The College of Arts & Letters (CAL) offers a broad education in the liberal arts for every Stevens student. It provides a wide range of introductory and advanced courses in traditional disciplines - literature, history, philosophy, the social sciences, and the arts. As befits the history and mission of Stevens, the College of Arts & Letters espouses the traditional goals of liberal and fine arts education that begins with engaging science and technology and the perspectives they raise. Study of the liberal and fine arts is aimed at the development of an open and inquiring mind and to prepare the Stevens student to confront today’s world to the fullest. This requires cultural and historical literacy, a knowledge and appreciation of the rich intellectual, social and artistic heritage of humanity, and a thoughtful examination of its ethical and aesthetic values. A liberal education of this nature also demands the ability to reason clearly and analytically, and to write effectively. Therefore, the program emphasizes the practical exercise and development of these logical and communication skills. Reflecting the traditional values of the liberal arts, the program is fully committed to the principle of free and unfettered intellectual inquiry.

Elective Courses

Upon completion of your 100-level humanities requirements, you will take 2-4 elective courses, depending on your program of study. (See below.) Not all 300/400-level courses offered in CAL will fulfill your general humanities requirements. Studio and ‘skills’ courses in Art and Music do not fulfill general humanities requirements, but may be taken as free electives in various programs. Please consult with your advisor or CAL faculty on fulfilling your general humanities requirements.

You can minor in the humanities or social sciences if you have a GPA of at least 2.00 and want to concentrate your studies in one of the following five fields: literature, philosophy, history, social science, gender and cultural studies, pre-law and public policy, music, or art. If you are enrolled in the computer science degree program, you only need to satisfy the distribution and GPA requirements to receive a minor. Students who complete the minor receive a certificate upon graduation.

The minor requires a total of nine humanities courses. You must satisfy the requirements of the core humanities program for your degree and the following distribution and GPA requirements: five of the courses must be 300/400-level and five must be in the field of concentration; you must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 in the field of concentration; and the nine courses must cover three of the five fields of humanities or social sciences at Stevens.

Proficiency in written English is a graduation requirement of all undergraduates. Evaluation of entering students takes place early in the first semester. Every 100-level humanities course incorporates substantial writing and oral communication components. Every upper-level (300/400-level) elective course likewise involves oral and written requirements To achieve an acceptable level of proficiency, you may be required to take courses recommended by the College of Arts & Letters, including HUM 103/104 Freshman Writing and Communications I-II. If you experience writing skills difficulties while enrolled in any humanities courses, you may request or be referred for tutoring or other remedial resources. All students must pass the Stevens English Competence Exam (SECE) in order to graduate.

Working with CAL faculty, the Office of Admissions evaluates AP and transfer credit for incoming students. After that, Stevens students are allowed to transfer credits for two lower- or upper-level humanities courses. Courses for transfer credit must be generally the equivalent of courses at Stevens, including notably requirements for written and oral communication. Credits for courses taken at community colleges will only be given for 100-level courses. You should get approval from an advisor in CAL before taking a course elsewhere for transfer credit.

If you are enrolled in the science program, the required core consists of eight courses: four 100-level courses during the freshman and sophomore years and four 300/400-level courses during the junior and senior years. Of the four 100-level courses, two must be in Group A (literature or philosophy) and two in Group B (history or social science). Students in the engineering program are required to take a minimum of six course s including the four 100-level courses described for science students, with two from Group A and two from Group B. Engineering students have three general education course slots in junior and senior years that can be used for additional 300/400-level courses as desired.

If you are enrolled in the computer science program, you must satisfy the requirements for science degree students (see above) and take one additional 300/400-level course, for a total of nine courses in humanities or social sciences. You are also encouraged to join the minor program in humanities or social sciences (see below), and among the nine basic courses you must take HSS 371.

Since you are enrolled in a lock-step program, you must adhere to the required sequence of courses (see Business and Technology undergraduate program in this catalog), which includes two courses in Group A (literature or philosophy) and two in Group B (history or social science), as well as one humanities elective.

You may take courses in the College of Arts and Sciences at New York University through a special cross-registration program at no charge. To have the course count towards a Stevens degree, you must be enrolled full-time in a regular Stevens degree program. Please direct any questions to the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Academics at Stevens, (201) 216-5228.

