Liberal Studies, B.A.
Program Description
The Liberal Studies major develops students’ knowledge and skills with coursework drawn from throughout the School of Arts and Sciences. Students engage in a self-directed program of study where, in consultation with an advisor, they select upper-level courses across two to three related disciplines. In these disciplines, students acquire key ideas, concepts and skills, examine questions with cross-disciplinary perspective, and complete a capstone project that allows them to integrate and apply prior learning.
Why Take This Major?
This major prepares students for a wide array of possible careers or graduate level studies as it allows for great flexibility in selecting areas of interest.
Degree Earned
B.A. – Liberal Studies
Required for Graduation
- Courses
- Major: 12
- Total: Minimum of 38
- Credits
- Major: 36
- Total: 120
- GPA
- Major: 2.0
- Cumulative: 2.0
Student Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate knowledge of key ideas, concepts and skills of a single discipline
- Examine questions that cross multiple disciplines and draw conclusions
- Demonstrate effective expression within a discipline
- Demonstrate active responsibility within a disciplinary or cross-disciplinary framework
Progress Chart
Level One - Core Courses
12 courses and 2 modules required.
Major Requirements
Major requirements include 4 Level Two ILO requirements, fulfilled through the major.
Students in this major must complete Minimum of 38 courses in total in order to graduate. 12 courses will be from this major program.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Level One - Core Courses | ||
| Universal Required Courses | ||
| Students must complete the following 4 courses. | ||
| ILO 8.1: Written Communication | ||
| ENG 110 | College Writing I: Persuasion | 3 |
| ILO 5.1: Information Literacy | ||
| ENG 210 | College Writing II: Research | 3 |
| ILO 1.1: Understanding Diverse Perspectives | ||
| FYS 130 | First-Year Academic Seminar 1 | 3 |
| ILO 2.1: Reflective Thinking and Valuing | ||
| REL 100 | Religion Matters | 3 |
| Elective Core Courses | ||
| Students must complete 1 course in each of the following 4 ILOs. | ||
| ILO 3.1a: Scientific Reasoning | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 4 | |
| ILO 3.1b: Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| ILO 6.1: Technological Competency | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| ILO 8.1a/12.1: Oral Communication/Collaborative Engagement | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| Distinct Discipline Core Courses | ||
| Students must complete 1 course in each of the following 4 ILOs. Each course must be from a different discipline. (A "discipline" is represented by the 3- or 4-letter prefix attached to each course.) | ||
| ILO 4.1: Critical Analysis and Reasoning | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| ILO 9.1: Creative and Artistic Expression | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| ILO 10.1: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| ILO 11.1: Cultural and Global Awareness and Sensitivity | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| Universal Required Modules | ||
| Students must complete the following 2 non-credit modules. 2 | ||
| ILO 7.1a | ||
| Health Literacy Module | ||
| ILO 7.1b | ||
| Financial Literacy Module | ||
| Major Requirements | ||
| Level Two | ||
| Students must complete 1 course/learning experience in each of the 4 commitments. | ||
| ILO 2.2: Broader Identity (Capstone Course/Experience) | ||
| Fulfilled within major | 3 | |
| Select one ILO from 3.2a, 3.2b, 4.2, 5.2, 6.2, 7.2a, or 7.2b: Expanded Literacies | ||
| Fulfilled within major | 3 | |
| ILO 8.2b: Effective Expression (Writing-Intensive Course) | ||
| Fulfilled within major | 3 | |
| Select one ILO from 10.2, 11.2, or 12.2: Active Responsibility | ||
| Fulfilled within major | 3 | |
| All Other Required Courses | ||
| Satisfy Core Level 1 requirements 3 | ||
| 11 courses; 6 in a discipline and 5 courses in one to two related disciplines with at least 8 courses at the 300-level or above 4,5 | ||
| Capstone experience 6 | ||
| Free Electives | ||
| In addition to the requirements listed above, students must take enough courses to the fulfill graduation credit requirements for their School and major. | ||
| Total Credits | 49 | |
- 1
NOTE. The following students use Level 2 Capstone Experience in Major instead of FYS 130 First-Year Academic Seminar: Honors, BUSCA, Core-to-Core, Transfer, and Non-Traditional/Evening.
- 2
The Modules are not required for Transfer Students, Core-to-Core Students, or BUSCA Students. BUSCA students are required to take modules if/when they pursue a bachelor’s degree.
- 3
Two of which may be courses that count towards the below major requirements.
- 4
Disciplines are considered “related” if they fall within the same general grouping, social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, as the primary discipline (NB: some disciplines are understood to belong to two of those groupings). The student’s primary advisor may permit an exception to this if the student purposefully seeks an interdisciplinary degree organized around a theme.
- 5
Three of the 11 courses must fulfill the three Level Two ILOs: active responsibility, expanded literacies, and effective expression. The course chosen must be designated to fulfill the ILO within a major.
- 6
A capstone course or an individually supervised research project or internship relevant to the student's major coursework. This course must fulfill the ILO Level 2 requirement of “Broader Identity.”
Recommended Course Sequence
Year 1
- Two courses that fulfill ILOs and count towards one of the disciplinary concentrations
Year 2
- Two upper-level courses in a disciplinary concentration
- One upper-level course in a related discipline/s
Year 3
- Two upper-level courses in a disciplinary concentration
- Two upper-level courses in a related discipline/s
Year 4
Fall
- One upper-level course in a disciplinary concentration
- One upper-level course in a related discipline/s
Spring
- Capstone experience course
Dual Major Requirements
Students must complete all of the degree requirements for Liberal Studies regardless of whether it is a first or second major.
Course Descriptions
All course descriptions may be found in the main menu under Undergraduate > Courses: A-Z.
Program Contact Information
School of Arts and Sciences, Dean’s Office
Holroyd Hall, Suite 104
SASOffice@lasalle.edu
(215)-951-1042