Welcome to Liberal Studies
Program Description
It is expected that all graduates of Santa Barbara City College be able to understand ideas, possess an awareness of our society and its institutions, and have the ability to interact in a qualitative manner with the world in which they live.
The institution expects students, no matter what their goals may be, to think and communicate clearly through both the spoken and written word. They will have learned diverse methods of inquiry, as well as acquired an intellectual curiosity to be utilized in their endeavors as worthwhile individuals and members of society.
The Liberal Studies degree at Santa Barbara City College is an interdisciplinary program that provides students with a foundation of knowledge in the areas of English composition, critical thinking, oral communication, physical and life sciences, arts and humanities, and social sciences. Through this program students acquire a breadth of knowledge across multiple disciplines, explore how knowledge across disciplines can be connected, analyze and evaluate ideas using the tools of critical thinking, and demonstrate effective communication skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
The Liberal Studies degree prepares students to transfer to a Liberal Studies - Teacher Education bachelor's degree program. The degree is intended to provide students with options to select appropriate coursework to meet lower-division requirements of the Liberal Studies program of the four-year institution they are planning to attend. Articulation agreements for most Liberal Studies - Teacher Education programs offered at the University of California and the California State University systems are available on the ASSIST website at www.assist.org. Course requirements for Liberal Studies - Teaching Education programs are different at each four-year institution. Therefore, students must select their courses for the Associate Degree in consultation with an SBCC academic counselor to ensure they satisfy the lower-division preparation for the Liberal Studies program of the fouryear institution to which they are planning to transfer.
Since Liberal Studies is a "college-wide" interdisciplinary Associate Degree program, it does not have departmental affiliation. Inquiries regarding the Liberal Studies program should be directed to an academic counselor or the Dean, Educational Programs - Student Development and Counseling.
Department Offices
Division: Educational Programs Support Division
Keith McLellan, Dean (SS-260, ext. 2202)
Advisors/Counselors
Counseling Center Counselors (SS-120, ext. 2285)
