College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

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

The College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters (CASL) is the liberal arts college at UM-Dearborn. Following the long-standing University of Michigan tradition of a sound liberal arts education, the College emphasizes the breadth and depth of learning and creative thinking. The programs of the College are designed to prepare students who can communicate clearly, reason and make critical judgments, distinguish facts from values, and understand their own and others’ cultural and artistic heritage. Individuals who are educated in this manner will be able to adapt successfully not only to their first jobs but also to a rapidly changing world. With a sound liberal arts education, our students are equipped to provide leadership, direction, and vision.

With a full-time faculty of over 150, the College offers 37 liberal arts majors and over 1000 courses to its 3500+ undergraduates, who represent nearly half of the total student enrollment at UM-Dearborn. In addition, the College provides the liberal arts foundation for all degree programs on campus and is the academic unit on campus that reflects in itself the diversity essential to and inherent in a modern comprehensive university. The College is the largest academic unit at UM-Dearborn and the third largest of all academic units on the three campuses of the University of Michigan.

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 thirteen college wide programs: African and American African Studies (AAAS); American Studies; Arab American Studies (AAST); Business Studies as a Second  Major (BST); Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies (CRJ); Individual Program of Study; Law and Society; Liberal Studies (LIBS); 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

As was true in Paris and Bologna in the fourteenth century and as is true in Cambridge, Ann Arbor, and Dearborn in the twenty-first, liberal arts colleges are the sine qua non of universities. The pre-eminence of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at Ann Arbor is mirrored in the status of the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters at Dearborn. The reason for this preeminence of liberal arts colleges is not difficult to ascertain. Together, they share an ideal, a goal: the cultivation of students' intellectual abilities, the refining of their sensibilities, and the enlargement and deepening of their awareness and knowledge.

CASL is the intellectual core of the campus. In the College, a distinguished faculty of teacher-scholars aims to cultivate the intellectual abilities of a diverse and talented student body and to enlarge, refine, and deepen their awareness and knowledge. Through traditional degrees and such distinctive programs as cooperative education, undergraduate research and interdisciplinary honors, the College emphasizes both the practical and the intellectual side of the liberal arts. In collaboration with the professional schools, it prepares students for the professions while helping them toward an understanding of human values and ethics. In partnership with the broader academic community, its faculty contribute significantly to the creation, application, and dissemination of knowledge. In addition, it provides significant service to the University and the wider community.

In mathematics and the natural sciences, emphasis is placed on rational, analytical, conceptual thinking and on mastery of precise methods of inquiry, especially experimentation, that produces results that may be replicated.

In the humanities, methodology is equally important, but it is less exclusively rational, because the study of art, literature, and music depends on the manner – partly emotional, partly imaginative – in which these are experienced.

The social and behavioral sciences offer a political, social, economic, psychological, and cultural storehouse from which students can draw in order to understand the past, cope with the present, and design the future.

In CASL, emphasis is not placed exclusively on specific preparation for a narrow career track, but rather on providing a broad-based liberal arts background which offers an ethical and moral foundation from which graduates may grow. Basic core knowledge will aid graduates in their career choices, but facts in many occupations may have a life of less than a decade. By contrast, values endure for a lifetime.

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 Language, Culture and Communication (LCC) Department houses six disciplines: Comparative Literature, Composition and Rhetoric, Journalism and Screen Studies, Linguistics, Modern and Classical Languages (including Arabic, French, German and Spanish), and Public Communication and Culture Studies (including Speech). It offers degree programs in French Studies, Communication, and Hispanic Studies. It also offers an interdisciplinary degree in International Studies. In addition, the Department offers minors in Arabic Studies, Comparative Literature, Film Studies, German, Global Cultures, and Linguistics. 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 Literature, Philosophy, and the Arts Department (LPA) houses degree programs in three disciplines: art history, English literature, and philosophy. It offers an interdisciplinary degree program in humanities, a minor in medieval and renaissance studies, as well as courses in applied art, applied music, and music history. The Literature, Philosophy, and the Arts Visual Resources and Music Collections (VRMC) supports the instructional needs of the department, especially art history, applied art (studio art), and English literature. The collection contains over 95,000 analog slides, 1500 compact discs and phonograph records, 200 videocassettes and other instructional materials. Digital images from the VRMC collection are available from the Image Collections supported and maintained by Digital Library Platform Service (DLPS). The office of the Literature, Philosophy, and the Arts Department is located in Room 3011, 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, and Mathematics. 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 houses and offers degree programs in Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Social Studies and Urban and Regional Studies, as well as graduate degrees in Public Administration and a minor in Geography. The office of the Social Sciences Department is located in Room 2140 Social Sciences Building.

