College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

Arts, Sciences, and Letters the Liberal Arts College at the University of Michigan-Dearborn

With a curriculum steeped in the liberal arts and sciences, CASL provides students with the necessary foundation to excel in their academic pursuits and to make a difference in the world beyond the classroom.

History of the College

From the beginning of the Dearborn Center of the University of Michigan, as it was first called, there was "an intent to provide a full schedule of daytime courses in Engineering, Business Administration, and the Liberal Arts and Sciences" (Report by the University's Dean of Statewide Education, January 1957). On January 10, 1958, the Regents approved the creation of the Division of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) as an official academic division. Full programs in the liberal arts began in Fall 1960; and in Fall 1965, the LSA Division became the largest academic unit on the Dearborn Campus, a distinction which continues to the present.

When it became a four-year undergraduate institution in 1971, the Campus was designated the University of Michigan-Dearborn (UM-Dearborn). Two years later, the Regents approved a new set of UM-Dearborn Bylaws, in which the Department of Education became a separate division, and the LSA Division became the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters (CASL), administered by a Dean. Since then, CASL has evolved to comprise six multidisciplinary departments: Behavioral Sciences; Mathematics and Statistics; Language, Culture and Communication (LCC); Literature, Philosophy and the Arts (LPA); Natural Sciences; and Social Sciences. CASL is also home to fourteen college wide programs: African and American African Studies (AAAS); Arab American Studies (AAST); Behavioral and Biological Sciences (BBS); Business Studies as a Second  Major (BST); Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies (CRJ); Individual Program of Study (IPS); Integrative Studies (INTG); Law and Society; LGBTQ Studies; Medieval & Renaissance Studies; Middle East Studies (MEST); Religious Studies (RELS); Science and Technology Studies (STS); and Women and Gender Studies (WGST).

Mission of the College

The College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters is a transformative student-centered exploratory learning environment, regionally and globally focused, and deeply grounded in the values of inclusiveness and engagement, and informed by leading edge research. We develop and empower students to become future leaders who will guide the resurgence and renewal of southeastern Michigan and the world beyond.

Vision Statement

The College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters aspires to be the premier public liberal arts college in Michigan attracting individuals from all backgrounds and career interests and transforming their lives through education in mathematics, the humanities, and the social, behavioral and natural sciences.

Organization of the College

Among the three liberal arts colleges on the University of Michigan campuses (Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint), our College stands out because it is organized in a unique manner. Instead of being fragmented into many traditional single-discipline departments, the College is mainly organized into six multidisciplinary departments: Behavioral Sciences; Mathematics and Statistics; Language, Culture and Communication; Literature, Philosophy and the Arts; Natural Sciences; and Social Sciences.

The Behavioral Sciences Department houses and offers degree programs in three disciplines: anthropology, psychology, and sociology. The Department also offers an interdisciplinary degree program in behavioral sciences and a graduate program in Health Psychology. The office of the Behavioral Sciences Department is located in Room 4012, CB.

The Department of Language, Culture, and Communication (LCC) offers courses and programs in communication, comparative literature, composition, film studies, journalism, linguistics, modern & classical languages (Arabic, Armenian, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Latin, and Spanish), and speech. These courses and programs offer a basis for the acquisition of knowledge and skills related to the uses and analysis of language in multiple cultural and communicative contexts. Students hone their skills in speaking, writing, and understanding language. They also gain rich lenses for analyzing language in all its forms—from public relations campaigns to globally disseminated films, political speeches to the literature of other cultures, from global popular culture to news reports to the worldwide use and transformation of English. Faculty in LCC are dedicated teacher-scholars, committed educators who are recognized experts in their fields.To support its programs in Modern languages, the Department houses the Kochoff Foreign Language Media Laboratory (3065 CB) with extensive resources for language learning such as audio and video course materials, foreign language writing assistant programs, and foreign language TV programs via satellite. To support its programs in Communications, the department houses a TV studio, an audio lab, and video editing facilities with state-of-the art software, as well as a dedicated computer classroom (3034 CB) with 24 workstations. The office of the Language, Culture and Communication department is located in Room 3014, CB. 

The Mathematics and Statistics Department offers a degree programs in the disciplines of applied statistics and mathematics, with an emphasis on either pure or applied mathematics. In addition, the Department offers minors in Applied Statistics, Computer and Computational Mathematics, Mathematics, and certificate in Mathematics for Finance. The Mathematics Placement Exam and the Mathematics Learning Center are both administered by the Department. The office of the Mathematics and Statistics Department is located in Room 2014 CB.

The Natural Sciences Department houses and offers degree programs in three disciplines: biological sciences, chemistry, and physics. The Department also offers  interdisciplinary degree programs in biochemistry, chemistry instruction, geological sciences, environmental science, environmental studies, integrated science, and microbiology; geology and astronomy are available as minors. Also available is the Geospatial Analysis and Mapping (GAM) certificate program. The Science Learning Center, the greenhouse, and the observatory are administered by the Department. The office of the Natural Sciences Department is located in Room 114, Science Faculty Center .

The Social Sciences Department is home to the academic disciplines of Economics, History, Political Science, and Geography as well as interdisciplinary programs.The Department of Social Sciences is home to the Economics, History, and Political Science  disciplines; interdisciplinary programs in Urban & Regional Studies, Community Change Studies and Social Studies; a master’s degree program in Public Administration; and Geography unit.  Supplementing these academic areas are various internship opportunities for students through our Public Affairs, Economics and Ottawa Internship Programs.  The Social Sciences Department also hosts an ongoing Research Colloquium and a Mid-East Lecture Series.  These diverse opportunities share a focus on the forces that have been affecting human individuals and groups in an ever-changing and increasingly complex world. The office of the Social Sciences Department is located in Room 2140 Social Sciences Building.

