Dean: Bernard L. Madison, Ph.D.,
University of Kentucky
Associate Dean: William A. Schwab,
Ph.D., Ohio State University
Associate Dean: John G. Hehr, Ph.D.,
Michigan State University
In Recognition of J. William Fulbright's contribution to the cause of liberal education and of his many services to his native state, the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas on November 20, 1981, resolved:
The College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, shall be named, henceforth, the J. WILLIAM FULBRIGHT COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. . . . His name will imbue that college, and the University, with his reputation and image for a devoted interest in higher education and its accomplishments through its scholars as reflected in its students. That name will endow the college in such a way as to make it a world-wide center for liberal learning in the general and for the study of international relations in particular.The college, dedicated to implementing the Fulbright philosophy that liberal education is a prerequisite for enlightened citizenship in a democratic society, has adopted as its motto the following statement from Fulbright's writings:
. . . the highest function of higher education . . . is the teaching of things in perspective, toward the purposes of enriching the life of the individual, cultivating the free and inquiring mind, and advancing the effort to bring reason, justice, and humanity into the relations of men and nations.Consisting of 20 departments and 14 interdisciplinary programs, Fulbright College has a twofold mission: to provide a broad, liberal education to all students within the University community and to furnish specialized knowledge at the upper division and graduate levels leading to a professional career. The general education curriculum within the college is designed to assure student's mastery of the English language; provide knowledge of the historical, social, intellectual, and linguistic bases of human culture; further understanding of the universe and the environment; provide habits of thought and investigation useful in later life; encourage exploration and development of aesthetic, political and ethical values; and offer the necessary foundation for professional competence or further training in professional or graduate schools. The general education curriculum of the college is based on the Platonic assumption that the pursuit of knowledge is an intrinsically good activity and that it is incumbent upon all members of an enlightened society to engage in that pursuit.
Recognizing that its students must become as productive members of contemporary American society, Fulbright College offers undergraduate majors in 30 different fields ranging from chemistry and art, to journalism and German. In addition, the college, in cooperation with the Graduate School, offers course work leading to master's degrees in 29 fields and doctoral degrees in 11 fields. As a natural corollary of their instructional role, the faculty of the college pursue active research programs in their fields‹ programs which enable them simultaneously to provide state-of-the-art education to their students and bring national and international recognition to the University.
In sum, Fulbright College lies at the very heart of the University. The seat of liberal learning within the institution and the state, it is committed to providing excellent general education to all members of the student body and specialized instruction of the highest quality to its own majors.
Continuing students may also compete for the J. William Fulbright Prize for Distinction in the Liberal Arts. This scholarship carries a $1000 award.
Students studying in the humanities or classics may qualify for the Elizabeth W. Fulbright Scholarship. This award is for students who are at least juniors and is intended to support a year of study abroad.
The Robbin C. Anderson Scholarship is available to students who place in the top 10% of their class and who transfer to Fulbright College from an Arkansas two-year college.
The R. Coin Mason Scholarship is available to students beginning their sophomore year who have a high grade-point average and demonstrate involvement in extracurricular activities.
Freshman students who show outstanding promise may receive awards from the James Victor Spencer, Jr. Memorial Scholarship, and students with similar promise or records are eligible for the Marion A. Steele Memorial Scholarship.
In addition, students may compete for general scholarship monies which are awarded, regardless of classification, to students with the highest grade-point averages. Application for these monies is made through the Financial Aid Office. Students must apply by April 1.
Numerous other scholarships are available from the departments of Fulbright College. Information may be sought from the departmental chairperson of the student's major.
