BA in Liberal Studies: Urban Community and Environment
Location: AU Los Angeles
Credits for Degree: 180 quarter credits
Standard Mode of Instruction: Classroom
Standard time to completion: 36 months
Program Overview
The BA in Liberal Studies Program uses an interdisciplinary approach toward learning and emphasizes critical thinking, creative problem-solving, awareness of multiple perspectives, social and intercultural awareness, civic and community engagement, and an ability to connect learning to one’s lived experience. The Liberal Studies program is particularly structured to give students flexibility while designing their path to a meaningful degree. For this degree program, students can transfer in units from across a wide range of general education subjects without needing to follow a specific pattern of prerequisites. The core curriculum is recommended, rather than required, so that students can easily individualize their learning experience.
Although all students in the BA in Liberal Studies Program graduate with the same degree, students can choose an area of concentration to focus their studies. Students select a Major Area of Concentration from the following:
- Addiction Studies
- Business and Management Studies
- Creative Writing
- Liberal Studies
- Psychology
- Urban Studies
Students can also choose a Minor Area of Concentration in any of the above specialized areas, as well as the following:
- Child Studies
- Queer Studies
Areas of Concentration
Students must complete a minimum of 40 units and a maximum of 80 units in a Major Area of Concentration. The BA in Liberal Studies Program currently offers six Major Areas of Concentration with a wide variety of core courses, electives, internships, and independent study opportunities for each.
Note that units counted toward an Area of Concentration cannot be used to meet the domains of knowledge requirements and vice versa.
Students may also opt for a Minor Area of Concentration in any of the above-listed specialized Major Areas of Concentration, except for Liberal Studies. To earn a Minor Area of Concentration, a student must accrue at least 20 units in the concentration.
Students are encouraged to work closely with their faculty advisors as they develop degree plans appropriate to their educational and career goals. The faculty strongly recommends that at least half of the units in the student’s chosen Major or Minor Area of Concentration be upper division. Students who are not able to accrue 20 upper-division units in one of the specialized Major Areas of Concentration should opt for Liberal Studies as their Major Area of Concentration. Students are also strongly advised to take as many of the core courses in the specialized Major Area of Concentration, as listed in this catalog and as identified on the quarterly course schedule. Students who take the recommended core courses acquire a strong foundation in their chosen discipline.
The student should choose and declare the Major Area of Concentration in the first two quarters of enrollment and work closely with his or her advisor to identify internship opportunities and independent studies that will reinforce the learning in the chosen discipline. If a student has not completed 40 credits in a specialized Major Area of Concentration by the time of candidacy review, the Major Area of Concentration will be designated as Liberal Studies.
Urban Studies: Major or Minor Area of Concentration
The Urban Studies concentration at Antioch University Los Angeles prepares our students for careers as courageous and thoughtful practitioners and activists, in the nonprofit, private, and public sectors, in education, and for graduate study in multiple fields. In the program, students explore urban dynamics through a framework of human rights, and a focus on the powers of action, community organizing, place-making, social change, and radical economic innovations.
Our practice and theory-based philosophy of education equips students with the skills and understandings necessary to become effective leaders within organizations and networks. All students participate in field study and internships, building their capacity and resumés while working as youth organizers, community gardeners, event coordinators, fundraisers, communications and social media practitioners, and as researchers in social justice campaigns throughout the region. Urban Studies faculty, staff and guest lecturers are social justice change-makers, contributing to and shaping the current public, intellectual, cultural and sustainability discourse.
This innovative program exists in the recognition of the need to support and train effective change-makers who can envision a socially, economically, racially, and ecologically just future, and who will participate in the diverse coalitions and alliances necessary to inspire and make that future a reality. Unique among most academic programs, the Urban Studies curriculum incorporates the study and practice of social, political, historic, cultural, ecological, legislative and economic analysis, media, and the arts.
The Urban Studies concentration embodies our Antioch University mission to advance justice and to inspire lifelong learning.
Current Tuition and Fees
University Tuition and Fees
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