What is a concentration?

The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies is a multidisciplinary degree program designed for students whose needs or interests require a more broadly based liberal arts curriculum than is possible through existing disciplines. Most students pursuing this major intend to become teachers in K-8 classrooms. To facilitate achieving this goal, the Liberal Studies program provides three different paths, or concentrations, for students to cover the subject matter content required by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC). 

The Integrated Concentration leads to both a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies and Multiple Subject Credential. It is designed for students who plan to become elementary, K-8, school teachers and who want to save time and money by working on the credential along with their B.A. degree. (Credential).

The General Concentration prepares students to enter the Multiple Subject (Elementary School) teaching credential program, generally during a fifth year of post-graduate study in the College of Education. This option is best for those seeking credentials other than the Multiple Subject Credential, such as special education. (Pre-Credential).

The Spanish Studies Concentration prepares students to enter the Multiple Subject (Elementary School) teaching credential program, generally during a fifth year of post-graduate study in the College of Education. This concentration is especially designed for those students interested in teaching English as a second language to children whose first language is Spanish. This concentration also prepares students to work in a bilingual/Spanish classroom setting. (Pre-Credential).