BSC College Catalog
Birmingham-Southern College Catalog

INTERDISCIPLINARY MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

[ Biology-Psychology | Computer Science-Mathematics | History-Political Science ]
[International Studies | Musical Theatre ]
[ Philosophy, Politics, and Economics | Religion-Philosophy ]
[ Sociology-Political Science | Sociology-Psychology ]


Note: Students who elect an interdisciplinary major must maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.00 in the required courses in each of the disciplines in order to meet graduation requirements.

Biology-Psychology (15 units):

The biology-psychology major comprises a specific combination of courses designed to provide students with an understanding of the biological basis of behavior and thought. The major is designed to prepare students for a number of graduate programs, including those in the neurosciences, physiology, physiological psychology, and behavioral biology. It also provides good preparation for students planning to go into one of the health professions.

BI 105, 115, and 125
BI 301
BI 303
one elective in BI at the 300 level or above
CH 121 and 122
PY 101
PY 204
PY 312
PY 408
two electives in PY
PY 499, BI 499, or both

Biology psychology students are strongly recommended to choose their two electives in psychology from the following: PY 214, 303, 313, 320, or 413; and their elective in biology from the following: BI 304, 402, 408, 412, 415, or 442.

Computer Science-Mathematics (15 units):

The interdisciplinary major in computer science and mathematics offers courses that meet the needs of a wide variety of students. Majors in this program might enter graduate studies or gain employment in the fields of computer science, applied mathematics, computer or business/computer professions, actuarial science or teaching, among others. Students with interests in any of these fields may wish to combine the interdisciplinary major with courses in business administration, economics, or other courses in their chosen area. Students interested in this major are encouraged to meet with computer science and mathematics faculty as soon as possible for advising concerning the student's intended goals.

CS 170
CS 250
CS 290
CS 499
four additional CS courses at the 300 level or above, at least one of which
must be a 400-level course.
MA 231
MA 232
MA 240
MA 310
MA 454
two additional MA courses chosen from MA 311, MA 317, MA 421.

As part of the senior interim experience, all students are required to participate in an assessment process. This may include, but is not limited to, a standardized test, an exit interview, an oral examination, or some combination of the above.

History-Political Science (14 units):

The history-political science major provides intensive study of both disciplines and offers the opportunity for a student to recognize and create intellectual connections between the two related fields. The major emphasizes the development of analytic and writing skills needed in graduate study or professions such as teaching, law, and business.

History (7 units):
HI 102 and 103 (or HI 110); or HI 151 and 152; or HI 181 and 182
HI 270
two additional units in HI at the 200 level
two additional units in HI at the 300 level
Political Science (7 units):
PS 101 or PS 238
PS 204 and PS 304
PS 470
three elective units in PS
one additional unit in HI 470 or PS 472

International Studies (18 units):

The international studies major is intended to provide students interested in global affairs with an intensive course of study of international topics. The major requires basic competency in a foreign language, significant experience in a foreign country, and completion of an interdisciplinary set of courses. Students interested in this major are encouraged to meet with the international studies program coordinator at the earliest possible date.

  1. 5 units in a modern western language at the 220 level or above or 5 units in Japanese (or another non western language as approved by the faculty).
  2. 9 additional units from the list of approved courses below:
    1. A concentration of at least 5 of these courses must focus either on the culture, history, and society of Asia, Europe, or Latin America, or on the issue of globalization (courses designated A, E, L, or G). With the approval of the faculty, an interim may also be included as part of this concentration.
    2. No more than 5 of these courses may come from a single division.
    3. At least 5 courses must be at the 300 level or above. (With faculty approval, up to four of these requirements may be met through study at an approved foreign institution. Also, with faculty approval, occasional special topics courses may be added to the list of approved courses below.)
  3. In addition, a major must spend at least 4 weeks or an interim in a foreign country completing one of the following which has been approved by the international studies coordinator: language immersion, faculty sponsored interim, internship, independent study, or study at a foreign institution. Language immersion must also be approved by the appropriate foreign language faculty.