The College supports several interdepartmental programs, some administered directly by the College and some administered by departments. These include degree programs in African African American Studies, American Studies, Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies, Liberal 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.

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 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 the faculty program advisor. The advisor must approve the content of the major and can help the student achieve a sound and harmonious program.

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 at least 6 credit hours of cognate courses are required. 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 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 major 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 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 Student Records, 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 study major may only be a second major. 

Concentrations

Instead of a traditional major, students in the Liberal 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, CIS, or College of Education, Health and Human Services. Students interested in these programs should contact CASL Advising and Records 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 Liberal 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 Office of Advising and Student Records. 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 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 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. 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; Geology; 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 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 Office of Advising and Student Records, Room 1039 CB, be granted the BS degree.

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 the CASL Office of Advising and Student Records, 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 the CASL Office of Advising and Student Records, 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 six certificates: Arab American Studies (AAST), Geospatial Analysis and Mapping (GAM), LGBTQ Studies, 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
• American Studies
• Anthropology
• Art History 
• Behavioral and Biological Sciences
• Behavioral Sciences
• Biochemistry
• Biological Sciences
• Chemistry (ACS Certified)
• Chemistry (Instructional track)
• Communication
• Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Economics
• English
• Environmental Science
• Environmental Studies
• General Studies
• Geological Sciences
• Hispanic Studies
• History 
• Humanities
• International Studies
• Liberal 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 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
• Geological Sciences
• Geology
• German
• Global Cultures
• Hispanic Studies
• History
• Humanities
• Law and Society
• Leadership & Communication in Organizations
• Linguistics
• Medieval and Renaissance Studies
• Microbiology
• 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

• Arab American Studies
• Geospatial Analysis and Mapping
• LGBTQ Studies
• Middle East Studies
• Public Relations
• Writing

For complete information on current policies and procedures, contact the Office of Advising and Student Records, Room 1039 CB, 313-593-5293.

Academic Procedures

Declaring a Major

Students are required to declare a major formally and officially by the time they have earned 60 credit hours. A student who does not comply with this policy is placed on registration hold. As a result, the student will not be allowed to register for the next term until a major has been declared.

Senior Degree Audits

A senior audit gives the student a list of requirements remaining to be fulfilled for graduation. During the term in which a student will complete 85 credit hours, a student may request a senior audit from the Office of Advising and Student Records to be prepared. The student will be asked to confirm his or her major before the audit will be completed. When it is done, the student will be notified by email and instructed to schedule an advising appointment, during which the audit will be reviewed.  A final audit will be conducted automatically for students who have applied for graduation and are on the Degree Candidate List.

Dropping and Adding Courses

Changes in course elections, including dropping or adding a course, and substituting another course for one already elected, may be made during the official "drop/add period." To make a change in course election, a student may change open courses on line via UM-Dearborn Connect during regular registration periods and during the first two weeks of a full term or the first week of a half–term.

Students also have the option of obtaining an Add/Drop Form from the CASL Office of Advising and Student Records, Room 1039 CB, with faculty signatures, if required, and submit it to the Enrollment Services Counter (1169 UC) by the established Add or Drop deadline. A limited number of classes require faculty permission to add after one week in a full-term and two days in a half-term.

Courses may be selectively (drop one or more course, but stay enrolled in at least one course) dropped through the ninth week of a full term or the fourth week of a half-term, but a W notation will be entered on the transcript. A student may completely withdraw from any semester through the official last day of classes for that particular semester. Consult the Enrollment Services Office (1169 UC; 313-583-6500) for more information about exact dates, signature requirements, and fee assessments.

