TTU Undergraduate Catalog

The College of Arts & Sciences provides a liberal arts education for all TTU students, strong major programs in more than twenty areas of study, high-quality foundational courses for students in programs outside the College, and new knowledge through faculty and student research. In pursuing this mission, the College emphasizes the skills and perspectives vital to lifelong education and decision-making in a democracy. These include critical and contextual thinking, effective communication, active learning, and proficiency with technology. Across the ten departments, many courses address one or more of the following major issues: environmental problems, the complex relations of science and society, and the coexistence of differing cultural or ethnic groups within the U.S. and around the globe.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE
IN THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

A student must satisfy the general university requirements for a baccalaureate degree. The departmental chairperson, or a faculty member designated by the chairperson, serves as the student's academic advisor.

A minor for Arts and Sciences students requires the completion of 15 semester hours, including 6 upper-division hours, in a coherent program of study. The criterion of coherence may be met in either of two ways: (1) by following the minor curriculum prescribed by any department or college at TTU, so long as it includes at least 6 upper-division hours; (2) if such a minor curriculum is not available in the chosen department or college, by taking the 15 semester hours, including 6 at the upper division, in a single discipline—i.e., normally, courses with the same course prefix, but students should check with the department offering the minor before assuming this. Approved interdisciplinary minors in the College of Arts and Sciences are:

Environmental Studies
Home: Department of Earth Sciences. Advisor: Dr. Larry Knox, Kittrell Hall 201 or 103 (lknox@tntech.edu).
Preparation: Students wishing to minor in Environmental Studies must fulfill their general education science requirement by taking any two of the following courses: BIOL 1010, BIOL 1020, BIOL 1110, BIOL 1120, CHEM 1010, CHEM 1020, CHEM 1110, CHEM 1120, GEOL 1040 or GEOL 1045.
The Minor: A minor in Environmental Studies will consist of at least 15 hours of coursework, with a minimum of 6 upper-division hours, including the following: (a) HIST 2900 Environmental History; (b) One of the following: SOC 3600 Environmental Sociology or AGBE 4120; (c) 9 additional semester hours chosen from the course list below, including at least: one course at the 3000-4000 level and two of the following areas of study: Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Geology, and Sociology (note: WFS is considered to be Biology).

AGET 3110, AGRN 1010, AGRN 2210, AGRN 3230, AGRN 4220, AGRN 4230, BIOL 2120/WFS 2120 or BIOL 2130/WFS 2130, BIOL 4130, BIOL 4610, BIOL 4840, CHEM 3710, CHEM 4710, ENGL 4930 or 4931, GEOG 1010, GEOG 3330, GEOL 4100, GEOL 4150, GEOL 4410, GEOL 4650, GEOL 4710, SOC 3600, WFS 4500.

Note: Except for Biology majors, students who did not take BIOL 1010-1020 under “Preparation” (above) must take BIOL 2120/WFS 2120 or BIOL 2130/WFS 2130 as part of the “9 additional hours.”

Professional Communication
Home: Department of English. Advisor: Dr. Kristin Walker, Henderson Hall 312A (kwalker@tntech.edu)
Curriculum: A minor in Professional Communication will consist of at least 15 hours of coursework and will include (1) ENGL 4411; (2) PC/ENGL 4970; (3) PC/JOUR 4940;(4) PC 4850; and (5) PC/JOUR 4360.

A certificate in Professional Communication may be completed by taking the same courses as required for the minor.

Women and Gender Studies
Home: Department of History. Advisor: Dr. Paula Hinton, Henderson Hall 112 (phinton@tntech.edu)
Curriculum: A minor in Women and Gender Studies requires completion of WGS 2010 and a minimum of 12 additional credit hours of course work (including 6 upper division hours) in approved courses. A minimum of 6 credit hours must be chosen from the following core courses: *ENGL 4731, *HIST 4350 (5350), HIST 4370 (5370), POLS 3400, and SOC 2200. (*Indicates that course may be repeated provided that topic is different each time.) The remaining 6 credit hours may include additional core courses listed above or approved courses that contain a significant focus on women and/or gender, or in which a student may individually contract with course instructor to focus on women and/or gender issues. These courses include, but are not limited to the following: ENGL 4920; HIST 4360 (may be repeated if topic is different); POLS 3200, 3800, 4610; SOC 2630, 2840, 4210, 4610; HON 4010; and 4900 in various disciplines. No student will receive credit toward both the major and the minor from the same course. Student contracts must be approved by the instructor before the last day to add classes.