Approved International Studies Courses

Art History

AR 215 History of Western Art I: Ancient to Medieval (E)
AR 216 History of Western Art II: Renaissance to the Present (E)
AR 415 Nineteenth Century Art (E)
AR 416 Twentieth Century Art (E)

Asian Studies

AN 101 Introduction to Asia (A)
Any other course offered at another university as part of the BACHE Asian Studies Program (A)

Economics

EC 305 Comparative Economic Systems (G)
EC 410 International Trade (G)
EC 430 Economic Growth and Development (G)

English

EH 270 Major Works of World Literature
EH 384 Literature of the American Indian
EH 385 Contextual Studies in World Literature
EH 395 Contemporary International Fiction

French

FR 325 French Civilization (E)
FR 360 Quebec: Life and Letters
Any 400 level French course (E)

German

GN 303 Introduction to German Culture I (E)
GN 304 Introduction to German Culture II (E)
GN 310 German Landeskunde (E)
Any 400 level German course (E)


History

HI 103 European Civilization II (E)
HI 182 East Asian Civilization II (A)
HI 207 The Diplomatic History of the U.S. to 1941 (G)
HI 208 The Diplomatic History of the U.S. since 1941 (G)
HI 249 The Social and Cultural History of Germany (E)
HI 260 Social History of Latin America (L)
HI 261 Modern Latin America and the Revolutionary Tradition (L)
HI 265 The Middle East in the Twentieth Century (E)
HI 283 Modern China (A)
HI 284 Modern Japan (A)
HI 288 Remembering WWII (A): The War in Asia and the Pacific (E)
HI 289 Remembering WWII (B): The War in Europe and the
Holocaust (A)
HI 345 Europe after 1945 (G/E)
HI 346 Soviet Russia (E)
HI 347 Britain in the Twentieth Century (E)
HI 348 Modern Germany, 1870 to the present (E)
HI 382 Disputers of the Tao: Major Texts in the Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist Traditions in East Asia (A)
HI 385 The People's Republic of China (A)
HI 386 Japan in the Twentieth Century (A)
HI 387 Western Images of Asia (A)

Humanities

HM 200 Seminar in Latin American Studies (L)
HM 238 Canada: A Profile of Its Culture

Music

MU 126 Music of the World's People (L/A)

Philosophy

PL 255 Contemporary Political Philosophy (G)
PL 303 Socialism (G)

Political Science

PS 235 Introduction to International Relations (G)
PS 238 Introduction to Comparative Politics (G/E)
PS 240 Introduction to Latin American Politics (L)
PS 332 International Politics of Latin America (L)
PS 338 Comparative Political Behavior (G/L/E)
PS 342 Comparative Political Development (G/L/A)
PS 361 Politics in China and Japan (A)
PS 400 Political Economy (G)

Psychology

PY 320 Cross Cultural Psychology (G)

Religion

RE 221 Religions of the East (A)

Spanish

SN 340 Cinema in Spain and Latin America (E/L)
SN 360 Spanish Civilization (E)
SN 365 Latin American Civilization (L)
SN 370 Special Topics in Culture (L)
SN 401 Panorama of Spanish Literature (E)
SN 402 Panorama of Latin American Literature (L)
SN 495 Special Topics in Literature (L/E)

Musical Theatre (17 units):

This section has been updated. Click here for details.

The musical theatre major provides students with a combination of courses in dance, music, and theatre that is intended to prepare them for careers as performers in musical theatre. Given its emphases on acting, ballet, voice, piano, jazz, and music theory, the musical theatre major is more specialized than the theatre major, and a successful audition at the end of the sophomore year is required to gain admission to the program.

MS 110 and 310 (1 unit)
MS 320 (2 units)
MU 150, 151, 153, 159; or MU 151, 152, 153, 154, 159, 160 (2 units)
ThA 100
ThA 111
ThA 120 and 320
ThA 210
ThA 220
ThA 221
ThA 323 and 324
two units of dance, at least one in ballet
a minimum of four performance experiences in on campus productions;
these should include one dramatic and one musical performance and one experience as a technician. Students should thus enroll for a minimum of one-and-one-half units of ThA 102, 202, 302, and/or 402.
ThA 499

[Musical Theatre Department Home Page]

Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (16 units):