Electing more than 18 Credit Hours

Students must have written permission from the Office of Advising and Student Records to elect more than 18 credit hours a term. Students whose GPA is below 3.00 are not allowed to elect more than the normal maximum of 18 hours.

Coursework at Other Institutions

Once admitted and registered at UM-Dearborn, a student may apply to be a guest at another institution. The guest application is available at Enrollment Services, 1169 UC, or online. Keep in mind there is a undergraduate residency policy and the maximum transfer credit hours policy applies. For additional information, see Taking Courses Outside UM-Dearborn.

It is recommended that students meet with an academic advisor before registering as a guest. A “C” grade or above and an official transcript is required for credit to be posted to the UM-Dearborn transcript. Courses that are in progress at the time of admission and are so reported in writing to the Office of Admissions and Orientation may be transferred.

CASL students are encouraged to study abroad. In order for the credit earned overseas to be transferred back, the student must 1) receive a pre-approval of coursework from the CASL Office of Advising and Student Records before departing for the program, and 2) bring back an official transcript from an accredited institution for the work completed. In general, the pre-approval of coursework can only grant the transferrable credit be counted as either lower level or upper level elective credit. In order for the credit to be counted toward a major/minor, the student needs to bring back a course syllabus and all graded written work for a full assessment by the corresponding discipline representative.

Credit for CO-OP, Independent Study and Other Experiential Courses

In addition to the Cooperative Education Program with its paid work experience, independent studies, independent research, internships, and field experience courses are offered by various departments.

No more than 18 hours of credit may be counted toward graduation for cooperative education, independent/directed research, independent/directed studies, internships, and field experiences. There may be more specific limits on the number of independent study, reading, and research courses that may be applied to a major; see the faculty advisor in the major area for more specifics on this matter. Credit for laboratory/off-campus experiences must be arranged prior to the experiences; credits may not be arranged retroactively, after the experiences are completed.

Registering after Withdrawls

A CASL student who first registers and then totally withdraws from two consecutive terms may be placed on academic probation and may not register without the explicit written permission of the Associate Dean or the Associate Dean's representative.

A student who is required to withdraw from one academic unit may not be admitted to another UM-Dearborn academic unit within the same term that the withdrawal action was taken.

Petitions

A petition is an official written request by the student to review information related to the student's academic record or to ask for approval of exceptions to policies or procedures. Petition forms are available in the CASL Office of Advising and Student Records, and must be filed in that office.

Grading System

CASL Letter Grades and Quality Points

Grade Notations

The following notations may appear on a transcript to describe special situations in regard to a course.

NC No Credit. No honor points. Not computed in the grade point average. Used only in specially approved courses that are graded A, B, C, No Credit.

I Incomplete. No honor points. A student who cannot complete the work of a course before the end of the term must request permission to receive an incomplete grade. A contract form, obtained from the CASL Office of Advising and Student Records, Room 1039 CB, must be discussed with and approved by the instructor before the end of the term. If the work is not completed within either four months, or an earlier deadline specified by the instructor, the grade will be converted to an E. Incompletes may not be completed after graduation. An I notation will remain on the transcript, followed by the letter grade earned. In cases where an I is granted, but no contract is submitted, an IE will appear on the transcript.

X Absent from Final Examination. No honor points. An instructor may assign an X if a student has completed all the required coursework except for the final examination. The final exam must be taken within five weeks of the end of the term. If the exam is not completed in the required time frame, an E grade will be recorded. The X notation will remain on the transcript, followed by the letter grade earned. A course with an X mark may not be completed after graduation.

Y Course extended beyond term end. No credit. No honor points. Used only for courses that have been specially designed and approved to extend beyond the end of one term. A course with a Y mark may not be completed after graduation. If such a course is not completed, the Y will be converted to an E upon graduation.

NR Grade Not Reported. No honor points. Student should consult the Registrar immediately.

W Official Withdrawal. No credit. No honor points. Not computed in the grade point average. Students who selectively drop a course or withdraw from all courses for a term prior to the deadline for selective drops and/or withdrawals will receive for these courses the W notation. This notation may not be removed from the transcript.

