Liberal Studies

Undergraduate Studies
Dean: Gail G. Evans

Liberal Studies Program
BH 238
415-338-6927
Web Site: www.sfsu.edu/~ls
Program Director: Cristina Ruotolo
Program Advising Coordinator: Eva Chuck

Advising takes place at the Liberal Studies Office. Advising schedules are available at the Liberal Studies Office and on the web.

Faculty

Assistant Professors—Augsburg, de Barros, Chitewere, Hennessy

Program

B.A. in Liberal Studies


Program Scope

The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies requires 120 units for graduation. The 46-unit liberal studies major has a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary curriculum encompassing all areas of knowledge in the arts and sciences. Many employers and professional schools prefer graduates with the type of richly diversified education that this major provides. The liberal studies program is also recommended as preparation for students who aspire to become elementary school teachers.

Before meeting with an individual adviser, liberal studies majors are expected to review the information in this Bulletin and on the web by going to www.sfsu.edu/~ls/program.html.

Career Outlook

The liberal studies major is applicable to a variety of fields. The teacher preparation emphasis, along with recommended general education courses (listed after the major courses), provides the broad academic background necessary for teaching in an elementary classroom and as part of a student’s preparation for the CSET Multiple Subjects (California Subject Examinations for Teachers). The major can be planned with a particular career in mind, such as government or public service, management, or work in the arts, humanities, and social sciences, communications, or in multicultural communities. It is appropriate preparation for various professional and graduate programs such as business, counseling, law, librarianship, medicine, and for disciplinary or interdisciplinary graduate programs.

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN LIBERAL STUDIES

Each student must consult with an adviser to discuss the liberal studies major, selection of courses, and preparation of the planning worksheet.

Each student's planning worksheet must be approved by an adviser and the advising coordinator before the student has completed 100 units. The approved worksheet must be on file in the Liberal Studies Office before the graduation application will be signed.

Liberal Studies majors who successfully complete LS 300 in Spring 2009 or thereafter will have satisfied the university Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR).

For additional information on the program as well as a complete list of approved emphasis courses, go to http://www.sfsu.edu/~ls/.

Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR

Before beginning the Core courses, students should have completed Segment I of General Education, including ENG 214 or equivalent (e.g., AIS 214, AFRS 214, or ENG 1B at a community college).

Please note: the courses that appear below are approved for the major. In the event that approved courses are not offered, substitutions may be made on advisement.

Required Core Courses (All units must be upper division) Units
Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies 3
LS 300 GW Perspectives on Liberal Studies - GWAR
Area I—Communication, Language, and Literature 7
    Literature
    Communication Studies (4)
Area II—Life Science, Physical Science, and Mathematics 6
    Life Science
    Physical Science
Area III—Behavioral and Social Sciences 6
    S S 300 Social Sciences Core I
    S S 301 Social Sciences Core II
Area IV—Creative Arts and Humanities 6
    HUM 425 Thought and Image: Humanities
    CA 426 Thought and Image: Creative Arts
Culminating Experience 3
LS 690 Liberal Studies Senior Seminar
Total units for core 31
Area of Emphasis
A 12-unit emphasis pattern must be selected on advisement. Within that pattern, a minimum of 6 units must be upper-division. Alternatively, students may also choose to complete an approved minor.
12
Units on Advisement
A minimum of 3 additional lower or upper division units chosen with a liberal studies adviser. The course should be related to the student’s interests and educational, professional, or career goals.
3
Total for major 46

Liberal Studies Emphasis Patterns

Students must complete one of the approved emphasis patterns. A minimum of twelve semester units must be taken, with at least six units at the upper division level. Students may also choose to complete a minor on advisement to satisfy the emphasis requirement. Consult http://www.sfsu.edu/~ls/ for the list of courses that satisfy the approved emphasis patterns and the list of approved minors.

Students interested in becoming elementary school teachers are strongly encouraged to choose the Liberal Studies major with Teacher Preparation Emphasis described below under “Recommended Major Program and Additional Subject Matter Preparation for Students Pursuing the Multiple Subject Credential.”

COURSES INCLUDED IN THE LIBERAL STUDIES MAJOR

With adviser and advising coordinator approval, courses transferred from other institutions may be used to fulfill the Core requirements of the major if they are upper division and equivalent in content to those courses listed below. Lower and/or upper division courses transferred from other institutions may be used in the Emphasis Pattern so long as at least six units are upper division and the content of the courses is equivalent. Lower and/or upper division courses transferred from other institutions may be used in the Units on Advisement category. All residence requirements stipulated in the Bulletin must be met.

Courses used to meet General Education Basic Subjects (Segment I) requirements in Written Communication, Oral Communication, and Critical Thinking may not be used to meet any part of the liberal studies major. A maximum of twelve units used to meet General Education requirements in Segment II and/or Segment III may be included as courses in the Core, Emphasis Pattern, or Units on Advisement categories.

Grading. A maximum of two courses in the major may be taken for a CR grade.

A course may be used for only one purpose within the major. For example, if a course is used in the Core, it may not be used in the Emphasis Pattern or in the Elective Units on Advisement.