The world today is an interdisciplinary world. Responding to the challenges we face as a region, a nation, and a planet requires the perspectives of multiple disciplines. CASL is home to a number of interdisciplinary programs that bring together faculty and students from different departments to study these challenges. These include degree programs in African African American Studies, American Studies, Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies, Individual Program of Study, Integrative Studies, and Women’s and Gender Studies, and minors in African and African American Studies, Law and Society, Leadership and Communication in Organizations, Medieval/Renaissance Studies, Organizational Change in a Global Environment, Religious Studies, Science and Technology Studies, Social Science Research Methodology, and Society and Technological Change. The College also supports the Honors Program, coursework in Arab and Arab American Studies, a program for study in Japan, and the Cooperative Education Program.These College-Wide Programs not only offer academic majors, minors and certificates, they also sponsor many of the events and activities that make UM-Dearborn an intellectually exciting place responsive to the needs and concerns of our metropolitan region.

Degrees Offered

Students may obtain a Bachelor of Arts (AB) or Bachelor of Science (BS), from CASL. 

A liberal arts degree program affords a student both breadth and depth of learning. The course requirements for a degree may be divided into types: courses that give a broad, general education, those that provide depth in a specialization, and those that offer the tools needed for success in college and life.

Dearborn Discovery Core (DDC) and Foreign Language 

Students admitted to the College follow the Dearborn Discovery Core (DDC) curriculum to meet their general education requirements (see General Information Section). Students meeting MTA should consult a CASL Advisor for review of their remaining DDC requirements. 

Foreign Language (8 hrs)

All BA and BS students are required to take a two-course sequence in one language.

The foreign language distribution requirement can be met by:

• Successfully completing a two-semester beginning language sequence at UM-Dearborn, or
• Transferring the equivalent of 8 semester hours of a beginning language sequence from another college or university, or
• Successfully completing a 3- or 4-semester hour foreign language course (this course cannot be taught in English) at the 102 level or higher, or
• Having completed at least 3 years (in the same language) of foreign language in high school with a grade of C or better in the final course, or
• Having completed the equivalent of a high school diploma at a school that used a language other than English for instruction. (Appropriate documentation attesting to the language of instruction and graduation from the high school program is necessary, and official English translations of foreign transcripts must be provided), or
• Passing an oral and written proficiency exam.

A student with prior knowledge of Arabic, French, German or Spanish should take a placement examination before registering for a course in that language. Placement/proficiency exams in French, German, and Spanish are administered by the Office of Admissions and Orientation; call 313-593-5100. Placement/proficiency exams in Arabic are administered by faculty in the Language, Culture, and Communication Department; call 313-593-4778. A student wishing to take a proficiency exam in a language not mentioned above or not taught at UM-Dearborn should consult a CASL advisor; call 313-593-5293 for more information and to see if a tester is available. A student wishing to waive the foreign language requirement must officially submit a request in writing via a petition form. Please note that when the requirement is waived, or proficiency is demonstrated by exam, credit will not be awarded for courses not taken.

Majors

What is a Major?

A college degree experience includes depth as well as breadth. Each student in an AB (Bachelor of Arts) or BS (Bachelor of Science) degree program must choose a field in which to specialize, which is called a major.* A major is a program of specialized study that normally consists of a minimum of 30 credit hours of work at the upper-level level (courses numbered 300 through 499 and 3000-4999) taken mainly during the student's final two years. A major allows a student to develop independence and discrimination of thought and judgment and to learn to appreciate, assimilate, and apply a coherent body of knowledge.

The College offers the following majors that normally lead to the degree AB (Bachelor of Arts) or BS (Bachelor of Science) listed.

Major Requirements

Certain introductory courses, designated as pre-major or prerequisites, are designed to give students the knowledge and skills needed in the advanced courses. Undecided students will find these courses helpful in making a decision about majoring in the field.

A program of study in a major should be planned in consultation with a CASL academic advisor and faculty program mentor.

The following rules apply to most majors:

1. Generally in most single discipline majors, at least 30 upper-level credit hours are required. At least 24 credit hours must be taken in the field of the major and some majors require at least 6 credit hours of cognate courses. A cognate course is in a related field.
2. The courses used to fulfill the 30 or more upper-level credit hours must be numbered 300-499 or 3000-4999. Note that courses taken at community colleges and lower level courses taken at other four-year institutions may not be used to fulfill this requirement.
3. Courses taken as pre-major/prerequisites may not be counted in the major.
4. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 must be achieved in both major courses and cognate courses.
5. At the minimum, students must complete between 12 and 15 (or more) of the 30 credit hours at UM-Dearborn. Students transferring upper-level credits from other institutions should check with their academic advisor for specifics of this residency requirement.
6. Students who have been off campus for one full year must complete the degree requirements in effect when they return.
7. Courses used in the major cannot dually be used in a minor.
8. Courses used in the major or minor cannot be taken P/F (Pass/Fail)

Double Major (Optional)

Students who want a double major must meet all requirements in two fields and must officially declare, and be approved for, both majors, in the CASL Office of Advising and Academic Success, Room 1039 CB. Courses that satisfy major and/or cognate requirements for more than one field can be applied simultaneously to both fields.The Business Studies major may only be a second major. 

