Apr 19, 2025

DRAFT 2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Liberal Studies, Preparation for Teaching, BA

This major is designed for students interested in teaching in elementary school or middle school. The following course work, offered by the Department of Humanities , satisfies San José State University’s requirements for a BA in Liberal Studies and is a program approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) for waiver of the subject matter examination (CSET for Multiple Subjects) required to earn a teaching credential.

Maintaining a minimum grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.75 and completion of the program will not guarantee admission to the credential program. Like all other applicants, students must meet credential program standards and undergo screening for admission. See Teacher Preparation : How To Become a Teacher for information on application and admission to credential programs.

Program Learning Outcomes

Program Roadmaps

The 4-Year Roadmap is available online. Roadmaps should be used in consultation with the catalog and your advisor to identify additional requirements for completing the major (for example, course grade minimums). Associate Degrees (ADT) Pathways are also available online.

1. Complete the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

Students must satisfy the specific degree requirements for their undergraduate major and fulfill the following University degree requirements:

Academic (program total units with an average 2.0 GPA - “C” or better)
General Education (GE) (34 Lower Division + 9 Upper Division)
American Institutions (AI) (0-6 units) (may be satisfied in GE Areas 3A, 3B, 4, UD 3, or UD 4)
Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) 3 units (see Writing in the Disciplines)
Physical Education (PE) (0-2 units)
Units in Residence (30 units, including 24 upper division and 12 in major)
Upper Division Units (40 units, including 12 upper div in major for BA, 18 upper div in major for BS)
Undergraduate Policies & Procedures

Apply for Graduation
Information about the Commencement Ceremony and Conferral of the Degree

Summary of Degree Units

Core Lower Division General Education: 7 (27 units may be satisfied by major coursework)

American Institutions/ US123 Requirements: 0 (6 units may be satisfied by GE coursework)

Upper Division General Education: 0 (9 units may be satisfied by major coursework)

Physical Education: 2

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR): 0 (3 units may be satisfies by HUM 100W)

Lower Division Humanities & the Arts College Requirement: 3

Upper Division Humanities & the Arts College Requirement: 2-4

Major Requirements: 96

University Electives: 8-10

Total: 120

2. Lower Division College of Humanities & the Arts Requirement (3 units):

3. Upper Division College of Humanities & the Arts Requirement (2-4 units):

Complete a course offered by the College of Humanities & the Arts in a discipline other than your major.

4. Major Requirements (96 units)

Reading, Language and Literature (15 units)

CHAD 135 - Development of Language & Literacy in Children 3 unit(s)
ENGL 1A - First Year Writing 3 unit(s) (GE Area 1A / Formerly Area A2)
ENGL 2 - Critical Thinking and Writing 3 unit(s) (GE Area 1B / Formerly Area A3) (ENGL 1B also accepted for Transfer Students.)
ENGL 112A - Children’s Literature 3 unit(s)
LING 107 - Patterns of English 3 unit(s)

History and Social Science (15 units)

SOCS 137 - California History for Teachers 3 unit(s)
SOCS 138 - US History for Teachers 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 4 / Formerly Area S)
SOCS 139 - World History for Teachers 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 3 / Formerly Area V)

Complete One Sequence:

American Studies

AMS 10 - Stories that Make America 3 unit(s) [(GE Area 3B / Formerly Area C2) + US1]
AMS 11 - Visions of Democracy 3 unit(s) [(GE Area 4 / Formerly Area D) + US23]

Asian American History

AAS 33A - Asian Americans in U.S. History I 3 unit(s) (GE Area 4 / Formerly Area D)
AAS 33B - Asian Americans in U.S. History II 3 unit(s) [(GE Area 4 / Formerly Area D) + US123]

Chicana and Chicano History

CCS 10A - Mexican Americans and the Development of U.S. History and Government 3 unit(s) (GE Area 4 / Formerly Area D)
CCS 10B - Mexican Americans and the Development of U.S. History and Government 3 unit(s) [(GE Area 4 / Formerly Area D) +US123]

U.S. History

HIST 15 - Essentials of U.S. History 3 unit(s) [(GE Area 4 / Formerly Area D) + US1]
POLS 15 - Essentials of U.S. & California Government 3 unit(s) [(GE Area 4 / Formerly Area D) + US23]

Mathematics (9 units)

MATH 12 - Number Systems 3 unit(s) (GE Area 2 / Formerly Area B4)
MATH 105 - Concepts in Mathematics, Probability, Statistics 3 unit(s)
MATH 106 - Intuitive Geometry 3 unit(s)

Science (15 units)

