The School of Liberal Studies

College of Liberal & Creative Arts

Dean: Dr. Ifeoma Kiddoe Nwankwo

The School of Liberal Studies

Humanities Building, Room 410
Telephone: (415) 338-1830
Website: https://liberalstudies.sfsu.edu

Director: Dr. Jose Acacio De Barros

The School of Liberal Studies houses the following interdisciplinary programs:

  • California Studies (minor)
  • Comic Studies (minor)
  • Liberal Studies (B.A.)
  • Liberal Studies Integrated Teacher Preparation (B.A.)

Our faculty are accomplished scholars with contributions to a wide range of fields of academic knowledge, such as education, physics, literature, performance, arts, comics studies, anthropology, psychology, environmental sciences, geography, mathematics, and philosophy. This array of intellectual interests allows our School to offer innovative interdisciplinary courses and curricula for students seeking to further their studies, enter the workforce, or simply better themselves.

In our School, we offer the following options for students interested in a B.A.

Liberal Studies

Liberal Studies (L.S.) is the ideal major for students who plan to become elementary school teachers or seek intellectual exploration and advancement without being tied to a single discipline. The B.A. in Liberal Studies is a rigorous and comprehensive interdisciplinary program grounded in academic inquiry in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. Liberal Studies students learn to approach complex problems by integrating knowledge from multiple perspectives. Drawing from various academic fields, L.S. students think about issues creatively in ways not restrained by traditional approaches. Liberal Studies classes often consider the relationship between significantly distinct topics, such as indigenous movements and biology, creative arts and social movements, human rights and education, or mind and culture. Because of its interdisciplinarity and breadth of approaches, Liberal Studies graduates are well-positioned to enter a wide range of careers. Many employers and professional schools prefer candidates with an L.S. graduate's richly diversified education and integrative skills. The Liberal Studies major is also highly recommended for aspiring elementary school teachers. Students with a B.A. in Liberal Studies satisfy the subject matter proficiency for multiple-subject credentials and are exempt from taking the CSET exams.

Career Outlook

The Liberal Studies major prepares students for future employment in various fields, including education, government or public service, the arts, management, communications, humanities, social sciences, and work involving multicultural communities. The teacher preparation emphasis provides the broad academic background necessary for teaching in an elementary classroom and as part of a student's preparation for the multiple-subject credential program. The major is also appropriate for various professional and graduate programs such as business, counseling, law, librarianship, medicine, and disciplinary or interdisciplinary graduate programs.

Students interested in becoming elementary school teachers are strongly encouraged to choose the Liberal Studies major and its Teacher Preparation emphasis for their 12 units beyond the core.

  • Each student should consult with an advisor at least once a year to discuss the major, selection of courses, and preparation of the planning worksheet.
  • For additional information on the program, go to liberalstudies.sfsu.edu/.

Transfer Courses Included in the Liberal Studies Major

With advisor approval, courses transferred from other institutions may be used to fulfill the major's Core requirements if they are upper-division and equivalent to the major's required courses. Lower- and/or upper-division courses transferred from other institutions may be used in the Emphasis Pattern so long as at least six units are upper-division and the content of the courses is equivalent. All residence requirements stipulated in the Bulletin must be met.

Students who have earned AA-T or AS-T degrees and are pursuing a similar B.A. degree at S.F. State must fulfill the Complementary Studies requirement as defined by the major department. Students should consult with a Liberal Studies advisor about how transfer units and S.F. State units can best be applied to this requirement to ensure degree completion within 60 units.

Liberal Studies Integrated Teacher Preparation

The Liberal Studies Integrated Teacher Preparation (LS-ITEP) is a blended Liberal Studies B.A. and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential program. This program focuses on future teachers, and its classes are selected to provide an optimal pathway for students who plan to become elementary school teachers. LS-ITEP students may complete all the required Liberal Studies and credential requirements within four years while at the same time going through a rigorous and comprehensive interdisciplinary program grounded in academic inquiry in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. 

Career Outlook

The Liberal Studies major prepares students for future employment in various fields, but predominantly in education. Because of its teacher preparation emphasis, LS-ITEP provides a broad academic background and a multiple-subject credential for teaching in an elementary classroom. 

  • Each student should consult with an advisor at least once a year to discuss the major, selection of courses, and preparation of the planning worksheet.
  • For additional information on the program, go to liberalstudies.sfsu.edu/.

Transfer Courses Included in the Liberal Studies Integrated Teacher Preparation Major

Before declaring LS-ITEP as their major, students should check whether there are transfer articulations between their originating institution and SFSU. Because the LS-ITEP has many requirements, if no articulations exist, transfer students are encouraged to contact a Liberal Studies adviser before deciding to transfer to this major. With advisor approval, courses transferred from other institutions may be used to fulfill the major's Core requirements. Lower- and/or upper-division courses transferred from other institutions may be used in the Emphasis Pattern so long as at least six units are upper-division and the content of the courses is equivalent. All residence requirements stipulated in the Bulletin must be met.

