College of Letters, Arts & Social Sciences
Dr. Mercy Cannon, Dean
Roark 103
(859) 622-2222
Dr. John Bowes, Associate Dean
Roark 107
(859) 622-6765
Welcome to the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences (CLASS). CLASS provides education in the arts, philosophy, literature, languages, and social sciences– fields that help us to understand ourselves and others and provide meaning and richness to our world. CLASS represents EKU’s enduring commitment to a liberal arts education as the intellectual foundation for work, life, and citizenship.
In CLASS, we offer courses and academic programs that provide students with the foundation for success in a dynamic, fast-paced, and diverse world. These foundational skills help students excel and lead in any career, cultivate the creativity and critical thinking to adapt to diverse environments, and resolve society’s most challenging problems in a culturally competent and ethical way. CLASS is focused on cultivating skills that are vital to the contemporary workplace - teamwork, critical thinking, communication, and leadership.
In CLASS, students can participate in EKU’s nationally-ranked mock trial program, which affords students the chance to learn about the legal process in a simulation format.
College Degree Requirements
General University degree requirements as set forth in Section Four of this Catalog as well as specific course requirements set forth in the descriptive curricula must be met by students completing programs administered by the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences. All students graduating with majors in the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences must have a 2.0 GPA in the major exclusive of any supporting courses. Students pursuing a minor in the College must have a minimum 2.0 GPA in the minor. At least twenty-five percent of the courses in the major must be taken at Eastern Kentucky University. In addition, individual programs may have specific requirements that exceed College requirements. Students should consult with an advisor or department chair to learn the particular requirements of a program.
Affiliated Activities and Resources
Pre-Law Advising
Email: class@eku.edu
Pre-law advising is available to assist students who are considering law school after graduation. Students interested in going to law school or exploring the possibility of doing so should submit an email for an appointment as early as possible during their academic career, preferably during their freshman year. An appointment with a college advisor can identify courses that will help prepare students for law school, plus provide valuable information on law schools, the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), and typical admission procedures.
There is no specific major for pre-law students. A broadly-based liberal education will best prepare one to study law, and therefore no fixed pre-law curriculum is prescribed. Law schools generally are not swayed positively or negatively by a student’s choice of major; rather, they want to see that, whatever a student’s major(s), that student performs well as indicated by his or her academic transcript. Thus pre-law students should choose a major that interests them and in which they are likely to be academically successful. Admission to an accredited law school is dependent upon a good undergraduate record with an earned baccalaureate degree and a competitive score on the Law School Admission Test.
EKU’s 3+3 Accelerated Law Degree Program
Students pursuing a law-school degree may complete their bachelors and Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree requirements in 6 years rather than the traditional 7 through EKU’s 3+3 Accelerated Law Degree Program with Northern Kentucky University’s Salmon P. Chase College of Law (NKU Chase).
Interested students must contact the CLASS college advisor as early as possible, preferably during their freshman year, for scheduling assistance to ensure that they complete all requirements for eligibility to apply early (during their junior year) to NKU Chase. To be eligible, students can pursue any major, but must be on track to complete successfully at least 90 credits, including all courses for their selected EKU major, EKU general education, and university requirements, by the end of their third year.
In their third year, students apply for early admission to NKU Chase College of Law, and once they complete their first-year courses at Chase, they can transfer those courses back to EKU (30 hours) to complete the 120 hours required for a bachelor’s degree from EKU. Students who pursue the 3+3 Accelerated Law Program and are denied early admission to NKU Chase may reapply to NKU Chase during their senior year or thereafter without prejudice to their subsequent application based on the earlier denial of admission.
Mock Trial
Mr. Thomas C. Parker, J.D., Coordinator
Thomas.parker@eku.edu
(859) 622-7698
EKU’s nationally-ranked mock trial program affords students the chance to learn about the legal process in a simulation format. Students play the roles of witnesses and attorneys, competing against teams from other schools in tournaments held across the nation. Mock trial develops critical thinking and communication skills, teaches students to work as members of a team, and requires students to respond creatively to unexpected challenges during rounds of competition. Students receive two hours of academic credit (POL 466A Mock Trial and POL 466B Mock Trial II) per term. Auditions for positions on the team are held each Fall.