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 ITEP Junior Option is a program for college juniors who want to complete their B.A. degree and Credential. Students planning to declare the ITEP Junior Option should first complete most of their lower division pre-credential requirements. The ITEP Junior Option includes clinical practice experiences in elementary classrooms guided by subject matter and education faculty. The program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis.

B.A. in Liberal Studies earned at 120 units for Track A: Elementary Education or at 120 units for Track B: Special Education. Preliminary Multiple Subject Credential earned at 136 units for Track A: Elementary Education or Preliminary Education Specialist Credential earned at 142 units for Track B: Special Education.

1. Requirements for the Liberal Studies, B.A. – Track A: Elementary Education

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)

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 (69 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)

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. Early Literacy and Clinical Practice (6 units)

LRS 333 Perspectives on Literacy (3)
LRS 433/F Practicum in Early Literacy (2/1)

25. Physical Education for Children (3 units)

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

26. Basic Concepts of Geometry (3 units)

MATH 310 Basic Concepts of Geometry (3)

27. Teacher Concentration I (3 units)

LRS 385 Philosophy of Education (3)

28. Teacher Concentration II (6 units)

The following two courses must be taken concurrently:

EED 472 Mathematics Curriculum and Methods (3)
MATH 312 Basic Algebraic Concepts (3)

29. Language Development and Acquisition (3 units)

LING 417 Language Development and Acquisition (3)

30. Health Science (1 unit)

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

31. Childhood Studies (3 units)

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

32. Teacher Concentration III (6 units)

The following two courses must be taken concurrently:

ENGL 428 Children’s Literature (3)
EED 477A Reading Instruction for Diverse Learners (3)

Before completing the Teacher Concentration, students should:

1. Apply for admission to the Credential Program.
2. Submit application for Student Teaching.

33. Clinical Practice for Teachers (10 units)

EED 578A Supervised Clinical Practice (8)
EED 579A Student Teaching Seminar (2)

34. Science Experience Course (1 unit)

GEOL 406LRS Liberal Studies Science Experience Capstone (1)

2. General Education and Campus Requirements

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 (E.S.) 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.

3. Additional Units

If needed, additional 0-2 units of elective coursework to complete the 120 unit minimum for the bachelor’s degree.

B.A. in Liberal Studies earned upon completion of 120 units.

4. Remaining Requirements for the Postbaccalaureate Preliminary Multiple Subject Credential: 16 units

EED 477B Literacy Instruction and English Language Development for Diverse Learners (3)
EED 480 Science/Social Science Curriculum Methods (4)
EED 578D Student Teaching II (5)
EED 579D Student Teaching Seminar (1)
SPED 420 Designing Equitable Learning Through Universal Design (3)

Preliminary Multiple Subject Credential earned.

Total Units Required for the B.A. + Credential: 136

1. Requirements for the Liberal Studies, B.A. – Track B: Education Specialist

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 Major English Writers I (3)
ENGL 259 Major English Writers II (3)
ENGL 275 Major American Writers (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. Special Education (3 units)

SPED 200SL Introduction to Disability Studies (3)

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 (68 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. Interdisciplinarity for Teachers (6 units)

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

18. Intermediate Composition (3 units)

ENGL 305 Intermediate Expository Writing (3)

19. Special Education (3 units)

SPED 400 Developmental Differences and Implications in Special Education (3)

20. 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)

21. Early Literacy and Clinical Practice (6 units)

LRS 333 Perspectives on Literacy (3)
LRS 433/F Practicum in Early Literacy (2/1)

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

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

23. Basic Concepts of Geometry (3 units)

MATH 310 Basic Concepts of Geometry (3)

The following two courses (24 and 25) must be taken concurrently:

24. Basic Algebraic Concepts (3 units)

MATH 312 Basic Algebraic Concepts (3)

25. Math Curriculum and Methods (3 units)

EED 472 Mathematics Curriculum and Methods (3)

Before starting the Literacy Concentration with SPED 406, students should:

1. Apply for admission to the Credential Program.
2. Submit application for Student Teaching.

The following two courses (26 and 27) must be taken concurrently:

26. Literacy Concentration I (3 units)

SPED 406 K-12 Literacy Instruction for Diverse Learners with Disabilities (3)

27. Children’s Literature (3 units)

ENGL 428 Children’s Literature (3)

28. Literacy Concentration II (3 units)

SPED 407 Communication, Language, and Early Literacy Development for K-12 Students with Disabilities (3)

29. Language Development and Acquisition (3 units)

LING 417 Language Development and Acquisition (3)

30. Physical Education for Children (3 units)

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

31. Childhood Studies (3 units)

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

32. Educating Diverse Learners (3 units)

SPED 416 Educating Diverse Learners with Disabilities and Working with Their Families (3)

33. Assessment (3 units)

SPED 511 Assessing Diverse Learners with Mild to Extensive Support Needs (3)

34. California History/Geography (3 units)

Select one course from:

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

35. Science Experience Course (1 unit)

GEOL 406LRS Liberal Studies Science Experience Capstone (1)

36. Special Education Fieldwork (4 units)

SPED 403MME Early Fieldwork/Seminar in Special Education (3)
SPED 516S Early Practicum Seminar (1)

37. Literacy Concentration III (3 units)

SPED 502MME Literacy Intervention for Diverse K-12 Students with Mild to Extensive Support Needs (3)

2. General Education and Campus Requirements

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 (E.S.) 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.

3. Additional Units

If needed, additional 1-3 units of elective coursework to complete the 120 unit minimum for the bachelor’s degree.

B.A. in Liberal Studies earned upon completion of 120 units.

4. Remaining Requirements for the Postbaccalaureate Preliminary Education Specialist Credential: 22 units

SPED 402 Promoting and Supporting a Positive and Inclusive School Climate (3)
SPED 420 Designing Equitable Learning Through Universal Design (3)
SPED 503MME Curriculum and Instruction for Diverse Learners with Mild to Extensive Support Needs (3)
SPED 545 Support Strategies for Learners with Physical and Multiple Disabilities (3)

Student Teaching (10 units)

SPED 580MME Student Teaching and Seminar in Mild/Moderate and Extensive Support Needs (8)
SPED 580S Student Teaching and Advanced Internship Seminar (2)

Preliminary Education Specialist Credential earned.

Total Units Required for the B.A. + Credential: 142