Major Requirements

Students participate in and contribute to the success of a school site through service learning. Students examine the school's infrastructure, its relations with the community with a focus on students, and its relationship with its school districts and local educational agencies. Students engage in meaningful reflection about reciprocal service in elementary school settings.

Students observe, record, analyze and interpret scientific phenomena which occur in earth science, life science and physical science. Students are aware of the impact of humans on ecosystems and of ecosystems as influential in sustaining life on earth.

Students observe, reflect upon, analyze and interpret behavior of individuals across the lifespan, focusing on child and adolescent development. Students understand and draw upon a variety of theoretical perspectives to instruct and interact with others. Students identify the influence of context (e.g. socioeconomic status) on individual, familial and cultural development.

Students understand the histories of multiple peoples and various perspectives of events from ancient civilizations through the medieval and early modern times. Students understand and apply the concepts of longitude and latitude, distribution of major global geographic features and distribution of populations, and the themes of cultural landscape and culture-environment interaction.

Students explore social, philosophical and historical perspectives of education in a multicultural and multilingual society. Students investigate their own position regarding the characteristics of a well-educated person in a pluralistic society. Students develop research, critical thinking and writing skills to be used as a foundation for their further studies in Liberal Studies and beyond.

Students explore issues, problems and solutions to schooling in a pluralistic society by viewing schools as social institutions that reflect and influence both the values and the cultural and political dynamics of a society at large. Students examine the historical and philosophical underpinnings of schools in the United States. Students investigate education professionals as agents of social change.

Students demonstrate knowledge of the complexities that underlie values and assumptions about nationality, race, class, gender, sexual orientation, language, culture, physical and cognitive disabilities, age, religion, ethnicities, cultural histories and environmental and species rights. Students compare their own cultural values and relationships across cultures with the values and relationships of other cultural groups. Students demonstrate knowledge of power privilege and discrimination and struggles for equity within the United States' cultural, ethical and hierarchical systems. Students demonstrate their cultural competency through the use of social science methodology and dialogue. Students demonstrate knowledge of environmental justice and its effect on humanity and the earth.

Students effectively and purposefully make meaning and examine assumptions using a variety of communication modalities, including reading, writing, listening and speaking, in a given communication situation and disciplinary framework. Students communicate creatively in ways that demonstrate integration across disciplinary frameworks.

Students analyze multicultural literature in cultural, social and historical contexts. Students apply diverse theoretical lenses to evaluate and assess the assumptions in the content and format of communications media regarding underrepresented and misrepresented voices. Students comprehend the ethically and aesthetically transformative nature of language and communications media, especially with regard to global and social equity.

Students understand principles of linguistics, language structure, language development, acquisition, phonics and language use and apply those concepts to real world literacy.

Students analyze human interactions and change in sociological, multicultural and educational contexts. Students understand the histories of multiple peoples and various perspectives of events of U.S. histories and government from early exploration to industrial America. Students discuss and analyze California early histories, the California Constitution era, and the social, political and economic changes and usage of natural resources that have shaped contemporary California.

Students explore and question mathematical problems and their characteristics. Students develop strategies related to solving problems and demonstrate an understanding of the paths to acceptable solutions. Students can explain mathematical ideas and reasons why algorithms yield correct results.

Students demonstrate understanding of the basic components of movement and physical activity including locomotor skills and biomechanics. Students identify the common causes of and interrelations among physical fitness, health and learning. Students understand scientifically-based principles of health promotion and disease prevention across the lifespan and in specific populations. Students integrate physical development, health and wellness into other areas of the curriculum.

Students create an upper division, 12-unit minimum,curricular focus of study that expands their knowledge of humanities, mathematics, social sciences, natural sciences, technology, human growth and development, language studies, or the arts commonly taught in elementary school curricula.

Emphases are offered in:

• History
• Literature
• Math
• Science
• Social Science
• Visual and Performing Arts

The following minors are accepted in lieu of emphases:

• Biology
• Chicano/a Studies
• Computer Science and Information Systems
  
• Creative Writing and Social Action
  
• Earth System Science and Policy
• Global Studies
• Human Communication
  
• Human Development
• Health and Wellness
• Hispanic Cultures and History
• Human Movement: Adapted Physical Activity
• Japanese Culture and History
• Japanese Language and Culture
  
• Latin American Studies
  
• Mathematics
• Music
• Spanish Language and Hispanic Cultures
• Writing and Rhetoric

Students participate responsibly in discipline-based and/or profession-based group situations and communities. Students can engage in critical self-reflection of their participation in the community including their own assumptions and stereotypes and their contributions as service learners and future professionals to the community's efforts to change systemic inequities and injustice. Students are knowledgeable of the demographics, sociocultural dynamics and assets of a specific community, school and/or profession-based setting. Students understand reciprocity in the dynamics of service work and learning in community situations.

Students identify and refine a topic and formulate a research question or community need that can be met through a Capstone project. Students locate, retrieve and evaluate scholarly information relevant to the research question or project and organize, interpret and communicate findings, conclusions and/or outcomes. Students design a research/project proposal, articulate a problem-solving approach and complete their project. Students integrate and reflect on their learning experiences in Liberal Studies.

Students deepen their fundamental understanding of the visual and performing arts, histories and sciences. Students complete two courses of advanced coursework in two of three areas of arts, history and science.

Students can choose either MLO 13 and MLO 14 or courses from the CSUMB Multiple Subjects Credential Program as part of the LS Integrated Program