The path to degree completion might look different for everyone. Whether you are returning to complete your undergraduate degree from Montclair or are transferring from another institution, you will receive personalized support and guidance to finish what you started every step of the way.
The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies program is designed around the diverse and busy lives of working adults over the age of 25 who are looking to continue their college education but need the support and flexibility of a non-traditional undergraduate degree program. Classes are fully online and are scheduled in 8-week terms. This provides maximum flexibility for busy adults while allowing for an accelerated degree completion timeline.
Students choose one of the two Concentrations: Humanities or Education Studies.
Humanities Concentration
The Humanities concentration is built upon the existing state-approved B.A. in Humanities and emphasizes obsolescence-proof cognitive skills transferable to a wide range of career paths. Humanities concentrators acquire habits of analytical and critical thought, practice techniques of interpretation, gain intercultural awareness, and learn to approach cultural contexts comparatively. Graduates of this concentration have expertise in knowledge management, which encompasses the ability to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information from a broad spectrum of sources, construct logical arguments supported by evidence, and articulate ideas clearly in oral and written formats. Humanities graduates pursue careers in many areas, including business, communications, health care, law, social work, and education. Many will transition directly from our program into the work force, but some pursue further education and earn professional credentials or graduate degrees in a variety of Humanities and social science disciplines.
Education Concentration
This concentration provides an in-depth exposure and engagement with education as a social, cultural, and political human endeavor, that historically has served to induct the young into the larger social and economic fabric of nations. Furthermore, this concentration through its coursework provides insights and understandings about education as a life-long engagement for human improvement, hence transcending the younger years into different stages of life.
An array of foundational courses provide different disciplinary perspectives, where students not only learn about education and schooling but also learn how disciplines construct the knowledge base for practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. In addition, coursework in this concentration offers opportunities to learn about human development, social systems, families, and communities.
In addition to learning about education and human improvement as a liberal art, Educational Studies will enable graduates to apply for the Masters of Arts in Teaching at Montclair State University. Hence, Educational Studies focuses on developing well-rounded, creative, and inquiry-oriented educators who have broad subject matter knowledge of topics taught in elementary schools, and who are committed to the betterment of children, communities, and society. The need for such learning experiences responds to the concept that teachers are intellectuals who know their students, who know the context of the communities, and who have a broad understanding of the subject matter they will teach.
Program Requirements Overview
Unless otherwise noted, 120 credits of coursework is required for the baccalaureate degree with a minimum 2.0 overall GPA, and a minimum 2.0 major GPA.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 42 | |
| World Languages and Cultures Requirements | 3-9 | |
| Major and Concentration Requirements | 30 | |
| Free Electives | 45-39 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core/Required Courses | ||
| UNIV 300 | Inquiry, Strategy, Planning and Reflection in Liberal Studies | 3 |
| UNIV 400 | Capstone Reflective Course in Liberal Studies | 3 |
| Concentration Requirements | ||
| Complete one concentration, listed below. | 24 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Humanities Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Concentration Courses | ||
| Complete four courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Seminar: Inquiry in the Humanities | ||
| General Humanities I (to 1400) | ||
| General Humanities II (from 1400) | ||
| Mythology | ||
| Senior Humanities Seminar | ||
| Concentration Electives | ||
| Complete four courses from the list below. | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 24 | |
Humanities Concentration Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| History | ||
| HUMN 115 | Troy and the Trojan War | 3 |
| HUMN 151 | Seminar: Inquiry in the Humanities | 3 |
| HUMN 201 | General Humanities I (to 1400) | 3 |
| HUMN 202 | General Humanities II (from 1400) | 3 |
| HUMN 281 | Greek Civilization | 3 |
| HUMN 282 | Roman Civilization | 3 |
| HUMN 332 | Special Topics in Ancient History (Greece, Rome, W. Asia, N. Africa, Europe) | 3 |
| HUMN 351 | The City in Antiquity | 3 |
| HUMN 355 | Alexander the Great: Legend and Legacy | 3 |
| HUMN 357 | The Roman Republic | 3 |
| HUMN 358 | Cleopatra | 3 |
| HUMN 359 | Rome in the Age of Augustus | 3 |
| HUMN 381 | Africa in Classical Antiquity | 3 |
| Philosophical, Cultural, and Religious Perspectives | ||
| HUMN 209 | Introduction to Greek and Roman Religion | 3 |
| HUMN 221 | Viking Mythology | 3 |
| HUMN 283 | Women, Gender, and Sexuality in the Ancient World | 3 |
| HUMN 285 | Mythology | 3 |
| HUMN 288 | Mythic Traditions | 3 |
| HUMN 384 | Introduction to Roman Law | 3 |
| HUMN 454 | Lucretius and Ancient Science | 3 |
| HUMN 470 | Seminar in Classical Humanities | 3 |
| Language, Literature, and Art | ||
| HUMN 181 | Introduction to Classical Archaeology | 3 |
| HUMN 182 | English Vocabulary: Classical Roots | 3 |
| HUMN 211 | Classicism and American Culture | 3 |
| HUMN 230 | Ancient Greece and Rome in the Cinema | 3 |
| HUMN 290 | Special Topics in Greek and Roman Literature and Culture | 3 |
| HUMN 313 | Aegean Art and Archaeology | 3 |
| HUMN 314 | Greek Art | 3 |
| HUMN 315 | Roman Art | 3 |
| HUMN 321 | Early Medieval Art: Early Christian, Byzantine Early Medieval | 3 |
| HUMN 345 | Imaging Medieval and Early Modern Women | 3 |
| HUMN 385 | Greek Tragedy | 3 |
| HUMN 320 | Special Topics in Interdisciplinary Humanities | 3 |
| HUMN 361 | Special Topics in Mediterranean Archaeology | 3 |
| LATN 101 | Beginning Latin I | 3 |
| LATN 102 | Beginning Latin II | 3 |
Education Studies Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Foundations Electives | ||
| Complete four courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Psychological Foundations of Education 1 | ||
| Philosophical Orientation to Education | ||
| Historical Foundations of American Education | ||
| Gender Issues in Education | ||
| Assessment, Learning Sciences and Ethics | ||
| Inquiry Based Teaching and Learning | ||
| Human Rights Education | ||
| Current Issues in American Education | ||
| Family Science and Human Development Electives | ||
| Complete four courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Interpersonal Relations | ||
| Introduction to the Content Areas in Family Science and Human Development | ||
| Adult Development and Aging | ||
| Child Development I 1 | ||
| Comparative Studies of Global Families | ||
| Child Development II: Adolescence | ||
| Total Credits | 24 | |
- 1
Course is a required prerequisite for any student interested in pursuing the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) leading to a K-6 certification at MSU after completing the B.A. degree.