The major in philosophy, politics, and economics is designed to enable students to deal more adequately with the broad range of questions raised by contemporary social, economic, and political issues. Ethical questions that require philosophical reflection are always raised by social issues as they concern what we owe others and the character of the social world we ought to be building for ourselves. And political and economic considerations are always directly involved in considering the question of the feasibility of implementing any social program. Whether we are concerned with the pursuit of a socially responsible health care system, the future of social-welfare programs, the role of the nation state in an increasingly global economy, arguments about affirmative action, or questions surrounding the multi-cultural character of modern societies, we must always be asking what we ought to do and what political and economic arrangements are appropriate and feasible to realize those ends. In addition to being better prepared to understand and deal with such social issues, the major is an excellent preparation for a number of professional careers in such areas as law, business, or public service.
  1. Each student must complete the following interdisciplinary core of courses:

    PL 251
    PL 252
    PL 255
    one additional unit in PL at the 300 level or above
    PS 250
    PS 331
    PS 400
    one additional unit in PS at the 300 level or above
    EC 201
    EC 202
    EC 308
    EC 309

  2. Each student must select either PL, PS, or EC as area of concentration and the following:
    1. Two additional courses in that discipline at the 300 level or above, to be chosen in consultation with an academic advisor from the PPE program in that area of concentration.
    2. A course of formal/quantitative study: for philosophy, PL 102, for political science, PS 204, for economics, either PL 102, PS 204, or EC 311 (unless EC 311 has been used to fulfill item 1 above).
    3. A senior interim in the area of concentration.
  3. Each student is required to pursue an independent research project in his or her senior year that is interdisciplinary across at least two of the programmatic disciplines. To this end the student seeks out a faculty sponsor for his or her research project in one of the programmatic disciplines and a co-sponsor from one of the other remaining programmatic disciplines. The research can be pursued either in relation to an existing course for which the project is relevant (in which case the student should designate the instructor of that class as his or her primary faculty sponsor) or through contracting a tutorial. This course may apply toward the requirement for two additional units at the 300 level or above in the student's area of concentration if it is at the 300 level or above and is in the student's area of concentration. The research project may employ a variety of research methods tailored to the empirical or theoretical aims of the project, but it should strive to integrate philosophical, economic, and political considerations with a minimum of two of these dimensions developed. The product is graded jointly by the faculty sponsor and co-sponsor.

Graduation with Disciplinary Honors in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics.

A student majoring in PPE may graduate with honors by fulfilling the following requirements:

  1. Complete the requirements for a major in philosophy, politics, and economics.
  2. Attain a 3.50 or better grade point average in all courses taken at Birmingham-Southern College.
  3. Attain a 3.50 or better grade point average in all courses counting toward the PPE major.
  4. Attain a minimum grade of "A-" on the senior research project.

Religion-Philosophy (13 units):

This major provides a basic historical orientation in the fields of religion and philosophy as well as experience in the current issues dealt with in these academic disciplines.

PL 202
PL 251 and 252
three additional units in PL, at least one of which is 300 or above
RE 201
RE 205
RE 215
RE 311 or 315
two additional units in RE
RE 499 or PL 499

Sociology-Political Science (11 units):

The sociology-political science major is a course of study that shows the interconnections between the two disciplines. The two areas have a common methodology and share an interest in the study of relationships of power and authority in society. Students who choose this major may go on to graduate study in either discipline or professional study in a field such as law.

PS 101
SO 101
PS 204 or SO 204
PS 304 or SO 304
SO 335 or SO 339 or SO 383
additional units in PS for a total of five
additional units in SO for a total of five
PS 472, PS 499 or SO 499

Sociology-Psychology (13 units):

The sociology-psychology major encourages students to see the methodological and theoretical relationships between sociology and psychology, and it allows them to take a social psychological approach to the analysis of human behavior and social interaction. Students who select this major may continue their study in a variety of graduate programs in psychology, sociology, or social work. They may also pursue additional training in law, medicine, or the health professions.

PY 101
SO 101
PY 204 or SO 204
PY 215 or SO 215
PY 303 or SO 303
PY 304 or SO 304
PY 407 or PY 408
additional units in PY for a total of six
additional units in SO for a total of six
PY 499 or SO 499


[ Catalog Table of Contents ]
[ List of Courses Offered at Birmingham-Southern ]