On July 20, 2000 the University Board of Trustees approved a new university mission statement
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The dean, department chairs, and program directors subsequently discussed the mission statement at a weekend retreat in August 2000. Accordingly, all units within the college revised their mission statements to reflect the changes in the university's mission.
The College of Arts & Sciences shares the university's commitment to excellence in teaching, scholarship and artistic achievement, and service. The college supports the university's mission by providing quality undergraduate and graduate programs taught by student-centered, professional faculty who consider their scholarly practice, research, and creative activities essential complements of effective teaching. Academic programs within the college lead to the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Social Work, Bachelor of Music, Master of Arts, Master of Science, and Master of Fine Arts degrees. Additionally, the College of Arts & Sciences offers a growing number of departmental and interdisciplinary minors, pre-professional programs, and graduate certificate programs.
The college seeks to enrich the learning environment through use of innovative and substantive pedagogical methodologies including individualized learning, technologically enhanced instruction, web-based coursework, interdisciplinary and internationalized curricula, and experiential education, including internships, service learning, applied learning and study abroad. The college further supports the academic enrichment of students through its faculty's involvement in such university-wide programs as Honors Scholars, University Studies, directed individual studies, and other specialized courses offered within its departments and other program units.
The college provides the foundation of studies in the humanities, arts, natural and life sciences, mathematical sciences, and behavioral and social sciences required of all UNCW undergraduate students. Moreover, the college provides curricular, advisory, and instructional support to undergraduate and graduate degree programs offered through the university's professional schools. It also offers distance learning and other programs in cooperation with the university's Division of Public Service and Extended Education. The college seeks to recruit and maintain a diverse faculty who are dedicated to broadening the boundaries of their respective fields, to participating in the academic discourse of their disciplines, and to applying their professional expertise to the public service arena. Furthermore, the college encourages student/faculty collaboration in these activities. From such endeavors flow public benefits that help to strengthen regional, national and global communities. In all it undertakes, the college reaffirms the university's values of diversity, global perspectives, community citizenship, and human integrity.
