College of Arts and Sciences

Dean - Enrico Pontelli

Associate Dean (Research) - Michèle Shuster

Associate Dean (Academics) - Joseph Lakey

Executive Administrative Assistant - Marissa Holguin

Business Manager - Lucille Casas

Undergraduate programs offered in the College of Arts and Sciences prepare students for a variety of career opportunities and for graduate study. The broad curriculum offered provides both the motivation and the tools for lifelong learning experiences.

While the ultimate responsibility for planning an academic program in compliance with university, college and departmental requirements rests with the student, the college recognizes the importance of helping students navigate appropriate academic programs.

Students should consult the "Academic Regulations" section of the catalog regarding general limitations for total credit hours, independent study and registration under S/U option, registration deadlines, and conditions required to make academic progress and maintain good academic standing. Students may not revise or do additional course work after the semester has ended in order to raise a grade in any course. Exceptions will be made for students completing an official Incomplete grade.

College Undergraduate Degree Requirements

1. In accordance with NMSU policy, students in all majors in the College of Arts and Sciences must meet the Basic Academic Skills requirements in English and Mathematics prior to enrolling in upper division courses numbered 300 or higher. See "Basic Academic Skills" under Performance/Progress in the NMSU System Academic Regulations & Policies section.
2. University graduation requirements. See “Graduation/Commencement” in the Regulations & Policies section. In order to graduate, undergraduate students must have met all degree requirements for their program, earned a minimum of 120 university level credits, or more if required for the degree, of which at least 48 must be upper division (except for the Bachelor of Applied Studies, which requires 36 upper division credits) and must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all courses taken at NMSU. Each student must complete at least 30 of the necessary credits for their Bachelor Degree at NMSU. A minimum of "C-" in all courses counting toward the major, supplemental major and minor is required of all students.

S/U Grading Option for Undergraduate Students

Instructors may establish individual standards for an S grade, but the minimum standard for an S grade in the College of Arts and Sciences courses is a C-.

Developmental and Applied Credit Limitations for Undergraduate Students

The College of Arts and Sciences will accept all applied coursework, which includes Occupational Education courses, BOT, FDMA, FYEX (not including FYEX 1112 The Freshman Year Experience and UNIV 350 Peer Education), ARTS/ARTH (applied), DANC (applied), MUSC (applied and participation), THEA (applied), NURS, A EN, AXED, and AEEC. These courses count towards overall credit hours to bring the student's total to the minimum credit hours required. Students must still complete all university requirements: General Education; Viewing a Wider World; the required number of upper division credits, as well as all requirements for their declared major degree.  Students should contact their Arts and Sciences Student Records Specialist regarding the acceptability of specific courses.

Independent Study/Directed Reading Courses for Undergraduate Students

Students are limited to six credits in any independent study course. Independent study courses include directed reading and special topic courses, which do not carry a subtitle.

Majors, Minors and Supplementary Majors for Undergraduate Students

Except for the Bachelor of Applied Studies and Bachelor of Individualized Studies, students who wish to obtain a bachelor’s degree must select a major field or fields. For a listing of majors, the student should refer to the list of majors in this catalog. Course requirements for majors are listed under individual departments. Students should consult the department with any questions about requirements. Until a major is selected, the student is designated as undeclared.

Each major consists of not less than 24 credits in the major field, of which 18 or more must be in upper-division courses (300 and above). Some departments also require specific courses outside the major field. Please refer to the departmental section of the catalog for specific nondepartmental requirements. Students must earn a grade of C- or better for all course requirements indicated for each major, minor, or supplementary major, including any nondepartmental courses required. Students may not count an S grade towards completion of any major, minor or supplementary major requirement unless a course is automatically S/U for all enrolled students. A student may not earn a minor that bears the same name as a bachelor’s degree that the student is earning. (For example, a student earning a B.S. in Biology cannot also earn a minor in Biology.)  It is imperative that students consult the departmental sections of this catalog and the department(s) for advice in planning to fulfill requirements for their declared majors. The requirements for academic minors in the College of Arts and Sciences are found under each offering department or program section of this catalog.

