Kendall College of Arts and Sciences

Blaine Greteman, Dean

The Kendall College of Arts and Sciences offers students the opportunity to gain a broadly-based liberal arts education, to learn to think critically, and to master the skills of writing clearly, logically, and persuasively. In addition to their major fields, all students in the Kendall College of Arts and Sciences study a variety of areas of knowledge, including the humanities, the arts, the social sciences, and the natural sciences. In the process, they study world cultures and acquire competence in mathematics.

Courses in the general curriculum are taught by experienced faculty members in classes small enough to facilitate interaction between faculty and students. Students select a major and minor field of study from among the traditional academic disciplines and also have available to them interdisciplinary programs such as art, culture, and entertainment management ; environmental policy ; film studies ; organizational studies ; and women’s and gender studies ; as well as minors in early intervention and medieval and early modern studies . Students may design a specialized major or minor program and may earn a certificate in classical studies . Students in the Kendall College of Arts and Sciences work with many distinguished teachers and scholars who are committed to rigorous, high-quality undergraduate education. The College offers an education that allows students to expand their perspectives, explore new areas of knowledge, engage in concentrated and extensive study of specific areas of knowledge, master the skills necessary to function in the modern world, and become part of a community of teachers, scholars, and learners.

Mission

The Kendall College of Arts and Sciences provides the core of a TU education and the intellectual foundation for life in a free and democratic society. We seek to produce and disseminate knowledge and artistic expression at the highest levels, drawing on the unique opportunities provided by a student-centered learning community within a research university.

The rigorous collegiate curriculum challenges, enriches, and expands students’ conceptions of the world, preparing them to ask compelling questions, address complex problems with creative solutions, engage respectfully and knowledgeably with diverse people and their cultures, speak and write persuasively and professionally, and contribute to the advancement of society in productive and meaningful ways.

Accreditation

The School of Music of The University of Tulsa is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The following degrees are listed by NASM: Bachelor of Arts in Music, Bachelor of Music Education, Bachelor of Music in Performance, and Bachelor of Music in Composition. The Ph.D. program in clinical psychology is accredited by the American Psychological Association. Programs in elementary education, English education, and math education are accredited by the Oklahoma Office for Educational Quality and Accountability.

Undergraduate Academic Programs

Degrees

The faculty of the Kendall College of Arts and Sciences offer courses leading to the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) , Bachelor of Science (B.S.) , Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) , Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E. instrumental and vocal ) and Bachelor of Music (B.M.) in Performance (instrumental , piano , and vocal ) and Composition degrees.

Arts and Sciences Core Curriculum

All undergraduates must complete, place out of, or show proficiency in ENGL 1033 Exposition and Argumentation or in FS 1963 First Seminar I , an alternative first-year writing course that is equivalent to ENGL 1033 . Additionally, all undergraduates must take at least one more writing course, dependent on their College. For their second course, students in the Kendall College of Arts and Sciences take FS 1973 First Seminar II . The First Seminars provide an intimate atmosphere in which to study with a faculty member and underscores the enduring relationship between writing and learning by requiring several papers to be written during the semester.

Students’ core curriculum requirements in mathematics and/or foreign language differ depending on degree. See specific degrees for which courses are required.

Students in many degree programs must also complete AS 2001 The Liberal Arts and Preparation for Life after Graduation as sophomores. This course introduces students to resources that will help them prepare for career options after graduation and is usually offered only in the Spring.

Undergraduates in the Kendall College of Arts and Sciences complete their course of study with an intensive, rigorous, senior-year academic experience that fulfills the Senior Project requirement of the Tulsa Curriculum. The nature of this senior requirement varies by discipline but usually consists of a specially designed course in the student’s major area of study. To determine the appropriate senior requirement, students should consult their faculty mentor or the Center for Academic Advising. Double-majors (two majors within same degree type) must only complete one senior project; they can choose in which discipline they will complete it. Dual degree students must complete a senior project course for each degree.

The Major Subject

Students usually choose their major subject during their first year at The University of Tulsa. Two-thirds of the coursework in the major subject must be at the 3000 or 4000 level. Each academic unit determines the exact number of hours required in the major subject and the area of concentration. Students are allowed to complete up to nine additional hours beyond those required in their major subject. These nine hours may be exceeded only by completing hours beyond the 120 hours required for graduation. No more than 12 transfer credit hours are approved to count toward major requirements.

The Minor Field

The minor field comprises courses from one or more disciplines that are distinct from the major. The minor field consists of at least 12 semester hours, six of which must be at the 3000 or 4000 level, in a subject approved by the major advisor. For a minor in languages, all hours must be at the 3000-4000 level. The student and the major advisor should consult the department in which the minor is awarded in order to determine the appropriate courses. No more than six transfer credit hours will be approved to count toward minor requirements. Most degrees offered by the Kendall College of Arts and Sciences require students to complete a minor. If a student is a double major or dual degree, the requirement for a minor is fulfilled by the second major/degree. A certificate can also fulfill the minor requirement.

Student-Designed Area of Concentration

The Kendall College of Arts and Sciences offers the student-designed area of concentration (major, minor, or major and minor) which provides a means of accommodating student needs and interests where no appropriate program exists in the College. It is also intended to accommodate student interests that may cross collegiate lines.

Certificate Programs

Students in the Kendall College of Arts and Sciences may substitute an interdisciplinary certificate program for a minor field. If the certificate is being completed in addition to the area of concentration (major and minor), credits may be used to fulfill requirements for both the degree and the certificate. If the certificate is being completed in lieu of a minor, at least 12 hours must solely fulfill requirements for the certificate. Students interested in fulfilling the requirements of the certificate program should consult the director of that program.

Electives

Beyond meeting core curriculum, general curriculum, and area of concentration requirements, students must complete enough hours in electives to equal at least 120 hours.

Human/Cultural/Gender Diversity Requirement

All students in the Kendall College of Arts and Sciences must also meet the human/cultural/gender diversity requirement by taking two courses from a list approved by the HCGD Curriculum Committee. These are courses that focus on the formation and diversity of human, cultural and gender identities as well as on the way these identities change and interact with one another. These courses may also be used to satisfy requirements in the core curriculum, the general curriculum, the major or the minor. Course selection in core and general curricula may in some cases be dictated by the major.

Experiential Learning

Qualified undergraduate students in any major may participate in the Kendall College Public Service Internship Program, which is designed to help students explore their interests, obtain practical experience, and prepare for public life. Students intern with governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, health care services, and various arts organizations throughout the city of Tulsa. Public service internships carry three hours of academic credit and are unpaid. Additional information, including descriptions, evaluations, and applications, is available from the Office of Civic Engagement.

The competitive D’Arcy Fellows program provides qualified undergraduates the opportunity to undertake a paid internship and gain professional experience in a diverse range of organizations and fields, including but not limited to corporations, small businesses, nonprofit governmental or social welfare agencies, art organizations, museums and legal institutions. Internship experiences are substantive, project-based and aimed at promoting the professional development of students as they explore career options and avenues for full-time employment upon graduation.

Seminars, Independent Research, and Independent Readings

Each department in the College may offer seminars and independent readings at any level for varying amounts of credit. Seminars vary in content and structure according to the design of the instructors. Students who wish to undertake independent research or readings must secure the consent of an instructor to supervise the study. The instructor has the option to accept or reject the projected study. Faculties vary in their policies regarding an instructor’s availability for supervising independent work.