Planning Course--Freshmen and Sophomores

All large major programs at SDSU, including Liberal Studies, are IMPACTED. This means that students have to satisfy certain requirements to enter the upper division major. Students in the 2003-2004 and later catalogs must complete the following requirements:

Complete all the requirements listed in the Preparation for the Major section for the liberal studies major;

Complete with a C or higher:

Requirement LANG-1: Oral Communication
Requirement LANG-3: Critical Thinking
Requirement MATH-1: Mathematics 210
Requirement MATH-3: Mathematics 211
Requirement DHP-1: Exercise and Nutritional Sciences 241A and 241B;

Earn a passing score on the Mathematics Departmental Placement Examination (Part LS);

Complete a minimum of 60 transferable semester units;

Have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.

Freshmen should focus on earning good grades starting with their first semester. If they earn all C's, they will only have a 2.0 GPA. To earn a 2.5 GPA, they must earn one B for every C and one A for every D. Students should try to earn A's and B's.

The program encourages students to study abroad the second semester of their sophomore year. To do so, however, requires careful planning. Students should take courses specifically designed for the Liberal Studies major during the first three semesters. They should save English 220 (LANG-4), Geography 106 (HIST-1), Biology 100 and 100L (SCI-2 and 3), Chemistry 408 (SCI-4), and Philosophy 101 or Religious Studies 101 (HUM-1) until the second semester of the sophomore year. See the tentative sequence plans for Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, and for Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The SDSU Liberal Studies Program has agreements with these two universities. Other options are also available.

Students in the traditional major will complete an upper division specialization consisting of 9 to 12 units in a specific subject area. They should consider an area that they will thoroughly enjoy so that they can later share their enthusiasm and knowledge with the children they will ultimately teach. The art and theater specializations require the correct choice of prerequisites. See the discussion of specializations in the General Catalog.

At Freshmen Orientation, students receive a Personal Information Sheet based on the scores they earned on the SAT, ACT, Entry Level Mathematics Exam/English Placement Exam, etc. These exams determine whether any developmental mathematics and/or composition courses are required. Students must register for the courses listed on their Personal Information Sheet prior to registering for any other courses. Students should plan to take a total of fifteen units of coursework plus 1.5 units of MTHED 212 or 1.0 unit of University Seminar if desired. When various options are allowed, students are encouraged to choose at least one course from African American Studies or Chicana/o Studies in order to broaden their cultural perspective.

Students must check the Personal Information Sheet that they receive from SDSU. Their sheet will tell them what courses they must register for first during the first, second, and, if necessary, third semesters. Registration for other courses is blocked until the students enrolls in these courses.

GE AREA	STATUS	SEMESTER 1	SEMESTER 2	SEMESTER 3
GE COMPOSITION	NEED	RWS 92A	GE COMPOSITION
GE INTERMEDIATE COMPOSITION	NEED			GE INTERMEDIATE COMPOSITION
GE ORAL COMMUNICATION	NEED	GE ORAL COMMUNICATION
GE MATH	NEED		GE MATH

LANG-1 ORAL COMPOSITION: Choices (must take first semester)

Africana Studies 140
Chicana/o Studies 111A
Communication 103

LANG-2 GE COMPOSITION: Choices

A.P. Test in English Language and Composition score of 3, 4, or 5.
Africana Studies 120
Chicana/o Studies 111B
Rhetoric and Writing Studies 100 (or 101)

LANG-3 GE INTERMEDIATE COMPOSITION: Choices (after complete GE COMPOSITION)

A.P. Test in English Language and Composition score of 5.
Africana Studies 200
Chicana/o Studies 200
Philosophy 110
Rhetoric and Writing Studies 200

MATH-1 GE MATH:

Math 210
- Students who have satisfied the ELM should consider taking Math 210 their first semester. They do NOT have to wait until the second semester.
- Students should try to take MTHED 212 the same semester they take Math 210. They should not take MTHED 212 the same semster that they take ED 200 because both courses require field experiences.
- All sections of MTHED 212 use a CD-video; some sections require that students to set up their own interviews with children.

VPA-2 Music 102 Basic Musicianship for Non-Music Majors or Dance 102 Elements of Dance for Non-Dance Majors.

These courses are designed for future teachers. They provide an opportunity to make friends with other LIB S majors.
One section of Dance 102 and several sections of Music 102 are usually offered each semester.
Students who play an instrument may attempt to earn credit by examination for Music 102. They should check with the LIB S Program for the procedure.

DHP-2 Health and Human Services 280 Health Education for Teachers (1 unit). Take if you need one more unit.

The following courses satisfy GE and American Institutions for LIB S and other SDSU students. LIB S pre-majors who are not sure about their choice of major should choose courses from this list. Notice that student may choose to study early US history and the constitution and/or recent US history and California government from an African American or a Chicana/Chicano perspective. See HIST-2 and HIST-3 below.