Students who have earned AA-T or AS-T degrees and are pursuing a similar B.A. degree at S.F. State must fulfill the Complementary Studies requirement as defined by the major department. Students should consult with a Liberal Studies advisor about how transfer units and S.F. State units can best be applied to this requirement to ensure degree completion within a reasonable timeframe.

Professor

Tanya Augsburg (2007), Professor in Liberal Studies. Ph.D. Emory University.

José Acacio De Barros (2007), Professor in Liberal Studies. Ph.D. Brazilian Center for Research in Physics, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Mariana Ferreira (2003), Professor in Liberal Studies. Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley and San Francisco.

Associate Professor

Logan Hennessy (2007), Associate Professor in Liberal Studies. Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley.

Nick Sousanis (2016), Associate Professor in Liberal Studies. Ed.D. Columbia University Teachers College.

Comic Studies courses

Liberal Studies

LS 200 Self, Place, and Knowing: Introduction to Interdisciplinary Inquiry (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: GE Area A2* or permission of the instructor.

Introduction to Liberal Studies, American Studies, the practice of interdisciplinary inquiry, and the culmination of the first-year experience sequence. Project-based focus on different ways of understanding oneself in relationship the University, and San Francisco and the larger Bay Area. Emphasis on experiential learning through mapping (exploring, navigating, understanding, and cataloging). [CSL may be available]
(This course is offered as LS 200 and AMST 200. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • E: Lifelong Learning Develop

LS 209 Physical Sciences for Elementary School Teachers (Units: 3)

Designed for prospective elementary and middle school (K-8) teachers. Understanding through inquiry the structure and property of matter and principles of motion and energy. Lecture, 2 units; laboratory, 1 unit. [Formerly LS 309]

Course Attributes:

  • B3: Lab Science

LS 300GW Perspectives on Liberal Studies - GWAR (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A2 and E. Priority enrollment for Liberal Studies majors.

Basic preparation for interdisciplinary study. Draws on language arts, mathematics, science, social sciences, humanities, and creative arts to prepare students for advanced work in Liberal Studies and careers requiring breadth and depth of knowledge. (ABC/NC grading only) [CSL may be available]

Course Attributes:

  • Graduation Writing Assessment

LS 304 Making Comics (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.

Introduction to the hands-on making of comics. Focus on in-class exercises and small projects in making comics alongside analysis of comics. Promotes understanding of how to communicate in comics and discover working methods that best work for them.
(This course is offered as LS 304, CMX 304, and HUM 304. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

LS 310 Science and Culture for Future Elementary School Teachers (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better; LS 209 or GE Areas B1 and B3 or permission of the instructor.

Designed for prospective elementary/middle school (K-8) teachers. Inquiry-based interdisciplinary understanding of the physical sciences, e.g. principles of motion and energy, through their examination as a cultural enterprise.

Course Attributes:

  • UD-B: Physical Life Science

LS 317 Critical Animal Studies (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

Examination of the nature of animal experiences and the various roles nonhuman animals play in human life, with a particular focus on approaches to nonhuman animals in science, art, and literature.
(This course is offered as LS 317 and HUM 317. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

LS 400 Social Sciences Core I (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.

An interdisciplinary approach to the scientific study of human social behavior. Exploration of the similarities and differences between the social science disciplines of anthropology, psychology, and sociology with respect to their subject matter, concepts, models, and research approaches.

LS 401 International Development and Resource Justice (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

An interdisciplinary study of international development, focusing on resources, community impacts, and environmental sustainability. Discussion of some of the key questions and concepts from history, economics, geography, and political science that are central to the study of socio-environmental issues, and an exploration of several case studies of international environmental problems. Analysis of complex issues such as oil and mineral extraction, deforestation, agricultural production, and climate change. Includes a research project focusing on the development of a resource and location of the student's choice.

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives

LS 402 Introduction to Human Rights Education for Teachers and Local Communities (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Introduction to Human Rights Education for teachers and local communities. Engage in the evolving field of Human Rights and enhance knowledge, skills, and commitment to a life of freedom and dignity. Examination of United Nations declarations, treaties, and conventions, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Learn to produce hands-on pedagogical materials on human rights that can be incorporated into school curricula and how to spread awareness of peace and freedom into local communities based on students' real-life experiences. [CSL may be available]

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Global Perspectives
  • Social Justice

LS 403 Performance and Pedagogy of the Oppressed for Educators (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: GE Area A1*.