Concentrations

Instead of a traditional major, students in the Integrative Studies degree program elect three concentrations which can be in single disciplinary areas or in multi-disciplinary areas. A single disciplinary concentration requires 12 credit hours at the 300 level or above. Multi-disciplinary concentrations require 15 credit hours or more. At least two concentrations must be within CASL. One concentration may be in  approved concentrations from the College of Business, College of Engineering and Computer Science, or College of Education, Health and Human Services. LIBS 450 Capstone, is required for this major. Students interested in this program should contact CASL Advising and Academic Success in 1039 CB or call 313-593-5293 for additional information.

Recognition of A Minor (Optional)

A student in an AB or BS degree program (other than Integrative Studies) may apply for recognition of a minor. A student may declare a minor (completed or not) by filing the appropriate form at the CASL Advising and Academic Success office. A final audit will be conducted at the time of graduation. Any posted minor that has not been successfully completed will be deleted from the student’s transcript.

A minor generally consists of a minimum of 12 or 15 credit hours (or more) of upper-level (300-499 and 3000-4999) coursework in a particular field of study. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 is required in the courses applied to a minor. For minors offered by CASL, the grades (including E’s) in all upper-level courses in the discipline of the minor will be reflected in the minor GPA. Courses elected pass/fail (P/F) cannot be used in a minor. Courses used in a minor cannot dually be used in a major.

A single disciplinary minor typically requires a minimum of 12 credit hours of upper-level coursework. No more than three credit hours of transfer credit, field placements, internships, seminars, S/E-graded courses, and independent study/research may be applied to any 12 credit hour minor (6 credits for a 15 credit hour minor). Note that a few interdisciplinary majors do not offer minors. A minor may be obtained in the following fields of study even though there is no major offered: Applied Art; Arabic Studies; Astronomy; Comparative Literature; Computer and Computational Mathematics; German; Linguistics; and Music. In these fields, 12 credit hours of upper-level coursework are required.

An interdisciplinary minor consists of a minimum of 15 credit hours (or more) of upper-level coursework. Interdisciplinary minors are available in African and African American Studies; Arab American Studies; Communication; Community Change; Environmental Studies; Film Studies; Geography; Global Cultures; Journalism and Screen Studies; Law and Society, Leadership and Communication in Organizations; Medieval and Renaissance Studies; Organizational Change in a Global Environment; Religious Studies; Science and Technology Studies; Social Science Research Methodology; Society and Technological Change; Urban and Regional Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies. There is no minor in International Studies, American Studies, Behavioral and Biological Science, Behavioral Sciences, Liberal Studies, Chemistry/Instructional Track, or Social Studies.

In addition, there are several non-CASL minors available – Accounting, Computer and Information Science (CIS), CIS-Game Design Option, Digital Marketing, Finance, Financial Planning, Health Policy Studies, Human Resources, Information Technology
Management, Management, Marketing, Public Health, Social Work, and Supply Chain Management. The GPA for the CIS minor is based on CIS 150, CIS 200, CIS 275, and all upper-level CIS coursework. The GPA for the Business minors is based on all courses taken for the minor in the College of Business. Students who are not in the College of Business cannot elect or transfer more than 30 credit hours in upper level courses offered by the College of Business. A maximum of six credit hours of transfer credit, field placement, internships, seminars, S/E-graded courses, and independent study/research may be applied to any interdisciplinary or non-CASL minor.

Other Requirements

Total Credit Hours

A minimum of 120 credit hours with an overall average of C (2.00) or better is required for graduation.

Upper-Level Coursework

A minimum of 48 hours of upper-level (courses numbered 300-499 and 3000-4999) coursework must be completed by each student.

Undergraduate Residency

To qualify for an undergraduate degree, a student must complete through instruction from the University of Michigan-Dearborn faculty, a minimum of  30 of the last 36 credits presented for the degree. Restrictions on maximum transfer credit hours must be observed. Any exceptions to this policy must be approved by petition to the Academic Standards Committee of the student’s college in advance of coursework taken.

Credit Hour Limitation

There are maximum credit hours in any one discipline which may be applied toward the 120 credit hours needed for graduation. See major requirements for specific rules.

Degree Requirements: Summary

Bachelor of Arts (AB)

To be recommended for the AB degree a student must have satisfied the DDC and Foreign Language requirements, residency, credit hours, grade point average, and upper-level work. For all programs except Liberal Studies, the student must also complete the requirements for the major. The AB degree in Liberal Studies does not involve a major, but three fields of study called Concentrations. Minors are not available in Liberal Studies.

Bachelors of Science (BS)

To be recommended for the BS degree a student must have satisfied all the requirements for the AB degree and must have majored in one of the following programs: biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry (ACS certified), chemistry/instructional, geological sciences, environmental science, microbiology, or physics. Alternatively, a student who earns 60 or more credit hours (at least 20 credit hours of which are in upper level courses 300 or above) in mathematics (including CCM and CIS courses 150 and above, and statistics (STAT) courses ) and/or the physical and biological sciences may, upon petition to the CASL Advising and Academic Success office, Room 1039 CB, be granted the BS degree in the following majors: Applied Statistics, Behavioral and Biological Sciences, Business Studies (as a 2nd major only), Individual Program of Study, Integrative Studies, and Mathematics.

Other Degree Options

Second Bachelor Degree

A student who has already earned a bachelor degree from UM-Dearborn or any other accredited collegiate institution may apply to pursue a second bachelor degree through the Admissions Office (1145 University Center). If accepted, the student must complete at UM-Dearborn at least an additional 30 credit hours (regardless of the number of credit hours completed for the first degree), if the first degree was earned at UM-Dearborn; or 45 credit hours, if the first degree was earned elsewhere; and must satisfy all the requirements for the second degree program. The GPA for the second degree will be based on the cumulative academic records of all courses taken at UM-Dearborn. For further information, contact CASL Advising and Academic Success, 1039 CB.

