Liberal Studies Courses

Liberal Studies Courses (9 credits)

Three 2000-level Liberal Studies courses chosen from the four categories below are required. Individual departments MAY choose to allow students to count one of their LBST courses towards the requirements for the major. Students should consult the Academic Plan of Study for the major, the degree audit, and an advisor about whether double counting is allowed and to which particular courses the department’s policy applies.

  • LBST 2101 – Western Cultural and Historical Awareness (3) – All sections of this course explore a major aspect of Western culture. Particular attention is given to an examination of the constructed nature of the present through a close examination of the past and the ways that selected institutions, ideas, or practices change over time and spread in human society, producing both continuity and novelty. Each section of this course examines a major aspect of Western culture through the process of analyzing the present in terms of the past.
  • LBST 2102 – Global and Intercultural Connections (3) – All sections of this course examine two or more cultures in their own contexts and in the contexts of the global conditions and influences that impact all major world cultures today. Particular attention is given to an analysis of the complex nature of globalization and to a consideration of both its positive and negative impacts. All liberally educated people need to have the ability to understand the world from the point of view of more than one culture and be able to analyze issues from a global perspective.
  • LBST 221X – Ethical and Cultural Critique (Select ONE) – Each of these courses deals with an important contemporary issue, and each one gives significant attention to ethical analysis and cultural critique in the liberal arts. Select one of the following:
    • LBST 2211 – Ethical Issues in Personal, Professional, and Public Life (3) – An analysis of the conceptual tools needed to make informed, responsible judgments based on the ability to think critically and knowledgeably about issues of personal, professional, and public ethics and morality. The study of a variety of ethical views and ethical issues.
    • LBST 2212 – Literature and Culture (3) – Examination of the connections between literature and culture. Students are offered the opportunity to examine the roles that literature plays in reflecting, shaping, and challenging cultures.
    • LBST 2213 – Science, Technology, and Society (3) – The role of science and technology in society. The appreciation and understanding of science and the public policy issues related to science and technology. Issues such as science vs. pseudo-science, the ethics of science and technology, the methods of the sciences, the importance of major scientific discoveries, and public expectations of the sciences.
    • LBST 2214 – Issues of Health and Quality of Life (3) – A study of individual and social aspects of health. Analysis of individual health and illness behavior and theory; the social, political, and economic contexts of health and illness; and the broad cultural, ethical, and religious understandings of health and illness.
    • LBST 2215 – Citizenship (3) (SL) – A study of the concept of citizenship as it has evolved in different cultures with an emphasis on scholarly understandings of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Includes an examination of the ethical dimensions of citizenship in political, social, and religious contexts. Includes a service component that allows students to explore the relations of citizenship and public service. During the semester the course meets a total of 27 hours for classroom lectures and discussions and requires completion of 25 hours of voluntary service in the community.
  • LBST 2301 – Critical Thinking and Communication (3) – This Critical Thinking and Communication (CTC) course is part of an integrated First-Year Writing and Liberal Studies curriculum that develops critical thinking and communication skills. Students undertake an inquiry process and build towards the preparation of a polished product at the end of the semester. The specific subject matter for sections of this course vary since the focus is on developing competencies.

You can find additional information about all General Education requirements in the catalog,