Overview
This liberal studies program, Preparing Citizens of the 21st Century, is designed to help students gain the skills, knowledge, and abilities they will need to move into careers and to take leadership roles in our society. Because the liberal studies program at our university is committed to helping students become involved in and take responsibility for their own education, students should, with the aid of an advisor, select 35 hours of liberal studies courses. Courses will transfer at the level at which they are taken (i.e., community college transfer courses will always be accepted as lower division).
Thirty-five hours of liberal studies are required of all undergraduate students seeking their first baccalaureate degree from NAU. These liberal studies requirements consist of the University Colloquium, the Foundation Requirements, and Distribution courses. Courses must be selected from the approved list of liberal studies courses, and must be outside of the academic discipline of the student's major, as determined by course prefix. For example, if you are an anthropology major, you may not count ANT 103 in the Cultural Understanding block as one of your liberal studies distribution courses. However, you may use a course to meet both liberal studies and minor requirements as long as you meet all requirements for the minor.
The university requirements consist of a junior level writing course and the senior capstone experience. Both university requirements are required within the major, but they are designed to meet the aims and goals of the liberal studies program. You should check with your major department to see which courses you may count for the junior level writing requirement and how the department has defined its senior capstone experience.
Courses taken to meet the requirements of the previous liberal studies program (Spring 1999 and earlier) will only count in this new liberal studies program (Fall 1999 and later) if the courses are included in the new program course list.
Liberal Studies Requirements
The University Colloquium (3 credits)
The University Colloquium is a course for first- and second-semester freshman aimed at helping students move successfully into the academic and intellectual life of the university. Faculty will meet with students in small seminars designed to help them focus on and examine the essential skills and a thematic focus, and begin to construct their learning portfolio.
Foundations (7 credits)
- English 105 (4 credits)
- Math (3 credits)
Distribution Requirements (25 credits)
- Aesthetic and Humanistic Inquiry (3-6 credits)
- Cultural Understanding (3-6 credits)
- Lab Sciences (4 credits)
- Science/Applied Science (3-6 credits)
- Social and Political Worlds (3-6 credits)
Liberal Studies Course List (offsite)
Total Number of Liberal Studies Credits (35 credits)
Students must take at least two courses (3-6 hours total) in at least three of the following distribution blocks: Aesthetic & Humanistic Inquiry, Cultural Understanding, Science and Applied Science, Social & Political Worlds. You may not use courses in your major discipline (as determined by the course prefix) to meet liberal studies requirements.
University Requirements
Junior Level Writing Courses (3-4 credits)
The Junior Level Writing Courses are designed to integrate the skills students learn in the Liberal Studies Program with the content and skills they acquire in their major. Approved Junior Level Writing Courses
Senior Capstone Course/Experience in the Major (3 credit (min))
Major departments offer capstone experiences, which stand as the culminating work in the major. As with the liberal studies courses, these capstone courses and experiences help students refine essential skills and complete their portfolio.
** To be satisfied through completion of major requirements. Students should contact their major department for more information. The junior level writing requirement and the senior capstone experience are requirements within the major, but they are designed to meet the aims and goals of the liberal studies program. You should check with your major department to see which courses you may count for the junior level writing requirement and how the department has defined its senior capstone experience.