Dual Degrees

Students may apply for two or more degrees either within CASL or in CASL and another unit at UM-Dearborn. To earn both degrees, students must meet the degree requirements for each degree. Students should expect to elect at least 30 more credits to earn both degrees. Students are advised to contact a representative from each program to learn the specific requirements that must be met.

Some degrees, such as the degrees in Engineering Mathematics or CIS Mathematics, are only available as concurrent degrees and must be paired with a primary degree in either engineering or CIS. Students interested in dual degrees should see an advisor.

Joint Degrees

Students can get an early start in the graduate degree programs of the University's Ann Arbor Campus School of Natural Resources and still be awarded a liberal arts degree from UM-Dearborn. Students must have a GPA of at least 3.00 and have completed the requirements for graduation and earned a minimum of 45 of the required 105 credit hours in residence at UM-Dearborn. A maximum of 15 credit hours of appropriate required courses in the first two years of the graduate/professional degree program may count toward both the bachelor and the graduate degrees. For more information, contact the CASL Office of Advising and Student Records, Room 1039 CB.

Requirements for Transfer Students

Admission Requirements

A student who applies to UM-Dearborn with 24 or more semester hours of transferable credit (excluding Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) credit) is considered a transfer student. Students with fewer hours of college credit are considered freshmen for admission purposes. For freshman admission requirements, see the General Information section of this Undergraduate Catalog.

Admission to the College as a transfer student is based on the quality and content of both the high school and the college academic records. Standards of evaluation are designed to ensure that each student admitted has the intellectual capacity and the preparation to pursue advanced undergraduate work successfully. Admission criteria are not based on race, sex, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, handicap or veteran status.

The process of determining equivalent UM-Dearborn course and appropriate credit hours for a course taken at another institution is called credit certification. A student who believes that a course was not certified correctly should immediately contact CASL Advising and Academic Success, Room 1039 CB. Any request for re-evaluation of credit must be petitioned in writing within six months.

Courses will not be transferable if completed with a grade lower than C. The College reserves the right to place students on registration hold if they have not provided an official transcript of their studies taken at another institution.

General Requirements

Students entering the College with junior status will be expected to have completed most of the Dearborn Discovery Core requirements and, if applicable, major prerequisites. Deficiencies in either of these areas must be made up with all deliberate speed. Check with your major advisor for limits on the number of transfer credits that will be accepted toward degree requirements. Courses taken at other four-year institutions may be used in some cases to satisfy upper-level requirements in the major. Courses transferring from community colleges or other two-year institutions will be considered lower level or general elective credit only. They will not be considered upper level in the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters.

Reminder: All students are required to declare a major when they reach 60 credit hours. Students transferring 62 credit hours or more are not required to declare a major before admission, but must do so during their first term at UM-Dearborn.

Residency Requirements

Transfer students must complete at UM-Dearborn the last 30 to 58 credit hours before graduation. The precise number depends on the previously attended institution(s) and the maximum number of transferable credits. Institutions are classified into three categories: (2Y) includes all two-year institutions, (4Y) includes all four-year institutions other than the schools and colleges of the University of Michigan, (UM) includes only the schools and colleges of the University of Michigan. The table below gives the maximum transferable credits and minimum residency requirements.

Notes: The transferable credit hours listed below are maximums. The exact number of transferable hours is determined upon official evaluation and may vary depending on the students program. 

Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and A level coursework is treated the same as coursework from a four-year institution. 

Normally a student must complete his/her last 36 semester hours at UM-Dearborn. Under certain circumstances, if approved by petition, a senior may elect the last 30 credit hours of coursework at another UM campus or six of the last 36 credit hours at an institution other than the University of Michigan.

(not necessarily in this sequence)

Other Programs

Graduate Programs

The College offers a Master of Public Administration, a Master of Science in Applied and Computational Mathematics, a Master of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice, a Master of Science in Environmental Science, and a Master of Science in Psychology with tracks in Health Psychology and Clinical Health Psychology. See the UM-Dearborn Graduate Catalog for admission requirements, complete program descriptions and a listing of graduate courses.

Certificates

The College offers nine certificates: African and African American Studies (AAAS), Arab American Studies (AAST), Geospatial Analysis and Mapping (GAM),Global Engagement (GLB), LGBTQ Studies (LGB), Mathematics for Finance (MF), Middle East Studies (MEST), Public Relations (PR), and Writing (WRIT).

Consult the program description in this Catalog for additional information and requirements.

Majors

• African and African American Studies
• Anthropology
• Applied Statistics
• Art History 
• Behavioral and Biological Sciences
• Behavioral Sciences
• Biochemistry
• Biological Sciences
• Business Studies (as a 2nd major only)
• Chemistry (ACS Certified)
• Chemistry (Instructional track)
• Chinese
• Communication
• Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Economics
• English
• Environmental Science
• Environmental Studies
• French/French Studies
• Geological Sciences
• Hispanic Studies
• History 
• Humanities
• Individual Program of Study
• Integrated Science
• Integrative Studies
• International Studies
• Journalism and Screen Studies
• Mathematics
• Microbiology
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Social Studies
• Sociology
• Urban and Regional Studies
• Women's and Gender Studies