CHEM 30A - Introductory Chemistry 4 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)
ENVS 158 - Environmental Education 3 unit(s)
GEOL 103 - Earth Systems and the Environment 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 2/5 / Formerly Area R)
PHYS 1 - Elementary Physics 3 unit(s) (GE Area 5A / Formerly Area B1)

Complete one course:

BIOL 21 - Human Biology 4 unit(s) (GE Area 5B and 5C / Formerly Area B2 and B3)
ENVS 10 - Life on a Changing Planet 3 unit(s) (GE Area 5B / Formerly Area B2)

Visual and Performing Arts (9 units)

CA 177 - Interdisciplinary Arts for Teaching 3 unit(s)

Art Disciplines (6 units)

Complete six units in two different art disciplines:

ART 39 - Multicultural Arts for Children 3 unit(s)
ART 138 - Elementary Art Methods 3 unit(s)
ART 139 - Teaching Diversity through Art 3 unit(s)
CA 70 - Visual & Media Arts for K-8 Teachers 3 unit(s)
CA 75 - Performing Arts for K-8 Teachers 3 unit(s)
DANC 148 - Children’s Dance 3 unit(s)
MUSC 10B - Introduction to Music 3 unit(s) (GE Area 3A / Formerly Area C1)
MUSC 185A - Music for Children 3 unit(s)
TA 131 - Storytelling 3 unit(s)
TA 167 - Theatre in Education 3 unit(s)

Physical Education and Health (3 units)

CHAD 149 - Child Health and Activity 3 unit(s)

Human Development (3 units)

Complete one course from:

CHAD 60 - Child Development 3 unit(s)
CHAD 70 - Lifespan Development in a Global Context 3 unit(s)

Introduction to Liberal Studies (3 units)

LSTP 10 - Chronicles of Education 3 unit(s) (GE Area 3B / Formerly Area C2)

Area of Specialization (12 units)

LSTP 139 - Education and (In)Equality 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 4 / Formerly Area S)

Specialization Electives (9 units)

Complete 9 units from the following. Six units may be lower division.

AMS 10 - Stories that Make America 3 unit(s) [(GE Area 3B / Formerly Area C2) + US1]
AMS 11 - Visions of Democracy 3 unit(s) [(GE Area 4 / Formerly Area D) + US23]
AMS 12 - Intro to US Popular Culture: Serious Fun! 3 unit(s)
(GE Area 3A / Formerly Area C1)
AMS 129 - The U.S. in a Global Context 3 unit(s)
AMS 169 - The American Dream 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 4 / Formerly Area S)
AMS 179 - Issues in US Popular Culture 3 unit(s)
CA 60 - Creativity Matters 3 unit(s)
CA 95 - Introduction to Queer Arts 3 unit(s) (GE Area 3A / Formerly Area C1)
CA 172 - The Arts in U.S. Society 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 4 / Formerly Area S)
CA 173 - Thinking About Contemporary World Arts 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 3 / Formerly Area V)
CA 175 - Seminar in Creative Process 3 unit(s)
CA 176 - Creativity and Creative Leadership 3 unit(s)
HUM 95 - Introduction to Digital Humanities 3 unit(s)
HUM 114 - Legacy of Asia 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 3 / Formerly Area V)
HUM 119 - Myths, Heroes, and Global Cultures before 1500 CE 3 unit(s)
HUM 159 - Nature and World Cultures 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 3 / Formerly Area V)
HUM 177A - Advanced Honors in Integrated Science, Social Science, and Humanities 6 unit(s)
HUM 177B - Advanced Honors in Integrated Science, Social Science, and Humanities 3 unit(s) [GE UD Area: 2/5, 4, 3 (Formerly Area R,S,V)]
RELS 70 - Religious Worlds: Navigating Diversity 3 unit(s) (GE Area 3B / Formerly Area C2)
RELS 90 - Bible History and Literature 3 unit(s) (GE Area 3B / Formerly Area C2)
RELS 99 - Death, Dying and Religions 3 unit(s)
RELS 120 - Censors and Icons: Arts and Religion 3 unit(s)
RELS 122 - Magic, Science and Religion 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 3 / Formerly Area V)
RELS 131 - Gender, Sexuality, and Religion 3 unit(s)
RELS 142 - Contemporary Buddhism and its Roots 3 unit(s)
RELS 145 - Middle Eastern Traditions 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 3 / Formerly Area V)
RELS 162 - Religion and Political Controversy in the US 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 4 / Formerly Area S)
RELS 191 - Religion in America 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 4 / Formerly Area S)
Any relevant HUM 160 course with advisor approval

Advanced Writing (3 units)

HUM 100W - Writing in the Humanities & Interdisciplinary Arts 3 unit(s) (WID)

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