Virginia Tech College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences

Virginia Tech College of
Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
Motto Ut Prosim (Latin)
Motto in English
 That I May Serve
Type Public University
Established 1964
Dean Elizabeth Spiller
Students 4,412
Undergraduates 3,259
Postgraduates 1,153
Location Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.
Colors Chicago maroon and Burnt orange[1]          
Mascot HokieBird
Affiliations Virginia Tech
Website www.clahs.vt.edu

The College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech comprises two schools, 14 departments, and the Corps of Cadets’ ROTC programs. The college also has connections to research facilities and local community service organizations through which students can earn experience in major related fields and has many study abroad programs. In 2010-11, the college had 4,386 students taking courses on the Blacksburg campus.[2] The college’s current dean, Elizabeth Spiller, was appointed in 2014.[3]

History

The College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences traces its roots in the university back to the Home Economics Department, which was established in 1924.[4] As the university expanded over the next few decades, the department also grew, eventually becoming the College of Home Economics in 1964. The college then continued to grow and began to incorporate more disciplines into its programs. In 1981, the college changed its name to the College of Human Resources in order to more accurately describe the areas of study offered through the college. Then, in 1996, it added “and Education” to its name as teaching became a focus of the college.

In 2001, the College of Human Resources and Education became the College of Human Sciences and Education. The college decided to change “Resources” to “Sciences” in order to better reflect its programs and distinguish itself from the field of human resources. Then, in a university restructuring which split the College of Arts and Sciences in 2003, Senior Vice President and Provost Mark McNamee levied the current name of College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.[5]

Academics

Burruss Hall

In 2010-11, the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences was the second largest of the university’s eight colleges in terms of enrollment.[6] The college contains the School of Education, the School of Performing Arts and Cinema, 14 academic departments, and the Corps of Cadets’ ROTC programs.

School of Education

The Virginia Tech School of Education offers master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees in 23 areas of professional education, leadership (K-12 and higher education), counseling, an instructional design and technology. The Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, the Department of Learning Sciences and Technologies, and the Department of Teaching and Learning form the School of Education. As of 2010, over 900 students were enrolled in the school’s three departments. The School of Education has been accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) since 1973.[7]

School of Performing Arts and Cinema

The School of Performing Arts and Cinema is an administrative, programmatic unit within the university, bringing together the faculty, staff, and students in the Department of Music and the Department of Theatre & Cinema. The school’s mission is to elevate awareness and expand the impact of the shared creative experience through discovery, learning, and engagement.[8]

Departments

The College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences comprises 14 academic departments, which offer undergraduate and graduate degrees:

Corps of Cadets' ROTC programs

The College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences houses the Corps of Cadets' Air Force, Army, and Naval ROTC programs. Cadets in these programs can earn a minor in leadership upon satisfactory completion of the 18-credit curriculum. The goal of the ROTC programs is to prepare cadets to become commissioned officers on active duty upon graduation, and Virginia Tech's programs have had success in reaching this goal. Since 2005, the Air Force ROTC program has had eighty-nine percent of its graduates who wanted rated positions earn them.[9] In addition, ninety percent of the Naval ROTC's graduating midshipmen in 2010 received their first choice for service selection.[10]

Research, Outreach, and Creative Scholarship

The College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences has connections to research facilities and local community service organizations that often allow students to gain experience in their major-related fields. Students can also initiate their own research ideas through the college’s Undergraduate Research Institute.[11] In addition, the university has plans to open the Center for the Arts in 2013, which will include a 1,260-seat performance theatre, visual arts galleries, and the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology.[12]

Adult Day Services

Adult Day Services is part of Virginia Tech’s Department of Human Development in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. The organization strives to provide a service to New River Valley older adults and their families, a teaching site for students at Virginia Tech and other institutions devoted to learning about community-based care for older adults, and a research site for faculty and students interested in designing, testing, and implementing projects involving issues on aging. Adult Day Services opened in November 1992 in Wallace Hall next to the Child Development Center for Learning and Research (then Child Laboratory Center). This location allows Adult Day Services, in conjunction with the Child Development Center for Learning and Research, to offer an intergenerational program, Neighbors Growing Together, which encourages interaction between children and older adults.[13]

Child Development Center for Learning and Research

The Virginia Tech Child Development Center for Learning and Research (CDCLR), located in Wallace Hall on the Blacksburg campus, is a nationally accredited, full-time preschool for young children that provides educational experiences for those interested in studying child development and early childhood education. Additionally, the CDCLR attempts to generate new knowledge about child development and early childhood education through the study, observation, and research of this topic. The philosophy of the CDCLR is grounded in social constructivist theory.[14]

The Family Therapy Center

The Department of Human Development’s Family Therapy Center offers psychotherapy and counseling to thousands of couples, families, individuals, and organizations in the New River Valley and surrounding areas. Therapists specialize in working with couples, families, and individuals in emotional distress, as well as providing consultation to businesses and organizations. The Family Therapy Center is located on University Boulevard in Blacksburg, Va.[15]

L2Ork

Founded by Ivica Ico Bukvic in May 2009 as part of Virginia Tech Music Department’s Digital Interactive Sound & Intermedia Studio, L2Ork is the world’s first laptop orchestra powered by Linux. L2Ork has performed at a number of college campuses, including Virginia Tech, Duke University, and Southern Illinois University. In 2011, the group went on tour in Europe. They performed in Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Germany, Croatia, Netherlands, France, and Norway.[16]