Stevens offers a distinctive B.A. degree program in the humanities. You can earn a liberal arts degree in one of five fields of the humanities - English and American literature, history, philosophy, science and technology studies, or an interdisciplinary program of study. An individualized major is an option with programs in Art & Technology and Music & Technology. Study towards the B.A. degree requires a secondary concentration in the sciences, including computer science, management, pre-medicine, or another humanities or social science subject. Thus, in addition to pursuing studies in one of the autonomous humanistic disciplines, you can also achieve a significant competence in a scientific, technological, or professional field. This degree program serves as a bridge between the two cultures - the literary-humanistic and the scientific-technological - and prepares you upon graduation, in a unique way, for a variety of careers. If you want to pursue an advanced degree, the program serves as preparation for graduate level work in the major field, for professional programs in law, medicine, or management, and for work in various hot industries.

In the first two years, you study the broad core that includes various sequences chosen among literature, history, philosophy, and social sciences, together with courses in computing, mathematics, and the sciences. During the first and second years you complete eight courses, four each in Groups A and B, including two courses in the major field of concentration. During this time, you also identify two areas of concentration. The major concentration must be in one of the humanistic fields.

For a secondary concentration you may build on the basic courses in computing, mathematics, and science, and draw on the resources and courses available in other departments at Stevens. Secondary concentration programs have been prepared in computer science, economics, management, mathematics, physics, and environmental engineering, as well as programs suitable for pre-law and pre-medical studies. Or you may complete a minor in a second field of the humanities or social sciences.

During the last two years you complete eight 300/400-level courses in the major field, a Seminar in Writing and Research Methods, and a Senior Thesis. This amounts to a total of ten courses in the major field. A Senior Thesis is required as a culmination of the major concentration. While a limited number of electives are designated for the secondary concentration, the open electives can be utilized if greater depth is desired in the field. The formal requirements for the humanities program are listed in the following semester-by-semester schedule, including the Notes.

There are varying distribution requirements for the various majors, depending on the field of concentration. They are as follows:

• Literature. Required: two courses in pre-1798 English literature, one of which must be an intensive introduction to Chaucer or Shakespeare; two courses in post-1798 English literature; two courses in American literature; and Senior Thesis (498). The other three courses are 300/400-level literature courses and are selected in consultation with your advisor. Recommended: a genre course; a course in literary or linguistic theory; a foreign language course (especially for future graduate work); and courses in fields related to the major, including philosophy, history, art, and music.
• History. Required: one year of a freshman/sophomore history sequence: History of European Society and Culture I & II (123, 124), United States Social and Economic History I & II (125, 126), or History of Science I & II (129, 130); at least one course in American, European, or History of Science; Seminar in Writing and Research Methods (HHS o HUM301); Senior Thesis (498); and electives from among the history concentration (American, European, History of Science, and World), selected in consultation with your faculty advisor.
• Philosophy. Required: Philosophy I: Theories of Human Nature (111) and Philosophy II: Knowledge, Reality, and Nature (112); Ethics (339), Social and Political Philosophy (340), or Aesthetics (348); Philosophy of Science (368) or Logic (442); Theories of Knowledge and Reality (347), Philosophy of Language (443), or Philosophy of Mind (444); and Senior Thesis (498). The other four are 300/400-level philosophy courses selected in consultation with your advisor.
• Science and Technology Studies
  • HPL 368 Philosophy of Science
  • HPL 369 Science and Religion
  • HPL 370 Philosophy of Technology
  • HPL 455 Ethical Issues in Science and Technology
  • HUM 315 Great Works of Science and Technology I
  • HUM 316 Great Works of Science and Technology II
• Individualized Major. Programs include Art and Technology, Music and Technology, American Studies. Please consult with your advisor.

Additional Requirements:
You are required to take a variety of other courses, including two in mathematics, two in science (non-laboratories), one in psychology or economics, one in Writing and Research Methods (HUM 301), five courses as a secondary concentration, and ten courses at any level and in any field. The formal requirements for the humanities program are listed in the following semester-by-semester schedule, including the Notes.

In the double degree program you can earn a B.A. degree in humanities while also obtaining a B.E. or B.S. degree. There are five fields of concentration: English and American literature, history, philosophy, science and technology studies, and individualized major. You may complete the double degree in four years at no additional cost by maintaining a 2.80 GPA and taking two humanities or social science courses each semester, for a total of sixteen courses. See the section entitled "Academic Procedures" in this catalog for more information.

You may also complete the additional requirements within four years by taking summer or transfer courses. Many double degree students are co-op students or in accelerated programs. The double degree program is designed for students who are academically strong.

You must complete the sequence and major concentration requirements for the single degree B.A. program, including the senior thesis. Most students complete the program by taking two humanities or social science courses each semester.