Welcome to the Liberal Studies Program

Department Chairperson: Kelly Norman Ellis ph. (773) 995-2190 WS 320 kellis@csu.edu

Academic Advisor: Dolisha Miller-Pleasant ph.995-2121 HWH 335 dmille20@csu.edu

The Liberal Studies major at Chicago State University is an interdisciplinary liberal arts program which integrates fundamental aspects of knowledge in the humanities, fine arts, social and behavioral sciences, and in the natural sciences and mathematics.  The core course requirements within the major ground all students in the basic and essential knowledge of a liberal arts education.  The concentration provides a foundation for keeper knowledge and expertise in either the humanities, the social and behavioral sciences, or in the natural sciences and mathematics. The program graduates students with a competence in many disciplinary perspectives, an appreciation of the unique characteristics of the different liberal arts disciplines, and the integration of these diverse approaches into an organized, creative, and insightful set of skills and knowledge.

The Liberal Studies major is a traditional degree program in the sense that the core courses address specific learning outcomes, while the concentration permits more focused study in an area of interest.  However, the program is exceptional in the sense that each of the core learning outcomes can be met with a choice of courses, and the concentration remains interdisciplinary.

The program is appropriate for students interested in a career where broad rather than specific knowledge and research skills are required.  The program is best suited for students who are intellectually focused and who can work with an advisor to plan their specific curriculum within the Liberal Studies framework.  Built into the program are tools to help facilitate the planning and maintenance of an integrated set of courses: a learning contract which is reviewed each academic year, a portfolio containing course syllabi, graded materials and reflective essays, and the Liberal Studies capstone seminar.