Department Information

and
Typical Discipline-Specific Academic Degree and Qualifications1
of faculty within

Liberal Studies

 

General Description of the Department

The Liberal Studies Program differs from traditional departments by drawing upon the expertise of the many departments of the College of Arts and Sciences. The Liberal Studies Program offers a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies. Some of our students opt for a particular concentration in Labor Studies which they can satisfy within the demands of the conventional program. Many of our students choose to take minors or certificates in other programs in the College of Arts and Sciences to broaden their marketability or to prepare them for a particular discipline in graduate school. Student research is typically generated in the particular areas that form the interdisciplinary base of the program. Your Liberal Studies Program can be as rigorous as you choose to make it.

 

Degrees offered

The Liberal Studies Department offers these programs:

BA in Liberal Studies

BA/MA in Liberal Studies

MA in Liberal Studies

 

Terminal Degree2 for each discipline taught in Liberal Studies 

Ph.D. in Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies

 

Related Disciplines3

Any Ph.D. or Terminal Degree

 

Related Disciplines3 for specific courses

None Applicable

 

Other Teaching Qualifications (Description of Required Academic Degree and Justifications4 for the programs in Liberal Studies)

Consideration of other teaching qualifications in lieu of academic credentials is made on a case-by-case basis and accepted in special cases where evidence of exceptional industry experience, research or other qualifications can be documented and are directly applicable to the course being taught.

 

 

 1

Whenever instructors are not credentialed by their advanced degree or by an approved CIP relationship, they must be credentialed through a narrative justification of the instructor’s qualifications to teach this/these course(s).  Such credentialing is based on the proposed instructor’s academic and professional preparation; diplomas, certificates, or relevant licensures; publications and presentations in the field; honors, awards, and professional recognitions; and other demonstrated competencies, skills, and experiences which the instructor brings to the University.  These must be clearly tied to the specific courses to be taught and should establish beyond doubt that the instructor is qualified to teach the specific courses they are to be assigned. 

The Office of the Provost reviews all such justifications and where the justifications warrant the instructor’s teaching the courses proposed, it will either approve the justification for the appropriate period (seven years for full-time faculty members, or four years for part-time faculty members) or employ one of two additional clearance categories beyond the advanced degree and related-discipline categories which it may use to credential some instructors where their accomplishments warrant this:

Active Research Clearance in the Discipline or Active Artistic/Special Talent Clearance in the Discipline

 

 

 2

The level and discipline of the terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D., MS, MFA, doctorate) that is required to teach graduate courses in the discipline

 

 

 3

For each discipline, all strongly-related degree(s) and/or equivalent names for the discipline (include level) that would also be appropriate for teaching at the graduate level

 

 

 4

(1)The appropriate academic degrees and justifications for each related degree above if not obvious; (2) the justification for why the terminal degree is not a doctorate in a discipline, e.g., specific examples of best practice in the discipline and accrediting association language; and (3) any other criteria used to determine appropriate academic qualifications to teach specialty courses in the program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current as of 3/11/11