Liberal Studies
A.S. in Liberal Studies
B.S. in Liberal Studies
Program Description
The Liberal Studies program is part the College’s Interdisciplinary Studies Department and is based on the development of an individualized course of study by a student and his/her advisor. This approach allows students to tailor their course work to some degree in order to meet their personal interests and needs. Apart from the basic liberal arts requirements, students are free to select a major percentage of their courses within elective categories. Students are given significant responsibility for planning a coherent study program and afforded the freedom and opportunity to sample many disciplines and career areas.
Elective courses are broken into two categories:
1. Liberal arts and sciences electives which must be chosen from offerings in humanities, social sciences, multimedia, natural sciences or mathematics.
2. Free electives which may include the previous broad subject areas as well as any of Medaille’s career courses and professional, technical and occupational courses transferred from two- or four-year institutions. Other non-traditional approaches to granting credit, such as Prior Learning Assessment, may also be applied toward the Liberal Studies degree.
The degree options of the Liberal Studies program allow students the opportunity to utilize prior recognized educational and professional experiences which frequently are not applicable or transferable to other degree programs. Because of the unique nature of the program, an individual interested in obtaining the Liberal Studies degree should consult with the department chairperson in order to discuss his/her educational background and to plan an educational goal. Students must work closely with their academic advisor throughout their studies to discuss course selections. It is also strongly recommended that early in the program students visit the Career Planning and Placement Office to help them identify their own personal and career goals. This goal identification is of great importance to students when selecting electives which will help them meet their needs.
Liberal Studies students may complete a specific, existing academic minor or choose to organize their electives around a central topic or theme such as American Studies. In planning their program, students may use such a central theme, for example, to organize and integrate liberal arts electives in humanities and social sciences with free electives in political science. Another example could be students interested in working in sales who might take a combination of courses in business, advertising, speech, writing, public relations and other related areas to prepare them for success in this field. Many other theme areas are possible.
Credit Distribution
Associate in Science
General Education Component (15)
****GEN 110 Ideas and Experiences: Intro to Critical Thought and Expression (3)
ENG 100-110 or 110-200 Writing (6)
***MAT 114 Intermediate Algebra (3)
MAT 201 Statistics and Society (3)
Liberal Arts and Sciences Component (18)
Humanities Electives (6)
(May include any ART, DAN, ENG, FRE, HUM, MUS, PHI, SPA, SPE, THE, course)
Social Sciences Electives (6)
(May include any APY, CRJ, ECO, GEO, HIS, POL, PSY, SSC, SOC course)
Liberal Arts and Sciences Electives (6)
(May include any APY, ART, BIO, CHE, CRJ, DAN, ENG, ECO, FRE, GEN, GEO, HIS, HUM, MAT, MMS, MUS, PHI, PHY, POL, PSY, RDG, SSC, SOC, SPA, SPE, THE, WRT course)
Free Elective Component (27)
(May include any college course)
Total 60 credit hours
***Students who meet the math competency must substitute a Free Elective.
****Required of first-year students; all other students must substitute a Liberal Arts and Sciences Elective. Because of the limited number of elective hours required for the associate degree, the in-depth concept and theme topics are not required. However, students are encouraged to organize their electives according to their future career and educational goals. In addition, students are counseled to select courses which may later lead to a baccalaureate degree.
Credit Distribution
Bachelor of Science
General Education Component (33)
ENG 110 College Writing II (3)
ENG 200 Analytical Writing (3)
**GEN 110 Ideas and Experiences: Introduction to Critical Thought and Expression (3)
GEN 220 Colonial N. America: Case Study in Cultural Interaction (3)
GEN 230 Creative Expression (3)
GEN 240 Scientific Discovery (3)
GEN 410 Baccalaureate Capstone I (3)
GEN 411 Baccalaureate Capstone II (3)
*MAT 114 Intermediate Algebra (3)
MAT 201 Statistics and Society (3)
SPE 130 Fundamentals of Public Speaking (3)
)
Liberal Arts and Sciences Component (36)
Designated LAS Electives
ENG 205 or 215 (3)
Choose any five courses from the following disciplines (15)
APY 100 Introduction to Anthropology
ECO 200 or ECO 201
GEO 110 Physical Geography
HIS 100 or HIS 101 or HIS 140 or HIS 150
POL 100 or POL 101
PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology
SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology
Open LAS Electives (18)
(300 or 400 level) Liberal Arts and Sciences Electives (18)
(May include any APY, ART, BIO, CHE, CRJ, DAN, ECO, ENG, FRE, GEN, GEO, HIS, HUM, MAT, MMS, MUS, PHI, PHY, POL, PSY, RDG, SSC, SOC, SPA, SPE, THE, course)
Free Elective Component (51)
Attention should be given here to include courses above the “Introductory” level. The course selection under this area may include any course for which college credit is granted; appropriateness of transfer college credit will be determined by the Registrar.
TOTAL 120 credit hours
*Students who meet the math competency must substitute a Free Elective.
**Required of first-year students; all other students must substitute a Free Elective.
