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GENERAL INFORMATION
Birmingham-Southern College Catalog 2016-2017
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appreciation of the arts; in understanding and appreciating diversity in spiritual, social,
political, and economic institutions and heritage; and in achieving competence in at least
one field of knowledge that will help prepare each student for his or her chosen
profession or vocation. These skills and dispositions serve students well whether they
choose to major in a traditional liberal arts field or one of our pre-professional programs.
Our commitment to the assessment of student learning ensures that these goals are met.
Our faculty is composed of a talented and well-qualified group of men and women who
recognize effective teaching as their primary obligation to the College. In class they
present well-informed, up-to-date material pertinent to their disciplines and strive to
actively engage students with that material. Out of class they make themselves available
for student inquiries, individual instruction, and directed research. We believe personal
attention to individual academic concerns and needs is an essential factor in the
effectiveness of our teaching and it allows us to continue to enhance the healthy
intellectual environment at the College.
While all faculty are concerned with students’ scholastic progress, each student is
assigned one faculty member to serve as an academic advisor. Academic advisors help
students to define individual interests and academic goals, assist with planning course
schedules, evaluate progress toward the degree, and direct students toward other
opportunities that complement their academic studies.
Because of its size, Birmingham-Southern College enjoys a small student-faculty ratio.
That, combined with a genuine concern on the part of the faculty for the intellectual and
personal welfare of our students, creates an atmosphere in which many advisor-advisee
relationships become ones of friendly understanding and mutual respect.
The College operates on a four-one-four academic calendar, consisting of a fall term, the
January Exploration term, and a spring term. Students typically enroll in four courses in
the fall, one in the Exploration term, and four in the spring. A more limited number of
courses is also offered over the summer. The Exploration term offers students the
opportunity for intense investigation of a particular subject for a period of approximately
four weeks. This may be a project proposed by a faculty member or one designed by a
student and a faculty sponsor; it may be held on campus or anywhere off campus,
domestic or foreign; it may be an overall introduction to a subject area or a specialized
interest investigated in depth. Whatever the project chosen, Exploration term is a time
intended to provide students with unique opportunities for creative, experiential, and
independent study.
Birmingham-Southern College is committed to making an education that changes lives an
affordable reality for all students. The robust Explorations curriculum, caring faculty at
the top of their fields, in-depth knowledge of a major subject area, a highly customizable
Exploration term, and abundant active learning opportunities culminate in an educational
experience that prepares students to meet the world head-on and lead lives of
significance.