Minor

• African and African American Studies
• Anthropology
• Applied Art
• Applied Statistics
• Arab American Studies
• Arabic Studies
• Art History
• Astronomy 
• Biochemistry
• Biological Sciences
• Chemistry (ACS Certified)
• Communication
• Community Change
• Comparative Literature
• Computer and Computational Mathematics
• Criminology and Criminal Justice 
• Economics
• English
• Environmental Science
• Environmental Studies
• Film Studies
• French/French Studies
• Geography
• Geology
• German
• Global Cultures
• Hispanic Studies
• History
• Humanities
• Journalism and Screen Studies
• Law and Society
• Leadership & Communication in Organizations
• Linguistics
• Mathematics
• Medieval and Renaissance Studies
• Microbiology
• Music
• Organizational Change in a Global Environment
• Philosophy 
• Physics
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Religious Studies 
• Science and Technology Studies
• Social Science Research Methodology 
• Society and Technological Change
• Sociology
• Urban and Regional Studies
• Women's and Gender Studies

Certificates

• African and African American Studies
• Arab American Studies
• Geospatial Analysis and Mapping
• Global Engagement
• LGBTQ Studies
• Mathematics for Finance
• Middle East Studies
• Public Relations
• Writing

Special Programs

Honors Program

Because of the small size of the Honors classes and the emphasis on active participation, students in the program gain close personal contact with their professors from the beginning of the freshman year. The instructors in the Honors Program are highly dedicated teachers. Many have won UM-D's Distinguished Teaching Award. All are committed to the ideal of relaxed and collegial relations between students and professors. The Honors faculty are readily available to Honors students for academic advising and for informal conversation.

The core of the Honors Program is a carefully planned sequence of courses. Instead of taking a smattering of classes in unrelated areas, students in the program complete their basic college requirements with courses that form an integrated and coherent curriculum.

Honors students have a special niche within the college community. They get to know each other and build close friendships because they take many of the same courses together. The program regularly sponsors social hours and organizes group outings to concerts, plays and museums. Students and faculty in the program get to share valuable experiences outside the classroom

The Honors Program at UM-Dearborn is open to all entering freshmen with a high school GPA of at least 3.5, Composite ACT 25 or SAT 1200 other evidence of superior academic ability. The program accepts students from all units on campus, including CASL, Engineering, Education, Health, and Business students. Admission to the program is competitive and is based on the student's interests and experience as well as the high school record.

For more information, please see the Honors Program website, or contact the Honors Program Office at 313-593-5183.

Writing Program

The Writing Program offers a range of courses and other academic support not only to CASL students but also to undergraduate and graduate students across the university. 

Placement Into Introductory Writing Courses

Depending on score on the Placement Exam, most students take COMP 105 and COMP 106 (Writing & Rhetoric I & II). Engineering students substitute COMP 270 (Technical Writing for Engineers) for COMP 106, taking the course during the second semester of their sophomore year. College of Business, Public Health, and Community Health Education students takeCOMP 280 (Business Writing & Rhetoric) in place of COMP 106.

Each entering student should make every effort to complete the composition sequence during his or her first year on campus, since it is designed to acquaint students with expectations and strategies of university writing. Placement in the appropriate introductory course is determined by the Composition Placement Examination. No student may enroll in an introductory composition course before taking the Composition Placement Examination.

Students who place into COMP 099 must first pass COMP 099, which carries additive degree credit, with a grade of C- or better before enrolling in COMP 105. Transfer students who score below the COMP 105 level will be required to take COMP 227 (which carries degree credit) even if their previous writing courses have been accepted for transfer credit. Students who did not take the Placement Examination during the orientation session should contact the Orientation Office or Writing Program Office to schedule an examination. Students may submit a portfolio of written work to appeal a placement decision, but no degree credit is given for courses exempted via portfolio. Appeals must be submitted by the end of the last week of classes in the first semester a student is enrolled. Any student who has not taken the English Placement Exam prior to the sixth week of their first enrolled semester will be given 8 weeks from their exam date to submit an appeal.

Students in the Honors Program fulfill their six-hour composition requirement by taking COMP 110 and COMP 220 (Honors Writing & Rhetoric I & II). Transfer students admitted with credit in composition from other institutions of higher education will be placed in an appropriate composition course based on their transfer credit and performance on the Composition Placement Examination, as determined by the Director of the Writing Program. Only courses judged equivalent to COMP 105 and COMP 106 may be substituted for the required courses. Students are urged to take their composition courses at UM-Dearborn. UM-Dearborn does not accept hours earned in composition through placement examinations at other universities.

For more information, see the Writing Program website.

First Year Seminars

First Year Seminars are special classes designed for entering first-year students to ease the transition from high school to college. These are small, welcoming classes developed by dedicated UM-Dearborn faculty who have made a special commitment to helping students master important college skills. In a First Year Seminar, students find it much easier to get acquainted with college life and explore the university’s academic resources.

Each First Year Seminar benefits new students in the following ways:

• Exposure to exciting ideas on a special topic
• Special attention to college-level reading, writing, discussion and research skills
• Extra-curricular activities and opportunities, such as field trips, tours and projects
• Extra mentoring and support
• Creating a sense of community and easing the social transition of students to UM-Dearborn

A few of the many seminar topics that have been developed include the following:

• “Car Culture”: the history of the automobile in American life and imagination
• “Fast Food Nation”: a look at the fast food industry through various lenses (economics, anthropology, sociology, environmental studies, politics, history and more)
• “To Infinity and Beyond”: an exploration of the concept of infinity using very creative learning techniques
• “Shakespeare on Stage, Page, & Screen”: this seminar incorporates films, texts and a trip to the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario, to explore variations on Shakespeare plays based on different media, cultural contexts, and different artistic and ideological agendas.
• “Bad Decisions and Why We Love Them”: This course is based on a popular book by a Nobel-prize winning psychologist that shows how we can recognize common fallacies, to which we are all susceptible, and so improve our understanding of the way we think. 

