Liberal Studies BA

Total Units Required: 120

A teacher picks out school supplies as a Chico State student who helped collect the supply donations helps her.

Liberal Studies prepares students for elementary school teaching in California. The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies is among the oldest and largest majors at California State University, Chico and continues the longstanding historical tradition of preparing future teachers and teacher leaders for educational careers. 

Liberal Studies students in this interdisciplinary major have a strong knowledge base of multiple disciplines (English, math, science, history/social science, art, music, theatre, physical education, and psychology) and how these disciplines are applied in elementary school settings. Students who complete their BA in liberal studies are well prepared to enter multiple subject credential programs with the goal of teaching in elementary, bilingual Spanish elementary, self-contained classrooms, and special education K-12 school settings.

The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies is designed to be completed in four years for incoming freshman and two years for incoming transfer students.

Elementary Subject Matter Waiver

The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies at Chico State is a California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) approved Elementary Subject Matter waiver program. Graduates who successfully complete any of the Liberal Studies options may not be required to take the California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET): Multiple Subjects in order to enter a credential program in California.

Liberal Studies Options

The general option. Students who select this option will complete a BA in liberal studies in preparation for a Multiple Subject Credential program. The major core courses of the Liberal Studies Program combined with General Education fulfill all of the requirements for establishing subject matter competency for the Elementary Subject Matter Standards. Students may use up to 30 units of electives to complete a minor, a second major, or study abroad. The liberal studies BA is designed to be completed in four years.

The general online option (degree completion for transfer students). Students who select this option will complete a BA in Liberal Studies fully online in preparation for a Multiple Subject Credential program. Currently, Chico State does not offer an online credential program. Students who select this option must live outside of the city of Chico. This is a degree completion program where lower-division pre-approved equivalent courses are taken at community colleges or other four-year institution. A maximum of 70 units from community colleges will count towards the 120-unit BA degree requirement. A total of 50 units must be taken from Chico State or other four-year institutions, 30 of these units must be taken from Chico State (residency requirement). The 45 units of upper-division major courses can be taken fully online from Chico State.

The bilingual/cross-cultural Spanish option. Students who select this option are interested in teaching in elementary bilingual, or dual-immersion, classroom settings. This option prepares students for admission into the Bilingual Multiple Subject Credential Program at Chico State and includes courses in Spanish, Mexican/Latinx history and culture, and the teaching of English as a second language. This option offers interdisciplinary knowledge and hands-on field experiences working with bilingual students and in local elementary school settings.

The Multiple Subject Credential option (ITEP/MS). This is a highly accelerated blended option, which integrates a credential program within the undergraduate degree. This option requires a high number of units be taken every semester and is therefore ideal for incoming freshman. Additionally, this option has little to no room for electives, potential minors, or studying abroad during the academic year. Students who are interested in this option should meet with a Liberal Studies advisor to determine if this option is right for them.

The option in liberal arts. This is a non-teaching option. This option is for students who decide teaching is no longer their goal but do not want to change majors. Contact a Liberal Studies advisor for more information.