# Liberal Studies (Associate in Arts (AA): Education Emphasis)

Santa Barbara City College · 2026-2027 Catalog · Department: Liberal Studies

Source: https://catalog.sbcc.edu/academic-departments/liberal-studies/liberal-studies-aa-education-emphasis/

The Liberal Studies: Emphasis in Education Degree prepares students to transfer to a Liberal Studies—Teacher Education bachelor’s degree program. The degree is intended to provide students with options to select appropriate coursework to meet lower-division requirements of the Liberal Studies program of the four-year institution they are planning to attend. Articulation agreements for most Liberal Studies—Teacher Education programs offered at the University of California and the California State University systems are available on the ASSIST website at www.assist.org.

Liberal Studies—Teaching Education programs are different at each four-year institution. Therefore, students must select their courses for the Associate Degree in consultation with an SBCC academic counselor to ensure they satisfy the lower-division preparation for the Liberal Studies program of the four-year institution to which they are planning to transfer.

The Liberal Studies: Emphasis in Education Degree at Santa Barbara City College is an interdisciplinary program that provides students with a foundation of knowledge in the areas of English composition, critical thinking, oral communication, physical and life sciences, arts and humanities, and social sciences. Through this program, students acquire a breadth of knowledge across multiple disciplines, explore how knowledge across disciplines can be connected, analyze and evaluate ideas using the tools of critical thinking, and demonstrate effective communication skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Since Liberal Studies is a “college-wide” interdisciplinary Associate Degree program, it does **not** have departmental affiliation. Inquiries regarding the Liberal Studies program should be directed to an academic counselor or the Dean, Educational Programs—Student Development and Counseling.

### Requirements

**Associate Degree Graduation Requirements**

Complete all of the following:

1.  All Major Requirements listed below with a “C” or better or “P” in each course (at least 20% of the major requirements must be completed through SBCC).
2.  One of the following General Education options:
    1.  OPTION 1: SBCC General Education pattern OR
    2.  OPTION 2: Cal-GETC pattern
3.  A minimum of 60 semester units of degree-applicable college credit (SBCC courses numbered 100 and higher and C1000 and higher).
4.  Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in degree-applicable coursework.
5.  A minimum of 12 units through SBCC.

