College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) awards Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS) and Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (BSCJ) degrees. Through the college's Educator Preparation Programs, teacher licensure may be obtained in Biology, Chemistry, English, French, Earth/Environmental Science, History/Social Studies, Mathematics, Physics and Spanish.

Questions about a specific program? Contact the department chair.

Department of Anthropology

Degrees

• Anthropology (BA)

• Anthropology (BS)

• Anthropology (BS) – Multidisciplinary

Minors

• Anthropology Minor

• Evolutionary Anthropology and Primatology Minor

Certificate

• Cultural Resource Management Certificate

Department of Biology

Degrees

• Biology (BA)

• Biology (BS) – Cellular/Molecular Biology

• Biology (BS) – Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology

• Biology (BS) – Integrative Biology Concentration

• Biology (BS) – Secondary Education Concentration

Minor

• Biology Minor

Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences

Degrees

• Chemistry (BA)

• Chemistry (BS) – Biochemistry Concentration

• Chemistry (BS) – Certified Chemist Concentration

• Chemistry (BS) – Environmental Concentration

• Chemistry (BS) – Fermentation Sciences Concentration

• Chemistry (BS) – Forensic Science Concentration

• Chemistry (BS) – Individually Designed Concentration

• Chemistry (BS) – Marketing and Business Concentration

• Chemistry (BS) – Secondary Education Concentration

• Fermentation Sciences (BS)

Minors

• Chemistry Minor

• Fermentation Sciences Minor

Certificate

• Forensic Science Certificate

Department of Computer Science

Degree

• Computer Science (BS)

Minor

• Computer Science Minor

Certificate

• Data Science Certificate

Department of English

Degrees

• English (BA) – Creative Writing Concentration

• English (BA) – Film Studies Concentration

• English (BA) – Literary Studies Concentration

• English (BA) – Rhetoric and Technical Writing Concentration

• English (BS) – Secondary Education Concentration

Minors

• English Minor

• Film Studies Minor

• Rhetoric and Technical Writing Minor

Department of Geography and Planning

Degrees

• Community and Regional Planning (BS)

• Geography (BA)

• Geography (BS) - General Concentration

• Geography (BS) - Geographic Information Systems Concentration

Minors

• Community and Regional Planning Minor

• Geography Minor

Certificate

• Geographic Information Systems Certificate

Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences

Degrees

• Environmental Science (BS) – Earth Systems Science Concentration

• Environmental Science (BS) – Natural Resources Concentration

• Environmental Science (BS) – Quantitative Environmental Science Concentration

• Geology (BA)

• Geology (BS)

• Geology (BS) – Earth/Environmental Science, Secondary Education Concentration

• Geology (BS) – Environmental Geology Concentration

• Geology (BS) – Paleontology Concentration

• Geology (BS) – Quantitative Geoscience Concentration

Minor

• Geology Minor

Department of Government and Justice Studies

Degrees

• Criminal Justice (BSCJ) (Hickory Option) (Online Option)

• Criminal Justice (BSCJ) – International Studies Concentration

• Political Science (BA)

• Political Science (BS) – American Politics Concentration

• Political Science (BS) – International and Comparative Politics Concentration

• Political Science (BS) – Legal Studies Concentration

• Political Science (BS) – Public Administration/Public Management Concentration

• Political Science (BS) – Public Administration/Town Administrator, City County Management (TACCM) Concentration

Minors

• Criminal Justice Minor

• Political Science Minor

Department of History

Degrees

• History (BA)

• History (BS) - Applied and Public History Concentration

• History (BS) - Multidisciplinary Concentration

• History/Social Studies Education (BS)

Minor

• History Minor

Department of Interdisciplinary Studies

Degrees

• Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies (BA)

• Global Studies (BA)

• Individually Designed (BA)

• Individually Designed (BS)

