University of Pittsburgh
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SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

NONDEPARTMENTAL CAS MAJORS

CAS offers several major options that are not administered by a specific academic department within CAS: the CAS/Business dual major, the interdisciplinary studies major, the politics and philosophy major, and the self-designed major. Descriptions of these majors follow:

CAS/BUSINESS DUAL MAJOR

The CAS/Business dual major is offered jointly by the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and the College of Business Administration (CBA). To satisfy the requirements, students must combine the business major with any CAS major. The CAS major will be listed first on the transcript as the degree-determining major (BS or BA) and the business major will be listed second. Students will be required to fulfill all CAS curriculum requirements. Students are admitted by a faculty committee that considers the cumulative QPA, specific courses taken and grades earned, SAT scores, and other relevant credentials. Students who have completed at least one full year of course work are eligible to apply to the program. Students interested in the program should seek assistance from their CAS advisor regarding the application process. For more information about the program, see http://www.cba.pitt.edu/advising/dualmaj.html.

    Major Requirements

    To graduate with a CAS/Business dual major, students must complete the following:

    • Four dual major prerequisites:
      • ECON 0100 (Introduction to Microeconomic Theory)
      • ECON 0110 (Introduction to Macroeconomic Theory)
      • MATH 0120 (Business Calculus) or 0220 (Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1)
      • STAT 1100 (Statistics and Probability for Business Management)

      Note: Competency in MS Excel (spreadsheet software) is required.

    • Twelve required business courses:
      • BUSACC 0030 (Financial Accounting)
      • BUSACC 0040 (Managerial Accounting)
      • BUSQOM 0050 (Quantitative Methods)
      • BUSENV 0060 (Ethics and the Business Environment*)
      • BUSECN 1010 (Business Economics)
      • BUSORG 1020 (Organizational Behavior)
      • BUSFIN 1030 (Introduction to Finance*)
      • BUSMKT 1040 (Introduction to Marketing*)
      • BUSHRM 1050 (Human Resources Management)
      • BUSMIS 1060 (Information Systems & Business Process Design*)
      • BUSQOM 1070 (Operations Management*)
      • BUSSPP 1080 (Strategic Management*)

      Note: Courses noted with an asterisk (*) are considered non-CAS credits. All other courses are counted toward graduation as CAS credits. CAS students may include only 18 non-CAS credits in the 120 credits required for graduation.

    • Two dual major program electives selected from a list of courses in the CAS/Business dual major student handbook.

    All of the above listed courses must be completed with an average QPA of 2.00. All courses for the business major must be taken on a letter-grade basis. However, the two dual business electives may be taken on the S/N option. Students who complete the requirements of the CAS/Business dual major are not required to complete a minor or related area.

INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

Interdisciplinary studies, offered through the College of Arts and Sciences Advising Office, is intended for students who wish to design their own major using a thematic or topical approach. Students electing this option submit a proposal for approval. The format includes a listing of the proposed courses and an essay explaining the rationale for the desired program. A proposal should have a unifying theme with courses selected from more than one subject or academic area. Interdisciplinary studies allows students to be flexible and creative in planning a program to match their individual interests and career goals. Topics such as American culture and society, labor and industry, child development, and medicine and health issues are a few examples of the types of themes that can be developed. Because interdisciplinary studies students choose their own course of study, this option requires sound thought, planning, and extra effort. Students considering this major should consult with their academic advisor for help in the process. For more information, see http://www.pitt.edu/~caswww/advising/interdis.htm.

    Major Requirements

    Students wishing to pursue an interdisciplinary studies major must submit their proposal to the interdisciplinary studies committee, preferably by the end of their sophomore year, but no later than the end of their junior year (before earning the final 30 credits). After the proposal is approved, the student can officially declare the major.

      Credits for the interdisciplinary studies major are distributed as follows:
      • 42 credits, 21 of which must be in upper-level (1000-level) courses.*
      • Classes are chosen from more than one department and arranged in one to three "clusters" or thematic groupings.*
      • Each cluster must contain a minimum of 12 credits.
      • Up to six credits of internship or independent study can be included.
      • Non-CAS courses (i.e. Business, Business Services, Administration of Justice, Instruction and Learning, Psychology in Education, etc.) normally cannot be used.
      • First-year language classes and courses used to fulfill the algebra and composition requirements cannot be included.
      • A W-course does not need to be included in the major; any two W-courses may be taken to fulfill the CAS requirement.

    *Students choosing to combine the interdisciplinary studies option with another CAS major or with the CAS/Business dual major complete 30 credits, 15 of which are upper-level courses. Classes are arranged in one or two clusters.

    A QPA of at least 2.00 must be maintained in the interdisciplinary studies courses. Students earning a 3.50 or better will graduate with honors. Classes may be taken on a S/N basis.