S/E. Used only for specially approved courses. If a student passes, an S (satisfactory) is awarded. It is not computed into the grade point average. If a student does not pass, an E is awarded. If a student stops attending, without officially dropping, a UE is awarded. Both the E and the UE are computed in the GPA as failing grades.

P/F Pass/Fail Option. No honor points. A student must elect to take a course under the Pass/Fail option. The instructor reports a letter grade (A through E), except in courses where the notation No Credit is acceptable. Enrollment Services/Registration & Records converts the student's letter grade according to the following procedure:

1. Grades A through C- are posted on a transcript as P (Pass); counts toward residency requirement and credit hours toward graduation.
2. Grades D+ through E are posted on a transcript as F (Fail); no degree credit is earned.
3. A grade of UE is not converted to an F and is computed in the GPA the same as an E.

Neither a P nor an F is computed in the grade point average. This grading option applies only to courses offered by CASL. Students enrolled in degree programs in other units should check the pass/fail regulations in those units. The option is subject to the following conditions:

The pass/fail option is open only to students who are not on academic probation.

Courses taken under the pass/fail option may not be used to fulfill requirements for majors, minors, areas of focus, cognates, and/or teacher certification.

Students in the Honors Program must take all Honors Program requirements for a grade.

Courses taken under the pass/fail option must be specified on the registration form or added as such within the usual add period.

Such courses may be dropped within the usual drop period.

1. Changing from the pass/fail option to a letter grade or vice versa is not permitted after the first two weeks of a full term or after the first week of a half term.
2. A student is limited to, at most, four courses taken under the pass/fail option. Courses specifically designated as "S/E only" are not counted in this limitation.

UE Unearned Fail. This grade is assigned to any student who has never attended, or stopped attending class during the semester and did not officially drop. It is computed in the GPA the same as an E.

VI Visitor-Official Audit. No credit. No honor points. Not computed into the grade point average. An official audit, or visitor status, allows a student to attend a course but not elect it for credit. The VI notation appears on the transcript. Regular tuition fees are assessed.

Changing Grades

The grade that an instructor records on the final grade sheet which appears on the student’s subsequent transcript based on the instructor’s official evaluation of all of a student’s performance and work completed by the end of the term is considered final. Recognizing that mistakes can be made, the University of Michigan-Dearborn permits a student to ask an instructor for a review of a grade within a five-week period after the end of the term involved. CASL instructors must complete a Supplementary Grade Report form and submit it to the CASL Office of Advising and Student Records, Room 1039 CB. A grade change after the five week period following the semester the course was taken is not permitted except for extenuating circumstances which requires an approval from the CASL Dean’s Office.

Term and Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)

The cumulative GPA is determined by dividing the total number of credit hours into the total number of quality points earned. The term GPA is determined by dividing the number of credit hours elected during a term into the number of quality points earned during the same term.

The number of credit hours excludes 1) courses in which a student received an NC; 2) courses taken on a pass/fail basis in which a P or an F is recorded; 3) S/E graded courses in which the student receives an S; 4) additive credit courses.

Grades associated with transferred courses are neither recorded nor used in computing the cumulative GPA. Past grades, however, may be reviewed for admission to specific units within UM-Dearborn.

Effective Fall 2005, for any course repeated in Fall 2005, or thereafter, grades earned in all attempts of a course will appear on the transcript, however, only the most recently earned grade will be reflected in the cumulative GPA. Some restrictions apply. For more details, please see a CASL advisor.

Note: Prior to Fall 2005, grades earned in all attempts of a course appeared on the transcript and were reflected in the cumulative GPA.

Academic Honors

Dean's List

A student is honored by inclusion in the Dean’s List if he or she meets two conditions: (1) has completed during the term at least 12 credit hours of graded coursework toward degree, and (2) has achieved a 3.50 or better term GPA. The Dean’s List is compiled three times a year, after the Fall, Winter, and Summer terms. Students who have I, X, NC, or Y notations are not eligible to be included. Students who receive Academic Sanctions against them lose the opportunity to be on the Dean’s List ever again. Upon completion of all courses for the term, eligible students will be contacted via their UM-D email account with an official Dean’s List letter by the CASL Office of Advising and Student Records.