HIST-2 American Institutions I (early history and US government). Choose one of the following courses:

Africana Studies 170A Afro-American History (early)
Chicana and Chicano Studies 141A History of the United States (early)
History 109 American History to Reconstruction

HIST-3 American Institutions II (recent history and California government). Choose one of the following courses:

Africana Studies 170B Afro-American History (recent)
Chicana and Chicano Studies 141B History of the United States (recent)
History 110 American History Since the Civil War
Political Science 102 Introduction to American and California Government and Politics

VPA-1 Art 157 Introduction to Art or Theatre 120 Heritage of Dramatic Literature: General Education

HUM-1 Foreign language or philosophy/religious studies. (General Education)
(If studying abroad in Canada or Australia, save this course until Sophomore Semester II.)

Students must complete one course in this area. For details, please read the catalog; what follows is only an outline.

Students who have not satisfied the foreign language requirement must complete course work through the second semester level. For example, a student who has completed 2 years of high school Spanish would need to complete SDSU Spanish 102. She/he would have the option of completing both Spanish 101 and 102 if review is needed.
Students who have satisfied the foreign language requirement must complete a General Education humanities class selected from Philosophy 101, Religious Studies 101 or 103, a beginning level course in a different foreign language, or a more advanced level course in the same foreign language (as the one used to satisfy #1 above).
Note that completion of 3 years of a high school foreign language satisfies the LIB S foreign language requirement but not the SDSU general education requirement.

University Seminar (1 unit optional). Paul Justice, a Liberal Studies adviser, will lead a special section of University Seminar for Liberal Studies majors. Students will explore SDSU resources and learn how to succeed in the major.

ED-1 Education 200 Teaching as a Profession.

Avoid taking both ED 200 and Math Ed 212 during the same semester; both require extensive field experiences.
If the sections of ED 200 fill up during spring semester, students should take ED 200 the following fall semester.

MATH-3 Math 211 Geometry in Elementary Mathematics (OK for students who have completed Math 210.)

Requirements marked with a star (*) can often be satisfied at foreign universities. Students who wish to study abroad should meet with Dr. Roeder prior to their sophomore year so that they can plan which courses to save for study abroad during Sophomore Semester II.

DHP-1 Exercise and Nutritional Sciences 241A and B Physical Education of Children (C or better) (1 unit each): Restricted to students with at least 30 units.

DHP-3* Child development: Choose one of the following options.

General Studies 130-Child and Adolescent Development from a Cultural Perspective (3 units). This special course is designed specifically for future teachers. Homework assignments and lectures use a CD with video of children in a third grade class at Adams Elementary School.
Psychology 101 Introdution to Psychology and Psychology 230 Developmental Psychology (6 units). Psychology 101 is required for students choosing the Human Development specialization. Students considering studying aboard, should see the Tentative Schedule for Study Abroad at (http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/dept/libst/handouts/deakin_2006-2007.pdf">Deakins and at (http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/dept/libst/handouts/simon_fraser_2006-2007.pdf">Simon Fraser. Psychology 101 or 230 may be options.

LANG-4* Literature: Choose one of the following courses.

English 220 Introduction to Literature. A special section of ENG 220, which includes some children's literature, is offered each semester usually MWF at 1200. Check the footnotes in the Class Schedule.
Comparative Literature 270A or 270B. World Literature.

For more information on study abroad, Sophomore Semester II, and transitioning to upper division courses, see Info Sophomores-Juniors.

When planning their wish list for a give semester, students should include

the composition, oral communication, and math courses that the computer will require for that particular semester,
courses required or recommened for a specific semester, and
enough additional courses to reach 15 to 16.5 units.

Note that students are encouraged to take Math 210 and Math Education 212 during the first semester, if they qualify, rather than wait until the second semester when they will be competing with all the other Liberal Studies pre-majors.

The following is an example of a possible course sequence. For variations of this plan, see the Liberal Studies Suggested Course Sequence or the official sequence on the SDSU web site under Current Students-Advising and Evaluations.

LANG-1 (3 units) Communication 103 Oral Communication
LANG-2 (3 units) Rhetoric and Writing Studies 100 Rhetoric of Written Argument
HIST-3 (3 units) Africana Studies 170A Afro-American History (recent)
MATH-1 (3 units) Mathematics 210 Number Systems in Elementary Mathematics
MATH-2 (1.5 units) Mathematics Education 212 Children's Mathematical Thinking (field experience)
Elective (1 unit) University Seminar

This plan has a total of 14.5 units. Student could add DHP-2 Health and Human Services 280 (1 unit); however, they could wait and take this small, Saturday and web-based course later.

If students are working more than ten hours per week, they should reduce the total number of units they take. If they don't, they may earn a GPA below 2.5 and not qualify for the upper division major or the credential program.

Generally, students should take courses from different subject areas each semester. Taking HIST-2, HIST-3, and HIST-4 all in the same semester would be a bad idea; each of these courses requires a lot of writing. Taking all the science courses in the same semester would also be a bad idea. Notice that on the Suggested Course Sequence these courses have been scheduled in different semesters.