Dean

Daniel J. Howard; Professor of Biology

Associate Deans

Brenda J. Allen, Associate Dean for Planning and Initiatives; Professor of Communication
Laura M. Argys, Associate Dean for Research and Creative Activities; Professor of Economics
Mary Coussons-Read, Associate Dean for Faculty and Staff Affairs; Professor of Psychology
Tammy Stone, Associate Dean for Curriculum and Student Affairs; Associate Professor of Anthropology

The beauty of an education in the liberal arts is its simultaneous diversity and specialization, its combination of breadth and depth. Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at UC Denver specialize in a major such as chemistry, English or psychology while creating a foundation of knowledge through general education requirements. Having a broad background in the arts and sciences prepares you to begin your career or to change careers later, to pursue advanced study in a discipline or to study for a professional career such as law or medicine. We believe it also sets the stage for a rewarding and productive life overall. Pursuing a liberal arts curriculum not only increases your knowledge, it enables you to develop such skills as logical argumentation and clear expression, gain insights about relationships in nature and society, develop critical thinking and interpretive ability, solve complex problems rationally and heighten your aesthetic appreciation.

At the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), we coordinate undergraduate programs with our own graduate programs as well as UC Denver’s professional schools, through which you can combine technical expertise with the broad critical and analytical skills essential to complex decision making. While our dedicated faculty have outstanding academic credentials, their greatest strength is their commitment to highly motivated students representing a broad range of age and experience. Their goal is not only to teach, but to instill in our students a lifelong love for learning and respect for free and independent thinking.

Our curriculum maintains traditionally high university academic standards while providing numerous flexible learning opportunities to meet our students’ varied objectives. We offer opportunities to study urban programs, confront contemporary issues, participate in off-campus internships and make use of the city’s resources. Advisory committees from the community work with CLAS departments and programs, allowing cultural, historical and environmental efforts in Denver to be supported and enhanced by our academic programs.

Liberal arts and sciences undergraduates receive either a BA or BS degree. Many go on to further study in some of the best graduate and professional schools around the country, while others begin their careers in a variety of positions in industry, commerce and government. Each area of study offers a wide variety of curricula, including traditional undergraduate major programs, interdisciplinary studies and pre-professional programs.

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Educational Goals

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences defines liberal education as including four major components:

1. Central elements of knowledge including:
   1. knowledge of the diversity and significant dimensions of human culture and a specific understanding of American culture, including its political and ethnic diversity
   2. aesthetic awareness and appreciation of the cultural contributions made to the human experience by the social sciences and humanities
   3. an understanding of the methods of inquiry and development of theory that are the bases of knowledge in the natural and physical sciences
2. Essential skills for analysis, writing, computation, communication and decision making
3. The development of a constructive orientation toward society through the enhancement of the individual’s capacity to make informed and responsible choices based on reflective consideration of the democratic principles of due process, civil liberties and the balance between individualism and the common good
4. The ability to apply knowledge of the arts and sciences to society’s specific needs

The college works to instill in students an understanding of these components through required skills and core courses and through the knowledge and skills required by each major program in the college.

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Undergraduate Programs

A complete list of major and minor programs appears in At A Glance: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences .

Major Degree Programs

Students can earn baccalaureate degrees (including areas of emphasis indented below the major areas) in the majors listed in the college At A Glance .

Minor Programs

A college minor represents a concentration of content knowledge, but not to the extent afforded in a major. Minors are optional for liberal arts students, but are encouraged to broaden educational experience and enhance occupational skills.

Students interested in a minor should contact the CLAS Advising Office, North Classroom, 4002, 303-556-2555, for information. Students may also contact the department directly.

Double Majors

Students may graduate with more than one major by completing all requirements for each major.

Double Degrees

Students may earn two undergraduate degrees in liberal arts or from two different schools or colleges of the University of Colorado simultaneously by fulfilling all requirements for both degrees. For example, the Business School and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences have a double-degree program leading to a BS in business administration and a BA in the student’s chosen major.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences requires that a student complete at least 90 liberal arts semester hours to be granted two bachelor’s degrees. Students must complete a minimum of 150 semester hours applied toward the two degrees.

Students planning one of these multiple programs should consult with the CLAS Advising Office at the earliest possible date to get approval for a double-degree program.

Second Degrees

Students who have been awarded a bachelor’s degree (either from the college or elsewhere) may be granted a second bachelor’s degree provided that (a) all general requirements for that degree have been met; (b) the major for the second bachelor’s degree is different from the major for the first; and (c) the college and major department residence requirements are satisfied. A second degree from the college requires a minimum of 30 additional semester hours of credit.

Graduate Programs

Graduate degree programs offered by the faculty of the college through the Graduate School are listed in At A Glance: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences . Many degrees provide the opportunity for students to specialize in concentrations within the discipline; these are listed below the degree title.

Certificate Programs

The college offers undergraduate and graduate certificate programs that demonstrate proficiency in a specialized field of study. These programs differ from minor programs in that certificates may cross traditional disciplinary boundaries and are awarded independently of formal graduation.

Certificate programs are open to degree-seeking students as well as those who want to enhance their professional expertise, and require the completion of three to six related courses (9-19 semester hours). The list of certificate programs in At A Glance  have been approved by the college and will appear on the student’s official University of Colorado transcript upon completion of all certificate requirements.

