Course Catalog

Requirements for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Arts

Liberal Arts Major Requirements (58 credits):

*These are specific requirements for the major and do not satisfy the core.
**A major requirement which will satisfy the core.
***A maximum of six credits from the concentration and/or minor may be used to fulfill core curriculum requirements.

The Concentration
In consultation with the faculty advisor, the Liberal Arts major will design a concentration. The 18 credit concentration may be achieved in one of two ways: vertical or horizontal. The vertical concentration is defined by an existing traditional academic discipline such as history, modern language, sociology or biology. In selecting a vertical concentration, the student may include only one introductory or survey level course, i.e., SO 101 Introduction to Sociology. A horizontal concentration is interdisciplinary. As with the vertical concentration, the student may only include one introductory or survey level course in the horizontal concentration.

The student then, with the guidance of the faculty advisor, identifies the form of the concentration and the courses which will comprise it. The theme and form of the concentration must be determined in the Spring semester of the sophomore year.

In addition to the self-designed option, the student may choose to fulfill the requirement by completing one of the following suggested concentrations: Quantitative Studies, Media Studies, Business Studies, Cultural Studies and American Studies.

Cultural Studies

American Studies

Quantitative Studies

Media Studies

Business Studies

The Academic Project
In the final semester of study the student must present an academic project done in the field of his or her concentration or minor. Because it is the culminating activity for the Liberal Arts major, the ideal project combines the concentration and the minor. The project may take any number of forms: thesis, essay, intellectual journal, poetry, the short story, the novel, stage design, art exhibit, and physical or social science research. The sequence for the senior liberal arts projects is as follows:

Fall Semester, Junior Year
The work for the academic project begins in the first semester, junior year, when the Liberal Arts major is required to take LA 200 The Methods and Techniques of Research. As part of the course, the student will prepare both the topic and form of the project and will select two readers. Readers may be selected from the Liberal Arts faculty, the College faculty, or from the professional community at large. The first reader for the project will focus on the academic content while the second reader, who is a member of the Liberal Arts faculty, will assist the student with style and mechanics. Final approval of the topic and form of the academic project will be given by the Liberal Arts faculty following a formal presentation by the student. By the end of the semester, each student will have completed a library search and a preliminary annotated bibliography.

Spring Semester, Junior Year
The second semester junior enrolls in LA 300 Project Research and LA 250 Seminar: Readings for Liberal Arts Majors. For LA 300, the student will determine appropriate semester goals for the semester in consultation with the first reader. For example, all research completed, research and outline completed, rough draft begun. It is the responsibility of the student to arrange the initial meeting with the faculty member, and also, at that time to arrange a schedule of meetings for the semester. LA 250 will focus on the academic disciplines represented by the participant’s minors and concentrations. In addition to reading and analyzing representative reading selections, each student will present a seminar on the research completed in LA 250 during the second half of the semester.

Summer Following Junior Year
The student is expected to complete any necessary additional research and to begin the draft of the thesis. It is an expectation that the student will continue to communicate with both readers during the summer and forward to them finished sections of the project for review.

Fall Semester, Senior Year
A completed draft of the project should be submitted to both readers no later than the Fall Break in October. Once both readers have had the opportunity to review the paper, the student will make corrections and revisions. The final draft is due by 4:00 p.m. on the last class day of the fall semester. Two copies of the project are submitted to the Director of the Liberal Arts Program who will forward them to the readers. Seniors are encouraged to take LA 325 Senior Seminar for Liberal Arts majors.

Spring Semester, Senior Year
Once the readers have reviewed the final draft of the project, both copies are returned to the Director who forwards them to the student for final corrections and revisions. The approved bound thesis is due no later than March 1 of the senior year. The student will participate in the College’s Annual Student Research Conference in April. There are no exceptions to this due date. Anyone who does not meet the deadline will be ineligible for May graduation.