2003-2004 Academic Year and Is Correct to the Extent That the Information Was Available During Its Preparation
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Pre-Sorted Bound Printed Matter BSC U.S. POSTAGE PAID birmingham-southern Birmingham, Alabama c o l l e g e Permit No. 2575 BULLETIN 900 Arkadelphia Road Birmingham, Alabama 35254 birmingham-southern BSC BSC c o l l e g e BSC birmingham-southern college All information in this catalog pertains to the 2003-2004 academic year and is correct to the extent that the information was available during its preparation. However, Birmingham-Southern College reserves the right to change course offerings, tuition, fees, rules governing admission, requirements for graduation and the granting of degrees, and any other regulations affecting its students. Such changes are to take effect whenever the administration deems it necessary, whether or not there is actual notice to individual students. Given budgetary considerations and the decision to publish this catalog every year, the College chooses to tell students about interpretations or policy changes as they occur from time to time. Such information is made available through student publications or other means. Each student is responsible for fulfilling the degree requirements in effect during his or her first year of enrollment at the College or under the requirements of any one catalog in effect during the period of his or her enrollment. The requirements specified by a student’s catalog of entry are applicable for a maximum of seven years. After that time, a student is responsible for fulfilling any other requirements in force. BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN COLLEGE CATALOG (USPS 056-880) July 2003 Vol. LXXXII The Birmingham-Southern College Catalog is published by Birmingham-Southern College, 900 Arkadelphia Road, Birmingham,Alabama 35254. Second-class postage paid at Birmingham, Alabama. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Box 549018, Birmingham-Southern College, Birmingham,Alabama 35254 CORRESPONDENCE DIRECTORY Administrative Affairs and General Matters Concerning the College . .The President Academic Information . .The Provost Academic Records and Transcripts . .The Dean of Research and Records Admission Information for Prospective Students . .The Vice-President for Admission and Financial Aid Services Business and Financial Matters . .The Vice-President for Business and Finance Financial Aid . .The Director of Student Financial Aid Services Gifts and Bequests . .The President or the Vice-President for Development Master’s Program in Public and Private Management . .The Dean for Graduate Studies Student Life Information . .The Vice-President for Student Affairs Correspondence concerning the various subjects listed above should be sent to the appropriate College official at the following address: BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN COLLEGE Birmingham,Alabama 35254 Telephone: 205-226-4600 National: 800-523-5793 Birmingham-Southern College Web Site: http://www.bsc.edu Birmingham-Southern College is an equal opportunity educational institution and, as such, does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, veteran’s status, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local law. Birmingham- Southern complies with Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. TABLE OF CONTENTS An Introduction to Birmingham-Southern College . .7 Birmingham-Southern at a Glance . .9 Mission of the College . .12 History of the College . .13 Accreditation and Memberships . .14 Consortial Associations . .14 Philosophy of Education . .15 Academic Policy and Information . .19 General Information . .21 Coursework . .22 Grading System . .26 Transfer Credit . .28 Academic Progress . .32 Academic Records . .35 Academic Honors . .36 Courses of Study . .41 Academic Divisions . .43 Academic Majors . .48 Academic Minors . .50 General Education . .51 Requirements for Graduation . .56 Curriculum . .65 Special Programs . .209 Cooperative Programs . .223 Graduate Program . .234 Admission . .237 Entrance Requirements . .239 Application Procedures . .241 Finances . .244 Financial Aid . .249 Campus Life . .327 Campus Facilities . .329 Living Accommodations . .333 Academic Organizations . .336 Honor Societies . .336 Social Fraternities and Sororities . .339 The College Register . .341 Faculty . .343 Administration . .358 Board Of Trustees . .365 Campus Map . .370 Index . .372 Birmingham-Southern College INTRODUCTION BSC birmingham-southern college INTRODUCTION 9 BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN AT A GLANCE Type of College: four-year collegiate liberal arts institution founded in 1856 and operating under the auspices of the Alabama-West Florida and North Alabama Conferences of the United Methodist Church. Campus and Location: 192 wooded acres in the western section of Birmingham. The city is served by six major airlines,AMTRAK, and Interstate highways 20, 59, and 65. Academic Calendar: two semesters and a January interim term. Four units of credit required each semester and one each interim. Enrollment: Approximately 1,500 students from 30 states and 23 foreign countries. Faculty: of the full-time members of the faculty, more than 92% hold either the doctorate degree or the highest degree in their field. Advising/Counseling: faculty advisors, academic and personal counseling, career counseling, and pre-professional guidance in business, church-related vocations, health-related careers, and law. Degree Programs: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education, Master of Arts in Public and Private Management, Master of Music in composition, organ, piano, and voice. Disciplinary Majors: accounting, art (art history, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture), art education, biology, business administration, chemistry, computer science, dance, dance education, economics, education, English, French, German, history, mathematics, music (composition, church music, music history, music performance), music education, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, religion, sociology, Spanish, theatre arts. Interdisciplinary Majors: Asian studies, biology-psychology, computer science- mathematics, history-political science, international studies, musical theatre, philosophy-politics-economics, religion-philosophy, sociology-political science, sociology-psychology. Students who desire a more specialized or personally designed major may develop an individualized major with the guidance of a faculty committee. Special Programs:Vail College Fellows, Foreign Language Across the Curriculum, Graduate Studies, Honors, Leadership Studies, Service-Learning, Biomedical Research Scholars, Marine Environmental Science Consortium, Costa Rica Science Semester, Central Europe Semester, British Studies at Oxford,Air Force and Army ROTC, Dual Degrees in Engineering, Environmental Studies, and Nursing. 10 INTRODUCTION Library: Housed in the Charles Andrew Rush Learning Center, the N.E. Miles Library includes a collection of 257,000 volumes; 57,000 government documents; 1,100 periodical subscriptions; 49,000 microfiche; 14,500 microfilm; 3,800 video and audiovisual packets; 6,300 slides; and 20,000 recordings, compact discs, and cassettes; and numerous full-text, electronic databases. A total of 38 computer workstations are located in the Learning Center/Library, 28 of which are for public use. The Learning Center/Library was extensively renovated and remodeled in the summer of 1997 and includes a variety of facilities for individual and group study, research, and instruction, including an electronic classroom, seminar rooms, and research carrels. Computer Facilities: two host computers; a campus wide ethernet network with 830 college-owned personal computers plus connectivity for student- owned machines in the residence halls; twenty-one student laboratory locations, each equipped with a varying number of computers and a network- shared laser printer; a full-time dual T1 Internet connection offering access to all members of the College community; and nine media development locations equipped with an optical scanner, color printer, computer with CD-RW drive, and appropriate software. All students receive access to an e-mail account and may create a personal World Wide Web home page. National Honor Societies: Phi Beta Kappa plus nineteen other honorary or professional societies in various academic areas. Student Activities: newspaper, yearbook, literary magazine, scholarly review, dance and theatre productions, a full range of musical groups including four choirs and a variety of instrumental groups, plus numerous special interest, service, and honorary organizations.A full range of men’s and women’s intramural sports as well as a variety of planned and impromptu outdoor activities. Student Government Association: the official organization of the student body, responsible for planning student activities and for administering regulations governing student behavior and the Honor Code through the Honor Council. The SGA enables students to play a major role in the governance of the college community and in the maintenance of the academic integrity of the College. Religious Life: several weekly offerings from diverse Christian traditions are held in Yeilding Chapel. In addition, for non-Christian traditions, there is an interfaith room available for reading, meditation, and prayer in the Campus Ministry Lounge, in the Solarium,