Information about certificate programs can be found in the coordinating department section of this catalog, the departmental Web sites or contact the department directly.

Signature Areas

CLAS has developed a 12-year strategic plan (2008-2020) that includes five signature areas. Based on proposals prepared by faculty from across the college and university, these areas encompass interdisciplinary themes related to diverse contemporary issues, as their titles demonstrate:

• Colorado Center for Public Humanities
• Math and Science Learning and Education
• Social Justice
• Sustainability
• Women’s and Gender Studies

Each signature area group has developed and begun to implement its vision. A managing director works with faculty and administrators from CLAS and other academic units to coordinate the development of interdisciplinary curricula, research projects, community outreach and academic programs. The CLAS Web site will announce activities and post updates about the signature areas at: http://thunder1.cudenver.edu/clas/signatureAreas.html

Requirements for Admission

CLAS Advising Office: North Classroom, 4002
Telephone: 303-556-2555
Fax: 303-556-6277
Web site: http://thunder1.cudenver.edu/clas/advising/index.htm

New Freshmen

Students planning to enter the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences must meet the requirements described in the Information for Undergraduate Students  chapter of this catalog.

Transfer Students

Students who have attended another college or university are expected to meet general requirements for admission of transfer students as described in the Information for Undergraduate Students  chapter.

Transfer students with at least 30 semester hours of transferrable credit who have been denied admission to the college by the Downtown Campus Office of Admissions, and who have special circumstances not covered by the regular admission policies, may petition the CLAS Academic Standards Committee for provisional admission. The Academic Standards Committee requires evidence of academic performance before provisional admission is granted. Policies and procedures for the CLAS Academic Standards Committee are available through the CLAS Advising Office.

Grading Policies

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences adheres to the University of Colorado grading policies found in the Registration and Records  chapter of this catalog. The college also maintains specific grading policies for liberal arts students.

Incomplete Grades

When a student has special circumstances that make it impossible to complete course assignments, faculty members have discretion to award an incomplete grade. Effective January 1, 2009, all incomplete courses are now assigned a grade of Incomplete (I). Incomplete grades are not awarded for poor academic performance or as a way of extending assignment deadlines. While not required, a CLAS course completion agreement form (available from the CLAS Advising Office) is strongly suggested when faculty and student agree on an incomplete grade.

To be eligible for an incomplete grade, students must:

• have successfully completed 75 percent of the course
• have special circumstances (verification may be required) that preclude the student from attending class and completing graded assignments
• make arrangements to complete missing assignments with the original instructor within one academic year

Students are allowed up to three semesters (one year) to complete the requirements for the incomplete, after which the I reverts to an F grade on the student’s transcript. Any request to allow a grade change after the one-year period must be petitioned to the CLAS Academic Standards Committee.

Pass/Fail Grading Option

Students may select the pass/fail grading option for most courses. In addition to Downtown Campus policies covering the pass/ fail grading option (see the Registration and Records  chapter of this catalog), CLAS students must adhere to the following college pass/fail grading policies:

1. Courses in a student’s major, minor and certificate may not be taken on a pass/fail basis.
2. Courses required to show proficiency may not be taken on a pass/fail basis: ENGL (core curriculum), MATH (core curriculum) and first two semesters of foreign language.
3. Courses used to satisfy the intellectual competencies section of the UC Denver core curriculum may not be taken on a pass/fail basis.
4. Courses in the knowledge area section of the Downtown Campus core curriculum may be taken on a pass/fail basis.
5. Courses used to satisfy CLAS graduation requirements may be taken on a pass/fail basis. (Exception: communicative skills, major/minor courses.)
6. Students must sign up by the drop/add deadline for the semester.

Repeated Courses

Students may re-register for any course. Both (all) courses remain on the transcript and both (all) grades are used to calculate the student’s GPA. Course credit toward graduation is counted only once for a given course no matter how many times the course is repeated.

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Academic Policies

Students are referred to the Registration and Records  and University Policies  chapters of this catalog for a description of academic policies that apply to all undergraduate students at UC Denver’s Downtown campus. The policies that follow apply specifically to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

ACADEMIC ADVICE AND INFORMATION

Students in the college are expected to assume responsibility for planning their academic programs in accordance with college policies and major requirements. To assist students, the college maintains the CLAS Advising Office, North Classroom, 4002, 303-556-2555. Students are assigned to a college advisor in this office according to the students’ last names and must meet with this advisor upon matriculation into the college. The CLAS Advising Office also has specialty college advisors in teacher education and health careers. The college advisor is responsible for advising students of college policies and requirements, and the certification of college requirements at graduation.

As soon as students have determined a major, they should meet with a major department advisor. The major department advisor will be responsible for the student’s major advising and for certification of the completion of the major program at graduation.

Students planning to ultimately earn a degree from one of the professional schools should also see an advisor in that school or college.

EARLY ALERT

The University of Colorado Denver Downtown Campus participates in a campuswide early alert program to identify undergraduate students needing assistance from academic and student service offices. Providing assistance early in the semester is very important to student success in their baccalaureate program. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is committed to actively participate in the program through a collaborative working relationship between faculty and academic advisors in the college.

The early alert program is designed for faculty to identify students in weeks five and six of the semester who need assistance because of academic performance, class participation and/or behavior issues. Assistance is provided to students identified by faculty through academic advising and through referrals to appropriate UC Denver student service offices.

