This is an archive of the 2014-2015 University Catalog.
To access the most recent version, please visit catalog.csun.edu.

This is an archive of the 2014-2015 University Catalog.
To access the most recent version, please visit catalog.csun.edu.

Program: B.A., Liberal Studies

Interdisciplinary Studies

Overview

The Liberal Studies Program is a broad undergraduate liberal arts major leading to the B.A. Degree. It is an interdisciplinary major with a balance of studies in the language arts, natural sciences, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, visual arts and performing arts. Courses are drawn from various Academic Departments throughout the University. The Liberal Studies major can provide a general liberal arts degree.

Program Requirements

Core Courses (33-35 units)

1. The Global Humanities  (3 units)

HUM 101 Forms and Ideas in Humanities (3)

2. Philosophy and Culture (3 units)

Select one course from:

CHS 111 The Chicana/o and the Arts (3)
HUM 105 Cultural Eras in Humanities I (3)
LING 200 (How) Language Matters (3)
PHIL 150 Introduction to Philosophical Thought (3)
PHIL 202 Modern Philosophy (3)
RS 150 World Religions (3)

3. Social Science (3 units)

Select one course from:

ANTH 150 The Human Adventure: Introduction to Anthropology (3)
ECON 175 Introduction to U.S. Economic History (3)
HIST 111 World History Since 1500 (3)
POLS 225 Elements of International Relations (3)
PSY 150 Introduction to Psychology (3)
SOC 150 Introductory Sociology (3)

4. Languages Other than English (3-4 units)

Select one course from:

ARMN 101 Elementary Armenian I (3)
CHIN 101 Elementary Mandarin Chinese I (4)
CLAS 101G Elementary Greek I (3)
CLAS 101L Elementary Latin I (3)
DEAF 160 American Sign Language I (4)
FREN 101/C Elementary French I (4)
GERM 101/C  Elementary German I (3)
HEBR 101/C Elementary Hebrew I (4)
ITAL 101/C Elementary Italian I (4)
JAPN 101/C Elementary Japanese I (3/1)
KOR 101/C Elementary Korean I (4)
RUSS 101/C Elementary Russian I (4)
SPAN 101/C Elementary Spanish I and Lab (3/1)

5. Literature (3 units)

Select one course from:

AAS 321 Asian American Fiction (3)
AFRS 344 Literature of the Caribbean and African Experience (3)
AFRS 346 Contemporary Black Female Writers (3)
CAS 421 Central American Literature Seminar (3)
CHS 380 Chicana/o Literature (3)
CHS 381 Contemporary Chicana Literature (3)
ENGL 300 Contemporary Literature (3)
ENGL 311 History of African-American Writing (3)
ENGL 316 Shakespeare (3)
ENGL 364 The Short Story (3)
FLIT 331 Literary Masterpieces of Italian Humanism and Renaissance Literature (3)
RS 310 Religion and Literature (3)

6. Cultural Studies (3 units)

Select one course from:

AAS 345 Contemporary Issues in Asian American Studies (3)
AAS 430 Asian American Popular Culture (3)
AFRS 300 Contemporary Issues in the African-American Community (3)
AFRS 368 Politics of Hip Hop (3)
AIS 301 First Peoples and Popular Culture (3)
ANTH 315 Third World Cultures (3)
CAS 303 Central American Film (3)
COMS 356 Intercultural Communication (3)
ENGL 312 Literature and Film (3)
ENGL 313 Studies in Popular Culture (3)
ENGL 333 Comics and Graphic Novels (3)
ENGL 430 Literature and the Visual Arts (3)
ENGL 455 Literacy, Rhetoric and Culture (3)
GWS 340 Women, Gender and Global Development (3)
GWS 350 Gender, Race, Class and Sexuality (3)
GWS 410 Sex, Lies and Media (3)
QS 302 L.A. in Transit: Communities, Organizations and Politics (3)
RS 378 American Jewish Experience (3)

7. Intermediate/Advanced Writing (3 units)

Select one course from:

AFRS 350 Advanced Writing (3)
ENGL 305 Intermediate Expository Writing (3)
ENGL 406 Advanced Expository Writing for Teachers (3)

8. The Environment (3 units)

Select one course from:

CAS 355 Environment, Development and Social Exclusion in Central America (3)
GEOG 316/L Environmental Geography (3)
RTM 351 Outdoor and Environmental Education (3)
SUST 300 Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Sustainability (3)
URBS 310 Growth and Sustainable Development of Cities (3)

9. Science, Technology Culture (3-4 units)

Select one course from:

ASTR 352 Current Developments in Astronomy (3)
BIOL 362/L Genetics and Society Lab (3/1)
COMP 300 Computer Fluency (3)
EOH 353 Global Perspective of Environmental Health (3)
GEOL 300 Environmental Geology (3)
HSCI 345 Public Health Issues (3)
PHIL 325 Philosophy and Biology (3)
PHIL 330 Philosophy of Science (3)
PHYS 305/L Physics of Music and Laboratory (3/1)

10. Ethics (3 units)

Select one course from:

GWS 360 Feminist Ethics (3)
JS 318 Jewish Ethics and Society (3)
PHIL 349 Contemporary Social and Political Issues (3)
RS 301 Religious Ethics: History and Interpretation (3)

11. Cultural Theories and Methodologies (3 Units)

Select one course from:

HUM 391 Cultural Theories and Methodologies (3)

Track A: The Humanities (21 units)

Prerequisite: Take HUM 105 in the Core.

12. Human Thought and Culture (3 units)

HUM 106 Cultural Eras in Humanities II (3)

13. The Arts I (3 units)
Select one course from:

ART 110 World Arts: The Western Tradition (3)
ART 112 World Arts: Africa, Oceania and the Americas (3)
ART 114 World Arts: Asia (3)
KIN 236/L Introduction to Choreography and Lab (2/1)
MUS 105 Understanding Music (3)
TH 110 Introduction to Theatre: Text/Drama/Performance (3)

14. The Arts II (3 units)
Select one course from:

ART 305 Art Today (3)
ART 315 World Perspectives in Art History (3)
KIN 380/L Perspectives of Dance and Lab (2/1)
KIN 428 Aesthetics of Human Movement (3)
MUS 307 Music from A Global Perspective (3)
MUS 309 Traditional Music of the U.S. (3)
MUS 310 Understanding World Cultures Through Music (3)
TH 310 Theatre in Performance (3)
TH 315 World Drama (3)

15. Intellectual History (3 units)
Select one course from:

ENGL 436 Major Critical Theories (3)
ENGL 438 Critical Approaches to Literature (3)
HIST 303 Themes in Western Civilization Before 1500 (3)
HIST 304 Themes in Western Civilization After 1500 (3)
JS 300 Humanities in Jewish Society: Ancient and Medieval (3)
SPAN 307 Introduction to the Analysis of Hispanic Literature (3)

16. Cultural Studies (3 units)
Select one course from:

AAS 347 Asian American Politics and the Law (3)
AIS 401 Contemporary American Indian Social Issues (3)
ANTH 468 Cultural Heritage (3)
CAS 350 Urbanization in Central America (3)
CHS 453 Theory and the Chicana/o Experience (3)
GWS 315 Gender, Sexuality and Islam in the U.S. (3)

17. Cultural Theory (3 units)
Select one course from:

AFRS 386 African-American Philosophical Thought (3)
CHS 351 Survey of Mexican Philosophical Thought  (3)
COMS 301 Performance, Language and Cultural Studies (3)
COMS 356 Intercultural Communication (3)
GWS 301 Feminist Theories (3)
GWS 350 Gender, Race, Class and Sexuality (3)
LING 325 Language, Gender, and Identity (3)
PHIL 343 Indian Philosophy (3)
PHIL 344 Chinese Philosophy (3)
RS 356 Contemporary Religious Thought (3)

18. Capstone Seminar (3 units)

HUM 491 Capstone Seminar (3)

Track B: Human Rights

Prerequisite: Take SOC 150 in the Core.

12. Ethics, Moral and Legal Issues (3-4 units)

AAS 347 Asian American Politics and the Law (3)
ANTH 432 Environmental Justice and Health (3)
BLAW 391 Women and the Law (3)
CADV 452 Child Advocacy (3)
GWS 360 Feminist Ethics (3)
PHIL 165 Today’s Moral Issues (3)
PHIL 349 Contemporary Social and Political Issues (3)
PHIL 365 Social and Political Philosophy (4)
RS 361 Contemporary Ethical Issues (3)

13. Human Rights and Social Movements Politics (6 units)
Select two courses from:

AFRS 271 African-American History to 1865 (3)
AFRS 272 African-American History Since 1865 (3)
AFRS 361 African-American Politics (3)
CAS 364 Culture and Violence in Central America (3)
CAS 369 Contemporary Social Movements in Central America (3)
CADV 310 Developmental Impacts of Abuse and Neglect (3)
CHS 420 The Chicana/o in the U.S. Economy (3)
CHS 460 Politics of the Chicana/o (3)
GWS 300 Women as Agents of Change (3)
GWS 350 Gender, Race, Class and Sexuality (3)
POLS 197 Racial and Ethnic Politics (3)