Phi Beta Kappa (arts and sciences)
American Institute of Architects (architecture)
Kappa Kappa Psi (band, men)
Tau Beta Sigma (band, women)
Phi Sigma (biology)
Alpha Chi Sigma (chemistry)
American Chemical Society (chemistry)
Alpha Psi Omega (drama)
Pi Kappa Delta (forensics)
Gamma Theta Upsilon (geography)
Sigma Gamma Epsilon (geology)
Phi Alpha Theta (history)
Alpha Kappa Delta (sociology)
Pi Mu Epsilon (mathematics)
Phi Mu Alpha (music men)
Sigma Alpha Iota (music, women)
Sigma Pi Sigma (physics)
Pi Sigma Alpha (political science)
Alpha Epsilon Delta
(pre-medical, medical technology, pre-dental)
Psi Chi (psychology)
Sigma Delta Pi (Spanish)
Lambda Pi Eta (communication)
Lambda Tau (writers)
Kappa Tau Alpha (journalism)
Pi Delta Phi (French)
Delta Phi Alpha (German)
Phi Beta Delta (international scholarship)
The Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences provides an adviser for each student enrolled in the College. The faculty of each department within Fulbright College assumes responsibility for advising those students who have declared majors in the department and those who have declared current interest in the department as a possible major area. Other advisory services exist to provide aid and direction to students who are non-degree candidates as well as those who are beginning work in the College without having yet decided on a major and those who are planning to attend professional schools such as those for medicine or pharmacy. Advisers in the Fulbright Advising Center will assist students in program planning and will help them to become aware of and familiar with the academic offerings of the University. Students should consult their advisers on a regular basis, not limited to registration matters but including all areas of their academic careers. Personnel in the Dean's office will direct students to the appropriate advising office.
Students should discuss with their advisers opportunities for individual variations as well as regular course requirements, etc. Programs and facilities of particular interest to individuals may include: the Honors Program, programs for Advanced Placement and Credit by Examination, and the services of the Student Development Center.
The Career Services Office administers and interprets tests indicative of individual ability, interest, and achievement, and thus may aid also in counseling students about the field of study in which they are most likely to be effective and successful. A representative of Career Services is available in the College Advising Center to meet students from any area.
Honors Studies and Graduation with Honors
To create an intellectual environment that will challenge the best of students, the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences provides a comprehensive program of Honors Studies. This includes the Fulbright College Scholars Program, a four-year interdisciplinary honors program for students of superior academic ability or artistic talent, and the Departmental Honors Program, an honors program emphasizing directed independent study within a department or discipline of the College.
A student who has successfully completed a program of Honors Studies within Fulbright college is eligible to receive a baccalaureate degree with the distinction Fulbright College Scholar Cum Laude, or Departmental Scholar Cum Laude in the major field of study. Higher distinctions of Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude may be awarded to outstanding honors students by recommendation of the Fulbright College Honors Council.
To earn the distinction Fulbright College Scholar Cum Laude at graduation, a student must successfully complete the honors core curriculum, maintain a minimum grade-point average of 3.25, and satisfy requirements for departmental honors in the major field of study, including preparation and oral defense of an honors thesis. The Honors Council may award the higher distinctions of Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude based upon a student's total academic performance, including the academic transcript, the quality of the scholarly activity pursued within the major field of study, and the breadth of College study as a whole.
To earn the distinction of Departmental Scholar Cum Laude at graduation, a student must successfully complete requirements prescribed by the department of major, including an honors thesis and oral examination, and maintain a minimum grade-point average of 3.125. If a student demonstrates superior academic performance or an exceptionally high level of scholarly activity, the Honors Council may award the distinction of Magna Cum Laude. In those exceptional instances where truly outstanding work within the major field is coupled with the superior understanding of its relationship to the College work as a whole, the distinction Summa Cum Laude may be awarded.
To implement the first of these aims and to furnish a broad base for the accomplishment of the second, the faculty of Fulbright College has adopted the requirements listed below for each degree.
Specific course requirements may be fulfilled
in one of four ways:
In addition to the University requirements listed above, each candidate for a degree in Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences must complete the degree program with a cumulative grade point of at least 2.00.
The Fulbright College residence requirement insists that no fewer than 30 hours of credit must be earned in courses offered by this college, and at least 24 of those hours must be numbered above 3000.
Each degree candidate in Fulbright College will have a degree plan on file with the Dean's Office. The degree plan is initiated by the Dean's Office and will be mailed to the student through his or her adviser. The student must meet with his or her adviser to review and receive the degree plan.
Each student graduating from Fulbright College must write a research/analytical paper for at least one upper-division course in his or her major. Satisfactory completion of an honors project or a senior thesis may fulfill this requirement. Students should consult with their major adviser for departmental procedures in satisfying this requirement.
A student may choose to write a senior thesis in a major area of study. The thesis may be accorded up to six hours of credit. Defense of the thesis before a committee is required. This thesis may be submitted to meet the College writing requirement mentioned above.
Questions concerning fulfilling the requirements should be referred to the student's adviser or to the Dean's Office, which will maintain current lists of approved courses, experimental offerings approved to fulfill requirements for a specified period of time, examination schedules, and other options available to the student.
Continued in next document.