Goals of the early alert program are to:

• increase student academic success
• improve student persistence and graduation rates
• increase communication between students and faculty
• increase communication between students and academic advisors
• increase student utilization of student service offices

Further information about the UC Denver early alert program is available from the Undergraduate Experiences Office at 303-556-6506.

ACADEMIC PROBATION AND SUSPENSION

Undergraduate students who maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA in all University of Colorado course work are considered in good standing. Students who fail to maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA are subject to academic policies of probation and suspension. A student must be in good standing to graduate with a baccalaureate degree from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Details of academic probation and suspension are available in the CLAS Advising Office. These policies apply to undergraduate students majoring in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Graduate students are governed by Graduate School guidelines  .

Probation

Students whose cumulative University of Colorado GPA falls below a 2.0 will be placed on academic probation. Probation is a warning to students that the minimum level of academic performance is not being maintained. Students placed on probation for the first time will be required to participate in a program designed to help them attain academic good standing as quickly as possible.

There is no restriction on the amount of time a student can remain in probationary status. Students on probation do not have restrictions on course selection or credit hours; however, a restricted schedule to concentrate on grades is encouraged. Probationary students are returned to good standing status only when their cumulative University of Colorado GPA reaches a minimum 2.0.

While on academic probation, students must maintain a minimum 2.3 semester GPA. Failure to satisfy this academic requirement for continued probation will result in suspension.

Suspension

Students who fail to meet the semester GPA requirements while on probation are placed on suspension. Suspension is an official notification that a student has not maintained the required minimum grade performance and has failed to meet the required conditions for continued probation.

A student’s suspension status is permanently indicated on the official University of Colorado transcript. Suspended students are returned to good standing status only when their cumulative University of Colorado GPA reaches a minimum 2.0.

There is no restriction on the amount of time a student can remain in suspension status. Students on suspension are required to register manually (Web registration precluded) each semester and only with written permission of their advisor in the CLAS Advising Office.

CLAS students on suspension are restricted to the following University of Colorado course registration options for each fall/spring semester or summer term: (1) up to two on-campus courses, and (2) CLAS courses or Downtown Campus core courses.

While on suspension, students must attain a minimum 2.3 semester GPA. Failure to satisfy this academic requirement for suspension will result in academic dismissal.

Dismissal

Students who fail to meet the semester GPA requirements while on suspension are dismissed from the University of Colorado. Students on academic dismissal are precluded from registering anywhere in the University of Colorado system for any semester or summer term.

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EARNING ACADEMIC CREDIT—SPECIAL OPTIONS

Students in the college may earn credit toward a degree for knowledge gained prior to enrollment in the college or for knowledge gained outside traditional college courses. Specific programs by which credit is awarded are described below. In addition, credit may be earned for ROTC.

General information regarding these options can be found in the “Transfer of College-Level Credit” section of the Information for Undergraduate Students  chapter. Students should contact the CLAS Advising Office for specific details of these programs. For credit in a student’s major or minor, the appropriate department must be consulted.

Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate

Students who have taken advanced courses in high school and who have earned high scores on the Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate standardized exams may be eligible for university credit. See the Information for Undergraduate Students  chapter of this catalog under “Transfer of College-Level Credit” for additional information. Individual departments establish advanced placement criteria for credit. Students should contact the department advisor for specific details concerning advanced placement credit.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences students may earn university credit by examination in subject areas in which they have obtained college-level proficiency. The use of CLEP subject examinations toward major, minor or certificate requirements is subject to a separate evaluation by the faculty advisor in the department or program. To receive academic credit from CLEP, students must present official test results to the Downtown Campus Office of Admissions. A maximum of 30 hours of CLEP credit will count toward the degree. See the “Transfer of College-Level Credit” in the Information for Undergraduate Students  chapter of this catalog for additional information.

Credit by Examination

Students with sufficient experience and knowledge may receive credit for a specific course by taking a comprehensive examination given by the faculty. Students should consult the Registration and Records  chapter of this catalog for more information.

Internships or Cooperative Education

Undergraduate students may seek credit from an employment experience that contains academic content and is sponsored by a CLAS faculty member. Internships are helpful for career exploration early in a student’s academic career or for job experience after developing academic content in the major.

Students must have a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA in a minimum of 15 semester hours of UC Denver course work. A maximum of 3 semester hours of internship credit per semester and 9 semester hours overall are allowed toward the 120 semester hours applied toward graduation. Undergraduate students should contact the Experiential Learning Center for details about the internship contract and faculty sponsorship requirements.

Courses in the Professional Schools and in Physical Education

Students may count up to 24 semester hours of academic course work taken outside of liberal arts, such as business, engineering, architecture, journalism and education.

Up to 8 semester hours of activity courses in physical education will count toward the 120 hours required for the degree; these are included in the 24 semester hours allowed outside CLAS.

Independent Study

Qualified CLAS undergraduate students who seek to further their examination of knowledge outside the structured classroom are encouraged to register for independent study. Undergraduate independent study is a nonstructured, independent research project under the sponsorship and supervision of a faculty member. Students should consult with the faculty sponsor to discuss the project and initiate the independent study contract.

To qualify for independent study credit, students must have a declared major or minor in the discipline of the independent study project and a minimum cumulative UC Denver GPA of 2.5. Those seeking senior level independent study must have a minimum junior standing and sufficient course work to allow independent research in the discipline.

