Liberal Studies
College of Arts and Humanities
Dean: Paul Sherwin
Liberal Studies Program
BH 238
Phone: 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
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)
Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| LS 300 GW | Perspectives on Liberal Studies - GWAR | 3 |
Area I—Communication, Language, and Literature (7 units)
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Literature | ||
| Communication Studies (4) | ||
Area II—Life Science, Physical Science, and Mathematics (6 units)
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Life Science | ||
| Physical Science | ||
Area III—Behavioral and Social Sciences (6 units)
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| S S 300 | Social Sciences Core I | |
| S S 301 | Social Sciences Core II | |
Area IV—Creative Arts and Humanities (6 units)
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| HUM 425 | Thought and Image: Humanities | |
| CA 426 | Thought and Image: Creative Arts | |
Culminating Experience (3 units)
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| LS 690 | Liberal Studies Senior Seminar | |
Total Units for Core: 31 units
Area of Emphasis (12 units)
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.
Units on Advisement (3 units)
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.
Total for Major: 46 units
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
| Course | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| LS 300 GW | Perspectives on Liberal Studies - GWAR (Prerequisite: ENG 214 or equivalent.) |
|
Area I—Communication, Language, and Literature
Literature—Select one:
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| LTNS 560 | Contemporary Latina/o Literature |
| 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:
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| 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.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| 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):
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| 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
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| 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
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| HUM 425 and CA 426 |
Thought and Image: Humanities Thought and Image: Creative Arts |
Culminating Experience
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| 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
- English Language: Literature, Language, and Communication
- Literature and Oral Performance
- Languages and Literatures Other Than English
- Chinese
- Classical Languages
- French
- German
- Italian
- Japanese
- Russian
- Spanish
Area II: Life Science, Physical Science, and Mathematics
- Earth and Space Science
- Environmental Science
- Life Science
- Mathematics
- Physics and Astronomy
Area III: Behavioral and Social Sciences
- Anthropology
- Economics
- Ethnic Studies
- Geography
- Health, Kinesiology, and Recreation
- History
- International Relations
- Political Science
- Urban Studies
Area IV: Creative Arts and Humanities
- Creative Arts
- Humanities
- American Cultural Studies
- Asian Cultural Studies
- Cities Studies
- Cross-cultural Studies
- European Cultural Studies
- Philosophy
- Philosophy and Religion
Integrated Studies
- Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations
- California Studies
- Gender, Culture, and Representation
- Jewish Studies
- Multidisciplinary Ethnic 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
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| LS 300 | Perspectives on Liberal Studies - GWAR (Prerequisite: ENG 214 or equivalent.) |
Area I—Communication, Language, and Literature
Literature—Select one (or approved alternative):
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| 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):
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| 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 Science—Prerequisite: a college course in biology.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| BIOL 310 | Biology for Today’s World or approved alternative |
and
Physical Science—Prerequisite: Completion of the Physical Sciences GE requirement.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| LS 309 | Physical Sciences for Elementary School Teachers or approved alternative |
Area III—Behavioral and Social Sciences
History/California—Select one:
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| LTNS 315 | Latina/os in California |
| S S 301 | Social Sciences Core II |
and
Psychocultural/Family Studies/Human Development—Select one:
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| S S 300 | Social Sciences Core I |
| S S 360 | The Individual and Modern Society |
| S S 410/ AMST 300 |
Perspectives on American Culture |
| S S 460 | Child, Nature, & Society |
| HIST 469/ S S 469 |
American Childhoods: Past and Present |
| PSY 330 | Child Development |
| SOC 464 | Families and Society (4) |
Area IV—Creative Arts and Humanities
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| HUM 425 and CA 426 |
Thought and Image Humanities Thought and Image: Creative Arts |
Culminating Experience
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| LS 690 | Liberal Studies Senior Seminar |
Elementary Teaching Preparation Emphasis (15 units)
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| 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:
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| 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:
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| 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.
