Guidelines: Program Requirements for Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts for Students Matriculated On or After September 7, 2021
Sponsor: |
School of Social and Behavioral Sciences |
|---|---|
Contact: |
Coordinator for Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Studies |
Category: |
Academic |
Number: |
100.161 |
Effective Date: |
2021/09/07 |
Review Date: |
2024/09/01 |
Keywords: |
Liberal Arts |
Definitions
Statements
The BA program in Liberal Arts offers students a solid grounding in core learning while giving students the flexibility to pursue a wide range of interests. In addition to the general graduation requirements that apply to all bachelor’s programs at Empire State College, the specific requirements (A-G) for the BA in Liberal Arts can be found below.
Students completing a BA in Liberal Arts will be able to demonstrate learning in the following areas:
- Social Responsibility: Engage in ethical reasoning and reflect on issues such as democratic citizenship, diversity, social justice and environmental sustainability, both locally and globally.
- Communication: Express and receive ideas effectively, in multiple contexts and through multiple strategies.
- Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Evaluate, analyze, synthesize and critique key concepts and experiences and apply diverse perspectives to find creative solutions to problems concerning human behavior, society and the natural world.
- Quantitative Literacy: Read, interpret, use and present quantitative information effectively.
- Information and Digital Media Literacy: Critically assess, evaluate, understand, create and share information using a range of collaborative technologies to advance learning, as well as personal and professional development.
Program Requirements:
1. Students must demonstrate learning in social responsibility. Courses that fulfill this requirement include:
- PHIL 2020 Introduction to Ethics
- POLI 3080 Modern Political Theory
- LEST 4020 Theories of Law and Justice
- ENSC 2000 Principles of Environmental Sustainability
Other SUNY Empire courses, transfer courses, or prior learning may be applied towards this requirement. Students wishing to use credits other than those from these courses are advised to consult with their academic mentors and to provide in their program portfolio rationale essay an explanation of how this degree requirement is being met.
2. Students must demonstrate learning in communication. Any course carrying a Basic Communication SUNY General Education designation can be used to satisfy this requirement.
3. Students must demonstrate learning in critical thinking and problem solving. Courses that fulfill this requirement include:
- CUST 2030 Introduction to Critical Thinking
- PHIL 2005 Introduction to Philosophy
Other SUNY Empire courses, transfer courses, or prior learning may be applied towards this requirement. Students wishing to use credits other than those from these courses are advised to consult with their academic mentors and to provide in their program portfolio rationale essay an explanation of how this degree requirement is being met.
4. Students must demonstrate learning in quantitative literacy. Any course carrying a Mathematics SUNY General Education designation can be used to satisfy this requirement.
5. Students must demonstrate learning in information and digital literacy. Courses that fulfill this requirement include:
- COMM 1025 Media Literacy
- EDST 1122 Introduction to Digital Literacy
Other SUNY Empire courses, transfer courses, or prior learning may be applied towards this requirement. Students wishing to use credits other than those from these courses are advised to consult with their academic mentors and to provide in their program portfolio rationale essay an explanation of how this degree requirement is being met.
6. Students must take a minimum of 16 advanced level credits in one of the following subject areas:
ANTH-Anthropology
ARTS-Arts
BIOL-Biology
COMM-Communications
CUST-Cultural Studies
DIGA-Digital Arts
LITR-Literature
PHIL-Philosophy
POLI-Political Science
SOCI-Sociology
PSYC-Psychology
HIST-Historical Studies
SOSC-Social Science
7. In addition to the credits in a single subject area outlined in F (above), students must take a minimum of 8 additional advanced level credits in any courses designated as Liberal Arts and Sciences courses in the college catalog.