Liberal Studies Requirements

The specific minimum requirements of the Liberal Studies Requirements (LSR) are:

  • Two courses in Religious Studies
  • Two courses in Philosophy
  • Three courses in Social Sciences and Organizational Studies
  • Two courses in Natural and Mathematical Sciences
    (At least one laboratory course in a natural science.)
  • Three courses in Humanities
        One course in Literary Studies
        One course in Historical Studies
        One course in Culture and Civilization
  • Two credits in Artistic Experience
  • Two Writing-Intensive Courses
        One First-Year Seminar
        One Writing-Intensive Course within the major field
  • Demonstration of Writing Proficiency
  • Demonstration of Intermediate Level Language Proficiency
  • Note: A maximum of two courses in one’s major may be used to fulfill the Liberal Studies Requirement.

Listed below are the detailed Liberal Studies Requirements (LSR) in each area:

RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Two courses: one 100-level and one 200-level

PHILOSOPHY
Two courses: one 100-level and one 200-level

SOCIAL SCIENCES AND ORGANIZATIONAL STUDIES
Three courses: one course from each of two different Social Science departments, plus a third course from either Organizational Studies or the Social Sciences.

Social Sciences

Economics:
Any 100-level course

Geography:
Any 100-level course

Language and Linguistics:
LL 101 Intro. to the Study of Language and Linguistics

Political Science:
Any 100-level course

Psychology:
Any 100-level course
Any 250-260 course

Sociology:
Any 100-level course
Any 200-level course

First-Year Seminar:
FS 131-180

Organizational Studies

Business:
BU 101 Business and Contemporary Society
BU 113 Foundations of Business Administration
BU 303 Management and Organizational Behavior

Education:
ED 231 Schools and Society

Interdisciplinary:
ID 301 Work, Education and Purposeful Living

Journalism:
JO 101 Mass Communication and Society
JO 271 Media in a Diverse Society

NATURAL AND MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES
One course from each of two separate departments, with at least one laboratory course in a natural science (or BI 151/153, or CH 103/107, or PY 210/211or 220/221).

Biology:
Any 100-level course

Chemistry:
Any 100-level course

Computer Science:
Any 100-level course

Mathematics:
Any course 101 or higher

Physics:
Any 100-level course

First-Year Seminar:
FS 181-199

 
HUMANITIES
Three courses, one in each category:

I. Literary Studies

Classics:
CL 203 Epic and the Heroic Tradition
CL 205 Greek and Roman Theatre

English:
Any Literature course

Fine Arts:
TH 303 Modern & Contemporary Theatre

Humanities:
Any 100-level course

Modern Languages:
Any 400-level course

Religious Studies:
RS 334 Religion and Literature

II. Historical Studies

Classics:
CL 112 History of Greece
CL 113 History of Rome

History:
Any 100-level course

Humanities:
Any 100-level course

III. Culture and Civilization

Fine Arts:
AR 251 Survey of the History of Art I
AR 252 Survey of the History of Art II
AR 333 Art Since 1945
MU 322 History of Western Music to 1600
MU 324 History of Music 1600-1750
MU 326 History of Music 1750-1900
MU 328 History of Music since 1900
MU 335 Opera
MU 342 History of Jazz
TH 111 Introduction to Theatre
TH 301 Chief Patterns/Western Theatre I
TH 302 Chief Patterns/Western Theatre II

Humanities Program:
Any course in the Humanities Program

Interdisciplinary:
GS 203 Gender Issues in Society

Language and Linguistics:
LL 250 Intercultural Communications

Modern Languages:
Any 300-level course

Religious Studies:
RS 317 Judaism
RS 319 Islam
RS 323 Hindu Religious Thought
RS 325 Buddhist Religious Thought
RS 335 Liturgical Arts

First-Year Seminar:
FS 101-130 or FS 151-180

ARTISTIC EXPERIENCE
A minimum of two credits from the following:

English:
EN 223 Poetry Writing Workshop I
EN 225 Writing Workshop
EN 227 Fiction Writing Workshop I
EN 323 Poetry Writing Workshop II
EN 327 Fiction Writing Workshop II

Art:
AR 203 Two-Dimensional Design
AR 205 Drawing I
AR 313 Western Calligraphy
AR 327 Ceramics I
AR 401 Sculpture Modeling/Casting
AR 403 Sculpture Carving/Construction
AR 405 Printmaking: Relief Printing
AR 407 Printmaking: Etching

Music:
MU 101 Rudiments of Music
MU 261/361 Cooperating Artist
MU 271 Instrumental Music
MU 372 Chamber Music
MU 374 Concert Winds
MU 375 Jazz Ensemble
MU 377 Chorale
MU 378 Chamber Singers

Theatre:
TH 161/162 Theatre Lab I
TH 203 Scene Study
TH 205 Introduction to Acting
TH 209 Stagecrafts
TH 211 Costume Crafts
TH 213 Singing for the Actor
TH 271-275 Production Practicum
 
Any one or two credit dance course
 
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Coordination of Liberal Studies Courses

All Saint Michael’s students are encouraged to discuss with their advisors the Liberal Studies courses which best fit their academic interests. Students should select courses with attention to the intellectual connections inherent in these offerings, and should consider carefully the issues and disciplines that they intend to study. Listed below are two sets of coordinated courses that offer an integrated approach to some liberal studies requirements. These interdisciplinary groupings illustrate
how courses can be combined with a specific academic focus.

Peace and Justice
The following courses provide a basis for examination of social justice in the United States:

  • FS 153    Peace and Justice Seminar: The Search for Genuine Community
  • HI 103    US History Since 1865 [LSR: Historical Studies]
  • PO 101    Introduction to Politics [LSR: Social Sciences]
  • EC 101    Principles of Economics (Macroeconomics) [LSR: Social Sciences]
  • PH 205    Philosophy of Society [LSR: Philosophy]
  • RS 236    Christian Social Ethics [LSR: Religious Studies]

Christian Humanism                   
These courses offer a foundation for the study of the Christian Humanist tradition:

  • HU 101    Ancient and Medieval Civilization [LSR: Historical Studies/Literary Studies/ Culture and Civilization]
  • HU 102    Modern Civilization [LSR: Historical Studies/Literary Studies/ Culture and Civilization]
  • PH 103    Introduction to Philosophical Problems [LSR: Philosophy]
  • PH 201    Philosophy of Human Nature [LSR: Philosophy]
  • RS 130    Models of Christianity [LSR: Religious Studies]
  • RS 224    Theology of God [LSR: Religious Studies]