Faculty seeking to sponsor an independent study project must have either instructor or tenure-track rank. Faculty seeking to sponsor an independent study project as part of an undergraduate honors project must be tenure-track rank.

Independent study projects are typically awarded credit on a 3:1 (4:1 in summer) basis for contact hours per week to semester hours. That is, a 3-semester-hour independent study project typically requires 9 hours of effort per week over the semester.

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Graduation Requirements

Undergraduate students graduating from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences must fulfill requirements for the college and for the major department. Residence requirements apply to both college and major department. A checklist of graduation requirements follows in this section.

Students are responsible for knowing the requirements for their degree and for fulfilling these requirements. Upon completion of the college and major requirements, the student will be awarded the appropriate degree.

General Requirements

• a minimum of 120 semester hours passed
• a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA
• a minimum of 45 semester hours of upper-division work
• a minimum of 30 semester hours of CLAS course work with letter grades at the Downtown Campus
• fulfillment of all college and major requirements

CLAS CORE CURRICULUM AND GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS 

Note: Not more than 24 hours outside the college (for example, business and engineering) can be applied toward the 120 hours required for the bachelor’s degree.

General Education

The general education graduation requirements are established by the CLAS faculty and combine specific requirements from (1) the Downtown Campus core curriculum, (2) the CLAS graduation requirements and (3) foreign language proficiency.

Major Requirements

In addition to completing the college requirements outlined above, students must declare a major and fulfill all requirements of the major department. Department requirements include at least 30 semester hours of work in the major with a minimum grade of C (2.0), of which at least 16 semester hours in the major are at the upper-division level. The GPA in the major must be at least 2.0.

The college places a maximum number of semester hours (required plus elective courses) in the major department, discipline or program as follows:

The department is responsible for determining when a student has successfully completed the major requirements and for certifying the completion to the dean of the college.

Declaration of Major

It is important that students declare a major as early as possible in order to receive proper advising toward departmental requirements. Students in the college must declare a major by the start of their junior year (greater than 60 hours). Transfer students to the college with junior or senior standing should declare a major in their first semester at UC Denver. Students are allowed to change their major at any time.

Residence Requirements

A minimum number of semester hours must be earned in residence in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. All students have college and major residence requirements. Students should check with their major department to ascertain residence requirements for the major.

Students transferring to the Downtown Campus must pay particular attention to residence requirements. Students transferring academic credit from Metropolitan State College of Denver should see the CLAS Advising Office for special consideration of residence credit.

Residence credit hours are earned from CLAS courses taught by UC Denver faculty while the student is enrolled as a degree student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

All CLAS students must meet college residence requirements.

1. Students must earn a minimum of 30 residence semester hours.
2. For students who exceed the minimum 30-hour residence requirement, a minimum of 21 out of the last 30 semester hours applied toward graduation requirements must be in residence.
3. Departments maintain a residence requirement for the major, minor and certificates. Students should consult with a faculty advisor concerning departmental residence requirements.

Intent to Graduate

Students must submit their intent to graduate online application by the published deadline for the semester they expect to graduate. If the degree is not completed, they must resubmit the intent to graduate each subsequent semester until graduation. Failure to submit the intent to graduate will result in delayed graduation.

Graduation Application

Students are required to meet with their CLAS major and minor advisors at the beginning of the semester/term in which they plan to graduate to initiate the graduation verification process. CLAS advisors will distribute graduation applications to students who qualify, and then their intent to graduate online application is approved. The deadline for filing a graduation application with the CLAS Advising Office is the published last day to add courses in each semester. Failure to submit the intent to graduate and graduation application with the CLAS Advising Office will result in delayed graduation.

Academic Honors

College Honors

A student who performs superlatively in course work in the college will be awarded a bachelor’s degree accompanied by the statement with distinction. To be eligible for graduation with distinction, a student must have completed a minimum of 45 semester hours at the University of Colorado (on any CU campus), including the final semester, with a GPA of at least 3.75. The 45 semester hours must be completed in the student’s junior and senior years. A maximum of 6 out of the final 45 semester hours may be completed with a grade of P (on P/F option).

Departmental Honors

Departments in the college offer programs through which students can qualify for Latin honors: cum laude, magna cum laude or summa cum laude. Determination of the level of honors is made by the department. Detailed information can be obtained from the CLAS Advising Office or from the individual department.

Dean’s List

Each semester, the college publishes and displays a Dean’s List honoring students who demonstrate high scholastic achievement. To earn a place on the list, students must achieve a 3.75 GPA in all University of Colorado hours taken during the semester, including a GPA of at least 3.75 in all CLAS courses. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, students must also complete, for letter grades, a minimum of 9 semester hours (6 semester hours in the summer session) in structured CLAS courses, excluding independent study, cooperative education and internships, by the end of the semester.

Admission to Graduate Programs

Each CLAS graduate program handles admissions to its master’s or doctoral programs, and defines its own admission standards and procedures based upon the general Graduate School guidelines . Some departments process application files within the department and some have the Office of Admissions process application materials, so be sure to check with the department to which you are applying to learn their specific procedures and deadlines.

The criteria for admission shall be based on a combination of the following: minimum 3.0 GPA, standardized examinations, prior professional experience, portfolios or other indicators. Regular admission to master’s programs requires the completion of a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree from an accredited college or university at the time of matriculation or demonstration of the completion of work equivalent to that required of these degrees as specified by UC Denver.

