Interdisciplinary Studies and Liberal Studies

Teacher Preparation

Students interested in careers as elementary or special education teachers should select one of the Liberal Studies Teacher Preparation option programs. All provide a B.A. degree in Liberal Studies, including preparation in the multiple subjects taught in self-contained classroom settings. Students in the Teacher Preparation option take courses in the language arts, natural sciences, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, visual and performing arts, human development, physical education and health. By the end of the degree program, students have a foundation of basic knowledge in all of these areas. Students pursuing the Teacher Preparation option are not required to meet the University General Education requirements. By completing the Liberal Studies major, students are considered to have fulfilled those requirements.

The Pre-Credential Option provides a B.A. degree in Liberal Studies only and is best suited for students who want to enroll in a teaching credential program after they earn their bachelor’s degree. This option requires 108-110 units of specified coursework toward the B.A. degree of 120 units. The Pre-Credential Option is also the gateway into the ITEP Junior Option.

A. Lower Division Requirements (49-51 units)

1. Freshman Composition (3 units)

Select one course from:

AAS 113B, AAS 114B, AAS 115 Approaches to University Writing (3)
AFRS 113B, AFRS 114B, AFRS 115 Approaches to University Writing (3)
CAS 113B, CAS 114B, CAS 115 Approaches to University Writing (3)
CHS 113B, CHS 114B, CHS 115 Approaches to University Writing (3)
ENGL 113B, ENGL 114B, ENGL 115 Approaches to University Writing (3)
GWS 115 Approaches to University Writing (3)
LING 113B Approaches to University Writing B (3)
QS 113B, QS 114B, QS 115 Approaches to University Writing (3)

2. Critical Thinking (3-4 units)

Select one course from:

AAS 201 Race, Racism and Critical Thinking (3)
AFRS 204 Race and Critical Thinking (3)
CHS 202 Race, Racism and Critical Thinking (3)
COMS 225 Argumentation (3)
PHIL 100 Introduction to Critical Reasoning (4)
PHIL 200 Critical Reasoning (3)
PHIL 210 Reasoning in the Sciences (3)
RS 204 Religion, Logic and the Media (3)

3. Speech Communication (3 units)

Select one course from:

AAS 151 Fundamentals of Public Speaking (3)
AFRS 151 Freshman Speech Communication (3)
CAS 151 Fundamentals of Public Speaking (3)
CHS 151 Freshman Speech Communication (3)
COMS 151 Fundamentals of Public Speaking (3)
GWS 151 Fundamentals of Public Speaking (3)
QS 151 Fundamentals of QS Public Speaking (3)

4. Mathematics (3 units)

MATH 210 Basic Number Concepts (3)

5. Biology (3-4 units)

Select one course from:

BIOL 100/BIOL 100L Introductory Biology and Lab (2/1)
BIOL 101/BIOL 101L General Biology and Lab (3/1)
BIOL 102CS/LCS Biological Concepts and Lab (3/1)

6. Physical Science (4 units)

PHSC 170 Introduction to Physical Science (4)

7. Literature (3 units)

Select one course from:

AAS 220 Survey of Asian American Literature (3)
AFRS 245 African American Literature Since 1930 (3)
CAS 201 Survey of Central American Literature (3)
CHS 201 Survey of Mexican Literature in Translation (3)
ENGL 255 Introduction to Literature (3)
ENGL 258 British Literature from the Middle Ages to the Early Age of Empire (3)
ENGL 259 British Literature from the Age of Empire to the Present (3)
ENGL 275 Survey of U.S. Literature (3)
FLIT 295A Masterpieces of European Literature I (3)
FLIT 295B Masterpieces of European Literature II (3)

8. Performing and Visual Arts (3 units)

Select one course from:

ART 103 Thinking Through Artmaking (3)
ART 110 World Arts: The Western Tradition (3)
ART 112 World Arts: Africa, Oceania and the Americas (3)
ART 114 World Arts: Asia (3)
CAS 202 Survey of Central American Visual, Installation and Performance Arts (3)
CHS 111 The Chicana/o and the Arts (3)
MUS 105 Understanding Music (3)
MUS 107 Music Today (3)
TH 110 Introduction to Theatre: Text/Drama/Performance (3)
TH 111 Actors and Acting (3)

9. Probability and Statistics (3 units)

MATH 211 Statistics and Probability for Elementary and Middle School Teachers (3)

10. World Geography (3 units)

GEOG 150 World Geography: People, Places, and Globalization (3)

11. Earth Science (3 units)

Select one course from:

GEOG 106LRS The Physical Environment for Liberal Studies Majors (3)
GEOL 106LRS Earth and Space Science for Liberal Studies Majors (3)

