Liberal Arts: B.A.
Overview
The Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts at SUNY Empire is perfect for students who are relentlessly inquisitive about the world, for students who thrive on understanding how things work, and for leaders who want to learn from the great thinkers, artists, and scientists of the past in order to create the future worthy of this greatness.
The SUNY Empire Liberal Arts program builds on a strong foundation of academic skills in areas like critical thinking, quantitative literacy, social responsibility, information literacy, and communication. Students can then work with our expert faculty mentors to build an individualized program that puts the student at the center of decisions.
The Liberal Arts program is a flexible choice. It can be:
- A ”completion” degree. Are you a student with most of your coursework already completed and just want to get your degree? SUNY Empire’s student-friendly transfer policies and expertise with evaluating prior learning make the Liberal Arts degree an attractive option for students who are returning to school after taking a break.
- An issue-driven program. Are there issues you really care about? Do you want to know how your education can make a difference? Choose courses, residencies, and faculty closely connected to issues that are important to you.
- A “Great Books” program. Do you want to understand the world around you in a deeper way? Work with your faculty mentor to identify classics in philosophy, history, cultural studies, art, literature, and politics from around the globe.
- An employment readiness program. Are you interested in acquiring the skills employers are looking for? A solid liberal arts education at SUNY Empire provides students with the skills needed to become lifelong learners and adapt with the times or as you change careers.
Program Guidelines
The BA program in Liberal Arts offers students a solid grounding in core learning while giving students the flexibility to pursue a wide range of interests. In addition to the general graduation requirements that apply to all bachelor’s programs at SUNY Empire State College, please see the Program Requirements tab for the specific requirements (A-G) for the BA in Liberal Arts.
Students completing a BA in Liberal Arts will be able to demonstrate learning in the following areas:
- Social Responsibility: Engage in ethical reasoning and reflect on issues such as democratic citizenship, diversity, social justice and environmental sustainability, both locally and globally.
- Communication: Express and receive ideas effectively, in multiple contexts and through multiple strategies.
- Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Evaluate, analyze, synthesize and critique key concepts and experiences and apply diverse perspectives to find creative solutions to problems concerning human behavior, society and the natural world.
- Quantitative Literacy: Read, interpret, use and present quantitative information effectively.
- Information and Digital Media Literacy: Critically assess, evaluate, understand, create and share information using a range of collaborative technologies to advance learning, as well as personal and professional development.
Program Requirements
A. Students must demonstrate learning in social responsibility.
Courses that fulfill this requirement include:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 2020 | Introduction to Ethics | 4 |
| POLI 3080 | Modern Political Theory | 4 |
| LEST 4020 | Theories of Law & Justice | 4 |
| ENSC 2000 | Principles of Environmental Sustainability | 4 |
Other SUNY Empire courses, transfer courses, or prior learning may be applied towards this requirement. Students wishing to use credits other than those from these courses are advised to consult with their academic mentors and to provide in their program portfolio rationale essay an explanation of how this degree requirement is being met.
B. Students must demonstrate learning in communication.
Any course carrying a Basic Communication SUNY General Education designation can be used to satisfy this requirement.
C. Students must demonstrate learning in critical thinking and problem solving.
Courses that fulfill this requirement include:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CUST 2030 | Introduction to Critical Thinking | 2 |
| PHIL 2005 | An Introduction to Philosophy | 4 |
Other SUNY Empire courses, transfer courses, or prior learning may be applied towards this requirement. Students wishing to use credits other than those from these courses are advised to consult with their academic mentors and to provide in their program portfolio rationale essay an explanation of how this degree requirement is being met.
D. Students must demonstrate learning in quantitative literacy.
Any course carrying a Mathematics SUNY General Education designation can be used to satisfy this requirement.
E. Students must demonstrate learning in information and digital literacy.
Courses that fulfill this requirement include:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDST 1122 | Introduction to Digital Literacy | 4 |
| COMM 3015 | Communication through New Media | 4 |
Other SUNY Empire courses, transfer courses, or prior learning may be applied towards this requirement. Students wishing to use credits other than those from these courses are advised to consult with their academic mentors and to provide in their program portfolio rationale essay an explanation of how this degree requirement is being met.
F. Students must take a minimum of 16 advanced level credits in one of the following subject areas:
ANTH - Anthropology
ARTS - Arts
BIOL - Biology
COMM - Communications
CUST - Cultural Studies
DIGA - Digital Arts
LITR - Literature
PHIL - Philosophy
POLI - Political Science
SOCI - Sociology
PSYC - Psychology
HIST - Historical Studies
SOSC - Social Science
Students may, in consultation with their mentor, apply transfer credit or credit earned through a prior learning assessment in fulfillment of the disciplinary depth and breadth requirement. Academic subjects or subject codes not listed above, but traditionally associated with the liberal arts, may also be used to satisfy this requirement, in consultation with an assigned mentor and subject to the approval of the appropriate academic review committee.
G. minimum of 8 additional advanced level credits designated as Liberal Arts and Sciences
In addition to the credits in a single subject area outlined in F (above), students must take a minimum of 8 additional advanced level credits in any courses designated as Liberal Arts and Sciences courses in the college catalog.