Some seminars are linked with a Composition class, allowing students to meet a Dearborn Discovery Core (DDC) Written and Oral Communication (GEWO) requirement and take two classes with the same group of people. The seminars will also meet other DDC requirements. 

Check out the "FAQs" and "Seminars Offered" links to the left and learn more about First-Year Seminars.

Cooperative Education Program

Cooperative Education in CASL is an academic program founded on UM-Dearborn's commitment to "excellence in teaching and learning." It promotes liberal arts learning and career/personal development through student participation in paid, professional employment. Expected learning outcomes include clarification of values, development of problem-solving and career-related skills, and enhancement of academic knowledge.

Students work one or more terms in part-time or full-time positions paying $8-15.00/hour. They also earn upper-level academic credit for their co-op experiences and attend a co-op seminar. To be eligible for the co-op program, students must be admitted to n undergraduate major in the college and must have completed 30 credit hours with a minimum 2.25 GPA. Transfer students must complete 12 credit hours at UM-Dearborn before they are eligible.

Students compete for open co-op positions offered by area employers. After being hired by a co-op employer, students register for co-op and are required to submit academic learning objectives and a critical evaluation essay for approval by the Faculty Director, who determines the awarding of credit. The Co-op Office reviews requests for student arranged co-ops. Contact the Co-op Office in Room 285 FCN, 313-593-5188, for more information.

Internships and Field Experiences

In addition to the paid work experience offered in the cooperative education program, non-paying off-campus educational opportunities for academic credit are offered by various departments in the College. For specifics, see the course description for each discipline's offering.

Criminology and Criminal Justice Internship

Criminology and Criminal Justice internships are designed to provide field experience for Criminal Justice majors. Actual field experience will provide students with valuable tools to help them achieve their goal and produce humane leaders with the technical skills and social and ethical sensitivity needed to succeed in their chosen field.  The internship has a seminar component. The seminar helps students make informed decisions relative to their future career in Law Enforcement or Criminal Justice related fields.  Both the internship and seminar provide opportunities for students to personalize their learning experience.  Students are supervised by a faculty advisor.

For more information about the Criminology and Criminal Justice internship, contact Janice Jones, Internship Coordinator (313) 583-6404; email: criminal_justice@umd.umich.edu

Economics Internship

The economics internship offers students field experiences with businesses, non-profit organizations and government agencies. The placement allows students to get hands-on experience applying the tools of economic analysis to specific job and project assignments. Student interns spend either eight or 16 hours per week in unpaid work at their placement site, for which they earn either three or six academic credits. Only three credit hours may be used to satisfy the concentration requirements in economics. All interns are assigned to an economics faculty advisor. This program is open to all declared economics majors, who, by the start of the internship, have completed at least two upper-level economics courses in addition to two of the following core courses: ECON 301,ECON 302 and ECON 305. Permission of the Internship Coordinator is required. To inquire, call the Economics Internship Faculty Coordinator in the Department of Social Sciences at 313-593-5164.

Environmental Studies Internship

The environmental studies internship, which is required of all environmental studies concentrations, involves students in a wide variety of positions with government organizations (Department of Environmental Quality, departments of health, city and county agencies), consulting firms, and non-governmental organizations as field assistants and researchers. Students work a prescribed number of hours per week as arranged by the advisor and employer, typically earning three credit hours. Written permission of instructor is required to participate. To inquire, contact the Department of Natural Sciences at 313-593-5339.

History and Humanities Internship

The history and humanities internship offers practical experience to students in art history, communication, English, foreign languages, history, humanities, music, and philosophy. Students develop job-entry experiences in humanities and history-related careers. The internship includes a required seminar. Although, in general, the internship is offered for elective credit, it may be used to satisfy the following concentration requirements: Three credit hours may be applied towards a Communication major/minor or toward an Art History/Museum Studies degree and six credit hours may be applied towards a Journalism concentration. For students with a foreign language focus, three credit hours may be used within the International Studies Support Studies component or toward the cognate requirement of the French or Hispanic Studies concentrations. Prerequisites are junior or senior standing. Students earn three to six credit hours per semester. The maximum total credit hours are 12. To inquire, contact the History/Humanities Internship Office, 3028 CB, 313-583-6376.

Psychology Internship

Psychology internship placements offer work experiences in a wide variety of human services organizations. These include programs related to child abuse, criminal rehabilitation, crisis intervention, geriatrics, human resources, mental illness, organizational development, special education, substance abuse, and women's issues. Students spend six or 12 hours per week at their field placement and attend a weekly seminar involving training in listening and helping skills. Students may register for three or six credits. Prerequisites are PSYC 101 and permission of instructor. To inquire, contact the Department of Behavioral Sciences at 313-593-5520.

Public Affairs Internship

The public affairs internship program allows students to participate in the political process through placements in a variety of governmental offices. Students in the local internship program work for state and local elected officials, law firms, and interest groups. Students in the Washington, D.C. program have worked in the White House, the Pentagon, and for Members of Congress. Students in the Ottawa, Canada program work in a Member of Parliament’s office for a period of five weeks. Admission is reserved primarily for qualified juniors and seniors of all majors. Six upper-level credits are granted for successful completion of either program. Scholarships are available. To inquire, contact the Department of Social Sciences at 313-593-5164.

