Liberal Studies

PLEASE NOTE:

In order to declare a major in Liberal Studies, a student must have already earned a minimum of 30 college credits. Applications must be submitted to the Liberal Studies Advisor.

PROGRAM ADVISOR AMHERST CAMPUS:

Dr. Shawn Kelley

Contact Information: Skelley@daemen.edu or (716) 839-8373

PROGRAM ADVISOR HYBRID/STUDY ABROAD – ISRAEL PROGRAM:

Dr. Denise Emer

Contact Information: Demer@daemen.edu or (716) 839-8257

Program Delivery: Offered In-person, online, or hybrid formats depending on program acceptance.

General Education Curriculum

All degree programs require completion of the General Education Curriculum. A complete description of the gen ed and its requirements are available in the General Education Curriculum section of the Daemen catalog. Courses that satisfy a portion or complete a core requirement will have such designation indicated after the course title.

1. Major: 57 CREDITS

    • 15 credits must be in upper-level studies (courses with a 300 and/or 400 number).  These 15 credits will not include the studies used to satisfy the Research & Presentation requirement.
    • No more than nine (9) credits of “D” level work may be counted for the major.
    • No courses counted in the major may be graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.
    • At least three (3) credits should deal specifically and primarily with a topic outside of the U.S.  Courses are subject to the approval of the Liberal Studies Advisor. The three (3) credits can be counted anywhere in the program.
    • Transfer credits, such as those completed through international studies and/or cross-registered courses, may count towards the major with the authorization of the Liberal Studies Advisor.
    • Courses counted for the major may not be counted for the Core or as Free Electives.
    • Humanities: 9 CREDITS
      • 3 credits in Literature (may be selected from literature offerings in the liberal arts).
      • 6 credits in the following (selections may be in one or in multiple areas):  Art History; Literature; Modern Languages (300 or 400 level courses only); Philosophy; Religious Studies; Theater.
    • Social Sciences: 9 CREDITS
      • Courses to be taken in a minimum of two of the following areas: Economics; Geography; History; Linguistics; Political Science; Psychology; Sociology (Social Work courses are not allowed).
    • Sciences/Math: 6 CREDITS:
      • Courses to be taken in the following (selections may be in one or in multiple areas): Biology; Biochemistry; Chemistry; Environmental Science; Forensic Science; Mathematics; Natural Sciences; Physics.
    • Liberal Studies Core Cluster: 18 CREDITS
      • In addition to the coursework completed to meet the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences requirements, students must complete one of the following options:
        • Option A: 9 credits to be completed in each of two academic departments.  NOTE: Course selections may derive from previous majors but are designed around a liberal arts focus planned in consultation with the Liberal Studies Advisor.
        • Option B: Completion of a minor in any of the departments represented in the areas of: Humanities; Social Sciences; Sciences.  Should the minor selected require less than 18 credits, the remaining credits will be selected from the liberal arts and with the approval of the Liberal Studies Advisor.
    • Research & Presentation: 3 CREDITS
      • Students may fulfill this requirement through an approved Research and Presentation course with the authorization of the Liberal Studies Advisor.  Faculty advisor(s) from appropriate disciplines will oversee the research project.  Venues for public presentation include the annual spring Academic Festival or a fall gathering of department members/majors of relevant disciplines (to be arranged by the Liberal Studies Advisor).
    • Foreign Language: 6 CREDITS
      • Foreign Language Requirement: Students must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language through the intermediate level. The requirement may be satisfied through the completion of college-level coursework or the successful completion of a proficiency examination. A complete description of the requirement is available in the Foreign Language section of the Daemen catalog.
    • Service Learning (3)
    • CMP101 Composition I (3)

2. General Education Curriculum: 36 CREDITS

    • First Year Seminar (3)
    • Learning Communities (6)
    • Depth- Discovery (9)
    • Breadth- Exploration:
      • Natural Sciences and Mathematics:
        • Choose two courses from: Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Math and Physics (6)
      • Social Science:
        • Choose two courses from: Anthropology, Economics, History, Linguistics, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology (6)
      • Humanities: 
        • Choose two courses from: Art, English, Language (French or Spanish), Music, Philosophy, Religion, and Theater. (6)

3. Free Electives: 27 CREDITS

  • Complete 27 credits. 6 credits must be in Liberal Arts and Sciences from the following subjects: Anthropology, Art, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Composition, Computer Science, Economics, Environmental Science, French, Geography, History, Linguistics, Literature, Math, Music, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Religion, Sociology, Spanish, and Theater.

STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: Completion of a Career Field Experience or any internship experience approved by the Liberal Studies Advisor.

TOTAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS = 120 CREDITS

Graduation Requirements

A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00.