Liberal Studies, Integrated Teacher Education Program Option (ITEP), B.A.

Program of Study

The Integrated Teacher Education Program (ITEP) option in Liberal Studies offers an excellent curricular pathway to students interested in a career in elementary or middle school teaching (grades K-8). It integrates the B.A. in Liberal Studies with either the Multiple Subject (K-8 teaching) Credential or the Middle Level (6-8) Credential from the School of Education (SoE).

(Please note: Students intending to pursue the Middle Level Credential will need to take and pass a single subject California Subject Examination for Teachers in order to be eligible for admission to the Middle Level Credential program.)

Coursework is selected to address the seven core subject matter areas of the K-8 curriculum (Reading, Language & Literature; History & Social Sciences; Mathematics; Science; Visual & Performing Arts; Human Development; and Physical Education), and all general education, breadth of study, area of focus, and professional preparation for teaching requirements. Note that admission to SoE’s Multiple Subject Credential and Middle Level Credential programs is competitive and candidates who are not admitted will change their major to LBST’s Elementary Subject Matter Option in order to complete their B.A.

Also see the other option in Liberal Studies:  
Liberal Studies, B.A. – Elementary Subject Matter (ESM)   

Subject Matter Competence and CSET Waiver

In order to apply to a Multiple Subject Credential program, students must satisfy subject matter requirements as established by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC). Students graduating with a B.A. in Liberal Studies, in either the ITEP or ESM option, will automatically have satisfied the subject matter requirements for Multiple Subject, which means that they do not need to take the Multiple Subject California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSETs) I-III.

Furthermore,  the curricula for the ITEP and ESM options have gone through a rigorous review process by the CCTC, and have been approved as a Multiple Subject CSET I-III Subject Matter Preparation Waiver Program. This means that students who finish all degree requirements for the ITEP or ESM B.A., earn a cumulative GPA of 2.67 or higher, and graduate, will earn the Multiple Subject Waiver, which will certify their high level of preparation for K-8 teaching.

Program Goals

The goals of the Liberal Studies program are that of all our graduates:

• Learn to engage in reasoned thinking.
• Maintain open, inquiring, and skeptical minds.
• Know how to access and evaluate information.
• Develop cultural sensitivity and tolerance for cultural differences.
• Acquire environmental awareness.
• Establish a foundation for understanding social issues.
• Take responsibility for their thinking, actions, and impact on the world.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies in the Integrated Teacher Education Program option will:

1. Earn the Multiple Subject CSET I-III Subject Matter Preparation Waiver.
2. Articulate their role in the community, with an emphasis on how their educational experience informs their K-8 teaching.
3. Collaborate with diverse groups and in multiple settings to achieve a goal.
4. Collect, evaluate, and analyze primary and secondary data/resources.

Career Opportunities

The Integrated Teacher Education Program Option prepares students for careers in K-8 teaching.

Special Conditions for the Liberal Studies Major

All courses counted toward the Major, including general education, must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better. No course counting for Major requirements may be taken for a grade of Credit/No Credit. Note that a GPA of 2.67 is required for the CSET I-III Waiver.

Requirements (including GE) (60 Units)

Because the Liberal Studies major is designed to meet Elementary Subject Matter standards, most General Education courses are specified as indicated below. Where no course is specified for a GE requirement, students may use any course that meets that GE requirement.

The courses listed below satisfy General Education  requirements as indicated at the time of publication. Check the Class Schedule for the most up-to-date list of courses satisfying these requirements.

Breadth of Study Requirements (24 Units)

Upper-Division

Courses must be taken in the following areas in order to fulfill the Breadth of Study requirement.

Area of Focus Requirement for ITEP Option (12 Units)

All students must fulfill an Area of Focus (AoF) requirement by selecting and completing one of the following modules of coursework. Each module is designed to provide students with a more focused and sustained study of a particular subject matter area.  The AoF allows students to gain greater appreciation of the development of a given academic field, from basic concepts and methods to more advanced applications and theoretical horizons. Courses taken to satisfy the AoF requirement may not be used to satisfy the Multicultural Studies requirement; however, AoF coursework may be applied toward completion of a minor (an official declaration of the minor must be filed). Note that AoF requirements for ITEP and ESM are not the same.  Should a student switch between the two major options, they should consult with the LBST advisor to review AoF coursework. Some classes taken for the AoF are eligible for Subject Matter Authorization.  Students should consult with the School of Education  to determine eligibility.