Students are admitted as regular or provisional students. Students receiving provisional admission are subject to certain requirements set out by their programs for a probationary period, not to exceed two years. The requirements may be more stringent, but provisional students must complete each semester’s course work with a GPA of 3.0 or higher on all work taken.

International students must meet all requirements for regular admission as well as the requirements of the UC Denver Office of International Affairs. These include: documentation in English or a certified English translation of the completion of a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or the equivalent at the time of matriculation as evaluated by International Admissions; financial documents required by the UC Denver Office of Admissions; a certified English translation of all records and references not in English; TOEFL scores above 525. See the Information for International Students  chapter for more information.

Transfer Credits

Up to 12 semester hours can be transferred in from another graduate program (including hours taken at UC Denver as a nondegree student with a grade of B- or better) and applied toward a CLAS master’s degree. Courses taken while still an undergraduate student may be counted as pre-admission credits, but may not exceed 15 and cannot have been applied toward the undergraduate degree. Only courses numbered 5000 and above or classified as graduate level can be transferred. Up to 30 transfer semester hours or semester hours taken as a nondegree student may be applied toward a PhD degree. Courses taken more than 10 years prior to admission must be revalidated by the department or program.

Readmission

If less than one calendar year has passed since a student in good standing was last enrolled in courses at UC Denver, a student must only notify the program. If a student does not register for three consecutive terms, he/she needs to be re-admitted. This requires the student to submit Part I of the graduate admission form to their department or program; they must also pay the application fee. Those who have not been active for more than four years must complete the full application process.

PhD students may apply for a time extension or leave of absence as long as the total time to complete the degree does not exceed 10 years. Up to one year of an approved leave of absence may be taken without reapplying to the program upon return.

Changing Degree Programs

Students changing degree programs need to be admitted by the new department. They must provide all items required of students applying for the first time, but may petition the program to which they were originally admitted to release their initial application materials to the new department. Any transfer of courses to the new degree program is at the discretion of the new department or program.

Advisors

Students should consult with their faculty advisors early and often. Each graduate program has a faculty coordinator who should be consulted about program requirements. This may be the same person as a student’s faculty advisor. While students are strongly encouraged to meet with their faculty advisor every semester, they must meet with their faculty advisor and/or faculty coordinator at the beginning of their last semester to verify that all degree requirements have been met and to have their candidacy form approved and signed.

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Graduate Courses

All courses that count toward a graduate degree must be approved by the degree-granting graduate program. At least 30 hours must be considered graduate rank (taught by graduate faculty). Eighteen hours are required at 5000-level or above with the remainder subject to departmental approval. Courses below the 4000-level can only be applied if taken beyond the 30-hour graduate minimum.

Students may use courses offered through the continuing and professional education program in the pursuit of graduate study only if they obtain proper academic approval from the graduate program.

Graduate students may take up to a total of 7.5 independent study semester hours (in a 30-hour program), or 25 percent of the total program hours, under the direct supervision of a faculty member and with the approval of the CLAS graduate dean. However, it is important that students check with their programs concerning the maximum number of independent study credit hours that may count toward their degree, as this number may vary. The minimum UC Denver GPA required to register for independent study credits is 3.0, and students must be admitted to a CLAS degree program. Each independent study project may be taken for 1-3 semester hours. Students use the special processing form to outline the project and how the grade is determined, which then must be approved by the supervising faculty member and CLAS graduate dean.

Graduate-level internship credit may be earned in some programs. Students must be admitted to a CLAS degree program, have completed a minimum of 6 semester hours and have a minimum 3.0 GPA. A maximum of 6 hours of internship credit is allowed, except where specified by the program (i.e., nonthesis clinical psychology). Students should contact the Experiential Learning Center for details about the internship contract and faculty sponsorship requirements.

Minimum GPA

A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in courses applied to a degree program is required. Grades of B- or better are accepted for most master’s degree programs; however, some programs have more stringent grade requirements. Doctoral minimum grade is B-. Courses applied to a graduate degree may not be taken pass/fail.

Probation

A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 or who receives a grade lower than a B- will be placed on academic probation by the CLAS graduate dean. In the two semesters following placement on probation, the student’s course work GPA must be at least 3.0, only in courses applicable to the degree and all grades at or above a B, or the student will be suspended. At the end of two semesters after being placed on probation, the student must raise his/her cumulative GPA to 3.0 or he/she will be suspended. A student may petition the CLAS graduate dean for an extension of the probationary period in extenuating circumstances.

Incomplete Grades

When a student has special circumstances that make it impossible to complete course assignments, faculty members have discretion to award an incomplete grade. Effective January 1, 2009, all incomplete courses are now assigned a grade of Incomplete (I). Incomplete grades are not awarded for poor academic performance or as a way of extending assignment deadlines. While not required, a CLAS course completion agreement form (available from the CLAS Advising Office) is strongly suggested when faculty and student agree on an incomplete grade.

To be eligible for an incomplete grade, students must:

• have successfully completed 75 percent of the course
• have special circumstances (verification may be required) that preclude the student from attending class and completing graded assignments
• make arrangements to complete missing assignments with the original instructor within one academic year

Students are allowed three semesters (one year) to complete the requirements for the incomplete, after which the I reverts to an F grade on the student’s transcript. Any request to allow a grade change after the one-year period must be petitioned to the CLAS Academic Standards Committee.

