Liberal Studies, B.A.

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(120 UNITS)

Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies

The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies requires 51 units in the major, including: 30 units of core courses; and the 21-unit option under the Elementary Education Plan or the Interdisciplinary Thematic Plan. Each course counted for the major must be completed with a “C” (2.0) or better.

Core Courses (30 units)

Interdisciplinary Studies Course (3 units)

Senior Seminar (3 units)

Additional information

*Fulfills the course requirement of the university upper-division baccalaureate writing requirement for Liberal Studies majors.

Sequence of Core Courses

Because the core curriculum is designed as an integrated whole and builds upon the student’s general education, there is an order in which these courses need to be taken and there are certain prerequisites for them. LBST 300 and LBST 302A /LBST 302B come first. LBST 302A is a prerequisite for LBST 302B .

LBST 302B and LBST 301 are prerequisites for LBST 303 , LBST 304 , LBST 305 , because they pick up the historical developments where LBST 302B leaves off.

LBST 401 and the Senior Seminar come last. LBST 401 or PHIL 401 requires the completion of LBST 304 and either LBST 303 or LBST 305 . The Senior Seminar requires senior standing, the completion of 90 units of college work.

Elementary Education Plan (21 units)

Arts and Humanities (6 units)

Visual and Performing Arts (3 units)

ART 380 - Art and Child Development (3)
MUS 433 - Music in Childhood (3)
Any three-unit, upper-division course in Art, Music or Theatre and Dance

Language and Literature (3 units)

ENGL 206 - Introduction to Language Structure and Language Use (3) or
LING 206 - Introduction to Language Structure and Language Use (3)
ENGL 211 - British Literature to 1760 (3)
ENGL 212 - British Literature from 1760 (3)
ENGL 221 - American Literature to Whitman (3)
ENGL 222 - American Literature from Twain to the Moderns (3)
ENGL 341 - Children’s Literature (3)
THTR 311 - Oral Interpretation of Children’s Literature (3)
Any three-unit, upper-division course in Comparative Literature, English, European Studies, Modern Languages and Literatures, or Linguistics

Mathematics and Natural Sciences (6 units)

Social Science and Cultural Diversity (6 units)

Social Sciences (3 units)

ANTH 333 - Anthropology of Childhood (3)
ANTH 350 - Culture and Education (3)
GEOG 350 - Nature and Society (3)
PSYC 311 - Educational Psychology (3)
SOCI 352 - The Sociology of Education (3)
Any three-unit upper-division course in Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Comparative Religion or Sociology

Cultural Diversity (3 units)

AFAM 304 - Black Families in America (3)
AMST 395 - California Cultures (3)
ASAM 342 - Asian Pacific American Families (3)
CHIC 305 - Chicana/o Families (3)
HCOM 320 - Intercultural Communication (3)
SOCI 357 - Race and Ethnic Relations (3)
WGST 302 - Introduction to Women’s Studies (3)
Any three-unit, upper-division course that meets G.E. Category Z in American Studies, African American Studies, Asian American Studies, Chicana and Chicano Studies, Human Communications Studies, Latin American Studies or Women and Gender Studies

Elective (3 units)

One upper-division course from Biological Science, Chemistry/Biochemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics or other upper-division course from any department or program in the above Arts and Humanities or Social Science and Cultural Diversity categories. MATH 303A is highly recommended.

Interdisciplinary Thematic Plan (21 units)

The Interdisciplinary Thematic Plan (ITP) is designed for students who have broad interests that expand beyond the confines of a single department. For these students, the ability to construct their own area of interdisciplinary study by taking advanced coursework in several disciplines may be more beneficial than restricting their study to one of the various majors offered by the university. The Interdisciplinary Thematic Plan does not duplicate any existing major. It is a well-thought-out, highly individualized group of courses that, even though they come from various departments, have a common subject, focus or interest.

ITP students may center their coursework on an academic interest or may select courses that prepare them for later professional training or for specific careers.

Personalized Coordinated Program (18 units)

ITP students are allowed to select, in consultation with a liberal studies adviser, 18 units of upper-division coursework from various departments for the purpose of pursuing an interdisciplinary problem, theme or issue.

To ensure breadth of knowledge, ITP students are allowed to take: (a) no more than nine units from a single department; and (b) no more than 15 units from a single area of knowledge (humanities and arts, science, social sciences). ITP students should have their study plan approved by a liberal studies adviser prior to taking coursework.

Senior Project (3 units)

To integrate and synthesize knowledge acquired through their Personalized Coordinated Program, ITP students must complete a senior project (such as a thesis or a creative work relevant to the theme of their Personalized Coordinated Program) by enrolling in LBST 482 or three units of LBST 499 with a professor of their choice. ITP students should schedule an appointment with a LBST adviser immediately after deciding upon the thematic plan in order to organize a project and enroll in the required units of LBST 482 or LBST 499.