Examine the theories of Augusto Boal and Paulo Freire and their application for educators and community activists. [CSL may be available]
(This course is offered as LS 403 and COMM 557. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

LS 404 Social Science and Medicine (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

An interdisciplinary approach to social and emotional well-being around the world with discussions about how culture, ethnicity, class, gender, and access to resources affect public health. Focus on today's main global issues: poverty, climate change, violence, immigration, mental health, opioid addiction/dependence, and education. Requires addresses local, regional, and national health disparities, as well as health universals in order to make comparisons between the United States and other countries.

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Global Perspectives
  • Social Justice

LS 410 Social Justice Themes in the Interdisciplinary Humanities (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; GE Areas A2* and C2*.

Examination of the interdisciplinary humanities. Exploration of a particular social justice theme in historical, literary, philosophical, and artistic texts authored by racial, ethnic, and sexual minorities. Focus on how social justice themes have been addressed, represented, and analyzed using integrative approaches in the interdisciplinary humanities.

LS 426 Thought and Image: Creative Arts (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: ENG 114 or equivalent.

Works in the creative arts and humanities studied in terms of the unique ways the meanings, values, and forms reflect their cultures of origin. Works from at least two global cultures will be included.

LS 427 Social Movements & the Arts for Future Teachers (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: GE Area A2.

Exploration of cultural and social movements in the US and in international contexts through body techniques, sound, and visual expression.

Course Attributes:

  • Social Justice

LS 428 From Local to Global: California Interdisciplinary Visual Cultures (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Explore how California interdisciplinary artists from local communities have gained global importance and prominence with their creative innovations and can inspire students to create research-based cultural works. (Plus-minus ABC/NC, CR/NC allowed)

LS 430 Future of the Forests (Units: 3)

Prerequisites:GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better; one college-level biology course*; or permission of the instructor.

Ecological and social dimensions of Western-Hemisphere forests; forest ecology and science; socio-political relations of industries to forest decline and with minority forest dwellers and laborers; sustainability and the future role of forests.

Course Attributes:

  • UD-B: Physical Life Science
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives

LS 440 Mind, Body, and Culture (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Interdisciplinary exploration of how our bodies, emotions, and internal biases affect our thinking and influence how we respond to the world. Investigation of how our worlds and cultures affect our bodies and minds.
(This course is offered as LS 440 and HUM 440. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • UD-B: Physical Life Science

LS 450 Banned! Contested Protest Literature in Schools (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; GE Areas A2* and C2*.

Examination and analysis of protest literary and cinematic texts that have been contested or banned in U.S. public schools. Evaluation of individual literary texts and cinematic adaptations for their literary, cinematic, and pedagogical merits. Review of the history, socio-political contexts, and educational impacts of literary censorship in U.S. public schools. Consideration of how literary texts are selected or removed from school curriculums. Emphasis on the social injustices the literary texts address, and how these texts have raised awareness of particular social injustices. Discussion of how literary and cinematic texts authored by racial, ethnic, and sexual minorities have advanced social justice.

LS 460 Childhood, Nature, and Society (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

Exploration of the relationship between childhood and nature in pre- through post-industrial societies using theory, research, and methods from the social sciences. [CSL may be available]

LS 604 Advanced Comics Making (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: LS 304/CMX 304.

Builds on the making and analytical skills covered in LS 304/CMX 304. Project-based course for developing skills in communicating through comic form, culminating in the production of a significant work ready for publication.
(This course is offered as LS 604, HUM 604, and CMX 604. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

LS 690 Liberal Studies Senior Seminar (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to senior standing and LS 300GW.

Interdisciplinary theory, research and practice. Examination of key questions and complex problems from multiple perspectives through the preparation of a substantial piece of work.

LS 699 Independent Study (Units: 1-3)

Prerequisites: Upper-division standing; Liberal Studies majors; and permission of the instructor.

Independent inquiry into a specific interdisciplinary issue or problem formulated by the student and approved and supervised by a member of the Liberal Studies faculty. May be repeated for a total of 6 units.

Comic Studies

CMX 200 Comics, Campus, and You (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: GE Area A2.

Introduction to the comics medium as a means for self-reflection and viewing oneself in relation to the university as part of the first-year experience. Understand the comics form by reading and analyzing diverse memoir comics all which will be relevant to students' lives and help facilitate self-reflection. Explore campus sites and visit with university community members to learn about resources and pathways with which to support their successful college careers and beyond. Learn to make comics (as well as zines and other related image-text hybrids) for self-expression and to document campus explorations.

Course Attributes:

  • E: Lifelong Learning Develop

CMX 235 Comics and Culture (Units: 3)

Introduction to the scholarly study of comic books and graphic novels. Emphasis on formal analysis, historical antecedents and developments, cross-cultural comparison, and comparison of comics with other cultural forms. Focus on what it means to make comics as well as analyze them.
(This course is offered as HUM 235 [formerly HUM 325] and CMX 235 [formerly CMX 325]. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • C2: Humanities

CMX 304 Making Comics (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.