A second Dean’s List is generated for part-time students who have enrolled and completed 12 or more credit hours of graded (A-E) coursework toward degree in the Fall and Winter semesters (of a given academic year) combined, and earned a minimum 3.50 GPA in each term.

Eligibility is based exclusively upon coursework completed at UM-Dearborn. The list is posted prominently in a display case in the CASL Building.

For information about other institution-wide honors and awards, please consult the General Information section in this Catalog.

Academic Performance

The goal of the College is to assist its students in making satisfactory and expeditious progress toward their degrees. In order to be graduated, the student must achieve not only a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better, but also a 2.00 or better in his/her major, cognates, minor, or each concentration. Steady achievement at this level is not always possible. From time to time students might perform at a level below 2.00 and still be permitted to register and thus to continue to make progress toward their degrees. The scholastic records of all students are examined at the end of each term during which they took courses.

Probation

If a student's cumulative GPA should fall below 2.00 at the end of a term, the student will be placed on "probation". If the student's cumulative GPA reaches 2.00 or better at the end of this probationary term, the student is removed from probation. On the other hand, if the cumulative GPA is even lower at the end of the probationary term, the student would normally move to “required to withdraw” (RW) status and would not be allowed to register for classes for the duration of at least one year. A student with a cumulative GPA substantially below 2.00 may be required to demonstrate his or her potential for readmission. Finally, if the cumulative GPA should show significant improvement but not yet reach 2.00 at the end of the probationary term, the student may be placed in "probation continued" status for one term.

Probation Continued

A student in "probation continued" status has an academic hold placed on registration. This means that the student may not register again until all grades for the probation continued term have been recorded and reviewed favorably. If the student on probation continued achieves a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better at the end of this term, the student is removed from the academic hold and from probation. If the student should fail to achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better, the student would normally be "required to withdraw" (RW) and would not be permitted to register for classes for the duration of at least one year. A student with a cumulative GPA substantially below 2.00 may be required to demonstrate his or her potential for readmission. Normally, a student may be in the probation-continued category for only one regular term.

Further information may be obtained from the CASL Office of Advising and Student Records, Room 1039 CB.

Code of Academic Conduct

In order to maintain the high academic standards subscribed to by UM-Dearborn, the College has adopted a Code of Academic Conduct that defines academic misconduct and outlines report and appeals procedures.

The College, like all communities, functions best when its members treat one another with honesty, fairness, respect, and trust. Therefore, an individual should realize that deception for the purpose of individual gain is an offense against the community. Such dishonesty includes:

Plagarism

Submitting a piece of work (for example, an essay, research paper, assignment, laboratory report) which in part or in whole is not entirely the student's own work without attributing those same portions to their correct source(s)

Cheating

Using unauthorized notes, or study aids, or information from another student or student's paper on an examination; altering graded work after it has been returned, then submitting the work for re-grading; and allowing another person to do one's work and to submit the work under one's own name.

Fabrication

Presenting data in a piece of work which were not gathered in accordance with the guidelines defining the appropriate methods for collecting or generating data and failing to include a substantially accurate account of the method by which the data were gathered or collected.

Aiding and Abetting Dishonesty

Altering documents affecting academic records; forging signatures of authorization or falsifying information on an official document, election form, grade report, letter of permission, petition, or any document designed to meet or exempt a student from an established CASL or University academic regulation.

A faculty member has the responsibility to inform the students that academic dishonesty is not acceptable. Students are responsible for discovering the sort of conduct that would be viewed as unacceptable by reviewing the Code of Academic Conduct and by asking individual instructors for the standards of their respective disciplines.

Report

Upon detecting a violation of academic integrity, a CASL faculty member is required to report it under all circumstances. The reports help CASL and the other units on campus to track repeat offenders of academic integrity who should be punished according to guidelines approved in each unit.

To file a report of a violation involving a CASL course, the faculty member needs to fill out a CASL Academic Integrity Violation Report Form (the "Report") and files it with the CASL Associate Dean for Curriculum and Enrollment Management. The faculty member is also required to give a copy of the Report to the involved student.

Rights of Parties

A faculty member shall have the right to assign penalties, including lowered grades for coursework or an entire course, for any violation of the CASL Code of Academic Conduct.