14. Human Rights in Los Angeles (3 units)
Select one course from:

AIS 401 Contemporary American Indian Social Issues (3)
CHS 360 Political Organizations and Social Movements of the Barrio (3)
HIST 380 Los Angeles: Past, Present, Future (3)
POLS 380 Los Angeles: Past, Present, Future (3)
URBS 380 Los Angeles: Past, Present, Future (3)

15. Gender and Sexuality (3 units)
Select one course from:

AAS 340 Asian American Women (3)
AFRS 324 The Black Woman in Contemporary Times (3)
AFRS 325 The Black Man in Contemporary Times (3)
ANTH 308 Women, Sex Roles and Culture (3)
GWS 370 Women and Violence (3)
GWS 380 Sexual and Reproductive Health (3)
GWS 430 Global Sexualities (3)
KIN 385 Women in Sport (3)
QS 302 L.A. in Transit: Communities, Organizations and Politics (3)
JS 330 Women in the Jewish Experience (3)

16. Human Rights in the US (3 units)
Select one course from:

AIS 304 American Indian Law and Policy (3)
CHS 473 The Chicana/o and Social Institutions (3)
GWS 320 Women and Urban Life/Urban Space (3)
HIST 479L History of American Working People (3)
RS 361 Contemporary Ethical Issues (3)
SOC 390 Race Relations (3)
URBS 425 Social Policy, Environmental Justice and the City (3)

17. Human Rights in the Global Context (3 units)
Select one course from:

CAS 355 Environment, Development and Social Exclusion in Central America (3)
CAS 366 Contemporary Indigenous Peoples of Central America (3)
EOH 353 Global Perspective of Environmental Health (3)
GWS 340 Women, Gender and Global Development (3)

Track C: Sustainability (21 units)

Prerequisite: Take SUST 300 in the Core.

12. Best Practices in Sustainability (3 units)

SUST 310 Best Practices in Sustainability (3)

13. The Scientific Basis of Human-Ecosystems Interactions (3 units)
Select one course from:

BIOL 327 Ecology and People (3)
EOH 356A Environmental Health I (3)
GEOG 316/L Environmental Geography and Lab (3/1)
GEOG 416 Global Warming (3)
GEOG 444 Conservation (3)
GEOG 459 Environmental Impact Studies  (3)

14. Society and the Environment (3 units)
Select one course from:

ANTH 346 Urban Anthropology (3)
ANTH 430 Ecological Anthropology (3)
CAS 355 Environment, Development and Social Exclusion in Central America (3)
EOH 353 Global Perspectives of Environmental Health (3)
JS 151 Natural Environment of Judaism (3)
RS 370 Religion and Ecology (3)
RTM 251 Recreation and the Natural Environment (3)
RTM 351 Outdoor and Environmental Education (3)
RTM 496ST Principles of Sustainable Tourism (3)
SOC 350 Population Dynamics (3)
URBS 150 The Urban Scene (3)
URBS 310 Growth and Sustainable Development of Cities (3)
URBS 400 Planning for the Natural and Built Environment (3)

15. Environmental Economics (3 units)
Select one course from:

ECON 300 Economic Principles and Problems (3)
ECON 360 Environmental Economics (3)

16. Policy, Law, and the Environment (3 units)
Select one course from:

BLAW 481 Real Estate Law (3)
EOH 352 Environmental Health Policy, Law and Administration (3)
EOH 454 Environmental Health Law (3)
POLS 461 Environmental Policy (3)
POLS 464 Comparative Public Policy (3)

17. Elective Class from Sustainability Minor Elective List (3 units)

Select one course from the list of courses approved for the Sustainability minor.

18. Applied Sustainability (3 units)

SUST 401 Applied Sustainability (3)

Track D: Russian Studies (22 units)

Prerequisite: Take RUSS 101 in the Core.

12. Russian 2 (4 units)

RUSS 102 Elementary Russian II and Lab (4)

13. Intermediate Russian (3 units)

RUSS 201 Intermediate Russian (3)

14. Conversation, Reading (3 units)
Select one course from:

RUSS 200 Beginning Russian Conversation (3)
RUSS 202 Intermediate Russian Reading (3)

15. Composition, Conversation, Translation (3 units)
Select one course from:

RUSS 308 Translating and Interpreting (3)
RUSS 310 Composition and Conversation I (3)

16. Literature and Culture (6 units)
Select two courses from:

FLIT 380 Cultural Development of Modern Russia and Eastern Europe (3)
FLIT 485 Major Russian Writers (3)
RUSS 380 Russian Civilization (3)
RUSS 390 Russian Folklore: Slavic Myths and Traditions (3)

17. History (3 units)
Select one course from:

HIST 449 Russia to 1917 (3)
HIST 450 Russia Since 1917 (3)

Track E: China Studies (22 units)

Prerequisite: Take CHIN 101 in the Core.

