College Administration

Melinda Cro, PhD—Dean
Andrew Doust, PhD—Associate Dean for Academic Programs
Thad Leffingwell—Interim Associate Dean for Faculty Support and Assistant Dean for Facilities
Camelia Knapp, PhD—Associate Dean for Research
Bobbi Kay Lewis, PhD—Associate Dean for Outreach, Online Learning and Communications
Amy Martindale, EdD—Assistant Dean for Student Academic Services
Mario Borunda, PhD—Associate Dean for Academic/Community Engagement
Laura Ketchum—Development Director
Ann Nelson—Fiscal Operations

Campus Address and Phone

Address: 201 Life Sciences East, Stillwater, OK 74078
Phone: 405.744.5663
Fax: 405.744.1797
Website: http://cas.okstate.edu/

Welcome to the College of Arts & Sciences at Oklahoma State University. From cutting-edge research in the sciences to original displays of creativity in the arts, this college is the core of the university’s vibrant academic and cultural community. Our outstanding faculty, staff and fellow students work together to provide an exceptional learning experience for our majors and graduate students. Arts & Sciences degrees focus on developing our students’ capabilities in inquiry based learning, critical thinking, problem solving, and written communication. Each degree and associated co-curricular programs prepare our students for the dynamic careers they will soon enter.

The College of Arts and Sciences not only offers a wide variety of programs in teaching, research and outreach, but also supports and reinforces all the other programs of the University. Apart from strong programs in the natural and social sciences and in the liberal and fine arts, the College provides a number of more specialized and interdisciplinary strengths and a variety of professional and pre-professional training.

Scholarships

A number of undergraduate scholarships are available through the College and through the departments and schools within the College. Visit cas.okstate.edu/scholarships for more information. Arts and Sciences students are also encouraged to apply for the variety of scholarships available through the University's Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.

Student Success Center

The Arts and Sciences Student Success Center includes resources and support services for students. 

Student Academic Services

The academic advising process in Arts and Sciences is coordinated by Student Academic Services. Each undergraduate student is assigned an Academic Advisor, who specializes in the student's degree area. The responsibility for satisfying all requirements for a degree and for ensuring that a degree plan has been submitted rests with the student. Advisors assist students in curriculum planning, and students are encouraged to consult fully with their advisors.

The Student Academic Services staff represents the College in the University's recruiting activities and represents the dean in such matters as petitions for excessive hours, change of major or college, and student withdrawals. Services also include graduation certification, information about college programs and requirements, and referral of A&S students to campus support services.

More information and resources are available at cas.okstate.edu.

Career Services

The primary goal of CAS Career Services is to promote academic excellence to enhance career planning and lifelong success. Services offered include career counseling, job and internship search strategies, and assistance with preparation of resumes and cover letters. Presentations on a wide-range of career-related topics are offered to classes and clubs. More information and resources are available at https://cas.okstate.edu/advising/resources.html. 

Outreach

The mission of A&S Outreach is to extend intellectual resources, disseminate knowledge to learners at any time and any place, and provide lifelong learning opportunities. This is accomplished through offering high school and collegiate distance learning courses, international credit courses, and field trip courses. Outreach also coordinates academic conferences, industry workshops and seminars, and cultural outreach opportunities. More information and resources are available at cas.okstate.edu/outreach.

Academic Programs 

Undergraduate Programs

Requirements for all degree programs and options are detailed in Undergraduate Degree Requirements Sheets available online at registrar.okstate.edu/Degree-Requirements.

Graduate Programs

Requirements for master’s and doctoral degrees are detailed on the Graduate College website at gradcollege.okstate.edu/programs/listing-by-degree.html.

Special Academic Programs

The Honors College

The College of Arts and Sciences has offered honors courses since the 1960s and has the greatest number of students and faculty participating in The Honors College at Oklahoma State University. The Honors College provides outstanding students with the opportunity to study, conduct research and interact with faculty and other honors students in a variety of settings designed to assist talented students who seek to make the most of their educational opportunities. Honors sections of many general education courses allow participating students the benefits of small classes taught by experienced members of the faculty, thus combining the extensive resources of a major comprehensive university with personal faculty attention to each student. Special honors seminars provide coverage of topical issues each semester in formats that encourage the exchange of ideas through discussion and writing. Honors seniors complete the requirements of The Honors College by undertaking a senior honors thesis (or similar creative activity), and honors seniors also may earn honors credit by enrollment in graduate seminars.