The College of Arts and Sciences offers the following curricula and undergraduate degrees:

All College of Arts and Sciences programs cross over departmental lines to bring in appropriate experiences from other disciplines. Some programs, however, require an unusually broad set of activities to accomplish their goals. The B.S. in World Cultures and Business uses the resources of two colleges in preparing students to solve complex problems in international commerce. The pre-professional programs draw from a wide spectrum of sciences, humanities, and social sciences as they prepare students for careers in medicine, law, and the allied health sciences. In addition to department-based minor programs, students can choose from several interdisciplinary minors: Women and Gender Studies, Environmental Studies, Education or Business. Finally, the Internship in Technology and Community Development adds an applied technology credential to the student’s major.

The Web Design program focuses on the development of web based content as a contemporary means of human communication and culture. The program focuses on its five core values: accessibility, excellence of content, innovation, organization, and usability. The program expects students to develop strong skills in both communication as well as the technical skills to be able to deliver their message effectively.

This joint-degree program, shared by the College of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences, is designed to prepare American and international students for the arena of international relations and trade. Track 1, designed for American students, emphasizes competence in basic and international business, a high level of proficiency in foreign languages, and solidly grounded knowledge of foreign cultures and the world business community. Track 2, designed for international students, offers specialized concentrations in American studies and aspects of American and international business cultures. The capstone course for both Tracks 1 and 2 is a domestic or international internship (WCB 4980). Track 1 students may also choose to spend a semester or year studying abroad in order to improve their foreign language proficiency and deepen their knowledge of foreign cultures.

The College prepares students for professional training in law, medicine, dentistry, and other health sciences. All the courses required or recommended for pre-professionals are annually revised and updated to make certain students are well-prepared and are competitive on required aptitude tests (DAT, LSAT, MCAT, OAT, PCAT, VCAT). Among the many opportunities for active learning related to pre-professional studies are: the mock-trial team, speech and debate teams, internships and work experiences, and pre-professional student groups, such as the Chem-Med Club, which provide trips to professional schools and interactions with other pre-professional students and with prominent practitioners in the various fields. Should a student later decide not to pursue entrance to a professional school, TTU offers a wide range of degree options that capitalize on the pre-professional work already accomplished.

Pre-law students have no fixed requirements, but law schools recommend they major in a discipline known for its rigor in analytical thinking and communication. Pre-law students are advised by a team of professors–in Business, English, History, Political Science, and Sociology–led by Professor Sharon Whitney (SWHITNEY@tntech.edu) of the Sociology and Political Science Department.

The pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, pre-pharmacy, pre-optometry and pre-allied health science students must take certain courses required by the professional school while at TTU, but they can do so while pursuing almost any major. In most pre-professional health science areas, students have the option of obtaining a B.S. in Applied Chemistry from TTU after three years at TTU and one year at a professional school. Pre-veterinary students have the special option of majoring in Agriculture with a concentration in animal science. Pre-professional health science students are advised by Professors Kline (EKLINE@tntech.edu) and Banks (TBANKS@tntech.edu) in the Chemistry Department. Pre-veterinary students are advised by Professors Sam Winfree (SWINFREE@tntech.edu) and Bruce Greene (BGREENE@tntech.edu) in the School of Agriculture.

Completion of one of these three-year programs meets the requirements for admission to professional school but does not guarantee entrance. Admission into any professional school is competitive.

Students who wish to apply for admission to pharmacy school at the close of the junior year should complete the Pre-Pharmacy curriculum.

The Doctor of Pharmacy degree may be obtained at an accredited college of pharmacy in four additional years after completing this three-year curriculum in pre-pharmacy and being accepted for admission. See pre-professional advisors for specific requirements at other pharmacy schools.

In addition to the pre-professional curricula offered in medicine, dentistry, optometry and pharmacy, Tennessee Technological University also offers pre-professional programs in auxiliary or paramedical specialties of the health professions, including medical technology, dental hygiene, physical therapy, health information management, and others.

This internship program is designed for the student who is completing a bachelor's degree program that does not include a significant application of current computer technologies to "real-world" problems and needs. During three of the student's last four semesters in a major program in the College of Arts and Sciences at Tennessee Tech, he or she will register for CAS 4910, 4920, and 4930, in that order, for one semester each, and not simultaneously. A certificate is awarded upon completion of all three courses, each with a passing grade.