12. Elementary Mandarin II  (4 units)

CHIN 102 Elementary Mandarin Chinese II (4)

13. Intermediate Mandarin Chinese I (3 units)

CHIN 201 Intermediate Mandarin Chinese I (3)

14. Intermediate Mandarin Chinese II (3 units)

CHIN 202 Intermediate Mandarin Chinese II (3)

15. Philosophy, Religion and Art (3 units)
Select one course from:

ART 413 History of Chinese Art (3)
PHIL 344 Chinese Philosophy (3)
RS 390 Buddhism (3)

16. History and Geography (6 units)
Select two courses from:

GEOG 324 China (3)
HIST 490 Traditional China (3)
HIST 491A Modern China (3)
HIST 491B The Rise of Communist China (3)

17. Politics and Society (3 units)
Select one course from:

POLS 435A Government and Politics of China (3)
SOC 333 Chinese Society (3)

Track F: Interdisciplinary Specialization or Minor (21 units)

With prior approval of a Liberal Studies advisor, students complete a 21-unit interdisciplinary specialization.

Contact

Program Director: Ranita Chatterjee
Staff: Bernadette Bohn, Michele Sheetz
Education Administration (EA) 100
(818) 677-3300
www.csun.edu/liberal-studies

Student Learning Outcomes

Interdisciplinary Studies Student Learning Outcomes:

  1. Students will be able to describe major themes and developments in ideas about the human condition, society, morality, intellectual achievement and aesthetics in select cultures (common knowledge).
  2. Student will be able to describe how humans interact with and impact the physical environment  (common knowledge).
  3. Students will be able to describe and connect how these ideas are expressed and developed in the Arts and Sciences (interdisciplinary integration).
  4. Students will be able to describe and apply methods of inquiry and analysis common to the various fields of study that encompass the Arts and Sciences at an introductory level, and demonstrate intermediate competence in describing and applying those methods of inquiry for the field of study of their area of specialization (research and analytical tools).
  5. Students will be able to express themselves effectively when presenting subject matter relevant to their area of specialization in the Arts and Sciences (written and oral expression specific to field).
  6. Students will exhibit basic competency in a foreign language and intermediate competency if it reflects their area of specialization.

Humanities Track Student Learning Outcomes:

  1. Students will be able to describe significant cultural theories in the Humanities, their philosophical underpinnings, the historical context in which they have emerged, and their applications.
  2. Students will be able to apply a relevant methodology to the analysis of (a) cultural artifact(s) from the visual, performing or literary arts.
  3. Students will be able to discuss in depth the institutional, political, socio-economic, and cultural development of a particular community or civilization at large.

Human Rights Track Student Learning Outcomes:

  1. Students will be able to reflect in depth on the historical evolution of views on human rights, globally as well as at local levels.
  2. Students will be able to discuss in depth the effects of specific social policies and legal provisions on the lives of ethnic, gender, cultural or other minorities.
  3. Students will be able to present an informed perspective on ethical issues associated with human rights.

Sustainability Track Student Learning Outcomes:

  1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of key concepts related to the study of sustainability, including planetary carrying capacity, climate change, and ecological footprint.
  2. Students will be able to define sustainability and understand how concepts of sustainability are connected to issues of social justice, the environment, and the economy at local, regional, and global levels.
  3. Students will be able to explain how sustainability relates to their lives and their values, and how their actions impact issues of sustainability at the individual, and at local, regional, and global levels.

Russian Studies Track Student Learning Outcomes:

  1. Students will demonstrate intermediate competency in Russian speaking and listening, and writing and reading.
  2. Students will be able to describe recurring features in Russian works from a particular literary period and propose and discuss analyses of representative texts.
  3. Students will be able to discuss salient features and institutions of contemporary Russian society and their historical underpinnings.

China Studies Track Student Learning Outcomes:

  1. Students will demonstrate intermediate competency in Mandarin Chinese speaking and listening, and writing and reading.
  2. Students will be able to describe religious beliefs, philosophical theories and/or artistic approaches that are a prominent part of Chinese society and discuss how these have shaped Chinese culture in the past and continue to do so today.
  3. Students will be able to discuss salient political features and institutions of contemporary Chinese society, their historical underpinnings and the geographical context that has contributed to their emergence.

Interdisciplinary Specialization Track Student Learning Outcomes:

Students will connect and integrate knowledge and insights gained in their interdisciplinary curriculum.