Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies Degree

3 Credits

Students learn how to think critically, focusing on developing the necessary tools and skills to analyze problems, make decisions, and formulate well-supported points of view on key academic, social, and professional issues.

3 Credits

This course develops the reading, writing, and critical thinking skills that are essential for academic and life success.

3 Credits

This course examines traditions and developments in the visual and performing arts genres including music, dance, theater, cinema, visual arts, and architecture. Students will be introduced to the elements of each genre, along with an overview of its historical development in Western European tradition.

3 Credits

This course extends practice in critical reading, writing, and thinking. Emphasis is given to developing an effective writing process that takes into account audience and rhetorical purpose.

3 Credits

This course introduces the basic concepts of human nutrition to highlight ways that students can integrate healthy nutrition into their lifestyles. Principles of digestion and absorption, the function of nutrients, lifecycle nutrition practices, disease prevention, diet modifications, and weight management are covered. Practical application of these principles to the students' lives is emphasized.

3 Credits

This course recounts the story of the United States by looking at the experiences of the many diverse races and nationalities. When woven together, these diverse races and nationalities have created this country. Students will learn to appreciate the contributions of various peoples which have made contributions to the American culture. Particular emphasis will be placed on America's colonial origins, the American Revolution and the creation of a republican government under the Constitution. Emphasis is also placed on westward expansion, section divisions over slavery and causes/consequences of the Civil War.

3 Credits

This course builds a foundation in language acquisition and development to examine the concepts of reading, writing, spelling and handwriting. Students explore children’s development in these areas and the implications for instruction. They also observe and reflect on language arts interactions and activities in a classroom setting.

3 Credits

This course will help students identify the importance of a healthy lifestyle with the knowledge of human movement and motor skills. Students will explore the principles of exercise science and its impact on health, while developing self-confidence and self-worth. This course also defines and provides a context for the classroom teacher to teach and assess K-8 students in the area of physical education and health based on state and national standards. They also examine framework-based teaching strategies effective in helping their students achieve the goals of lifelong health; recognize nutrition; acknowledge risks associated with drugs and alcohol; understand growth and development; and utilize health-related information, products, and services. Instructional approaches for the integration of physical education and health with other content areas are explored.

3 Credits

This course provides an overview of the social, political, economic, and global events affecting U.S. history from the Civil War through World War II.

3 Credits

This course will examine the basic principles of chemistry conceptually and specifically. The course will apply chemical concepts to address relevant issues ranging from atomic structure and chemical reactions to organic and biological chemistry. The course topics include matter and energy, chemical bonding, intermolecular forces, chemical equilibrium, and nuclear, organic, and biological chemistry. Students will apply these concepts using practical examples, facilitated discussions, and experiments conducted through a virtual laboratory.

3 Credits

This course surveys the establishment of civilizations throughout the world to the 1500s. Emphasis is on the principle social, cultural, political, economic, and global developments that influenced multiple civilizations.

3 Credits

This course is designed to introduce physics at an entry level by examining the principal laws of physics leading to a conceptual understanding of how these principles relate to everyday life. The topics in this course include Newton's laws, properties of matter, heat and thermodynamics. Students will apply these principles using practical examples, facilitated discussions, and experiments.

3 Credits

This course surveys global civilizations from Africa and the Americas to Eurasia to explore changes in communication, communities, demography, economics, environment, politics, religion, technology, warfare, and women.

3 Credits

This course is designed to introduce biology at an entry level by examining the hierarchy that ranges from the fundamentals of cell biology to the physiology of organisms, and the interactions among those organisms in their environment. The topics in this course include cell biology, genetics, molecular biology, evolution, physiology, and ecology.

3 Credits

Students apply advanced quantitative reasoning skills to solve real-world problems. This course emphasizes modeling skills, statistical methods, and probability to create, analyze, and communicate solutions.

3 Credits

This applications-driven course prepares students to critically analyze and solve problems using quantitative reasoning. Students approach real-world scenarios using numerous reasoning skills and mathematical literacy to draw conclusions.

3 Credits

This course offers a foundation in analysis of the elements and styles in the visual arts. Emphasis is on identifying and explaining styles of visual arts from various cultures, eras, and places. The course focuses on the interpretation of art to understand meaning and the ability to make critical judgment based on principles of art.

3 Credits

This course will introduce the key concepts of geology by examining the Earth and the processes that take place within it. Topics will include historical geology, rocks and minerals, plate tectonics, igneous activity, mass wasting, weathering, and erosion systems.

3 Credits

This is the first course of a two-part series designed for K–8 pre-service teachers to address the conceptual understanding of mathematics taught in elementary school. The focus of part one will be on real number properties, patterns, operations and algebraic reasoning, and problem solving.

3 Credits

This is the second course in a two-part series designed for K–8 pre-service teachers to address the conceptual framework for mathematics taught in elementary school. The focus of part two will be on measurement, geometry, probability, and data analysis.

3 Credits

This course provides students with the political, economic, and social history of California. Topics include pre-Columbian California; the early exploration and founding of California; the Gold Rush, the Railroad Era, and current challenges faced by the state.

3 Credits

This course will introduce students to Western European music from the Baroque period through the beginning of the 20th Century. The course will emphasize the history, musical development, and accomplishments of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and early 20th Century periods in music. Students will learn to recognize form, style, texture, and characteristics of each period by studying a variety of composers and the representative masterpieces of each period.

3 Credits

This course introduces students to the nature of language and the way in which language is acquired and used in society. It also addresses grammatical aspects of language such as syntax, semantics, and pragmatics and changes in language over time. Stages of language acquisition and bilingual development will also be discussed.

3 Credits

This course introduces literary genres that reflect the human experience across cultures. Past and present voices from the literature of majority and minority writers, as expressed in fiction, poetry, drama, and nonfiction, are surveyed. Students analyze literal and symbolic meanings in texts, and examine the elements and conventions of each literary genre. Students think critically, recognize instances of stereotyping, and make connections between the literature and their lives.

3 Credits

This course examines the use of children's literature in the elementary school classroom. Various genres are studied, as well as the application of children's literature to instruction and to assessment in reading. Methods for integrating the use of children's literature in all content areas are examined.

3 Credits

This course in critical thinking helps students develop the ability to reason clearly and critically. It includes an introduction to inductive and deductive logic, fallacious reasoning, assumptions, and problem-solving techniques. Students will apply critical thinking skills in confirming knowledge, producing new ideas, research, and making connections across disciplines.

3 Credits

This course introduces students to the concept of integrative studies by acknowledging the depth of separate disciplines and their interrelationships, modes of inquiry, and the use of thematic relationships and connections between subject areas in teaching and learning. Emphasis is placed on the historical development of interdisciplinary inquiry, processes for developing integrated themes including learning styles and resources, and the criteria for implementing a theme study for the content-specific multiple subject classroom.

3 Credits

This course covers the skills necessary for effective written and oral communication in the work environment and in modern society. The course reviews basic communication theories and discusses the fundamentals of interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills. This course emphasizes applying these theories and skills to group processes and professional situations.