12. World History (3 units)

HIST 110 World History to 1500 (3)

13. United States History (3 units)

Select one course from:

AFRS 271 African American History to 1865 (3)
CHS 245 History of the Americas (3)
HIST 270 The United States to 1865 (3)

14. Government (3 units)

Select one course from:

AFRS 161 American Political Institutions: A Black Perspective (3)
CHS 260 Constitutional Issues and the Chicana/o (3)
POLS 155 American Political Institutions (3)
RS 255 American Political Institutions and Religion (3)

15. Urban Education (3 units)

ELPS 203 Urban Education in American Society (3)

Note: Students planning to pursue an Education Specialist Credential should take SPED 402 instead of ELPS 203.

16. Child Development (3 units)

Select one course from:

CADV 150 Foundations of Child and Adolescent Development (3)
FCS 330 Child Growth and Development I (3)

B. Upper Division Requirements (59 units)

Students should complete most, if not all, lower division coursework before taking upper division requirements. Upper division courses are listed in the order in which they should be taken, whenever possible.

17. Media Literacy (3 units)

DH 320 Perspectives on Digital Humanities (3)

18. Interdisciplinarity for Teachers (6 units)

LRS 300 Interdisciplinary Approaches for Future Teachers I (3)
LRS 310 Applied Interdisciplinary Approaches for Future Teachers (3)

19. Intermediate Composition (3 units)

ENGL 305 Intermediate Expository Writing (3)

20. Psychological Foundations (3 units)

EPC 315 Psychological Foundations of Learning and Teaching (3)

Note: Students planning to pursue an Education Specialist Credential should take SPED 400 instead of EPC 315.

21. Visual Arts, Performing Arts and the Child (3 units)

Select one course from:

ART 380 Children’s Art (3)
DANC 314/L Creative Dance for Children and Lab (2/1)
KIN 314/L Creative Dance for Children and Lab (2/1)
LRS 457 Arts Integration and Inquiry Capstone (3)
MUS 361/L Music Literature for Children and Lab (2/1)
TH 371/L Creative Drama and Lab (2/1)

22. California Geography/History (3 units)

Select one course from:

GEOG 417 California for Educators (3)
HIST 417 California for Educators (3)

23. Introduction to Language, Grammar and Linguistics for Teachers (3 units)

ENGL 303/L Language, Grammar and Linguistics for Teachers and Lab (2/1)

24. Physical Education for Children (3 units)

KIN 470/L Physical Education for Children and Lab (2/1)

25. Basic Concepts of Geometry (3 units)

MATH 310 Basic Concepts of Geometry (3)

26. Basic Algebraic Concepts (3 units)

MATH 312 Basic Algebraic Concepts (3)

Note: Students who plan to move into the ITEP Junior option should take MATH 312 concurrently with EED 472.

27. Language Development and Acquisition (3 units)

LING 417 Language Development and Acquisition (3)

28. Health Science (1 unit)

HSCI 465ELM Teaching Health in the Elementary School Classroom (1)

29. Childhood Studies (3 units)

LRS 425A-Z Selected Topics in Childhood Studies (3)

30. Children’s Literature (3 units)

ENGL 428 Children’s Literature (3)

Note: Students who plan to move into the ITEP Junior option should take ENGL 428 concurrently with EED 477A.

31. Education and Schools (6 units)

EED 300 Getting Schooled: Education, Justice, and Becoming an Agent of Change (3)
LRS 385 Philosophy of Education (3)

32. Science Experience Course (1 unit)

GEOL 406LRS Liberal Studies Science Experience Capstone (1)

33. Electives (9 units)

Select three courses from:

DH 480 Digital Humanities Studies and Projects (3)
INDS 250 Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies (3)
INDS 300 Frameworks for Interdisciplinarity (3)
INDS 350 Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies (3)
LRS 333 Perspectives on Literacy (3)
LRS 425A-Z Selected Topics in Childhood Studies (3)
LRS 433/F Practicum in Early Literacy (2/1)
SCI 456 Science Capstone (3)
SUST 240 Environmental Ethics (3)
SUST 300 Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Sustainability (3)
SUST 310 Best Practices in Sustainability (3)

General Education

Liberal Studies majors in Teacher Preparation options satisfy General Education requirements by completion of the major. In addition, students must complete 3 units of coursework to meet the Ethnic Studies (E.S.) requirement. If taken, one of the following courses in the major will also meet the Ethnic Studies (ES) requirement: AAS 220, AFRS 245, CAS 201, CAS 202, CHS 201. Students may satisfy the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) by completion of ENGL 305 and ENGL 428 (which are required for the major) at CSUN with grades of “C” or better.