Mar 19, 2024  
2021-2022 General Catalog 
    
2021-2022 General Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: To search archives, MUST use search box to left. Current catalog: catalog.usu.edu.

Liberal Arts - BA


College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of Communication Studies and Philosophy

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  • Following is a sample four-year plan. Please note that this plan is only a general guideline and that student-specific plans may differ.   * Please make sure to consult regularly with your departmental advisor to confirm what courses will be available and to work out your plan of study.
  • Admitted students must meet with an academic advisor. Current students should also meet with an academic advisor and logon to DegreeWorks  to check student-specific program progress.

 

Minimum University Requirements

Total Credits 120

 

Grade Point Average (most majors require higher GPA)

2.00 GPA
Credits of C- or better 100 Credits of upper-division courses (#3000 or above) 40
Total USU Credits 30 Upper-division USU Credits 20
USU Credits within the Major 10 Credits in Minor (if required) 12
Credits in Major see below Credits in American Institutions 3
General Education Requirements   see link University Studies Depth Requirements   see link
NOTES: highest Math Requirement for this degree is STAT 1040: Introduction to Statistics (QL)  

 

Admissions Requirements for this Program

New freshmen New freshmen are not admitted to the Liberal Arts major

 

Transfer students from other institutions or other programs at USU

Students must have a 2.50 GPA and have completed 45 credits before being admitted to the Liberal Arts major.

First Year

 Fall Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

 

Spring Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

ENGL 1010: Introduction to Writing: Academic Prose (CL1)   3     STAT 1040: Introduction to Statistics (QL)  * 3    
Foreign Language 1010   4   Foreign Language 1020 4  
Breadth Requirement 3   Breadth Requirement 3  
Breadth Requirement 3   Breadth Requirement 3  
Breadth Requirement 3   Breadth Requirement 3  
Total Credits: 16   Total Credits: 16  

Comments

 

Comments

* Any QL course is acceptable, however, STAT 1040  or STAT 1045  are strongly recommended.

 

Second Year

 Fall Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

 

Spring Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

ENGL 2010: Intermediate Writing: Research Writing in a Persuasive Mode (CL2)   3     Historical/Cultural Traditions Course 3  
Foreign Language 2010 4   Foreign Language 2020 4  
Arts/Literature Course   3   Social Science Course 3  
Breadth Requirement 3   Critical/Ethical Inquiry Course 3  
Elective Course 3   Quantitative Intensive (QI) Course   3  
Total Credits: 16   Total Credits: 16  

Comments

 

Comments

 

Third Year

 Fall Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

 

Spring Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

Social Sciences Course 3   Upper-division Historical/Cultural Traditions Course 3  
Critical/Ethical Inquiry Course 3   Upper-division Arts/Literature Course 3  
Communications Intensive (CI) Course   3   Upper-division Critical/Ethical Inquiry Course 3  
Elective Course 3   Liberal Arts Methods Course 3  
Upper Division Elective Course 3   Upper Division Elective Course 3  
Total Credits: 15   Total Credits: 15  

Comments

 

Comments

 

Fourth Year

 Fall Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

 

Spring Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

Upper-division Historical/Cultural Traditions Course 3   Upper-division Social Sciences Course 3  
Depth Social Sciences (DSS) Course   3   Upper-division Arts/Literature Course 3  
Communications Intensive (CI) Course   3   Depth Life and Physical Sciences (DSC) Course   3  
Upper Division Elective Course 3   Upper Division Elective Course 3  
      Elective Course 2  
Total Credits: 12   Total Credits: 14  

Comments

 

Comments

 

 

Program Requirements


Admission GPA: 2.5 USU cumulative, 2.5 minimum career total
Minimum Grade: C in major courses
Minimum Graduation GPA: 2.5 in major courses, 2.0 USU cumulative
Number of Required Credits: 36 (18 must be in upper-division courses)
Other Major Requirements: Must complete the University’s Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements 

