A degree in Liberal Studies is not a new invention; in fact, this type of degree stems from the Ancient Greeks and Romans, who believed that a broad, well-rounded, interdisciplinary, liberal arts education was necessary in order for a free citizen to fully participate in civic life.

At Master’s, we offer a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies for similar reasons: a well-rounded, interdisciplinary education is necessary for those students who wish to make themselves most useful and available for Kingdom work.

Students who choose the BA in Liberal Studies have two emphases to pick from: General Emphasis or Teacher Education Emphasis. Both programs offer excellent preparation. The BA in Liberal Studies/General Emphasis (LS/General) is the best fit for students who want expanded options after graduation. The BA in Liberal Studies/Teacher Education Emphasis (LSTE) is the best fit for students who want to pursue a career in elementary school teaching.

Students who choose either of the Liberal Studies programs are looking for a broad, well-rounded education that will enable them to hone their critical thinking skills, expand their knowledge base, and make connections across subject areas or disciplines. Our programs offer precisely those opportunities.

Broadly speaking, students in the Liberal Studies programs take major courses from four areas: English and Communications, Science and Mathematics, Social Studies, and Fine Arts and Humanities. One of the key components of the LS/General program is choice: students choose their own upper division courses in those four areas from among regular course offerings in various programs and schools across the university. LS/General students benefit from taking courses alongside students in those majors, taught by faculty from those programs/schools.

The general education courses common to all majors are also a key component in the Liberal Studies programs. They form a solid foundation for the student and are considered a valuable part of an LS student’s education. In addition, the degree programs include room for electives, providing the student with opportunity to explore and experience a variety of courses from across the university. Because of our built-in focus on flexibility, the LS/General major is especially attractive to transfer students with credits from prior college coursework.

Students who choose to major in the Liberal Studies/Teacher Education Emphasis (LSTE) program are usually planning on becoming elementary school teachers in public, private, or international schools. The LSTE major is the best preparation for those students, who typically continue on to an elementary teaching credential program. The coursework across the four subject areas provides students with background information in the subjects elementary school teachers must know well to teach well.

In addition, the LSTE program includes key specialized subject area courses geared toward the future teacher. These courses allow students to learn subject content through the lens of teaching. Perhaps most importantly, the LSTE program also provides the student with foundational education courses, including field work in local classrooms with veteran master teachers. All the pre-requisite courses for the Master’s University Teaching Credential program are part of the LSTE program.

So, why major in Liberal Studies at Master’s? The benefits are clear: you’ll get a well-rounded education comprised of solid core course content from faculty across campus. Our program offers training in critical thinking skills, as well as either maximized choice and flexibility, or the best possible preparation for teaching.