Liberal Studies Program

James R. Watson and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education Building, Rm-114
(909) 537-5857 
Liberal Studies website

Coordinator: Kelly Dortch

Associate Coordinator: Dany Doueiri

Peer Ambassadors for Liberal Studies (PALS) Studio
James R. Watson and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education Building, Rm-114
(909) 537-5482

The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies is a multidisciplinary degree program designed for students whose needs or interests require a more broadly based liberal arts curriculum than is possible through existing disciplines.

Most students pursuing this major intend to become teachers in K-8 classrooms. To facilitate achieving this goal, the Liberal Studies program provides the subject matter content that is aligned with the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) guidelines. 

The Integrated concentration leads to both a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies and a Multiple Subject Credential. It is designed for students who plan to become elementary, K-8, school teachers and who want to save time and money by working on the credential along with their B.A. degree. (Credential).

The General concentration prepares students to enter the Multiple Subject (elementary school) teaching credential program, generally during post-graduate study in the James R. Watson and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education. This option is best for those seeking credentials other than the Multiple Subject Credential, such as special education or for students who wish to earn a master’s degree along with their credential. (Pre-Credential).

The Spanish Studies concentration prepares students to enter the Multiple Subject (elementary school) teaching credential program, generally during post-graduate study in the James R. Watson and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education. This concentration is especially designed for those students interested in pursuing the added Bilingual Authorization as part of a post-graduate credential program in preparation to teach in a bilingual Spanish classroom setting. (Pre-Credential).

The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts represents a broad, interdisciplinary approach to earning a higher education degree. The B.A. in Liberal Arts is designed for students, who might not necessarily desire a career in education but who still wish to obtain a multidisciplinary degree that is transferable to many of the needs of the twenty-first century. (Non-Credential)

Departmental Honors

The Liberal Studies/Liberal Arts student will be eligible for departmental honors upon verification of the following three requirements:

  1. Earned a 3.5 or greater grade point average in the major.
  2. Completed at least 30 units of Liberal Studies/Liberal Arts courses at this university.
  3. Successfully completed the oral and written honors evaluations as determined by the Liberal Studies Coordinator.

Undergraduate Degrees

Bachelor of Arts