Graduate curricula lead to the Master of Science degree in biology, chemistry, computer science and mathematics, the Master of Arts degree in English, and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Environmental Sciences. For details, consult the TTU Graduate Studies office.

Students may major in the College of Arts and Sciences and work towards teacher licensure, although in some cases they may be required to earn more than 132 hours.

For more information consult the College of Arts and Sciences web page: www.tntech.edu/cas/.

DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY

Professor Combs, Chairperson; Professors Ballal, Berk, Bettoli, Cook, Goss, Harris, Layzer, Morgan, Redding, Roberts; Associate Professors Andrews, Gunderson, Jordan; Assistant Professors Barger, Brown, Hayslette, Mattingly, Willard

Courses in biology are for students who plan to pursue a major in the field of biology or wildlife and fisheries science; for students who plan to enter medical school, dental school, nursing school, or schools of medical technology; and for students in other fields of study who desire to develop a scientific attitude and to acquaint themselves with the phenomena of living organisms.

Students who plan to continue the study of biology on the graduate level or to prepare for industrial or governmental positions in the field should complete the Biology Curriculum. Curricula preparatory to the study of Medicine, Dentistry, and Medical Technology are given on preceding pages.

Tennessee Technological University is affiliated with the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory at Ocean Springs, Mississippi. This affiliation permits students to enroll in marine biology courses that would otherwise be unavailable this far inland.

The Biology Department is unique in Tennessee for its Cooperative Fishery Research Unit supported jointly by the U.S. Geological Survey, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and Tennessee Technological University. A primary function of the unit is to strengthen the graduate fisheries program; however, undergraduates interested in fisheries biology often find opportunities for valuable experience through association with Unit activities.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

Professor Northrup, Chairperson; Professors Barker (Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs), Boles, Ensor, Furtsch, Glinski, Harwood, Jackson, Kline, Lisic, Torrey (Assistant Vice President for Research), Martha Wells; Associate Professors Banks, Crouse; Assistant Professors Albu, Swartling, Mona Wells, Zhang; Instructor Rust

Within the major in Chemistry, the Department of Chemistry offers three concentrations leading to a Bachelor of Science Degree:
1.	The A.C.S. concentration is intended to prepare students for graduate school or to pursue chemistry as a profession in industry. Within this concentration, the student may choose from options of Chemistry or Environmental Chemistry. Both curricula are approved by the American Chemical Society.
2.	The Applied Chemistry concentration is intended to serve pre-professional students and those who do not intend to pursue graduate study in chemistry.
3.	The Biochemistry concentration is intended to serve pre-professional students and those who wish to pursue graduate work at the chemistry-biology interface.

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

Associate Professor Ramaswamy, Chairperson; Professor Hadlock;
Associate Professors Hume, Kosa; Assistant Professor Rogers, Talbert; Instructors Boshart, Chakrapani

The computer science curriculum is designed to educate students in the basic areas of computer science, including computer architecture, programming languages and operating systems, general approaches to problem solving and programming, as well as theoretical concepts dealing with models of computation and the design and analysis of algorithms. By appropriate choice of elective course work, the student may prepare for a career in software development for scientific/ engineering applications, management decision support applications or graduate work in computer science. Graduates of the program are regularly recruited by industry, government and business for computing careers in a variety of areas including systems design, and software engineering.

DEPARTMENT OF EARTH SCIENCES

Professor Knox, Chairperson; Professors Leimer, Mills, Stapor; Associate Professor Li; Assistant Professors Harrison, Hart

The aims of the Department of Earth Sciences are:
1.	To aid students in understanding the nature of the earth.
2.	To assist students in obtaining a more sophisticated understanding of the relationships between their physical environment and past and present economic, social, and political conditions.
3.	To provide students who major or minor in the department with an appropriate degree of competence in their area of specialization.

The economics curriculum is a joint undertaking of the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Business. It satisfies the graduation requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and leads to a degree from that College. It is administered by the Department of Economics, Finance, and Marketing, College of Business.