Sociology/Social Work Internship

The sociology/social work internship offers students the opportunity to work in social welfare agencies and/or human services organizations such as domestic violence shelters, criminal justice agencies, head start programs, substance abuse rehabilitation, gerontology, hospice, human resources, health care, urban planning, and so on. The emphasis in the field experience is on the social problems that bring clients to agencies and on the social contexts within which agencies deliver services. Students spend six to eight hours per week on site and two hours in a classroom seminar. Prerequisites are SOC 200 or SOC 201 and permission of instructor. Students may enroll for three to six credit hours. To inquire, contact the Department of Behavioral Sciences at 313-593-5520.

Women's and Gender Studies Internship

The WGST internship offers students an opportunity to work in a variety of fields that address gender inequities and/or serve the needs of women and girls. These include, but are not limited to, adolescent services, domestic violence shelters, legal clinics, human resources, health care settings, advocacy organizations, and residential counseling settings. Students spent six to eight hours per week on-site and two hours in a classroom seminar. Prerequisites are WGST 303 or permission of instructor. To inquire, contact the WGST office, 2040 CB, 313-593-1391.

Women in Learning and Leadership (WILL)

The Women in Learning and Leadership (WILL) Program is an integral part of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program’s commitment to fostering student engagement on campus and in the greater metro-Detroit area.

The following are the main goals of the program:

• To encourage critical thinking and intellectual curiosity by providing active learning opportunities that empower students as leaders during and beyond their college years
• To foster a deeper understanding of women’s diverse roles and contributions to society
• To increase awareness of of obstacles created by gender, racial, and social class stratification and develop individual and collective strategies to address these obstacles
• To enrich the campus, Metro Detroit, and global community through service and programming.

Requirements for WILL

Students accepted into WILL complete 4 courses in Women's and Gender Studies and an internship or co-op experience in a field of their choice. There are two required courses for the program: Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies, and a Women, Leadership and Social Change class. For their two electives, students may choose from the wide variety of courses offered by the Women’s and Gender Studies program. In addition to fulfilling these curricular requirements, WILL students spend a minimum of 15 hours per semester engaged in co-curricular activities related to gender equity and community building. Among their other activities, the WILL student group engages in volunteer opportunities with social service agencies in metropolitan Detroit. In addition, they have the opportunity to meet with locally and nationally known gender equity leaders for casual “fireside chats” and are offered annual training seminars by local women leaders. They organize speaker and film series on topics such as leadership for global gender justice, eating disorders and body image, and violence awareness on campus. They also run an innovative and successful mentoring program for middle school girls in Southwest Detroit. WILL students’ internship placements have allowed them to work with women in the criminal justice system, in programs for at-risk youth, in an oral history project interviewing Arab-American women, and in a variety of positions in legal, medical, business and education fields with women leaders as mentors.

The program recruits in April every academic year for acceptance into the program the following Fall term. Students accepted into the program have a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average, demonstrated leadership ability, and an interest in fostering gender equity.

For more information, please visit the WILL webpage.

CASL Online and Blended Courses

Regular credit-bearing courses are offered via online and blended formats to UM-Dearborn students (and guest students) who can benefit from the flexibility and convenience of online course delivery. Students who want to pursue a university education but have special constraints such as job demands, childcare or eldercare responsibilities, pregnancy or medical limitations may also find that online learning helps them stay on track. Online learning classes are taught by UM-Dearborn’s distinguished faculty and are equivalent in academic depth and rigor to face-to-face versions taught in the traditional classroom. New courses are added to the online repertoire each year. A few courses are in blended format; that is, the classes meet on campus for one or two class periods and online for the remainder.

Regularly enrolled students may elect online learning courses as part of the registration process. Guest students must submit the Michigan Uniform Guest Application, available in our Admissions/Registrar’s offices or in the Registrar’s office of the student’s home institution, and complete the admissions process before registering for classes.

Online courses usually require regular participation in online discussion groups established for the class. Required materials may be made available in various formats, including conventional textbooks and online resources, including video and/or audio recordings. Some online courses may require attendance on campus at an orientation session and/or for exams, though special proctoring arrangements can be made, especially for non-local students.

Canvas is the home for all online courses, as well as some assignments, discussions, and resources for hybrid and on-campus classes.This Canvas portal page will provide you with up-to-date Canvas policies, help & support, and other more specific information for faculty and students.

The Digital Education office is located in 1100 Social Sciences Building, email umd-digitaleducation@umich.edu

Japan Center for Michigan Universities

Since 1989, the fifteen Michigan public universities have operated a unique program in Japanese language and culture in our sister state in Japan, the Shiga prefecture. The Japan Center for Michigan Universities is in Hikone, a beautiful, medium-sized, non-westernized city in central Japan. The $15 million facility, built by the Shiga government, includes classrooms, offices, and apartments with cooking facilities for student occupancy; home stays, of varying duration, may also be arranged. The full academic program runs from September through the end of April; students may also select a one-semester program, or the Summer Intensive Program in the Japanese language. UM-Dearborn students receive 26 hours of credit for UM-Dearborn courses in Japanese language (see course descriptions under Japanese in this Catalog for the following: JPN 128-JPN 129, JPN 178-JPN 225, or JPN 228-JPN 229), Japanese Culture and Society (JPN 395, JPN 396), and two other courses taught by visiting professors. These have included Japanese art and painting, Japanese technology and business, energy and environment in Japan, modern Japanese history, and mass media.

For current information on program fees and housing, visit the Japan Center for Michigan Universities website. Applicants need not know Japanese, but they should have studied another foreign language and have had some foreign travel experience. They must have sophomore standing by the end of Winter term and a 2.5 or higher GPA. Students should contact the: Office of International Affairs (Room 108 in The Union at Dearborn) for additional information.

Study Abroad

Students interested in other study abroad programs should consult faculty in Modern and Classical Languages, their major advisor, or the Office of International Affairs (Room 108 in The Union at Dearborn) for additional information.