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Thesis/Project/Dissertation

Master’s programs can be either thesis plan or nonthesis plan; nonthesis plans may include a project or report. No more than 6 thesis semester hours can be applied toward a master’s program. Students may register for one or more thesis or project credits each semester up to the maximum.

For doctoral programs, a minimum of 5 hours and maximum of 10 hours of dissertation credit may be registered for in any semester. Students must receive approval from the dean of the Graduate School or college graduate dean to register for fewer than 10 dissertation hours.

Doctoral candidates must be registered for dissertation credit each fall and spring semester following successful completion of the comprehensive examination. Students on leave of absence, approved by the program and filed with the Graduate School, do not have to register for dissertation credits. A student does not have to register for thesis or dissertation credits after a successful final examination and thesis defense even if the final version of the thesis/dissertation and the record of the final examination are submitted to the Graduate School at a later date.

Thesis/Dissertation Procedures

The thesis/dissertation must comply with specifications outlined in “Guidelines for Preparing Master’s and Doctoral Theses,” which can be downloaded from the CLAS Graduate Advising Web site, and have received a preliminary thesis format approval from the Graduate School. The student’s faculty committee must approve the final draft of the thesis, three copies of which must be filed with the Graduate School before graduation. The thesis binding fee must be paid when the thesis is submitted to the Graduate School.

Research Protocol

Students doing research that involves gathering data from human subjects must have their research protocol approved by the Human Research Committee. Students doing research that uses animals in any form must have their research protocol approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.

Graduation Application

Graduate students in a master’s degree program initiate the graduation process through the CLAS Administration Office, North Classroom Building 5014. Doctoral candidates initiate the graduation process through the Graduate School, Lawrence Street Center, Suite 300. Both master’s and doctoral candidates must follow deadline dates published in the online CLAS Graduate Advising Web site and on sheets available from departmental graduate advisors, the CLAS Administration Office or the Graduate School.

All graduate students must submit their intent to graduate online application the semester they intend to graduate, an application for admission to candidacy and a request for graduate examination/thesis defense.

Admission to Candidacy

The application for admission to candidacy form is available in the CLAS Administration Office, the Graduate School, the student’s program office or online at the CLAS Graduate Advising Web site. This application must be signed by the student’s advisor and the program coordinator, certifying that the student’s work is satisfactory and that the program outlined in the application meets the requirements set for the student.

A student on probation is not eligible to be awarded a degree until he/she is removed from probation. A student with provisional admission status must be changed to regular admission status before admission to candidacy.

Intent to Graduate

Students must submit their intent to graduate online application by the published deadline for the semester they expect to graduate. If the degree is not completed, they must resubmit the intent to graduate each subsequent semester until graduation. Failure to submit the intent to graduate will result in delayed graduation.

Deadlines

The Graduate School deadlines (to file the application for admission to candidacy and intent to graduate, schedule and hold the comprehensive exam or thesis/project defense, submit thesis for format review, and turn in the final thesis) are published each semester and are available from the CLAS Administration Office, departmental graduate advisors and the Graduate School. Deadlines and forms are also posted on the CLAS Graduate Advising Web site. It is the student’s responsibility to know and to adhere to these deadlines.

Comprehensive Examination or Thesis/Project/Dissertation Defense

Students must be registered when they take the comprehensive examination or defend the thesis or project. This can be accomplished by registering to take a regular course, independent study/thesis/project credits or through candidate for degree registration. The examination may be oral, written or both.

The master’s examination must be given by a committee of three members of the graduate faculty, all of whom sign an exam report form signifying that the student has passed the exam or defense. The committee chair must be a regular member of the Downtown Campus graduate faculty, and the other members must hold at least a special graduate faculty appointment. PhD dissertation defense committees include four graduate faculty members, one of whom is from outside the primary department and must unanimously approve the examination.

The record of the thesis defense must be approved by the student’s faculty committee and filed with the CLAS Administration Office before graduation. In programs where the project/report defense counts as the comprehensive exam, this requirement applies to projects/reports as well. A student who fails the comprehensive final examination or defense may retake the examination only once.

Time Limits

Master’s degree students admitted after January 2009 have a maximum of five years from the date of the start of course work after admission to the program to complete all degree requirements. This limit can be extended by a leave of absence approved by the student’s graduate program. Students admitted prior to January 2009 have seven years to complete their master’s degrees (according to previous Graduate School Rules).

Doctoral students have eight years from the date of the start of course work after admission to complete all degree requirements for a PhD (10 years with approved leave of absence).

Note: Individual graduate programs may have time limits that are more stringent.

Residency Requirements

A minimum of three semesters of work must be completed at UC Denver.

Academic Ethics

As members of the UC Denver academic community, faculty and students accept the responsibility to maintain the highest standards of intellectual honesty and ethical conduct in all forms of academic work. While most violations center around cheating or plagiarism, the UC Denver Academic Honor Code on the Downtown Campus is more comprehensive and includes the following categories: plagiarism, cheating, fabrication and falsification, multiple submission, misuse of academic materials and complicity in academic dishonesty.