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

Professor Eisen, Chairperson; Professors Armistead (Dean), Burduck, Christianson, Clougherty, C. Hood, Hutchison, Kemp, Laird, McQuail, McRae, Stedman, Stewart, Viera, Weidner; Associate Professors Creter, Kash, Null, O'Rourke, Saya, Walker; Assistant Professors Ablamowicz, Baker, Witcher; Instructors Fisk, Golz, Jared, Kilgore, Wilson

The English language and literature curriculum is designed to improve students' skills in writing, critical reading, and thinking; to enrich their cultural experience; and to prepare them for all professions requiring a high level of expression, imagination, and intellectual activity, including creative writing, editing, teaching, law, politics, and management.

The English-Journalism curriculum is designed to prepare students for a variety of employment opportunities in the communications professions, primarily in the print media and public relations. The program stresses practical experience. The student newspaper, yearbook, and radio station, and the regional educational television station are utilized extensively in connection with class work, and students are encouraged to participate in the internship or co-op program.

The Professional Communication curriculum provides students with knowledge of communication skills, strategies, and theories necessary for employment in technological environments. The Public Service Communication option prepares students to communicate through exposure to fields such as sales, marketing, and journalism. The Scientific and Technical Writing option focuses more on editing and specialized fields in the sciences. Either option provides students with a broad-based knowledge of communicating in the workplace, as well as specifics about communicating in various disciplines using different types of media, both written and oral.

Though the Department of English does not offer a major in Speech or Theatre, the Speech Communication-Theatre curriculum offers a wide range of both lower division and upper division courses in Speech and Theatre. Minors are available in both disciplines. The program prepares students for a teaching licensure in Speech Communication-Theatre as well as for graduate study in Speech Communication or Theatre, for careers in the theatre, and a wide range of careers which require effective verbal, nonverbal, interpersonal, and public communication. The Backdoor Playhouse, the Speech team, and the Debate team offer students opportunities for public performance of their skills.

DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Associate Professor Laurila, Interim Chairperson; Professors Campana, Evans, Viera;
Assistant Professors Burdette, Hays

The foreign language curriculum is designed to give training in the language, literature, history, and customs of the peoples whose language is studied; to provide insights into the various means of organizing thought and reality by native speakers of the language; to enable students to understand the history and development of their own language; to provide the appropriate background for graduate studies in foreign languages; and to train students for various careers in which knowledge of other cultures and languages is needed. The Department offers two options. Option one is designed for students seeking a major in Foreign Languages with a concentration in French, German, or Spanish. Although a minor is not required, it is strongly recommended, especially for students who plan careers in teaching, government service, or other language-related areas. Option 2 is designed for students who are concurrently earning a B.S. degree in engineering, industrial technology, computer science, mathematics or the physical or biological sciences. The B.S. degree in World Cultures and Business combines economics, finance, management and marketing with language study.

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY

Professor Roberts, Chairperson; Professors Fernandez, Kharif, Reagan, Webb, Whiteaker;
Associate Professor Osburn; Assistant Professors Birdwell, Hinton, Laningham

The broad liberal arts curriculum of the History Department offers students a traditional education and preparation for many different professions. The content courses in history, for example, require students to think analytically, conduct research, and to communicate effectively both in written and oral forms. These are highly adaptable skills. The department assists each student by providing career guidance in a professional orientation course. One history professor advises pre-law students. The department provides excellent preparation for traditional graduate study, exemplified by TTU history majors who have earned advanced degrees at the outstanding graduate schools.

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

Professor Ablamowicz, Chairperson; Professors Gutek, Liu, Norden, Savage; Associate Professors Allen, R. Le Borne, Mills, O'Connor, Shibakov; Assistant Professors S. Le Borne, Machida, McHenry, Smith; Instructors Forgey, Gandhi, Thurman

The Department of Mathematics at Tennessee Technological University offers a well balanced four-year curriculum leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics. A wide variety of course offerings allows students in the program to prepare themselves for careers in business, industry, or education, or for further study at the graduate level. Alumni include successful lawyers, bankers, and insurance industry executives, as well as teachers and people working in more technical areas such as the computer and the defense industries. Mathematics majors may also earn the Secondary Certification in Mathematics through the College of Education. They may also participate in the Cooperative Education Program (see Independent Programs for more information). Freshmen planning to major in mathematics should have completed in high school 4 years of mathematics, including algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and precalculus mathematics. Students with less than the recommended mathematics preparation are encouraged to enroll at the University for the summer following high school graduation for the purpose of removing the deficiency.

