geophysics Option
    • Environmental Geology Option
  • Physics

Minors and Interdisciplinary Minors

A minor is a coherent program of study (generally 16-21 hours) requiring some depth in the subject, but is not as extensive as the major. Students must take the specified courses listed for each minor. Course substitutions are permitted with the approval of the adviser in the department offering the minor and the College office. Minors are optional but must be completed in conjunction with a major in a different discipline. Some majors may allow use of a minor in place of other supporting course work.

While the minor does not replace other degree requirements, courses may be used both for the minor and to meet other degree requirements as appropriate. Students must see their records officer during the first semester of their senior year if they want to declare a minor. Students are advised to consult with the department offering the minor for information on the courses that will fulfill the requirements.

Minors
  • Anthropology
  • Astronomy
  • Atmospheric Studies
  • Chemistry
  • Cinema Studies
  • Classical Archaeology
  • Classical Civilization
  • Computer Science
  • East Asian Languages and Cultures
  • English
  • English as a Second Language
  • French
  • Geography
  • Geology
  • German
  • Greek
  • History
  • Italian
  • Latin
  • Linguistics
  • Mathematics
  • Philosophy
  • Political Science
  • Portuguese
  • Religious Studies
  • Russian Language and Literature
  • Sociology
  • Spanish
  • World Literature

Interdisciplinary Minors

There are several interdisciplinary areas in which scholarly needs or employment demands require recognition. In these areas, the college offers an interdisciplinary minor.

The interdisciplinary minor differs from the standard minor in that it may require attainment of a predetermined and approved grade point average in the courses for the program. Students are required to consult with an adviser regarding selection of course work.

  • African Studies
  • Afro-American Studies
  • Asian American Studies
  • Gender and Women's Studies
  • Gerontology
  • International Studies
  • Jewish Culture and Society
  • Latin American and Caribbean Studies
  • Latina/Latino Studies
  • Russian and East European Studies
  • Science and Technology in Society
  • South Asian Studies

Teacher Education Majors for Foreign Languages

See also teaching options in Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, English, Mathematics, Physics, and Social Studies listed above under majors.

  • Curriculum Preparatory to the Teaching of French
  • Curriculum Preparatory to the Teaching of German
  • Curriculum Preparatory to the Teaching of Latin
  • Curriculum Preparatory to the Teaching of Russian
  • Curriculum Preparatory to the Teaching of Spanish

Teacher Education Minors

Teacher education minors are available only to students seeking to add additional teaching fields to their teaching majors.

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Cinema Studies
  • Earth Science
  • English
  • English as a Second Language
  • French
  • General Science
  • German
  • History
  • Italian
  • Latin
  • Mathematics
  • Physical Science
  • Physics
  • Portuguese
  • Psychology
  • Rhetoric
  • Russian
  • Social Studies
  • Spanish
  • Women's Studies