WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY AT MERCER COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

B.A. in Liberal Studies

Liberal Studies Major
in the Arts, Humanities, and
Social Sciences

 

The Liberal Studies Major Offers A Broad-based Education
Program Is Ideal for Teachers

The Liberal Studies Major combines interdisciplinary training in the arts, humanities and social sciences, allowing students to design a flexible yet rigorous program.  Students may select from a wide variety of disciplinary and interdisciplinary tracks. The major is ideal for those who seek a broad-based education and for pre-service teachers seeking certification in P-3 and  K-5. Upon completion, students will understand the interconnection among the arts, humanities and social sciences; have considerable exposure to two academic areas; and develop research, written, and oral communication skills.  The Major is offered in collaboration between the College of the Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Arts and Communication.  It is in housed in the Department of Philosophy.

 

Liberal Studies Outcomes

• Inquiry and problem solving

• Critical thinking

• Creative expression and

• Communication skills

• Research and synthesis

• Mastery of content 

• Use of technology

• Career preparation and lifelong learning

 

What Can You Do With a Degree
in Liberal Studies?

A Liberal Studies degree opens a wide range of careers. In today's information-driven economy, you will need critical thinking skills for continuous learning on the job. Many employers prefer versatile, interdisciplinary thinkers with broad knowledge about the world over narrow specialists with expertise in a single discipline.

The Liberal Studies Program gives you a strong background in two or more academic disciplines, and trains you to think critically about the practical and intellectual connections between them. Our internship program challenges you to apply what you are learning to your professional future, or to do a research project in collaboration with our faculty. Our senior capstone experience helps you contextualize your learning and prepares for your next step after college.

A degree in Liberal Studies trains you to understand complex information, and to communicate it to diverse audiences with different perspectives. It gives you the skills needed to identify the information you need to make good decisions in a fluid and ever-changing world. Below is a list of some careers you might pursue after completing a degree in Liberal Studies:
  • Teaching,  Law, Politics, Human Resources, Technical Writing, Advertising, Marketing, Social Work, Community organizing,  Journalism,  Public Relations,  Sales,  Editing,  Creative Writing,  Library, Management, Government work, Communications or Non-Profit organizations

The Program in Liberal Studies

The MAJOR consists of 39 to 45 credits, as follows:

 

Core Requirements............................... 9 credits

*LIBS 201 Liberal Studies Colloquium: Selected Topics           3 credits         (Must be taken at the beginning of the major)

*LIBS 498 Internship: the Liberal Arts and Civic Engagement 3 credits

               (Majors may also do an approved internship in one of the 18-credit tracks.
               Certification students may fulfill this requirement with EDUC 414 Student
               Teaching Internship.)

*LIBS 480 Senior Capstone Seminar: Selected Topics  3 credits 

Students may also fulfill this requirement by taking a Senior Seminar in one of the two chosen tracks.

 

Interdisciplinary Requirement................. 3 credits  

Students may fulfill this requirement through one of the following options:

• First Year Cluster Courses

• A team-taught or cross-listed course (e.g., SOC/WS 347 Sociology of Women)

• An interdisciplinary course (e.g., ASN 201, LAS 201, URBN 20) within or outside the chosen track

 

Track Requirement

Students must select any two tracks consisting of 15 to 18 credits, for a minimum of 30 credits.  The Liberal Studies Major requires at least 6 credits of electives in each track at the 300- or 400-level.  Course selection will be done in consultation with the Liberal Studies director.

LIBERAL STUDIES TRACKS

Disciplinary Tracks  

English Literature, History , Political Science  or Psychology

Liberal Studies Tracks

*English Literature

Prerequisite
ENG 150...................... Intro to Literature

 
Requirements.............. 18 credits 

ENG 200 ..................... Methods of Literary Analysis

Also, choose three of these survey courses:
ENG 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 317, or 318

Also, one period course or one writing course

Elective (one literature course)

*History

Prerequisites............... 6 credits

HIST 101 ..................... Foundations of Civilization

HIST 102 ..................... West and the World
Requirements.............. 9 credits

HIST 205 U.S. History through Reconstruction

HIST 206 U.S. History since Reconstruction

(One non-western history course (300 level)

 

Electives...................... 9 credits

Must be at the 300- and 400-level, one of which must be in European History

 

*PSYCHOLOGY

Requirements
PSY 110 ...................... General Psychology
Electives
(five additional psychology courses at the 200-400 level by advisement)

 

*Political Science

Requirements
POL120 ...................... American Government and Politics
Electives...................... 15 credits

(must be political science courses at the 200-400 level)

 

INFORMATION FOR