Introduction to the hands-on making of comics. Focus on in-class exercises and small projects in making comics alongside analysis of comics. Promotes understanding of how to communicate in comics and discover working methods that best work for them.
(This course is offered as LS 304, CMX 304, and HUM 304. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

CMX 326 Comics in Education (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.

Explore the multi-faceted role of comics in education (from literary to literacy and visual literacy) and cultivate ways to confidently incorporate comics into different educational settings. Develop a deep understanding of comics as a distinct medium and be able to analyze how the various multimodal elements on a comics page come together to make meaning. Gain familiarity with the various genres of comics and learn how comics can address state standards. Practice basic comics-making techniques for self-expression and to demonstrate these skills to future students. Create real world comics syllabi, lesson plans, and curriculum to deploy in the classroom.

CMX 504 From Superman to the Supercrip: Comics and Disability (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: CMX 325 or permission of the instructor.

Explore how disability has been historically represented in comics and how that has changed over time. Expand the idea of what comics can be and who they are for to show new possibilities for the future of comics as a whole. Investigate methods for making comics more accessible to such audiences as blind and low vision readers. Instill best accessibility practices in conveying messages through the medium of comics. Study conducted through analysis of representation in comics, readings in disability literature, and creation of comics addressing both representation and accessibility.

CMX 540 Topics in Comics Studies (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: HUM 325 or permission of the instructor.

Deep examination of a particular genre, time period, region, or emphasis within the comics medium. Focus on primary, theoretical, and contextual readings, and will include opportunities to make as well as reflect on comics. Topics to be specified in the Class Schedule. May be repeated when topics vary. [Formerly HUM 540]

Topics:

  1. Political Cartooning
  2. Superheroes

CMX 541 Manga (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.

A deep look at the history of manga, its different genres and their audiences, prominent titles and authors of Japanese comics, and readership. Close analysis of a wide range of manga texts to encourage a well-rounded understanding of the field.
(This course is offered as HUM 541 and CMX 541 [formerly a topic of HUM 540 and CMX 540]. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

CMX 542 San Francisco Underground Comix (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.

Examination of the artists and events behind the Underground Comix scene of the late 1960s and 70s in San Francisco. Look at subcultures exploring the unconscious, drugs, and sex of the time that shaped the subject matter. Connect how this alternative offshoot of comics contributed to the development of the graphic novel and the much broader sorts of subject matter comics handle. Confront issues including sexism and misogyny by Underground authors, which in turn prompted the growing role of female creators and the beginnings of queer comics. Engage with the material through creative projects, connecting historical voices with student-made comics.

CMX 543 Queer Comics (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Explore why the comics medium is well-suited for queer expression and how the medium has been used by queer creators, both historically and currently. Examine formal aspects of the medium and how that form has been applied to content. Introduction to the history of queer comics and queer voices of today. Close reading and analysis of how the language of comics communicates story. Experiment with making comics as a way of deepening understanding of the material and for student expression.

CMX 604 Advanced Comics Making (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: LS 304/CMX 304.

Builds on the making and analytical skills covered in LS 304/CMX 304. Project-based course for developing skills in communicating through comic form, culminating in the production of a significant work ready for publication.
(This course is offered as LS 604, HUM 604, and CMX 604. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

CMX 625 Advanced Readings in Comics (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division or graduate standing; CMX 325; or permission of the instructor.

Advanced study of comics from a theoretical standpoint. A wide range of comics theorists are explored and put in conversation with a diverse set of complex, long-form comics. Discussions that delve deeply and critically into the different comics works. Explorations of comics expressly conducted through visual methods, including comics and other image-text hybrids.
(This course is offered as CMX 625 and HUM 625. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

CMX 650 The Affordances of Creative Nonfiction Comics (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: CMX 304* and CMX 604*.

Intensive study of nonfiction comics exploring the different purposes of and approaches to their creation and applications. Types of nonfiction comics explored include: historical, scientific, educational, biographical, informational, explanatory, instructional, and advocacy. Close analysis of nonfiction comics done in parallel with intensive practice, in which short nonfiction comics are produced. Specific topics include exploring research methods for comics, navigating artist-researcher collaborations, comics compositional theory, and best practices for communicating scientific and educational ideas.

CMX 675 The Lab: Nonfiction Comics in Action (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: CMX 650*.

Production of publication-ready nonfiction comics in conjunction with partners from across campus. Training in all aspects of bringing comics to publication, including setting project aims, research gathering, proposal development, production schedule, and other technical aspects of comics creation. Culminates in publication and distribution of comics created for respective university partners.

CMX 697 Capstone: Solo Directed Creative Nonfiction Comics Project (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: CMX 650* and CMX 675*.

Capstone project showcasing mastery of subject matter and clear narrative. Development of a long-form, nonfiction comic from concept to publication-ready piece.