On-line course descriptions are available, including any prerequisites or co-requisites.

Required Core Courses

Before beginning the Core courses, students should have completed Segment I of General Education, including ENG 214 or equivalent (e.g. AFRS 214, AIS 214, or ENG 1B at a community college). LS 300 introduces important concepts of interdisciplinary study and should be taken either before or concurrently with the Area Core Courses, usually no later than the junior year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete all Area Core Courses before taking LS 690, the culminating experience for the major, in the senior year.

Please note: the courses that appear below are approved for the major. In the event that approved courses are not offered, substitutions may be made on advisement.

Introduction to Liberal Studies
LS 300 GW Perspectives on Liberal Studies - GWAR (Prerequisite: ENG 214 or equivalent.)
Area I—Communication, Language, and Literature
    Literature—Select one:
AA S 322 Chinese American Culture—Language and Literature
AA S 363 Survey of Philippine Literature
AA S 502 Asian American Children/Teen Literature
AFRS 411 African and African American Literature
AFRS 420 Black Fiction
CWL 400 Approaches to Comparative Literature
CWL 440 Typical American: Narratives of Multiculturalism in the Americas from 1492 to the Present
ENG 475 Fundamentals of Literary Analysis
ENG 554 Modern American Novel
ENG 555 The Short Story
ENG 583 Shakespeare: Representative Plays
ENG 584 Shakespeare: Selected Plays
ENG 635 Coming of Age in America
ENG 636 Greek and Roman Myth and Modern Literature
ENG 655 Literature and the Adolescent Reader
RAZA 560 Contemporary Literature of Raza
WGS 541/
ENG 614
Women Writers and Social Change [topic course--no other topics acceptable]
WGS 548 Literature by U.S. Women of Color
WGS 551 Lesbian and Queer Perspectives in Literature and Media
    Communication Studies—Select one:
COMM 351 Public Speaking (4)
COMM 352 Women and Words (4)
COMM 353 Speech for the Classroom Teacher (4)
COMM 362 Introduction to Oral Interpretation (4)
COMM 363 Oral Interpretation of the First Person Voice (4)
COMM 364 Oral Interpretation of Children’s Literature (4)
COMM 365 Argumentation and Debate (4)
COMM 366 Persuasion (4)
COMM 521 Group Discussion (4)
Area II—Life Science, Physical Science, and Mathematics
    Life Science—Select one: Prerequisite: a college course in biology.
BIOL 300 Nature Study
BIOL 310 Biology for Today's World
BIOL 313 Principles of Ecology
BIOL 318 Our Endangered Planet
BIOL 326 Disease!
BIOL 327 AIDS: Biology of the Modern Epidemic
BIOL 330 Human Sexuality
BIOL 333 The Genetic Revolution
    Physical Science—Select one (or approved alternative):
CHEM 380 Chemistry Behind Environmental Pollution (Prerequisite: CHEM 115)
GEOL 302 The Violent Earth
LS 309 Physical Sciences for Elementary School Teachers (Prerequisite: GE physical sciences requirement)
METR 302 The Violent Atmosphere and Ocean
Area III—Behavioral and Social Sciences
S S 300
  and
S S 301
Social Sciences Core I or approved alternative
 
Social Sciences Core II or approved alternative
Area IV—Creative Arts and Humanities
HUM 425
  and
CA 426
Thought and Image Humanities
 
Thought and Image: Creative Arts
Culminating Experience
LS 690 Liberal Studies Senior Seminar

Emphasis Pattern Beyond the Core

Students select one of the approved emphasis patterns. A minimum of twelve semester units beyond the Core must be taken with liberal studies adviser approval, with at least six units completed at the upper division level. Students may choose to complete an approved minor in lieu of an area of emphasis. Refer to the Liberal Studies website (http://www.sfsu.edu/~ls/) and consult with a major adviser regarding possible emphases.

Area I: Communication, Language, and Literature

Area II: Life Science, Physical Science, and Mathematics

Area III: Behavioral and Social Sciences

Area IV: Creative Arts and Humanities

INTEGRATED STUDIES

Units on Advisement

Students must select a minimum of 3 additional units. These units may be either lower or upper division and must be approved by a liberal studies adviser. The course should be related to the student’s interests and educational, professional, or career goals. No units are required if completing the Teacher Preparation Emphasis or a minor.


ELEMENTARY TEACHING PREPARATION EMPHASIS
Recommended major program and additional subject matter preparation for students pursuing the Multiple Subject Credential

Future elementary school teachers are expected to be familiar with all of the subject matter taught in schools. Students seeking the Multiple Subject Credential must pass the CSET: Multiple Subjects examination. To support your preparation for the CSET, students are advised to complete the subject matter preparation program, which includes the liberal studies major with the Elementary Teaching Preparation Emphasis plus the recommended general education courses listed below. By completing these courses, students will have studied all of the subject matter areas covered by the CSET. The additional subject matter program does not waive the CSET, but serves as a preparation program for the CSET and for elementary school teaching.