Upon receiving a copy of the Report, the student has seven business days to make a decision on whether to appeal to it or not. If the student decides to appeal, he or she should notify the CASL Associate Dean for Curriculum and Enrollment Management within seven business days after receiving a copy of the Report.

Appeal

After receiving an official notification for an appeal to a Report, the CASL Associate Dean for Curriculum and Enrollment Management works with the student to follow CASL approved and established appeal procedures to conduct the appeal.

Policy Changes

All policies, procedures, and requirements are subject to change. These changes do not always coincide with the printing of a new Catalog. The most current information regarding CASL programs may be obtained from the CASL Office of Advising and Student Records, Room 1039 CB.

Special Programs

Honors Program

The College offers an Honors Program for students from all units of the campus who are highly motivated and qualified academically. The program provides them with an opportunity to broaden and enrich their undergraduate education by offering an alternate route for satisfying the course distribution requirements while retaining the concentration requirements. The program emphasizes general education grounded in the traditional liberal arts. It includes special honors courses, a tutorial and seminar, reduced class size, close student-professor relationships, and interaction with other honors students.

Students in the Honors Program participate in an interdisciplinary curriculum of the most stimulating courses on campus in a relaxed, intimate learning environment geared to heightening their perceptions and deepening their knowledge. The curriculum is organized to produce a cumulative effect: students who reach their junior year in the program share a common core of literature, language, and methodology upon which they can build. By their senior year, honors students have gained the skills needed for rigorous, independent critical thinking.

The Honors Program is a repository of "quality" education. This implies commitment from teachers, advisors, and students, a coherent and unified curriculum that moves toward specific goals, and a carefully monitored series of courses. It is understood that the curriculum is demanding, and that the program makes as few compromises as possible in order to maintain its integrity.

Special features of the Honors Program include:

1. A freshman seminar which focuses on a particular topic but emphasizes examination of method: critical analysis of both primary and secondary texts; historical, interpretive approaches; research techniques and comparison of how different disciplines pose questions of a wide variety of texts.
2. Four lower-division interdisciplinary honors courses, at least one per term during the first two years. Each course deals with the evolution and content of Western culture from the vantage points of several academic disciplines: anthropology, art, economics, history, literature, music, political science, psychology, sociology, and the sciences. The four courses provide honors students with a common body of knowledge, language, and literature. They foster critical thinking, help students gain a perspective on the traditions and problems of Western civilization, and equip them with a well-rounded background so that they may more intelligently construct their lives in the modern world. 
3. The tutorial, a crucial part of the Honors Program, is one of its main features. Tutorials enroll between five and ten students. They create a sense of collegiality that is frequently lacking on a commuter campus. The tutorials provide an opportunity for intensive concentration, study, and discussion. In most cases a major writing assignment will be required.

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 information more information 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.

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 171 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 designed to develop the analytical abilities and skills of undergraduates and promote their will to be community leaders for gender equity. WILL allows students to connect knowledge gained in the classroom with learning experiences in the community by combining courses in Women’s and Gender Studies, co-curricular programming, a student leadership organization, and internship and co-op opportunities. The following are the main goals of the program:

• To encourage critical thinking, intellectual curiosity and active learning opportunities that empower women as leaders during and beyond college;
• to increase awareness of obstacles created by gender, ethnic and social class stratification, with attention to what those obstacles mean for students living in metropolitan Detroit, and to develop awareness of individual and collective strategies to address these obstacles;
• to promote self-confidence, assertiveness, a realistic sense of efficacy and willingness to lead;
• to provide opportunities for students to explore their career and life choices, and to build a multicultural and co-generational community on campus that supports this learning and exploring;
• to develop ongoing networks of collaboration between community organizations, leaders, and students.

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, contact the Director of WILL at 313-593-1391 or visit 2040 CB.

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

Office of Advising and Student Records

The Office of Advising and Student Records 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 advisors, provides necessary College forms and materials, and reviews students' academic progress and performance at specified intervals.

The Office of Advising and Student Records contact information: 1039 CB, 313-593-5293, and online at casl-advising@umd.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.