School of Arts and Sciences

Dean: Missy Alexander, Ph.D.
Warner Hall 300, Midtown Campus
alexanderm@wcsu.edu
(203) 837-9400
(203) 837-8525 (fax)

Assistant Dean: Cigdem Usekes, Ph.D.
Warner Hall 300, Midtown Campus
usekesc@wcsu.edu
(203) 837-9406
(203) 837-8525 (fax)

Administrative Assistant: Martha Palanzo
Warner Hall 300, Midtown Campus
palanzom@wcsu.edu
(203) 837-9401
(203) 837-8525 (fax)

Secretary: Bob Albert
Warner Hall 300, Midtown campus
albertb@wcsu.edu
(203) 837-9402
(203) 837-8525 (fax)

Departments:

Biology & Environmental Sciences
Chair: Patrice Boily, Ph.D.
    boilyp@wcsu.edu
    Science Building 243, Midtown campus
    (203) 837-8569
    (203) 837-8769 (fax)

Chemistry
Chair: Russell Selzer, Ph.D.
    selzerr@wcsu.edu
    Science Building 310, Midtown campus
    (203) 837- 8448
    (203) 837- 8769 (fax)
Associate Chair: Paula Secondo, Ph.D.
    secondop@wcsu.edu
    Science Building 339, Midtown Campus
    (203) 837-8795
    (203) 837-8769 (fax)

Communication and Media Arts
Chair: Katy Wiss, Ph.D.
    wissk@wcsu.edu
    Berkshire Hall 213a, Midtown campus
    (203) 837-8260
    (203) 837-8912 (fax)

Computer Science
Chair: Gancho Ganchev, Ph.D.
    ganchevg@wcsu.edu
    Westside Classroom Building 114
    (203) 837-9349
    (203) 837-8527 (fax)
Associate Chair: Todor Ivanov, Ph.D.
    ivanovt@wcsu.edu
    Westside Classroom Building 107
    (203) 837-9356
    (203) 837-8527 (fax)

English
Chair: Donald Gagnon, Ph.D.
    gagnond@wcsu.edu
    Berkshire Hall 223, Midtown campus
    (203) 837-9062
    (203) 837- 8912 (fax)

History and Non-Western Cultures
Chair: Wynn Gadkar-Wilcox, Ph.D.
    wilcoxw@wcsu.edu
    Warner Hall 218, Midtown campus
    (203) 837-8565
    (203) 837-8905 (fax)
Associate Chair: Jennifer Nugent Duffy, Ph.D.
     duffyj@wcsu.edu
     Warner Hall 224, Midtown campus
     (203) 837-3283
     (203) 837-8905 (fax)

Mathematics
Chair: Josie Hamer, Ph.D.
    hamerj@wcsu.edu
    Higgins Hall 102e, Midtown campus
    (203) 837-9347
    (203) 837-8769 (fax)

Philosophy and Humanistic Studies
Chair: Stuart Dalton, Ph.D.
    daltons@wcsu.edu
    White Hall 021b, Midtown campus
    (203) 837-3282
    (203) 837-8905 (fax)

Physics, Astronomy & Meteorology
Chair: James P. Boyle, Ph.D.
   boylej@wcsu.edu
   Science Building 273, Midtown campus
(203) 837-8856
   (203) 837-8320 (fax)
Associate Chair: Robert Eisenson, M.S.
eisensonr@wcsu.edu
Science Building 277, Midtown campus
(203) 837-8989
(203) 837-8320 (fax)

Psychology
Chair: Shane Murphy, Ph.D.
   murphys@wcsu.edu
   Warner Hall 311, Midtown campus
   (203) 837-9398
   (203) 837-8905 (fax)

Social Sciences
Chair: Oluwole Owoye, Ph.D.
   owoyeo@wcsu.edu
   Warner Hall 204, Midtown campus
(203) 837-8456
    (203) 837-8905 (fax)
Associate Chair: Averell Manes, Ph.D.
    manesa@wcsu.edu
    Warner Hall 203, Midtown campus
    (203) 837-8452
    (203) 837-8905 (fax)