The focus of study for the Liberal Arts major is to help students gain a basic understanding of the development of civilization, including historical and cultural traditions, political institutions and processes, an appreciation of arts and literature, and expanded capacities for critical thought. Students will work with an academic advisor to develop a program of interdisciplinary courses which will provide this base of knowledge. Although the student’s program should be outlined and approved by the academic advisor, the student will be able to choose from a number of courses and disciplines in defining his or her program of study. The program requirements are as listed:

  •  Four goals for learning have been identified, and courses are selected to fulfill these goals.
  •  Students must choose 9 credits of coursework from each goal for a total of 36 credits.
  •  Students must complete courses from a minimum of two different departments listed under each goal.
  •  Of the 36 total credits, students must earn 18 credits in courses numbered 3000 or higher.
  •  All credits counting in the 36-credit minimum must have a letter grade of C or better and cannot be taken pass/fail.
  •  At least 18 credits used in the goal areas must be completed at USU.
  •  At least 18 credits used in the goal areas must be no older than 10 years.

Liberal Arts Goal Areas


Goal One - Historical and Cultural Traditions


Purpose: To acquire an understanding of the historical and cultural traditions of Western and/or other civilizations

(9 credits minimum)

Students must choose courses from at least two of the following areas:

  • Any History Courses
  • Any Anthropology Courses
  • Any Folklore Courses
  • Any Religious Studies Courses
  • World/Regional Geography Courses
  • Upper-division Language Courses dealing with culture or civilization (Does not include grammar or conversation courses.)
  • Selected Linguistics Courses dealing with culture or civilization

Goal Two - Social and Legal Institutions


Purpose: To develop an understanding of social and legal institutions

(9 credits minimum)

Students must choose courses from at least two of the following areas:

  • Any Sociology Courses
  • Any Political Science Courses
  • Any Family, Consumer, and Human Development Courses
  • Any Economics Courses (except orientation courses)
  • Any Psychology Courses (except for study skills or career exploration courses)
  • Any Management Courses (except orientation courses or leadership courses)

Goal Three - Arts and Literature


Purpose: To develop and strengthen an appreciation of the arts and literature

(9 credits minimum)

Courses selected must be theory or history based, not skill based.

Students must choose courses from at least two of the following areas:

  • Art
  • Theatre Arts
  • Music
  • Literature (English or Upper-division Foreign Language Courses)
  • Selected Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Courses
  • Selected Interior Design Courses

Goal Four - Critical Thinking, Reasoning, and Ethical Inquiry


Purpose: To promote habits of critical, reasonable, and ethical inquiry, providing logic and intellectual integrity in seeking truths

(9 credits minimum)

Students must choose courses from at least two of the following areas:

  • Any Philosophy Courses
  • Any departmental Ethics Courses
  • Upper-division Speech Courses dealing with persuasion, debate, influence, and argumentation.
  • Other courses from other areas may be approved in the goals by consultation with the academic advisor

Methods Course Requirement: A Statistics or methods course must be taken as part of the 9-credit minimum for Goal Four if not taken as a part of the University Studies Quantitative Literacy requirement.

Foreign Language Requirement


A Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree signifies proficiency in one or more foreign languages or American Sign Language. Specifically, the BA requirement may be completed in one of the following ways:

  • Demonstration of proficiency in one foreign language by successful completion of one course at the 2020-level or higher (or its equivalent).
  • Demonstration of proficiency in American Sign Language by successful completion of American Sign Language IV (COMD 4920) and Socio-Cultural Aspects of Deafness (COMD 4780), and by passing an exit interview.
  • Demonstration of proficiency in two foreign languages by successful completion of the 1020 course level in one language and the 2010 course level in the second language (or its equivalent).
  • Completion of an upper-division (3000-level or higher) foreign language grammar or literature course requiring the 2020 course level (or its equivalent) as a prerequisite. Conversation courses cannot be considered for satisfying this requirement.

For nonnative English-speaking students only, the following options are available:

  • Successful completion of the Intensive English Language Institute (IELI) program for international students.
  • TOEFL, Michigan, or IELI placement scores high enough to meet the University admission criteria.