Students interested in becoming elementary or special education teachers should also attend an information meeting given by the Credential Services Teacher Preparation Center. At the meeting, students learn all of the credential program admission requirements. Consult http://www.sfsu.edu/~cstpc/ or call 415-405-3594 for more information. General information about teaching careers may be found at the Teacher Preparation Center in BH 244.

Required Core Courses

Before beginning the Core courses, students should have completed Segment I of General Education, including ENG 214 or equivalent (e.g. AFRS 214, AIS 214, or ENG 1B at a community college). LS 300 introduces important concepts of interdisciplinary study and should be taken either before or concurrently with the Area Core Courses, usually no later than the junior year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete all Area Core Courses before taking LS 690, the culminating experience for the major, in the senior year.

Please note: the courses that appear below are approved for the major. In the event that approved courses are not offered, substitutions may be made on advisement.

Introduction to Liberal Studies
LS 300 Perspectives on Liberal Studies - GWAR (Prerequisite: ENG 214 or equivalent.)
Area I—Communication, Language, and Literature
    Literature—Select one (or approved alternative):
AA S 502 Asian American Children/Teen Literature
CWL 440 Typical American: Narratives of Multiculturalism in the Americas from 1492 to the Present
ENG 475 Fundamentals of Literary Analysis
ENG 635 Coming of Age in America
ENG 636 Greek and Roman Myth and Modern Literature
ENG 655 Literature and the Adolescent Reader
    Communication Studies—Select one (or approved alternative):
COMM 353 Speech for the Classroom Teacher (4)
COMM 364 Oral Interpretation of Children’s Literature (4)
Area II—Life Science, Physical Science, and Mathematics
    Life SciencePrerequisite: a college course in biology.
BIOL 310 Biology for Today’s World or approved alternative
    and
    Physical SciencePrerequisite: Completion of the Physical Sciences GE requirement.
LS 309 Physical Sciences for Elementary School Teachers or approved alternative
Area III—Behavioral and Social Sciences
    History/California—Select one:
AFRS 312 Kalifia: The Black Heritage in California
AA S 300 Asian Americans in California
AIS 410 Perspectives of Native California Indians
GEOG 600/
ENVS 600
Environmental Problems and Solutions
HIST 450 History of California
RAZA 315 Raza in California
SS 301 Social Sciences Core II
    and
    Psychocultural/Family Studies/Human Development—Select one:
AFRS 525 Black Child Development
AA S 315 Chinese American Personality
AA S 335 Japanese American Personality
AA S 355 Psyche and Behavior of Pilipinos
AA S 550 Asian Americans of Mixed Heritage
ANTH 310 Family, Kin, and Community
CFS 320 Children and Families
ETHS 625 Mixed Race Studies: A Comparative Focus
SS 300 Social Sciences Core I
SS 360 The Individual and Modern Society
SS 410/
AMST 300
Perspectives on American Culture
SS 460 Child, Nature, & Society
HIST 469/
SS 469
American Childhoods: Past and Present
PSY 330 Child Development
SOC 464 Families and Society (4)
Area IV—Creative Arts and Humanities
HUM 425
    and
CA 426
Thought and Image: Humanities
 
Thought and Image: Creative Arts
Culminating Experience
LS 690 Liberal Studies Senior Seminar

 

Elementary Teaching Preparation Emphasis (15 units)
MATH 165
    and
MATH 565
Concepts of the Number System for the Elementary Grades
 
Concepts of Geometry, Measurement, and Probability or approved alternative
Choose two from below, or approved alternative:
ART 450 Art for Children
DANC 340 Creative Dance in Basic Subject Development
MUS 601 Music for Children
TH A 451 Storytelling and Folk Literature
Choose one from:
KIN 401
    or
HIST 114
Elementary School Physical Education, K–5
 
World History to 1500

Recommended General Education Courses for Liberal Studies majors planning to be Elementary School Teachers (students who are not interested in pursuing teaching may choose from the entire list of General Education courses outlined in the Undergraduate Education section of the Bulletin):

Segment I:
Written Communication: choose one from GE list
Oral Communication: COMM 150
Critical Thinking: choose one from GE list
Quantitative Reasoning: MATH 265 or ISED 160
Segment II:
    Physical & Biological Sciences:
Category A: Physical Science: ASTR 115, GEOL 100, METR 100, or OCN 100. Take accompanying lab if possible.
Category B: Life Science: BIOL 100 and 101 or BIOL 150
Category C or other science: Integrative Science: BIOL 310 (can double count toward Area II core requirement) or choose an additional course from Category A
Lab/Field Requirement: at least one from ASTR 116, GEOL 101, METR 101, OCN 101, BIOL 101, or BIOL 150 (depending on choices in Categories A and B above)
    Behavioral & Social Sciences (choose any three):
Category A: GEOG 455, KIN 300, KIN 331, KIN 487, or REC 380
Category B: HED 455 or HH 205
Category C: HIST 114
    Humanities & Creative Arts:
Category A a course in literature or art history
Category A, B, C, D, or E include AERM
Category D: MUS 120 or other hands-on arts course
Segment III:
Complete “Arts in Society” or “Human Expression” cluster, using CA 426 and HUM 425 (can double count for Area IV core requirement) plus any other Segment III course.