In addition to EDFD 200 and FSHD 214, students interested in applying for an M.A.T. program are advised to take the following in their undergraduate studies:
6 credits of Science, 6 credits of Social Science, 6 credits of English/Language Arts, 3 credits of Mathematics.
General Education Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A. New Student Seminar | ||
| Complete a 1 credit New Student Seminar | 1 | |
| C. Communication | ||
| 1. Writing | 3 | |
| 2. Literature | 3 | |
| 3. Communication | 3 | |
| D. Fine and Performing Arts | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Fine and Performing Arts course. | 3 | |
| F. Humanities | ||
| 1. Great Works and Their Influences | 3 | |
| 2. Philosophical and Religious Perspectives | 3 | |
| G. Computer Science | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Computer Science course. | 3 | |
| H. Mathematics | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Mathematics course. | 3 | |
| I. Natural Science Laboratory | ||
| Complete a 4 credit Natural Science Laboratory course. | 4 | |
| J. Physical Education | ||
| Complete a 1 credit Physical Education course. | 1 | |
| K. Social Science | ||
| 1. American and European History | 3 | |
| 2. Global Cultural Perspectives | 3 | |
| 3. Social Science Perspectives | 3 | |
| Students in P12 Subject Area Teaching programs complete EDFD 200 as part of the Teacher Education sequence. | ||
| L. Interdisciplinary Studies | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Interdisciplinary Studies course. | 3 | |
| Students in P12 Subject Area Teaching programs complete SASE 210 as part of the Teacher Education sequence. | ||
| Total Credits | 42 | |
World Languages and Cultures Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| World Languages | ||
| Based on language placement exam, complete one or two sequential courses in the same language. Requirement is automatically fulfilled by language major courses. | 3-6 | |
| World Cultures | ||
| Requirement may be fulfilled by course selected in General Education - Social Science: Global Cultural Perspectives. Requirement may also be fulfilled by major coursework. See list of courses. | 0-3 | |
| Total Credits | 3-9 | |
Recommended Roadmap to Degree Completion
This four-year plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within four years. This plan is a recommendation and students should only use it in consultation with their academic advisor.
The recommended Roadmap assumes 60 credits accepted in transfer, including General Education courses, and World Languages and Cultures courses. Credit requirements and time to degree completion are subject to change based on full time status and total number of credits accepted in transfer.
Humanities Concentration
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| TERM 1 | TERM 3 | TERM 5 | |||
| UNIV 300 | 3 | Required Humanities Concentration Course 4 | 3 | Humanities Concentration Elective 4 | 3 |
| Required Humanities Concentration Course 1 | 3 | Humanities Concentration Elective 1 | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| TERM 2 | TERM 4 | TERM 6 | |||
| Required Humanities Concentration Course 2 | 3 | Humanities Concentration Elective 2 | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Required Humanities Concentration Course 3 | 3 | Humanities Concentration Elective 3 | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| 12 | 12 | 12 | |||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| TERM 7 | TERM 9 | ||||
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 | ||
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 | ||
| TERM 8 | TERM 10 | ||||
| Free Elective | 3 | UNIV 400 | 3 | ||
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 | ||
| 12 | 12 | ||||
| Total Credits 60 | |||||
Education Studies Concentration
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| TERM 1 | TERM 3 | TERM 5 | |||
| UNIV 300 | 3 | Free Elective | 3 | Required Educational Foundations Elective 4 | 3 |
| Required Educational Foundations Elective 1 | 3 | Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| TERM 2 | TERM 4 | TERM 6 | |||
| Required Educational Foundations Elective 2 | 3 | Required Educational Foundations Elective 3 | 3 | Family Science and Human Development Elective 3 | 3 |
| Family Science and Human Development Elective 1 | 3 | Family Science and Human Development Elective 2 | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| 12 | 12 | 12 | |||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| TERM 7 | TERM 9 | ||||
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 | ||
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 | ||
| TERM 8 | TERM 10 | ||||
| Family Science and Human Development Elective 4 | 3 | UNIV 400 | 3 | ||
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 | ||
| 12 | 12 | ||||
| Total Credits 60 | |||||