Special Centers, Facilities and Services

CASL Advising and Academic Success

The CASL Advising and Academic Success office helps students make informed decisions about their course of study and the liberal arts.   CASL advisors are available to provide curricular and career option information, program requirements, University policies and procedures, and campus resources. The office also coordinates academic advising between students and faculty mentors, provides necessary College forms and materials, and reviews students' academic progress and performance at specified intervals.

The CASL Advising and Academic Success office contact information: 1039 CB, 313-593-5293, and online at casladvising@umich.edu.

University of Michigan-Dearborn Writing Center

The University Writing Center, staffed by experienced student peer consultants under the supervision of full-time faculty in composition, provides support for all UM-Dearborn students wishing to improve their writing. Students needing regular one-on-one help in developing basic writing skills, as well as more advanced students wishing to improve their writing, will find the Writing Center useful.

The Writing Center is open five days a week during Fall and Winter terms and on a more limited basis during the summer term. It is strongly recommended that students make an appointment should they wish to work with a peer consultant. The center is equipped with personal computers and software for student use including word processing software, grammar programs and Internet access and research. For further information, contact the Writing Program Office, 3018 CB, or telephone 313-593-5238.

The center is located in 3035 CB with smaller satellite locations around campus. The center tries to accommodate walk-ins but prefers students make appointments online at umdearborn.edu/casl/writ_center.

Center for Arab American Studies

The Center for Arab American Studies focuses on scholarship, research, and engagement with the Arab-American community in Dearborn and Metropolitan Detroit. Faculty in Arab American Studies are actively engaged in research and scholarship on current issues facing Arab Americans as well as Arab American history and culture. As teachers, they seek to help all students understand the role of Arabs in American society, the role of America in Arab society, and the vibrant interplay between them. For additional information contact the Center in Room 2040 CB or call 313-593-4925.

Center for Armenian Research

The Armenian Research Center (ARC) was established for the documentation and the publication of materials in the field of Armenian studies and affairs. The ARC accomplishes this work in a variety of ways. It provides access to a computerized database of books, periodical articles, audiovisual material, and other items concerning Armenians. This database is gradually also becoming accessible through the on line catalog of the Mardigian Library. The ARC also regularly publishes scholarly books on Armenian topics. It supports both academic and public outreach by participating in forums, sponsoring conferences, exhibitions, public lectures and answering questions from scholars, students and the public media. Finally, the ARC sponsors and supports the teaching of Armenian language instruction courses on the University of Michigan, Dearborn campus. For additional information call 313-593-5181.

Center for Mathematics Education

The Center for Mathematics Education is dedicated to improving the quality of teacher preparation for prospective teachers and to making continuous professional development available for current teachers. The goal is to strengthen the teaching of mathematics and improve student learning. The professional development programs offered by the Center seek to deepen teachers’ understanding of the mathematics they teach and emphasize best teaching practices through the study and use of current research and standards-based curriculum resources. These professional development activities are offered at school district sites and at regional intermediate school districts, and carry at least 3 SB-CEU credits. It is also possible for classroom teachers to enroll for graduate credit. These credits can be applied towards the degree requirements for the Specialty in Middle Grades Mathematics program that is part of the College of Education, Health, and Human Services’ Master of Arts in Education degree. For additional information see the Center for Mathematics Education website.

Center for Ethnic and Religious Studies

In 2001, faculty in the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters at the University of Michigan-Dearborn established a Center for the Study of Religion and Society.

For more information, please see the Center website or call 313-583-6335.

Mathematics Learning Center (MLC)

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics supports a peer tutoring program for UM-Dearborn students needing assistance with their work in college algebra, pre-calculus, calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, statistics, and mathematics education courses. Peer tutors, who are carefully vetted, trained, and supervised by the Director of the Center, are available during posted hours throughout the week. Computer tutorials and videos are also available to assist students in their preparation for the Mathematics Placement Exam and in certain mathematics courses. Please call 313-583-6351 or visit the MCL website for a current list of programs available for student support. The MLC is located in Room 2076 CB. The department provides auxiliary tutorial support for developmental algebra courses (MATH 080 and MATH 090). Instructors for these courses will have information for students regarding the tutoring hours and location at the beginning of each semester.

Science Learning Center

The Department of Natural Sciences operates a Science Learning Center (SLC) for students enrolled in a variety of science courses. The SLC program ensures that all science students have adequate preparation for high achievement in science by providing self-paced, individualized instruction in essential mathematical, conceptual, and laboratory skills. Instructional modules are presented in one of several formats, including printed material and digital or multimedia tutorials that may be accompanied by specific laboratory instruments. All instructional modules are available online at the SLC website. Mastery of the subject matter is assessed by a short post test that is administered in the SLC. Students are encouraged to make advance reservations for post tests for instrument-based modules. Signup sheets are available in the SLC which is located in Room 1143 SB/CW. It is open Monday through Friday during all academic terms. Current hours of operation are listed on the SLC website.

SLC staff also manage a Supplemental Instruction (SI) Program for students in the natural sciences. Supplemental instruction is an academic assistance program that utilizes peer-assisted study sessions. The SI sessions are regularly-scheduled informal review sessions in which students compare their class notes, discuss assigned readings, practice problem solving, develop organizational tools, and predict test items. The participants learn how to integrate course content and study skills while working together. The sessions are facilitated by “SI leaders”, students who have previously taken the courses and done well in them. The SI leaders also attend all the lectures, take notes, and are model students. The main purpose of this program is to improve students’ grades and increase student retention and graduation rates.