The CLAS Academic Ethics Committee, composed of faculty, students and staff, is charged with establishing academic ethics policies and, when necessary, evaluating ethics charges against students or faculty. Faculty and students should be familiar with the Academic Honor Code for the Downtown Campus (see the University Policies  chapter) and the CLAS Academic Ethics Policies, available from the CLAS Advising Office, North Classroom, 4002, and online at the CLAS advising Web site.

Faculty who charge student(s) with a violation of the Academic Honor Code may lower a student’s grade without review. Faculty bringing such charges are required to notify the student in writing. Students charged with an ethics violation continue in the class and may appeal the faculty decision to the CLAS Academic Ethics Committee. Students charged with a violation of the Academic Honor Code are encouraged to meet with an advisor in the CLAS Advising Office to review their rights and obtain assistance with procedures.

Petitioning for Exceptions to Standing Academic Policy

The CLAS Academic Standards Committee is responsible for the administration of the academic policies of the college as established by the faculty. This committee constitutes the bridge between the faculty in its legislative capacity and the students upon whom the legislation comes to bear. The committee is empowered to grant waivers of exemptions from and exceptions to the academic policies of the college. Students wishing to submit a petition to the committee should meet with the advising staff first to discuss the petition.

Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences may appeal a grade. Every attempt is made to resolve grade disputes at the department level. However, unresolved grade issues may be appealed to the CLAS Academic Standards Committee and initiated through the CLAS Advising Office, North Classroom, 4002, 303-556-2555. Details of the grade appeal policies are available in the CLAS Advising Office.

The Office of the Registrar establishes deadlines each semester for registering, adding courses, dropping courses, selecting the pass/fail option and withdrawing from the university. These deadlines are clearly identified on the Registrar’s Web site. Students seeking to waive these deadlines must petition the associate dean of the college. Instructions for deadline petitions are available from the CLAS Advising Office.

The Graduate Council reviews grievances related to procedural issues for graduate students that cannot be resolved at the college level.

Completion of the undergraduate curriculum of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences can prepare students for a number of careers in the professions. See below for information on preparation for those professions most frequently asked about by students in the college. Students seeking information about other professions should contact the CLAS Advising Office, North Classroom, 4002, 303-556-2555.

Law

Students intending to enter a school of law may major in any field while completing the bachelor’s degree, since law schools do not typically specify course work entrance requirements. More important to law schools are methods of study, critical thinking and communication skills. Students interested in law school should consider the interdisciplinary minor in law studies (see Law Studies  in the CLAS departmental descriptions). For further information, contact the CLAS Advising Office or one of the faculty advisors identified in the law studies minor.

Health Careers

The college has faculty health careers advisors to assist students in preparing for careers in the following:

• dentistry
• medicine
• osteopathy
• veterinary medicine

Course programs also have been developed within the college to prepare students for the following specific careers within the general area of health sciences:

• dental hygiene
• medical technology
• nursing
• optometry
• pharmacy
• physical therapy
• physician assistant
• podiatry

Because the prerequisites for these health career programs are continually changing, students interested in pursuing one of these careers should contact a health careers advisor at 303-556-4350 or 303-556-6218 for current requirements and for advising. See the Health Professions chapter  of this catalog for further information.

Education

Liberal arts students seeking certification for teaching at the primary or secondary level must complete a baccalaureate degree plus approximately 40 semester hours of professional education required for licensure from the School of Education & Human Development.

Liberal arts students interested in a K–12 teaching career are encouraged to participate in the educational studies minor program or the K–12 teacher licensure program in collaboration with the School of Education & Human Development. See the Educational Studies/Teacher Licensure  section in the CLAS departmental descriptions.

INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS IN THE COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES 

 Joint Degree Programs BA/MPA

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, in cooperation with the School of Public Affairs, offers students the opportunity to complete both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in five years rather than the usual six years. The program combines undergraduate general education and major studies with a specialized curriculum in public affairs and strives to develop intellectual and professional skills in a coordinated manner. Participating major programs in CLAS include communication, economics, political science and sociology, as well as others.

Students in the BA/MPA program must fulfill all of the graduation requirements for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; maintain a 3.5 undergraduate GPA in CLAS and have completed 75 percent of their undergraduate program to be eligible for admission; and enroll formally in the programs through the CLAS Advising Office. Students admitted to the program begin taking graduate-level courses in public administration during their senior year. These courses will count toward the bachelor’s degree as electives. For further information, contact the CLAS Advising Office, 303-556-2555.

Center for Computational Biology

Director: Stephen Billups
Telephone: 303-556-6269
E-mail: dana.franklin@ucdenver.edu
Web site: http://ccb.cudenver.edu/

The Center for Computational Biology (CCB) is a multi-campus center aimed at catalyzing interdisciplinary research and developing educational programs in computational biology throughout the University of Colorado system. The center brings together faculty and students from a variety of fields, including mathematics, computer science and the biosciences, to engage in interdisciplinary research aimed at advancing biological discovery through the development and application of computational tools and mathematical models and techniques. The center leads the development of new courses and educational programs for University of Colorado students. While coordinating degree programs at all levels, the CCB offers its own certificate in computational biology, a 15-semester-hour graduate certificate program that can be completed independently or in conjunction with the MS in applied mathematics. The certificate focuses on retraining a Colorado workforce that will be able to contribute to the economic growth resulting from new biotechnology companies. This includes a broad base of educational activities, such as internships, that form partnerships with companies and laboratories. All programs led by the CCB initiative integrate education with research; students are introduced to research as part of their education.