For eligibility requirements, visit The Honors College website at honors.okstate.edu.

OSUTeach and Secondary Teacher Certification (grades 6-12)

Students earning a degree in Biological Science, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics or Physics may participate in the OSUTeach program by selecting a degree option in secondary teacher certification. OSUTeach offers four-year degree, which lead to a B.S. in the selected discipline and teacher certification at the secondary level. OSUTeach is a collaboration between the College of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences. OSUTeach students begin supervised teaching in K-12 classrooms during their first semester in the program and continue these field experiences throughout their coursework, which culminates with apprentice teaching.

Students earning degrees in other majors in the College of Arts and Sciences can also satisfy the requirements for secondary teacher certification by completing certain courses and other requirements. Interested students should see their Arts and Sciences advisor and the OSU Professional Education Unit in the College of Education in room 325 Willard as soon as possible for more information. Students who plan to complete the requirements for certification should apply for admission to professional education immediately in order to incorporate certification requirements into their plan of study. OSU Professional Education recommends a candidate for certification to the State Department of Education when the candidate has successfully completed all requirements. See the Professional Education section of the catalog for more information.

Pre-professional Programs in the Health Professions

Pre-medicine, Pre-dentistry, Pre-optometry, Pre-pharmacy, Pre-chiropractic and Pre-veterinary Medicine.

The pre-professional curricula for physicians, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, pharmacists, chiropractors and veterinarians have the same basic core because they must prepare students for professional schools whose admission requirements are almost identical. These include a strong foundation in math, chemistry, physics and biology, the disciplines on which major advances in the health field depend. Included also are courses to develop written and spoken communication skills, which are highly important for a good relationship with patients, the public and other professionals.

Beyond this required core, pre-professional students may choose courses and a major as freely as any other students in the College of Arts and Sciences. Medical schools encourage study in the social sciences and humanities that contributes to the understanding of human beings in their entirety—their history and environment, their attitudes and values, their emotions, motivations, interpersonal relationships and cultural heritage. All of these may affect sickness and health.

The specific admission requirements of medical, dental and veterinary schools are available at universitycollege.okstate.edu/preprofessional/prehealth/index.html and in the Pre-health Advising office. The OSU pre-medical and pre-veterinary course requirements are listed in the "College of Veterinary Medicine" and the "Center for Health Sciences" sections of the Catalog. Students whose goal is admission to medical, dental, podiatry, optometry, pharmacy or veterinary programs should consult with their academic advisor.

Allied Health Professions

The allied health professions for which one can prepare at Oklahoma State University include dental hygiene, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician's associate and medical imaging and radiation sciences. The College of Arts and Sciences offers the general education and basic science courses that a student must complete before he or she can be accepted into a professional program. Competitive students may be accepted into these programs after completing 60-90 hours of course work, depending on the health profession. Students whose goal is admission to a professional program in the allied health professions should visit universitycollege.okstate.edu/preprofessional/prehealth/index.html for information regarding the specific requirements of particular programs and schools and consult with their academic advisor.

Pre-Law Preparation

Law schools have no single preference for a specific undergraduate major. Admission to law school is primarily based on a strong record achieved in a rigorous undergraduate program and a competitive score on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Other admission considerations include course of study and difficulty of curriculum; letters of recommendation; work and leadership experiences; and applicant's background and motivation as revealed in an application essay.

Law school admissions officers most frequently recommend students include in their undergraduate programs courses which develop strong reading, writing and critical thinking skills as these verbal and analytical abilities are particularly critical for success in law school.

Students whose goal is admission to law school should visit universitycollege.okstate.edu/preprofessional/prelaw/index.html and consult with their academic advisor.

Student Organizations and Honor Societies

The Arts & Sciences Student Council serves as the voice of the undergraduate students in the College of Arts & Sciences. As the liaison between the students and the faculty, the Council’s primary goal is to foster an atmosphere of learning that places students first. Through student programming, interaction with administration and faculty, and the promotion of the College’s student organizations, the Council strives to enrich the experience of Arts & Sciences students. The Council also stresses service to the University and to the surrounding community. A complete listing of Student Organizations is available through the OSU Office of Leadership and Campus Life at https://campuslink.okstate.edu/.