Minors

• African and African Diaspora Studies Minor

• AI Humanities Minor

• Appalachian Music: Roots and Influences Minor

• Appalachian Studies Minor

• Creative Engagement and Social Change Minor

• Documentary Studies Minor

• Experiential, Integrative Learning Minor

• Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies Minor

• Girls’ Studies Minor

• Global Health Minor

• Global Studies Minor

• Labor Studies Minor

• LGBT Studies Minor

• New Media and Digital Cultures Minor

• Nonprofit Organizations Minor

Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Degrees

• Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (BA) – East Asian Languages and Cultures Concentration

• Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (BA) – French and Francophone Studies Concentration

• Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (BA) – German Concentration

• Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (BA) – Spanish and Hispanic Studies Concentration

• Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (BS) – French and Francophone Studies, Education (K-12) Concentration

• Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (BS) – Spanish, Education (K-12) Concentration

Minors

• Arabic Minor

• Chinese Minor

• French and Francophone Studies Minor

• German Minor

• Japanese Minor

• Latine/x and Latin American Studies Minor

• Russian Minor

• Spanish for the Health and Helping Professions Minor

• Spanish Minor

• TESL/Applied Linguistics Minor

Certificate

• Global Connections Certificate

Department of Mathematical Sciences

Degrees

• Actuarial Science (BS)

• Mathematics (BS) – Business Concentration

• Mathematics (BS) – Computation Concentration

• Mathematics (BS) – General Mathematics Concentration

• Mathematics (BS) – Life Sciences Concentration

• Mathematics (BS) – Physical Sciences Concentration

• Mathematics (BS) – Secondary Education Licensure Concentration

• Mathematics (BS) – Statistics Concentration

Minors

• Mathematics Minor

• Statistics Minor

Certificate

• Sports Analytics Certificate

Department of Philosophy and Religion

Degrees

• Philosophy (BA) – Ethics and Politics Concentration

• Philosophy (BA) – General Concentration

• Religious Studies (BA) – General Concentration

• Religious Studies (BA) – Religion and Public Affairs Concentration

• Religious Studies (BA) – Religion and Public Health Concentration

Minors

• Philosophy and Religious Studies Minor

• Philosophy Minor

• Philosophy, Politics and Economics Minor

• Religious Studies Minor

Department of Physics and Astronomy

Degrees

• Physics (BA)

• Physics (BS) – Applied Physics Concentration

• Physics (BS) – Astronomy Concentration

• Physics (BS) – Automation and Instrumentation Concentration

• Physics (BS) – Interdisciplinary Science Concentration

• Physics (BS) – Secondary Education Concentration

• Physics (BS) – Theoretical Physics Concentration

Minors

• Astronomy Minor

• Medical Physics Minor

• Physics Minor

• Physics Minor for Secondary Education Majors

Department of Psychology

Degrees

• Psychology (BA)

• Psychology (BS) – Business Concentration (Hickory Option)

• Psychology (BS) – Education Studies Concentration

• Psychology (BS) – Health Studies Concentration

• Psychology (BS) – Human Services Concentration

• Psychology (BS) – Natural Science Concentration

• Psychology (BS) – Social Science Concentration

• Psychology (BS) – Sustainability Concentration

Minor

• Psychology Minor

Department of Rural Resilience and Innovation

Degree

• Veterinary Technology (BS) (Online Only)

Minor

• Animal Sciences Minor

Department of Sociology

Degrees

• Sociology (BA)

• Sociology (BS) – Applied Research Methods Concentration

• Sociology (BS) – Criminology Concentration

• Sociology (BS) – Families and Intimate Relationships Concentration

• Sociology (BS) – Individually Designed Concentration

• Sociology (BS) – Power and Social Change Concentration

• Sociology (BS) – Social Inequalities Concentration

• Sociology (BS) – Sociology of Health and Aging Concentration

Minors

• Health and Aging Minor

• Sociology Minor

College Programs

Several multidisciplinary programs are offered by CAS. The classes in these programs are taught by experts in multiple departments and span several disciplines.

Minors

• Animal Studies Minor

• Atmospheric Science Minor

• Classical and Mediterranean Civilizations Minor

• Climate Studies Minor

• Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies Minor

• Medical Humanities Minor

• Medieval Studies Minor

Certificate

• Emergency Management Certificate (Hickory Campus)

Last Updated July 2026