The Department offers courses to meet the needs of students with varying career objectives. Four options are available: actuarial mathematics, applied mathematics, pure mathematics, and statistics. It is strongly recommended that mathematics majors considering graduate school complete Math 3510-3520 and an upper division sequence in mathematics beyond the requirements for the degree. The Department offers the Master of Science degree with emphasis in applied mathematics, statistics, and pure mathematics. It provides courses at the graduate and undergraduate level to meet the needs of students in liberal arts, computer science, engineering, science agriculture, human ecology, business, and education.

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

Professor Robinson, Interim Chairperson; Professors Ayik, Kozub, Murdock, Semmes (Associate Dean), Shriner;
Assistant Professor Engelhardt

The Physics Curriculum is designed to accommodate students with a variety of goals: those who wish to prepare for graduate study leading to advanced degrees in physics, those who plan to do graduate work in another field of science or engineering, and those who intend to seek employment immediately after receiving the baccalaureate degree. The basic science background and analytical thinking skills acquired by taking physics courses, combined with the broad knowledge base which characterizes all Arts and Sciences degree programs, has proved to be excellent preparation for a wide variety of careers. This includes endeavors previously viewed as "non-scientific," as virtually all walks of life have been engulfed by the current technological revolution.

Students preparing for graduate study in physics will normally follow the Option I program. The others will follow an approved Option II program which contains, in addition to a solid core of physics courses, a concentration of electives in another area of science and/or engineering, such as electrical engineering, molecular biology, or computer science. Both programs lead to the Bachelor of Science degree in physics. Students in both options are eligible for summer employment in one of the research groups in the Department, for physics scholarships, and for participation in the Cooperative Education Program.

The psychology program is a joint undertaking of the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education. It satisfies the graduation requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and leads to a degree from that College. It is administered by the Department of Counseling and Psychology, College of Education.

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE

Associate Professor Stanger, Chairperson; Professors Gunter, Haynes, Mannle, Mookherjee, Neapolitan, Riemer, Williams;
Associate Professors Maxwell, Whitney; Assistant Professors Brignall, Norris

The Department of Sociology and Political Science offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology; a concentration in Criminal Justice within the B.S. Sociology degree; a concentration in Social Work within the B.S. Sociology degree; undergraduate minors in Criminal Justice, Political Science, Philosophy, Anthropology, and Sociology; and a graduate minor in Sociology.

A Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science is offered with courses in each of the six main areas of specialization within the discipline: International Relations, Comparative Politics, Political Theory, American Government, State and Local Government, and Public Administration. A student who majors in Political Science at Tech is provided a broad liberal arts education with adequate specialization in the major and ample opportunity to take elective courses in related areas. Graduates are well-prepared for a number of options: graduate studies, law school, employment in government or private business.

The Sociology curriculum has three main purposes: (1) to aid students in understanding the roles of social forces and ideas in shaping modern society; (2) to provide a well-rounded education preparing the student for a wide range of occupations, particularly those which work directly with people or with categories or groups of people; and (3) to provide a sound academic background for graduate study in sociology or for such professions as law or the ministry.

The Criminal Justice Program offers a baccalaureate (B.S.) concentration, and a minor (15 hours) in criminal justice. The B.S. concentration involves a major in Sociology with a large proportion of course work in criminal justice.

If a student must exit the University after completing the first two years of the B.S. Sociology-Criminal Justice program, a certificate of program completion can be awarded if certain course requirements are met. This may be of assistance as preparation for careers not requiring a B.S. degree, such as paralegal studies and some positions in law enforcement. Those who complete the B.S. degree will have a sound foundation that prepares them to compete for positions in law enforcement, corrections and social service agencies, or for admission to law school.

The Department of Sociology and Political Science offers a social work concentration for those students interested in a career in social work.

Social work is a "helping profession" that assists people who face difficult problems. Some social workers do their work in family service agencies dealing with marriage, health and child welfare problems. Others work in a medical setting providing assistance to patients and their relatives during a health crisis or a death. Still others work in the area of corrections assisting juvenile and adult law violators in rehabilitation. Social workers can also be found in public welfare agencies assisting the poor and disabled and in industry assisting employees with chemical abuse problems.

Philosophy courses are designed to help students acquire appreciation for the values and modes of reflection appropriate for the philosophical mind. They seek to stimulate interest in the ultimate human questions and to help students understand the proposed answers to those questions given by thinkers across the centuries. A baccalaureate minor is available and is especially appropriate for those interested in the humanities, the social sciences, and the professions.