Supplementary Majors

Requirements for supplementary majors are found as follows:

• the Supplementary Majors in Chicano Studies, Latin American Studies, and Linguistics are listed under Languages and Linguistics;
• the Supplementary Major in Law and Society is listed under Government; and
• the Supplementary Major in Applied Mathematics is listed under Mathematical Sciences.

Most students have considerable latitude in choosing elective courses. These are the courses beyond university and major requirements that a student must take to bring her or his total credits to the  minimum overall credits required for the degree. This latitude provides students with opportunities to major in more than one field, to take a minor or to devise interdisciplinary programs tailored to individual interests or future career needs.

Regardless of the option elected, students should consult regularly with an advisor and track their progress towards degree completion and graduation using the online degree audit system STAR (Student Academic Requirements), at: http://www.myNMSU.edu.

Preprofessional Studies

• Pre-Health Professions advising is coordinated by the Center for Academic Advising and Student Support (CAASS).
• Pre-Law advising is coordinated by the Department of Government. Students interested in attending law school must first obtain a bachelor’s degree but that degree can be in any subject. Many pre-law students take some law courses in their undergraduate program; law related courses are taught in government, philosophy, criminal justice and other departments. The Department of Government coordinates the interdisciplinary Supplementary Major in Law and Society. See the NMSU Department of Government webpage. The Department of Philosophy offers both a major and a minor in Justice, Political Philosophy, and Law.  See the NMSU Department of Philosophy webpage.

Bachelor of Applied/Individualized Studies 

The Interdisciplinary Studies Department extends New Mexico State University's reach beyond traditional academic programs to provide educational opportunities for students to meet their academic, professional, and personal learning goals. The Interdisciplinary Studies Department offers flexible degree programs in the Bachelor of Applied Studies (BAS) and the Bachelor of Individualized Studies (BIS), giving students the opportunity to work with an advisor to develop their own interdisciplinary program, appropriate to their unique educational and career goals.

The Bachelor of Applied Studies is a program designed for those students who have procured an Associates of Applied Studies (AAS) at a community or two-year college. This major allows students to transfer credits and build from their Associates degree toward a university-level degree. The BAS degree helps minimize credits for associate degree graduates when pursuing a baccalaureate degree at NMSU by requiring a fewer number of upper-division credits: requiring 36 as opposed to the 48 upper-division courses required of other majors. The aim is to equip students to effectively build from their applied backgrounds and knowledge to shift careers or to advance in their chosen career.

The Bachelor of Individualized Studies is a flexible degree program serving multiple needs. It can be designed to serve students desiring an academic degree not offered at NMSU, particularly students with broad or diverse academic and career interests. It can also allow students to complete a college degree when an initial major does not fit as well as planned. Its flexibility in accepting course credits also serves as a completion program for students who left college and now want to return to earn a Bachelor degree. A well-designed interdisciplinary curriculum emphasizes the value of approaching complex issues from multiple perspectives, equipping students with the requisite critical and analytical skills to become effective problem solvers in a chosen career.

Minors Recommended for BAS & BIS Majors

Students seeking a Bachelor of Applied Studies or the Bachelor of Individualized Studies degree are encouraged to complete one or more minors offered through various NMSU colleges. A minor is designated on a transcript and consists of a minimum of 18 credits, nine of which must be upper-division. Courses required to complete a minor may be in a single department or interdepartmental, are offered through various NMSU colleges, and are subject to availability. Students seeking to complete a minor must have the minor verified, prior to graduation, by the college academic department administering the minor. Specific requirements for minors may be obtained from the academic department administering a specific minor, the academic department's college dean's office, and in the college departmental listings of this catalog. Note: The NMSU College of Business allows a maximum of 30 business credit hours (excluding MATH 1350G) to count towards the BAS or BIS degrees. Also, the only College of Business minor allowed for these degrees is the Business Administration Minor.

Bachelors Degrees

Masters Degrees

Doctoral Degrees

Supplemental Majors

Graduate Certificates

Undergraduate Minors

Graduate Minors

• In the College of Arts and Sciences, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is accredited by the American Chemical Society.
• The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and the Bachelor of Science in Physics are accredited by ABET.
• Music curricula in the Department of Music are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.
• The Master of Public Administration program in the Department of Government is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration.