Liberal Studies Program

We hope that when you complete the Liberal Studies major, you will be a thoughtful, well-educated human being with an appreciation for and understanding of the multiple ways of learning and seeing the world that exist. To that end, the Liberal Studies program is organized into four broad areas of knowledge:
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
You will take courses in each of these areas. The Liberal Studies Council (the faculty committee that governs and approves the curriculum for the Liberal Studies program) has developed a set of learning objectives for each of the areas to see the learning objectives for the program and for each area.

The 46-unit Liberal Studies major consists of three components:
1. The Core
2. The Emphasis Pattern
3. Units on Advisement
*Other Information

FOR INFORMATION REGARDING THE LIBERAL STUDIES MAJOR IN PLACE SPRING 2008 AND EARLIER, CLICK HERE

A. The 31-unit Core includes 10 courses: two upper division courses (courses numbered 300 or above at SF State) in each of the four Areas of knowledge and two LS-prefix courses. It is recommended that you take LS 300 as soon as possible upon completing English 214 or equivalent, usually in the first semester of the junior year. The area core courses may be taken in any order. Since a significant writing component is required in most of these courses, we expect that you will have completed English 214 (second year composition) or equivalent before beginning the Core. LS 690 should be taken in the senior year.

Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies: LS 300 Perspectives on Liberal Studies: 3 units

Area I-Communication, Language, and Literature: Choose from the approved list of core courses in Literature and Speech. Note that all upper division Speech courses are 4-semester units: 7 units

Area II-Life Science, Physical Science, and Mathematics: Choose from the approved list of core courses in Life Science and Physical Science. Please pay special attention to any course prerequisities: 6 units

Area III-Behavioral and Social Sciences: You must take BOTH SS300 and SS301: 6 units

Area IV-Creative Arts and Humanities: You must take BOTH HUM 425 and CA 426: 6 units

Culminating Experience:  LS 690 Liberal Studies Senior Seminar: 3 units

      Total units for core.......................................................31 units

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B. Complete the 12-unit Emphasis Pattern by choosing a pattern from one of the patterns identified in the Bulletin. Within the emphasis, a minimum of six units must be upper division.

How to choose an Emphasis Pattern?
Many people agonize over choosing an area to emphasize. But remember: the emphasis consists of just 12 units minimum- that's just 3 or 4 classes. Each area has specific rules on how to complete the emphasis correctly. Only you can decide which emphasis is best for you. It all depends on your interests, strengths and weaknesses.

For example, if your ultimate goal is to go to law school, it would make sense to emphasize any of the areas. If you want to improve your writing and presentation skills, Area I - Communication, Language and Literature would be an excellent choice. If your interest is in environmental law, you might want to emphasize Area II to learn more about the sciences. If you are business-oriented, you might emphasize Area III and study economics. If your interest is international law, you might choose Area III-International Relations. Perhaps you want to learn more about human behavior or political science Area III would be the area for you. Or maybe you want to study philosophy, which is good training for lawyers. In that case, you would choose Area IV - Humanities. Or you might just choose an Area because it looks interesting and fun!

If you've chosen Liberal Studies but know you want to go on to graduate school in a specific subject, you might choose to emphasize that subject, minor in it or pursue a double major. In some cases it's possible to use all of your emphasis courses to also meet the requirements of another major or a minor.

If you've chosen Liberal Studies because you want to be an elementary school teacher, choose the area that most interests you (what you would have majored in if Liberal Studies if people hadn’t told you that Liberal Studies was the best major for teachers) or choose the area in which you feel the weakest. This is your opportunity to get rid of fears and improve skills so that you will feel comfortable and confident when teaching many different subjects.

For example, you might choose Area I to improve your communication skills or to get a more concrete grounding in English grammar, since you'll be teaching that to kids. You might choose Area II so that you'll have more expertise in math and sciences - teachers with skills in these areas are in great demand. You might choose Area III to learn more about history, human behavior and interaction, or people from diverse cultures and backgrounds. You might choose Area IV-Creative Arts to learn more about appreciating AND participating in the arts or Area IV-Humanities to understand cultural experience through interdisciplinary study of social conduct, values, and artistic insights. As you can see, any of these areas would be both valuable and appropriate for future teachers.
To learn more about the different options, refer to the Bulletin.
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C. Elective units on advisement consist of a minimum of three additional units. These units may be either lower or upper division and must be approved a Liberal Studies advisor. The course should be related to your interests and educational, professional, or career goals.
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D. Other Information
1. Declaring your major : After completing this virtual workshop you may declare Liberal Studies as your major by filling out a change of major form and bringing it to the Liberal Studies Office in BH 238 for approval.
2. Double counting: 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.
3. Grading: A maximum of two courses in the major may be taken for a CR grade. A course may be used for only 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.
4. Transfer courses: With advisor and 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 the approved core courses. Lower and/or upper division courses transferred from other institutions may be used in the Area of Emphasis so long as at least six emphasis 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. Note: all courses taken at a community college are lower division. All residence requirements stipulated in the Bulletin must be met.

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