There are five components to the Liberal Studies major. See the bulletin for details on our curriculum.
I. University Core Curriculum 44-49 semester hours
Subject-matter requirements for Liberal Studies majors are specific and may differ from those of other majors within the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts. The core course requirements are spread across 13 courses and three areas - Foundations, Explorations, and Integrations - and include six core "flags."
II. Liberal Studies Major Requirements 37 semester hours
III. Education Program Requirements 23 semester hours
IV. Electives 9-12 semester hours
Liberal Studies majors fulfill the Multiple Subjects student teaching requirement for the teaching credential by completing 5-8 semester hours of Directed Teaching, which are applied toward both the semester hour requirement for the baccalaureate degree in Liberal Studies and the requirements for the credential within the state of California. Whereas the B.A. degree in Liberal Studies and California teaching credential are separate, many requirements for the credential are earned through fulfilling the B.A. requirements, including student teaching, where this is met through elective units taken as Elementary Directed Teaching (EDCE 510).
V. Concentration 12-18 semester hours
In addition to the above requirements, all Liberal Studies majors complete a minimum of 12 semester hours of coursework in a chosen area of concentration, which represents a subject area generally taught in elementary schools or a related area of study. With careful planning, the concentration can constitute most, if not all, of an LMU minor. Students must declare a concentration by the fall semester of their sophomore year. See the Bulletin for qualifying concentrations and their specific requirements.
Concentrations options include:
- Bilingualism and Biliteracy (BLBL)
- Dance (DANC)
- Early Childhood Education (ECED)
- English (ENGL)
- History (HIST)
- Mathematics (MATH)
- Psychology (PSYC)
- Science (SNCE)
- Sociology (SOCL)
- Spanish (SPAN)
- Special Education (SPED)
- Studio Arts (STAR)
Per Federal Regulation 34 CFR 668.43(a)(5)(v), all LMU School of Education credential/licensure programs meet the California state requirements as specified by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) and for the CA Board of Behavioral Sciences as appropriate. The institution has not made a determination as to whether these credential, licensure, and professional preparation programs meet the requirements of states outside of California. If you are interested in practicing outside the state of California, it is recommended that you contact the respective licensing entity of that state to seek information or guidance regarding their licensure and credential requirements in advance to allowing appropriate planning.
- Multiple Subjects
- Bilingual Authorization