The major consists of a list of co-requisites and a pattern of upper-division courses which are prescribed by the department. Courses are exclusive of General Education requirements. For a list of major requirements, see your LIBS Major Advising Plan (MAP).

We cannot stress this enough: simply follow your Major Advising Plan and select only the courses listed on the MAP. For a list of Concentration requirements see an advisor or review requirements in the University Catalog.

We do not assign specific advisors - you are free to see any LIBS faculty available for advising during walk-in hours.

The Liberal Studies Department has nearly 800 majors, we do not make advising mandatory. You see an advisor as often as you feel you need to.

As required by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, Liberal Studies majors must complete an approved course in each of the subject matter areas. Subject Matter requirements are not necessarily additional courses, they may be met in General Education, in the major, or in additional coursework.

The purpose of general education is to provide a common educational experience for students, regardless of major field of study. The faculty are committed to ensuring that the general education program cultivates knowledge, skills, and values that are characteristic of a learned person. The general education program is organized into five subject areas of communication skills, natural sciences, and mathematics, humanities, social sciences, and individual resources for modern living. 

For a list of GE curriculum, see the University Catalog.

A concentration is an in-depth study of a focused area and is required for all LIBS majors. You can declare your concentration using the STANPlanner tool in mycsustan (first time only) or complete the "Declaration or Change of Degree Objective" form, available in the Liberal Studies Department or online at http://www.csustan.edu/enrollment-services/forms. Submit your completed form to the Liberal Studies Department for the necessary signatures. The Liberal Studies Department will forward your form to Enrollment Services for processing. 

There are 26 concentrations available. Each concentration advisor handles advising differently. Some require appointments, while others operate on a walk in basis. Please call your specific department for more information. 

Complete the "Declaration or Change of Degree Objective" form and return it to the Liberal Studies Department. If you are changing your major, Liberal Studies will forward your form along with your file to the department of your choice. Please allow 1-2 weeks for processing.

Students have catalog rights to graduation requirements of the year in which they (1) first enter the CSU or a California Community College, or (2) transfer to CSU Stanislaus, or (3) graduate. Claim to these catalog rights is maintained through continuous enrollment in either a Fall or Spring semester of each calendar year. "Continuous enrollment" means attendance in at least one semester each calendar year. Attendance in Summer term is not applicable to this regulation. Loss of catalog rights could result in additional courses being required for graduation. For more information please refer to the University Catalog.

A prospective candidate for a baccalaureate degree should submit an application for graduation to the Enrollment Services Office when two semesters remain to complete requirements for the degree, or when a minimum of 90 has been earned toward completion of the degree. In any case, a student should not apply later than the date indicated in the academic calendar. Students who fail to graduate in the term for which they apply for graduation must reapply for a later term in order to be eligible for continuing undergraduate enrollment. A prospective candidate for a baccalaureate degree must apply at the Enrollment Services Office for re-admission and be admitted for a new educational objective before April or October to qualify respectively for fall or spring Priority Registration.

Applications are submitted about six months prior to the semester in which the student plans to enroll. Exact dates are noted in the cover of the Handbook or the student may contact the Department of Teacher Education, http://www.csustan.edu/teacher-education/ for information on timelines.

Updated: July 12, 2023