POLITICS AND PHILOSOPHY

Politics and Philosophy (P&P), a major comprised of elements from the political science, philosophy, and economics departments and unified under the auspices of the University Honors College, is designed to provide students with an interdisciplinary training in the conceptual, empirical, and normative foundations of various fields of public policy. It enhances students' understanding of the moral and political complexities of public life, and it gives both empirical and philosophical preparation to students interested in pursuing careers in social and public affairs. By combining course work from different disciplines, the program's scope is broad, yet the structure of the curriculum also requires depth. In addition, essential communication skills in writing and presentation are sharpened in the required seminars. Politics and Philosophy is a rigorous and challenging but rewarding major. An academic career is certainly a possible pursuit; the major is also excellent preparation beneficial for careers in the law professions, government, community organizations, and social action groups. For more information on the program, see http://www.honorscollege.pitt.edu/academics/pnp.html.

    Major Requirements

    The P&P major requires completion of a minimum of 51 credits, distributed as follows:

    • Political Science Courses (18 credits)

      Two introductory-level and four advanced-level courses are required. Whenever possible, at least one of the lower-level courses should be a UHC offering. The four upper-level courses are dependent on each student's interest and will be decided upon in consultation with the advisor.

    • Philosophy Courses (18 credits)

      Two introductory-level and four advanced-level courses are required. PHIL 0500 (Introduction to Logic) is highly recommended as one of the lower-level courses for students preparing themselves for a career in law. The four upper-level courses are dependent on each student's interest and will be decided upon in consultation with the advisor.

    • Economics (nine credits)

      UCH ECON 0120 (Introductory Economic Theory) is recommended as the introductory Economics course. In lieu of this course, students may also choose to take ECON 0100 (Introductory Microeconomic Theory) and ECON 0110 (Introductory Macroeconomic Theory) as introductory courses. The remaining Economics course(s) will be decided upon in consultation with the advisor.

    • W-Seminar Courses (six-seven credits)

      UHC PHIL 0850 (Philosophy and Liberal Democracy, 3 credits) and UHC PS 0650 (Politics and Liberal Democracy, 4 credits) are the recommended W-courses for the major. PHIL 0850 is offered every Fall Term; PS 0650 is offered every other Spring Term. They are not sequential; students may take them in either order. In order to take these courses, students must have a 3.25 QPA, must have fulfilled the General Writing requirement, and they should have completed at least one course in Political Science and Philosophy. Other W-courses may be used to fulfill the Political Science W-seminar requirement with approval from the advisor.

    • Capstone (variable credits)

      In consultation with the advisor, students may opt for one of the following: completion of the Bachelor of Philosophy thesis through the UHC; participation in a graduate-level seminar (with permission of the instructor); or completion of a directed research project, independent study, or internship.

    Additional requirements of the Politics and Philosophy major
      • Students are expected to achieve and maintain a 3.25 QPA in order to take the required sophomore year seminars. In addition, the same level of performance should be maintained in order to complete the major since many of the electives are very likely to be UHC offerings.
      • Credit by examination is not available.
      • The required sophomore seminars fulfill the W-course requirement, and students often complete more than the minimum two W-courses required by CAS.
      • Since the very nature of the program is multidisciplinary, no related area is required. It is, however, not uncommon for P&P majors to combine an area studies certificate or even a second major with the program.
      • No requirement beyond that of CAS is required in a foreign language; however, students are always encouraged to pursue language studies, especially those who are interested in international studies or a specific area studies program at the graduate level.

SELF-DESIGNED MAJOR

The self-designed major, offered through the CAS Office, provides an option for students who have definable areas of interest for which no formalized major exists. It is the equivalent of a departmental major plus related area and must include at least 36 credits, coordinating courses from two or more departments, and have the depth and breadth consistent with an arts and sciences major. Students choosing the self-designed major must submit a proposal listing the courses they wish to designate as major credits and explaining the courses' relevance to the subject of the major. The proposal must be approved by two full-time arts and sciences faculty members who have agreed to serve as both sponsors for the major and advisors to the student. The proposal should then be submitted for approval to the CAS Office no later than the fifth term of full-time study (before the student accumulates more than 75 credits). Under exceptional circumstances, approval may be granted later in the student's career. The major must consist exclusively of liberal arts courses. However, a self-designed major that is taken as a second major may include courses taken at other schools, subject to the 18-credit restriction on non-CAS credits.

    Major Requirements

    To graduate with the self-designed major, students must complete the following requirements:

    • Earn a minimum 2.00 QPA in all courses counted toward the major.
    • Take at least 12 credits in one department and at least nine credits in a second department.
    • Complete at least one W-course, which must be approved by the faculty advisory committee and the CAS Office.
    • Earn at least 18 credits for the major in courses numbered 1000 or above.
    • Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the major, students are exempted from the CAS 12-credit related area requirement, but they must satisfy all other CAS curriculum requirements.

    To graduate with honors, students must have a 3.50 QPA in courses used for the major and a 3.25 QPA overall. For more information, students should contact the CAS Office or the CAS Advising Center.



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