World Languages & Literature
Chair: Galina Bakhtiarova, Ph.D.
bakhtiarg@wcsu.edu
Berkshire Hall 215D, Midtown campus
(203) 837-8734
(203) 837-8912 (fax)

Writing, Linguistics and the Creative Process
Chair: Patrick Ryan, Ph.D.
    ryanp@wcsu.edu
    Higgins 205d, Midtown campus
    (203) 837-9044
    (203) 837-8912 (fax)

Mission

The School of Arts and Sciences strives to help our students develop the habits of inquiry that are the essence of a liberal arts education. We are committed to placing disciplinary expertise within a broader liberal arts context in order to encourage the creative and analytic thinking that comes with interdisciplinary thought. We expect all of our graduates to be able to access and evaluate information with reason and evidence, and to effectively communicate about that information to diverse audiences. In the School of Arts and Sciences, we believe that a liberal arts education is outstanding preparation for a productive and rewarding life.

Objectives

To provide all students with an education that supports the development of strong critical and analytic thinking.
To present students with educational opportunities in the traditional arts and sciences disciplines that will prepare them for careers, further education, and an informed life.
To facilitate opportunities for integrative learning, allowing students to draw connections between the classroom and their many professional and community contexts.
To encourage interdisciplinary thinking and creative problem solving in and outside of the classroom.

To meet these objectives

Students complete rigorous academic programs developed by highly qualified faculty who are guided by current scholarship in their disciplines.
Our faculty engages students in collaborative research and learning opportunities, connecting theory with practice, applying topics learned in the classroom to real-world problems.
Students have many opportunities to take their knowledge outside of the classroom through internships/co-ops, service learning courses, and volunteer work in the local community and abroad.
We offer interdisciplinary majors, minors, courses, seminars, events, and study-abroad opportunities as a regular part of the learning environment.

The School of Arts and Sciences plays a central role in the education of every student at Western Connecticut State University. Whether through the foundations in our general education curriculum or the depth of knowledge provided by our major programs, we are committed to creating outstanding learning opportunities for all.

Undergraduate Degree Programs

Associate in Science

AS-Liberal Arts

Bachelor of Arts

BA- American Studies

BA-Anthropology/Sociology
Option:
Applied Studies

BA-Biology
    Options:
    Biology
Bioscience
    Ecological Science

BA-Chemistry
    Options:
    Biochemistry–ACS Approval
    Biochemistry
    Biotechnology

BA-Communication
     Options:
     Communication Studies
     Relational Communication

BA-Computer Science

BA-Contract Major

BA-Earth and Planetary Sciences

BA-Economics
Option:
Applied Studies

BA-English

BA-History

BA-Mathematics
Option:
Computer Science

BA-Media Arts
    Options:
    Media Production
    Media Studies

BA-Political Science

BA-Professional Writing
    Options:
    Business Writing
    Creative Writing
    General Writing
    Journalism & Freelance
    Public Relations

BA-Psychology

BA-Social Sciences
    Options:
    Anthropology/Sociology Studies
    Family Studies
    Global Studies
    Multicultural Studies

BA-Spanish

Bachelor of Science

BS-Contract Major

BS-Meteorology

The School of Arts and Sciences supports the Bachelor of Science (BS), elementary and secondary education, through course content in the following areas:

Elementary Education	Secondary Education
American Studies	Biology
Anthropology/Sociology	Chemistry
Biology	Earth Science
Communication	English
English	English (Teaching of Writing)
English (Teaching of Writing)	History
History	Mathematics
Mathematics	Social Sciences
Political Science	Spanish
Psychology
Social Sciences
Spanish

See School of Professional Studies for more information on the Education degree programs.

Admissions

Please refer to the department area in this catalog for specific admission procedures and requirements, or contact the Office of University Admissions at (203) 837-9000.