Philologia Undergraduate Research Journal

Philologia, which is Greek for "scholarship, love of learning," is an undergraduate research journal created by students in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences in 2009. It is an annually published, multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal featuring the work of liberal arts students, primarily from Virginia Tech but also from other ACC schools. The fourth edition of the journal is scheduled for release in May 2012. The journal is housed in the Undergraduate Research Institute of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.[17]

Undergraduate Research Institute

The College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences Undergraduate Research Institute (URI) aims to expose undergraduates to investigation, inquiry, and creative expression in the liberal arts and human sciences. Through URI, students may discover research opportunities, conference listings, and faculty members who share similar interests.[18]

Virginia Tech Writing Center

The Virginia Tech Writing Center, located in Newman Library, is open to all Virginia Tech students, faculty, and staff. Clients may walk-in or schedule appointments onlinefor assistance with writing and reading assignments. The Writing Center’s staff consists primarily of undergraduate and graduate student students, most of whom are English students. For clients who need help after normal business hours, the Writing Center also has satellite locations in Donaldson-Brown Graduate Life Center and Femoyer Hall.[19]

Rankings

Although Virginia Tech is not typically known for its liberal arts programs, students and programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences have earned top national rankings over the past few years. In 2011, three Virginia Tech apparel, housing, and resource management students placed in the top 10 out of 401 college and university competitors in the National Kitchen & Bath Association/General Electric (NKBA/GE) Charette Competition.[20] The competition required that students propose a plan for a kitchen renovation within a three-hour time constraint. Students had to submit a floor plan with specifications, an elevation of the design, and a design statement.

The Department of English’s M.F.A. program in creative writing has also received national attention. In 2011, the bi-monthly magazine, Poets & Writers, recognized Virginia Tech as 35th among 527 M.F.A. programs nationally, positioning it in the top 7 percent. The magazine also ranked Virginia Tech’s M.F.A. program 10th in poetry, which has the program continuing its upward trend.[21]

In addition, the 2010 U.S. News & World Report guide to university graduate programs ranked Virginia Tech’s School of Education in the top 100 schools of education. The guide also ranked the School of Education’s career and technical education tied for fourth among vocational and technical specialties for the second year in a row.[22]

According to US News & World Report, Virginia Tech's Sociology Graduate Program is ranked in the top 100 in the U.S.[23]

The Political Science program at Virginia Tech was ranked 13th in the country for return on investment. This study, performed by AC Online, stated that Virginia Tech students majoring in political science averaged a 30-year return on investment of $763,700.

Distinguished Faculty

Notable Alumni

References

  1. ↑ "The Brand Guide: Virginia Tech Identity Standards and Style Guide" (PDF). Virginia Tech. February 2015. p. 10. Retrieved November 4, 2015. The burnt orange and Chicago maroon are the university's official colors that were adopted in 1896.
  2. ↑ http://www.vt.edu/about/facts_and_figures_2010-11.pdf
  3. ↑ "About the College - College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences - Virginia Tech". vt.edu. 20 June 2013.
  4. ↑ "Harper Hall - Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech". vt.edu. 27 November 2007.
  5. ↑ "Academic Colleges and Schools - History of Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech". vt.edu. 28 April 2010.
  6. ↑ "Factbook: Student Overview - Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech". vt.edu. 20 November 2007.
  7. ↑ "School of Education - Virginia Tech". vt.edu. 9 October 2013.
  8. ↑ http://www.sopac.vt.edu/
  9. ↑ "Detachment 875 - Air Force ROTC - Virginia Tech". vt.edu.
  10. ↑ "Virginia Tech Naval ROTC Home Page". vt.edu.
  11. ↑ "Centers - College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences - Virginia Tech". vt.edu. 11 June 2013.
  12. ↑ "Welcome to Online Tickets!". vt.edu.
  13. ↑ http://www.humandevelopment.vt.edu/ads.html
  14. ↑ http://www.humandevelopment.vt.edu/cdclr
  15. ↑ "The Family Therapy Center of Virginia Tech". vt.edu.
  16. ↑ "L2Ork". vt.edu.
  17. ↑ "Philologia - Home". vt.edu.
  18. ↑ "Undergraduate Research Institute - Virginia Tech". vt.edu.
  19. ↑ http://www.composition.english.vt.edu/wc/WC_Home.html
  20. ↑ "Three Virginia Tech housing design students at top of national competition - Virginia Tech News - Virginia Tech". vt.edu. 13 May 2011.
  21. ↑ "Virginia Tech creative writing program climbs national rankings". vt.edu. 18 January 2011.
  22. ↑ http://www.soe.vt.edu/news_events/usnews_worldreport2010.html
  23. ↑ "Best Sociology Programs - Top Sociology Schools - US News Best Graduate Schools". rankingsandreviews.com.
  24. ↑ Nikki Giovanni. "Nikki Giovanni". Nikki Giovanni.
  25. ↑ "University announces gift of Fowler-Giovanni fund". vt.edu. 30 April 2010.
  26. ↑ "Timothy W. Luke". vt.edu.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Notable Virginia Tech alumni: alphabetical index - Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech". vt.edu. 4 April 2011.
  28. ↑ "USATODAY.com - Andre' Davis, WR - Virginia Tech". usatoday.com.
  29. ↑ "Tim Leaton". timleaton.com.

External links

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