| Course | Title | Units |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Major Requirements** | |  |
| **Required Core** | |  |
| COMM C1000 | Introduction to Public Speaking | 3 |
| or COMM C1000H | Introduction to Public Speaking - Honors |  |
| or COMM C1004 | Interpersonal Communication |  |
| or COMM 121H | Interpersonal Communication, Honors |  |
| or COMM 141 | Small Group Communication |  |
| or COMM 161 | Communication in Organizations |  |
| or COMM 235 | Argumentation and Debate |  |
| ED 101 | Introduction To Teaching And Learning In K-12 Education | 3 |
| ENG 111 | Critical Thinking and Composition Through Literature 1 | 3 |
| or ENG 111H | Critical Thinking and Composition Through Literature, Honors |  |
| or PHIL 111 | Critical Thinking and Writing in Philosophy |  |
| or PHIL 205 | Introduction to Logic |  |
| or COMM 235 | Argumentation and Debate |  |
| ENGL C1000 | Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
| or ENGL C1000H | Academic Reading and Writing - Honors |  |
| **List A - Complete two courses from the following (Physical and Biological Sciences):** | | 7-10 |
| ↳ BIOL 100 | Concepts Of Biology |  |
| ↳ BIOL 140 | Principles of Biology |  |
| ↳ BIOL 140 & BIOL 141 | Principles of Biology and Biology Laboratory |  |
| ↳ BMS 107 | Human Anatomy |  |
| ↳ BMS 108 | Human Physiology |  |
| ↳ ERTH 101 | Introductory Astronomy |  |
| or ↳ ERTH 101H | Introductory Astronomy, Honors |  |
| ↳ ERTH 101 & ERTH 102 | Introductory Astronomy and Observational Astronomy Laboratory |  |
| ↳ ERTH 101H & ERTH 102 | Introductory Astronomy, Honors and Observational Astronomy Laboratory |  |
| ↳ ERTH 111 | Dynamic Earth - Physical Geology |  |
| or ↳ ERTH 111H | Dynamic Earth - Physical Geology, Honors |  |
| ↳ ERTH 111 & ERTH 111L | Dynamic Earth - Physical Geology and Dynamic Earth - Physical Geology Laboratory |  |
| ↳ ERTH 111H & ERTH 111L | Dynamic Earth - Physical Geology, Honors and Dynamic Earth - Physical Geology Laboratory |  |
| ↳ ERTH 112 | History Of The Earth |  |
| ↳ ERTH 112 & ERTH 112L | History Of The Earth and Historical Geology Laboratory |  |
| ↳ ERTH 151 | Introductory Physical Oceanography |  |
| ↳ ERTH 151 & ERTH 151L | Introductory Physical Oceanography and Introductory Physical Oceanography Laboratory |  |
| ↳ PHSC 103 | The Physical Universe |  |
| ↳ PHYS 101 | Conceptual Physics |  |
| ↳ PHYS 101 & PHYS 101L | Conceptual Physics and Conceptual Physics Laboratory |  |
| ↳ PHYS 102 | Introductory Physics For Science Majors |  |
| **List B - Complete two courses from the following (Social Sciences):** | | 6-8 |
| ↳ ANTH 103 | Introduction To Cultural Anthropology |  |
| ↳ BLST 101 | The African-American In U.S. History To World War II |  |
| ↳ ECE 102 | Child, Family and Community |  |
| ↳ ECE 120 | Child Growth and Development/Educators |  |
| ↳ ERTH 142/GEOG 105 | Economic Geography |  |
| ↳ GEOG 102 | Human Geography |  |
| ↳ HIST 107 | World Civilization, Beginnings to 1550 3 |  |
| ↳ HIST 108 | World Civilization, 1550 to Present 3 |  |
| ↳ HIST C1001 | United States History to 1877 3 |  |
| ↳ HIST C1002 | United States History since 1865 3 |  |
| or ↳ HIST C1002H | History Of The U.S. Since 1865 - Honors |  |
| ↳ POLS C1000 | American Government and Politics |  |
| ↳ PSY 140 | Child Development |  |
| ↳ PSY 145 | Human Development |  |
| ↳ PSYC C1000 | Introduction to Psychology |  |
| or ↳ PSYC C1000H | Introduction to Psychology - Honors |  |
| ↳ SOC 101 | Introduction To Sociology |  |
| or ↳ SOC 101H | Introduction to Sociology, Honors |  |
| ↳ SOC 104 | Social Psychology |  |
| **List C - Complete two courses from the following (Arts and Humanities):** | | 6-10 |
| ↳ ART 101 | Visual Literacy |  |
| ↳ ARTH C1100 | Survey of Art from Prehistory to the Medieval Era |  |
| or ↳ ARTH C1100H | Survey of Art from Prehistory to the Medieval Era - Honors |  |
| ↳ ARTH C1200 | Survey of Art from the Renaissance to Contemporary |  |
| or ↳ ARTH C1200H | Survey of Art from the Renaissance to Contemporary - Honors |  |
| ↳ CHST 115 | Introduction To Mexican Literature |  |
| ↳ CHST 131 | History Of Chicano Art |  |
| ↳ ECE 115 | Children's Literature |  |
| ↳ ENG 221 | Survey of British Literature: 800-1798 |  |
| or ↳ ENG 221H | Survey of British Literature 800-1798, Honors |  |
| ↳ ENG 222 | Survey of British Literature: 1798-Present |  |
| or ↳ ENG 222H | Survey of British Literature: 1798-Present, Honors |  |
| ↳ ENG 225 | American Literature: Pre-Colonization to 1865 |  |
| ↳ ENG 226 | American Literature: 1865-present |  |
| or ↳ ENG 226H | American Literature, Honors |  |
| ↳ ENG 231 | World Literature: Ancient Times to 16th Century |  |
| ↳ ENG 232 | World Literature: 17th Century to Present |  |
| ↳ HIST 107 | World Civilization, Beginnings to 1550 3 |  |
| ↳ HIST 108 | World Civilization, 1550 to Present 3 |  |
| ↳ HIST C1001 | United States History to 1877 3 |  |
| ↳ HIST C1002 | United States History since 1865 3 |  |
| or ↳ HIST C1002H | History Of The U.S. Since 1865 - Honors |  |
| ↳ MUS 110 | Music Appreciation |  |
| ↳ MUS 118 | World Music |  |
| ↳ PE 250 | Survey and Appreciation of Dance History |  |
| ↳ PHIL 100 | Introduction to Philosophy |  |
| or ↳ PHIL 100H | Introduction to Philosophy, Honors |  |
| ↳ PHIL 101 | Introduction to Ethics |  |
| or ↳ PHIL 101H | Introduction To Ethics, Honors |  |
| ↳ PHIL 102 | Comparative World Religions |  |
| ↳ PHIL 200 | History Of Philosophy: Ancient |  |
| ↳ PHIL 201 | Modern Philosophy: Minds, Matter, and Metaphysics |  |
| ↳ TA 103 | Theatre Appreciation |  |
| ↳ TA 111 | Beginning Acting |  |
| **Foreign Language** | |  |
| **Total Units** | | **32.00-41.00** |

1. COMM 235 Argumentation and Debate can only satisfy one core requirement (oral communication or critical thinking), not both.
2. At least one of the courses must have a lab
3. HIST C1001 United States History to 1877, HIST C1002 United States History since 1865 or HIST C1002H United States History since 1865 - Honors, HIST 107 World Civilization, Beginnings To 1550, HIST 108 World Civilization, 1550 To Present can only satisfy one section (section 2 or section 3), not both.

Recommended Courses

| Course | Title | Units |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ANTH 104 | Language and Culture | 3 |
| COMP 101 | Introduction to Computer Applications | 4 |
| ECON C2001 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3-4 |
| or ECON C2001H | Principles of Microeconomics - Honors |  |
| or ECON C2002 | Principles of Macroeconomics |  |
| or ECON C2002H | Principles of Macroeconomics - Honors |  |
| ED 291 | Practicum in Teaching | 2 |
| ED 295 | Internship In Education | 2-3 |
| HE 101 | Personal Health Awareness | 3 |
| or HE 102 | Personal Health for Women |  |
| MATH 108 | Mathematical Concepts for Elementary School Teachers-Number Systems | 4 |
| SPAN 101 | Beginning Spanish I | 5 |

### Learning Outcomes

1.  Students will be able to apply the fundamentals of critical and reflective thinking to the analysis of the issues and challenges facing American education.
2.  Students will develop a personal philosophy of education in order to be able to articulate their personal goals, values and beliefs about teaching.
3.  Students will develop a pre-professional portfolio for use in the advancement in the field.

### Recommended Sequence

Make an appointment with your SBCC academic counselor through Starfish to create a Student Education Plan that reflects a recommended course sequence for this program that is tailored to your individual needs.

How to schedule an Academic Counseling appointment.