Students must complete an Area of Focus in one of the following content areas: 

Science (12 Units)

• ASTR 342 - Elements of Astronomy Units: 3 (UDGE BB)

•  

• GEOG 310 - Climate Change and Life in the Anthropocene Units: 3 (UDGE BB)

• or

• GEOG 311 - Earth: The Habitable Planet Units: 3 (UDGE BB)

•  

• LBST 361 - The Social Construction of Science Units: 3 (UDGE DD)
• Choose one course from:
• BIOL 321 - Human Physiology Units: 3
• BIOL 323 - The Physiology of Nutrition and Disease Units: 3
• BIOL 328 - Human Heredity Units: 3
• CHEM 311 - Chemicals and the Environment Units: 3
• CHEM 316 - Chocolate: A Chemical Investigation Units: 3

Mathematics (12 Units)

• GEOG 310 - Climate Change and Life in the Anthropocene Units: 3

• or

• GEOG 311 - Earth: The Habitable Planet Units: 3
• Choose one course from:
• MATH 242 - Introduction to Statistics Units: 3
• MATH 342 - Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists Units: 3
• MATH 442 - Introduction to Mathematical Statistics Units: 3
• Choose six (6) units from:
• MATH 100 - Mathematical Ideas Units: 3

• or

• MATH 105 - Supported College Algebra Units: 3

• or

• MATH 115 - College Algebra Units: 3

• or

• MATH 125 - Pre-Calculus Units: 4

•  

• MATH 132 - Survey of Calculus Units: 3

• or

• MATH 160 - Calculus with Applications, I Units: 5

•  

• MATH 162 - Calculus with Applications, II Units: 4
• MATH 270 - Basic Discrete Mathematics Units: 3
• Any MATH 300-Level course or above, Excluding MATH 311  and MATH 311B  

Reading, Language, and Literature (RLL) (12 Units)

• LING 480 - Field Methods for Linguistics Units: 3
• LTWR 465 - Theory and Practice ofK-12 Writing Instruction Units: 3
• Choose one course from:
• LING 321 - Introduction to Syntax Units: 3
• LING 351 - Language Acquisition Units: 3
• LING 361  – Introduction to Morphology Units: 3
• LING 361 - Introduction to Morphology Units: 3
• LING 391 - Phonetics and Phonology Units: 3

•  

• Choose one course from (must be a different course from the ones taken to satisfy the Area of Focus requirements above):
• LING 305 - Languages in Contact Units: 3 (UDGE DD)
• LING 321  – Introduction to Syntax Units: 3
• LING 341  – Language Issues in the United States Units: 3
• LING 351  – Language Acquisition Units: 3
• LING 371 - Linguistic Anthropology Units: 3 (UDGE DD)
• LING 381 - Language and Gender Units: 3 (UDGE DD)
• LING 391  – Phonetics and Phonology Units: 3

Bilingual Spanish (9-12 Units)

Students seeking to complete this Area of Focus must ensure they are sufficiently proficient in Spanish by completing any preparatory coursework. Note: if you test out of SPAN 202 , you do not need to take an additional 3 units to replace this course; however, please see advisor to ensure that you complete the appropriate number of upper-division units for progress to graduation.

The Bilingual Spanish Area of Focus consists of the following courses:

• LING 351 - Language Acquisition Units: 3 (UDGE DD)
• Choose one course from:
• SPAN 202 - Intermediate Spanish II Units: 3
• SPAN 250 - Spanish for Heritage Spanish Speakers Units: 3
• Choose one course from:
• SPAN 301A - Advanced Spanish for Non-Native Spanish Speakers Units: 3
• SPAN 301B - Advanced Spanish for Heritage Spanish Speakers Units: 3
• Choose one course from:
• SPAN 302 - Basic Theory and Practice of Composition Units: 3
• SPAN 350A - Spanish Civilization Units: 3
• SPAN 350B - Spanish American Civilization Units: 3
• EDUC 658 - Practices and Strategies for Bilingualism/Multilingualism and Biliteracy/Multiliteracy Development Units: 3

• (please see Bilingual Coordinator in the College of Education, Health and Human Services  to assess readiness for taking this class, OR pass CSET LOTE III).

Minimum Total (120 Units)

In order to meet the University-wide graduation requirement of at least 40 units at the upper-division level, ITEP students will count EDMS units toward the completion of their B.A. The B.A. will be conferred once the student completes all B.A. requirements, including the minimum of 120 units. Upon successful completion of all credential requirements, candidates will be recommended to the CCTC for a preliminary teaching credential.

Professional Preparation Requirements (38 Units)

Total (38 Units)

Total ITEP Units (134 Units)