Center for Computational Mathematics

Director: Jan Mandel
Telephone: 303-556-4475
E-mail: Jan.Mandel@ucdenver.edu
Web site: http://ccm.ucdenver.edu/index.shtml

The Center for Computational Mathematics was established to foster research in one of the discipline’s most exciting new field. Through extensive ties with industry along the Front Range and government laboratories across the country, the center provides outstanding opportunities for motivated students to receive additional training and experience.

Center for Ethics and Community

Director: Candice L. Shelby
Telephone: 303-556-4803
E-mail: Candice.Shelby@ucdenver.edu
Web site: http://carbon.cudenver.edu/~cshelby/cec.htm

The Center for Ethics and Community seeks to strengthen ethics in schools, the community, universities and all professions. Certificate programs are available to members of the UC Denver community, as well as individuals outside the university.

Center for New Directions in Politics and Public Policy

Director: Kathryn Cheever
Telephone: 303-556-5950
E-mail: kathryn.cheever@ucdenver.edu
Web site: http://thunder1.cudenver.edu/newdirections/index.htm

The center’s programs are based on the notion that effectively addressing the public priorities of the 21st century requires that those working on matters of public interest possess a keen understanding of the political forces that guide or thwart the successful mobilization of resources and the achievement of constituent goals consistent with the public interest. Similarly, the need and opportunity for the active engagement—or leadership—of concerned citizens in the policymaking process is greater than ever before. Accordingly, students in any of the center’s academic programs will be representative of not only those working professionals in the public and nonprofit sectors, but also elected officials; community activists; interest-group stakeholders; educators from a wide range of demographic, occupational and personal backgrounds; and simply concerned citizens.

Center for Research in the Health and Behavioral Sciences

Director: Susan Dreisbach
Telephone: 303-556-6796
E-mail: Susan.Dreisbach@ucdenver.edu

The Center for Research in the Health and Behavioral Sciences (CRHBS) is dedicated to promoting research and community service in health issues facing the local Denver area, Colorado, the nation and beyond. Research conducted by the allied CRHBS faculty is unique in integrating biomedical, public health and social science perspectives. Current external funding of research through CRHBS is focused on such topics as preventing HIV and STD transmission program evaluation. Research assistant and internship positions for students in the health and behavioral sciences doctoral program are commonly available through CRHBS.

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Colorado Center for Public Humanities

Director: Philip Joseph
Telephone: 303-556-4648
E-mail: philip.joseph@ucdenver.edu
Web site: http://clas.cudenver.edu/publichumanities/

The work of this center is oriented around two primary goals. First, as a think-tank, the center investigates the public value of the humanities disciplines in relation to historical change by sponsoring programs that help to clarify the roles that humanities-based scholarship can play within the region, the nation and the world more generally. Our second goal is to direct the engagements of humanities scholars toward extra-academic communities. In pursuing this objective, the center will support scholars whose research programs are designed to reach civic groups outside the university walls and to benefit from the involvement of these groups.

Fourth World Center for the Study of Indigenous Law and Politics

Director: Glenn T. Morris
Telephone: 303-556-2850
E-mail: glenn.morris@ucdenver.edu
Web site: http://carbon.cudenver.edu/public/fwc/

The Fourth World Center for the Study of Indigenous Law and Politics was founded in 1984 as a resource commons of authoritative information on indigenous peoples’ affairs. The major components of the center’s educational project are:

• the creation and presentation of a university-level multidisciplinary curriculum focused on the study of indigenous peoples
• the publication of the Fourth World Bulletin, a journal on indigenous politics with a global concentration
• the development of university textbooks for the study of indigenous politics
• the presentation of public forums
• the presentation of testimony before international legal organizations

The center features a library, periodicals, audio and visual equipment and online news archives on current development issues surrounding “the Fourth World.”

Shared Analytical Services Laboratory

Lab Manager: Jeff Boon
Telephone: 303-556-4520
E-mail: jeffery.boon@ucdenver.edu
Web site: http://thunder1.cudenver.edu/clas/sasl/index.html

The Shared Analytical Services Laboratory fosters and promotes disciplinary and interdisciplinary research in the environmental sciences. Faculty represent disciplines within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, as well as civil engineering. Services provided by the laboratory are available to all members of the university community, as well as to members of the public and private sectors through joint projects.

Smart-Girl Leadership Institute

Telephone: 303-556-2557
E-mail: Lissa.Gallagher@ucdenver.edu
Web site: http://thunder1.cudenver.edu/clas/smartgirl/

The Smart-Girl Leadership Institute is a prevention and enrichment program that trains college students to lead and inspire adolescent girls to make smart choices and become confident, capable and self-reliant women. UC Denver students earn credit while they build the skills to lead small groups of girls through a fun and effective curriculum.

Writing Center

Director: Justin J. Bain
Office: North Classroom, 4014
Telephone: 303-556-4845
Web site: www.cudenver.edu/writingcenter

The Writing Center provides free writing assistance to all members of the UC Denver community, including students, faculty, staff and alumni. Professional writing consultants are available to assist writers in one-on-one sessions. All consultations are by appointment; to schedule an appointment please visit our Web site.

In addition, the center hosts professional development workshops for graduate students and faculty; maintains a library of grammar handbooks, citation manuals and composition texts; and conducts informational class visits. For additional information on our services for students, see the listing in the Student Services  chapter.