Liberal Studies

The Liberal Studies degree allows you to develop a personalized major organized around a theme. The theme you select should represent career and life goals and meet specific learning objectives. Your learning objectives will be met by the courses you select for inclusion in your Liberal Studies degree.

• Getting Ready
• Themes
• Pre-Designed Themes
• Meeting with an Advisor
• Statement of Justification
• Selecting Classes
• Plan of Study
• Sample Plan
• Print Your Own Customizable Plan
• Completing the Major

Getting Ready

Think about your career, family, and community aspirations. What do you want to do in the future? What do you need to know? What skills should you acquire? What are your interests? Many students find that talking with faculty can help them to create an interdisciplinary program responsive to their interests. Some students also find a review of all of the classes offered by the College of Liberal Arts (see catalog) to be a helpful way to identify personal interests and professional directions. You may also want to do an "informational interview" with someone working in your chosen profession to find out what skills and knowledge are needed to be successful in a particular field.

Themes

Liberal Studies themes are as varied as your imagination. Some themes, such as "behavioral studies" draw on two or three social science disciplines to provide students with a broad-based understanding of how people interact and maintain cultural structures and social institutions. Other themes, such as "event coordination" prepare students for a particular type of work in specific industries. Some examples of recent Liberal Studies themes include:

• Historical Social Psychology
• Social and Cultural Communication
• Twentieth Century World Studies
• Screenwriting
• Arab Studies
• Public Relations
• Cultural Economics
• Labor Studies
• Bilingual Communications
• Cultural and Social Diversity
• Critical Studies
• Advertising
• Media and Film
• Applied Technology in Society/Workplace
• Traditional Environmental Values
• Philanthropy
• Working in Non-Profit Organizations
• American Political History
• Law Enforcement
• Counseling

Pre-Designed Themes

Students may also select from a set of pre-designed themes established by the departments within the College of Liberal Arts. These themes, offered as either transcript-visible options or focused areas of concentration, include:

• Asian Studies
• Aviation Leadership
• Chinese Studies
• European Studies
• Japanese Studies
• New Media Communications
• Pre-Elementary Education
• Pre-Law Studies
• Russian Studies
• Women Studies

You can follow the specific course plans for these themes or modify them to suit specific circumstances or learning goals.

Meeting with an Advisor

Make an appointment with a College of Liberal Arts academic advisor to discuss your ideas for a Liberal Studies degree. CLA advisors can help you clarify learning objectives and to select courses supportive of your selected theme. To make an appointment with an advisor call 541-737-0561.

Statement of Justification

The purpose of the Statement of Justification is to give faculty a clear understanding of what you want to achieve with this major. This information is necessary for assessment of your course selections. You must prepare a statement of justification as part of the application process for admittance into the Liberal Studies major (not required for E-Campus students). Your Statement of Justification should address the following questions:

• Why did you choose this theme? Why does it interest you?
• How do the classes you have selected support your learning objectives?
• What do you hope to do with this major in the future?

Selecting Classes

Review the OSU catalog to identify courses offered by the College of Liberal Arts that will assist you to reach the learning goals identified in your theme. Check for course availability and build a schedule for taking the courses in your major. Pay special attention to the order in which courses should be taken to build skills and knowledge that will be useful in future coursework. For example, you might choose to take your writing intensive curriculum (WIC) course early in your major work so that the writing skills you learn can be used in other classes.

Plan of Study

Your completed Plan of Study (sample below) and Statement of Justification must be approved by the Director of Liberal Studies before admission to the Liberal Studies Major. Plans can be submitted to the College of Liberal Arts, Student Services Office, 213 Gilkey Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331-6202.

Sample Plan

Click here to print your own customizable study plan

Completing the Major

Liberal Studies students should meet periodically with their advisors to make sure they are able to complete their plan of study. Occasionally there are scheduling variances and conflicts that make in imperative to make chances in your plan. Your advisor can assist you with, and approve, those changes. A close working relationship with your advisor will ensure course access and a positive Liberal Studies experience.