College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Fares Howari, Dean
105 CTM Building
478-825-6738
The College of Arts and Sciences provides a diverse range of academic programs encompassing various fields of study. These include the humanities, natural and biological sciences, mathematics, social sciences, business, economics, computer technology, media studies, and visual and performing arts. Additionally, students from different disciplines have the opportunity to enroll in arts and sciences courses as part of their core curriculum, as electives, and as preparation for professional and graduate schools
The College of Arts and Sciences comprises several departments that cover a wide range of disciplines. These include the Departments of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Business Administration and Economics, Computer Science and Mathematics, Natural and Computation Sciences, Languages & Liberal Studies, and Visual & Performing Arts & Media Studies. Additionally, the nationally renowned Cooperative Developmental Energy Program (CDEP) is housed within the College of Arts and Sciences.
The College of Arts and Sciences has several key objectives that guide its educational mission. These goals include:
- Fostering personal development: The college aims to enhance students’ personal growth by providing a wide range of curricular offerings, opportunities, and experiences.
- Promoting interdisciplinary understanding: The college strives to broaden students’ perspectives and appreciation of how different disciplines within the humanities area are interconnected.
- Cultivating expertise in academic disciplines: The college provides students with the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge in at least one academic discipline within its diverse offerings.
- Encouraging academic excellence: The college supports students in achieving high standards of performance in their academic pursuits.
- Preparing for 21st-century challenges: The college helps students develop the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in social, economic, educational, and professional contexts in the modern world.
- Enhancing intellectual capabilities: The college offers quality instruction aimed at nurturing intellectual aspirations, critical thinking skills, quantitative reasoning, analytical capability, and sound judgment. It aims to expand students’ educational horizons.
- Ensuring relevant curricula: The college maintains strong and relevant curricula to ensure that graduates acquire the skills required to thrive effectively and efficiently in their respective fields.
By pursuing these objectives, the College of Arts and Sciences aims to provide a well-rounded education that prepares students for a successful future.
Students who desire a liberal education with or without regard to future professional endeavors are served within the College of Arts and Sciences. However, the offerings of the College prepare students for graduate or professional studies in specialized areas, to include medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, law, social work, business, visual and performing arts, etc., or to enter immediately into careers which require a background in the liberal arts or sciences.
Liberal and Pre-Professional Studies
Generally, this phase of the program allows students to attain a liberal education which will prepare them for the professions and/or to pursue graduate studies. Students should consult the catalog for the program(s) to which they plan to apply to determine specific entrance and matriculation requirements.
Degrees Offered
The College of Arts and Sciences offers a wide range of degree programs. Students can pursue the following degrees:
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.): This degree is conferred upon students who successfully complete prescribed programs in Criminal Justice, Liberal Studies, Media Studies, Political Science, Psychology, and Visual & Performing Arts.
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.): Students majoring in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, and Organizational Leadership can earn a Bachelor of Science degree upon fulfilling the program requirements.
- Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.): Students who successfully complete the prescribed curriculum in Accounting, Management, Marketing, and Supply Chain and Logistics are awarded a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.
- Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.): This degree is conferred upon students who complete the prescribed program in Social Work.
These various degree programs cater to the diverse academic interests and career goals of students within the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Cooperative Developmental Energy Program (CDEP)
Phase I: 1983-1992
Established in 1983 with grant assistance from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Minority Economic Impact, the Fort Valley State University (FVSU) Cooperative Developmental Energy Program (CDEP) was designed to increase the number of minorities and women working in private and governmental sectors of the energy industry. During the 9-year period of Phase I, hundreds of academically talented FVSU-CDEP students participated in energy internships and co-op assignments which resulted in careers for many of the students upon graduation.
Phase II: 1992-2022
In 1992, CDEP was converted from an energy internship program into an accelerated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce program for energy and other high-tech industries. For this purpose, the program focuses on the recruitment of high-achieving academically talented students. This goal is accomplished through:
- Scholarships
- Student internships
- Energy Career Day and job placement opportunities
- Industry and governmental agencies’ participation
- Field trips
- Partnerships with other universities
- Energy-based curricula
To further achieve the goal of the program, FVSU-CDEP established energy related 3+2 dual degree bachelor’s STEM programs with the following partnering universities:
University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) -1992
University of Oklahoma (OU) -1992
Georgia Institute of Technology (GT) -2000
University of Texas at Austin (UTA)- 2004
Pennsylvania State University (PSU) -2005
University of Arkansas (UARK) - 2010
The dual degree programs operated in the following format: Students enrolled at FVSU for three years and graduated with BS degrees in Mathematics; students then transferred to UNLV, GT, or UARK for years four and five where they earned BS degrees in Engineering. The Mathematics or Chemistry/Geosciences dual-degree program operated similarly. Students enrolled at FVSU for three years and graduated with BS degrees in Mathematics or Chemistry; students then transferred to PSU, UARK, UNLV, OU or UTA for years four and five and earned BS degrees in Geology or Geophysics. Among the partnering universities, UNLV was the only university that awarded BS degrees in Health Physics. Students enrolled at FVSU for three years and graduated with BS degrees in Biology, Chemistry, or Mathematics; students then transferred to UNLV for years four and five and earned BS degrees in Health Physics.
During Phase II, FVSU-CDEP and its partnering universities awarded over 400 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in STEM disciplines. Because of these FVSU-CDEP initiatives, Fort Valley State University has the distinction among institutions of higher education of developing a dedicated STEM pipeline niche for minorities and women to pursue STEM careers in energy and high-tech industries.
Also, during Phase II, two 3+3 bachelor’s/ master’s dual degree programs were established with the following universities:
University of Alabama (UA)- 2019
Grand Valley State University (GVSU)-2021
Phase III: 2022-Present
As of 2022, FVSU-CDEP has converted all of its 3 + 2 dual degree bachelor’s/bachelor’s programs into 3 + 3 bachelor’s/ graduate degree programs and Computer Science has been added as a dual degree option. Translated, at the end of the first three years, students will earn bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry, Computer Science, or Mathematics at FVSU and earn graduate degrees in Computer Science, Engineering, Geosciences or Mathematics from a partnering university during the subsequent 3 years.
The Cooperative Development Energy Program Dual-Degree Scholarships
The Cooperative Development Energy Program of Fort Valley State University and its collaborating universities provide scholarships for students who qualify and pursue dual degrees in the following disciplines: Mathematics and Engineering (Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, or Petroleum Engineering); or in Chemistry and Geology or Geophysics; or in Mathematics and Geology or Geophysics; or in Mathematics and Computer Science; or in Mathematics and Mathematics; or in Computer Science and Computer Science. Students must attend Fort Valley State University for the first three years and earn a bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry, Computer Science, or Mathematics. During years four, five, and six, students must attend GT, GVSU, PSU, UA, UARK, UNLV, or UTA to earn a respective graduate degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Geology, Geophysics or in Mathematics. CDEP Scholarships are academically competitive. To meet minimum qualifications for a CDEP scholarship, each student must have a SAT score of 1170 or above on the combined sections of Critical Reading and Math (minimum of 570 in Math section), or a minimum composite score of 26 or above on the ACT with a high school GPA of “B” or above. Students who transfer to one of CDEP’s partnering universities to earn a graduate degree must also meet the respective admission requirements of the selected partnering university. Because certain stipulations must be adhered to, scholarships are contractual. Students are also eligible to compete for high paying internships with partnering companies, governmental agencies, and universities.
For more information about CDEP, please call: 478-825-6243 or visit www.fvsu.edu/cdep
Bachelor of Science
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