University of Redlands
The Liberal Studies Program introduces you to the teaching profession, puts you in contact with practicing teachers and principals, and includes classes that align with state-adopted academic content standards for elementary students.
Recent changes in California law mean that students graduating with a Liberal Studies degree will no longer be required to take the CSET exam to earn a multiple-subject teaching credential in California. The major is designed to provide the knowledge you need of the core subjects you would need to teach at the elementary level. If you do not want to major in Liberal Studies, you can choose to take the subject matter courses to prepare for the CSET test and a career in teaching.
REQUIREMENTS
LBST 101 Introduction to Education:
Taught by a practicing teacher or principal, this course will introduce you to the many aspects of the teaching profession, including basic theories of education. You will begin work on a personal philosophy and a professional development portfolio. You will also have opportunities to observe elementary and secondary school classrooms. Prerequisite: CCTC fingerprint clearance and current negative TB test by the Third week of class.
LBST 201 Studies in Education:
This course will offer you a survey of educational philosophy, it's relation to classroom practices and instruction in relevant subject matter areas. Through community service work with elementary school-aged children, you will be able to relate your own experiences to a developing personal philosophy of education.
LBST 301 Inquiry and Analysis in Education:
Research helps educators learn better ways to teach, aids in measuring whether teaching is effective, and plays a role in determining how schools are funded and administered. Exploring educational research will help you to understand why education systems function as they do, how people are proposing to reform them and what effect different policies have on schools. Topics of focus may include such issues as school funding, "No Child Left Behind" legislation or standardized testing.
LBST 401 Senior Research Seminar in Education:
This capstone course gives you the opportunity to conduct research in an area of education that interests you under the guidance of experts in the discipline. The research that you produce will teach you about the professional research process and may provide a foundation for an Honors project or professional publication. You may also complete a portfolio that can serve as a pre-professional foundation for work in credentialing or graduate programs.
The Liberal Studies subject matter requirements cover many of the LAI requirements and are organized according to CA state standards for the multi-subject credential. All Liberal Studies Core and Subject Matter courses must be at least 3 credits and must be completed with a grade of 2.0 (C) or higher.
| Subject Field | Courses for the LBST Major | Liberal Arts Inquiry |
| Visual/Performing Arts |
Choose from MUS 118 Teaching Music in the Classroom THA 140 Acting Fundamentals ART 132 2-D Design |
C C |
| Human Development | EDUG 331 Child Development | S |
| Social Sciences |
Choose from HIST 101 World History to 1450 HIST 122 American History Since 1877 |
TG H, ESS |
|
Recommended: POLI 111 Introduction to American Politics or HIST 121 American History to 1877 |
Satisfies the California Constitution Requirement | |
| Language Arts |
Choose from ENGL 207 Middle Grade Fiction ENGL 208 YA Fiction ENGL 209 Fairytales in Adaptations |
H, ESS H, ESS H, APW |
| Science |
BIOL 107 Concepts of Biology Choose from CHEM 102 Introduction to Chemestry of the Environment EVST 100 Introduction to Environmental Studies |
N
TG TG |
| CHEM 102 Introduction to Chemistry of the Environment | TG | |
| Mathematics | MATH 101 Finite Mathematics | QRF |
| MATH 102 Explorations in Mathematics for Prospective Educators |
Liberal Studies majors are required to choose a second major which will help you develop excellent teaching skills as you explore how information is researched, organized, and taught in a specific discipline. Furthermore, completing a second major will make you more competitive in the education job market, as well as opening alternative career paths such as secondary school teaching, school counseling or careers outside of education. You should choose a major that interests you and accentuates your strengths as a student. The second major must be declared before registration for the junior year, and coursework for that major is subject to the guidelines set forth by the appropriate academic department. Examples of majors that are in demand in education include Spanish, Communicative Disorders, Math, Biology, Environmental Studies, and Chemistry.
Download a printable version of the Requirements here
Departmental Honors:
A departmental honors program in Liberal Studies is available for those who wish to pursue advanced undergraduate research in elementary education. Students must have a cumulative University of Redlands GPA of at least 3.45 to apply to the program. Successful completion of LBST 301 or its equivalent is also a prerequisite to apply to the program. Applicants are encouraged to submit a thesis proposal to the program director by the end of the spring semester of their junior year. The deadline to apply for the honors program is the end of the fourth week of the fall semester of the senior year.
