LIBA
The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies (Liberal B.A. or LIBA) is an option for students whose educational or career goals or academic interests are not met by any of Stockton’s existing degree programs. The Liberal B.A. permits students to design a complete 128-credit interdisciplinary program suited to their individual needs and plans. This program thus provides extraordinary opportunities for creativity in educational planning and allows students to take advantage of a wide range of Stockton’s faculty and other resources. To become a LIBA major, a student must prepare a carefully conceived proposal for multidisciplinary study and must have that proposal approved by a committee composed of the dean of general studies and two or three faculty members.
Like any Stockton degree program, a Liberal B.A. program should show coherence, breadth of education and depth of study in a particular area. Like any Stockton Bachelor of Arts program, it should also reflect the College’s commitment to the liberal arts in the general education of students. Liberal Studies majors are not exempt from the General Studies requirements. Although proposals resembling an existing degree program may be approved, the LIBA major is not a means by which established programs can be diluted. Students pursuing a specific career or graduate study are advised to solicit and consider the advice of faculty in similar or related disciplines and programs. The Liberal B.A. program is not intended to be a default option for students in other majors.
Planning a Liberal B.A. takes time and commitment; considerable thought and discussion are required, since the student proposing a Liberal B.A. is, in effect, proposing that the College support an individually-tailored degree program. Planning a Liberal B.A. also requires that the student assume a large portion of the responsibility for his or her educational choices.
The organization of a Liberal B.A. course of study may take several forms depending on the particular interests and needs of the student. The course of study, and the proposal describing it, must reflect a central unifying purpose or theme.
In recent years, students have pursued the following interests through the LIBA Program:
Thematic/topical — interdisciplinary exploration of a particular theme or topic (e.g., “Freedom and Constraint” and “The World, Its People, and Their Art”);
Expanded study in a topical program, such as gerontology, Women’s Studies, African-American studies or humanities; and
Pre-professional — interdisciplinary study intended to prepare the student either to enter a particular career field (e.g., wildlife illustration or fine arts management), or to attend graduate or professional school in a variety of areas.
The basic requirements for a student undertaking a Liberal B.A. are planning and thinking. Not all proposals are accepted and most require revision. The student should develop a coherent set of classroom courses, independent study projects and (if appropriate) off-campus experiences, all of which are intended to meet the particular objectives of his/her program. The student should also plan a senior project that will provide a capstone for the program and an opportunity to demonstrate what he/she has learned.
Planning for a LIBA should normally be started before a student reaches junior status. Therefore, transfer students with junior standing must act particularly quickly if they wish to pursue the LIBA option. Final approval must be obtained prior to achievement of senior status (i.e., before the 96th credit is completed) and is normally obtained prior to the completion of 80 credits. A proposal will be considered only if it calls for a least a full year of additional course work (32 credits) subsequent to its approval.
Students interested in pursuing the Liberal B.A. should discuss their ideas with staff in the Office of General Studies as early as possible and consult regularly while developing their plans. They should also obtain advice from two or more faculty members who will serve as sponsors for their programs. As LIBA programs are usually interdisciplinary, these faculty members should represent different disciplines.
The most important requirement for entering the Liberal B.A. program is the preparation of a written proposal. Detailed instructions for preparing a proposal are available from the Office of General Studies. The key elements are these:
Rationale: An explanation of why the LIBA program is appropriate for meeting the student’s educational goals. This rationale should explain the overall concept and purpose of the student’s program, and the principal areas of knowledge or skills that will be included in order to achieve this purpose.
Description: A complete description of the curriculum of the proposed program. This should include a listing of all courses that already have been taken or are proposed for future terms, categorized by their function in the program, i.e., which of the areas of knowledge or skills they support.
Evaluation: Criteria and procedures by which it can be determined at graduation whether the student has met his or her educational goals. This evaluation should include the description of a proposed senior project that is suitable for demonstrating the breadth and depth of the student’s learning. It should indicate any public presentation of the student’s work that may seem appropriate.
Resources: Description of the College resources (faculty, courses, facilities) that are needed to complete the Liberal B.A., as well as any off-campus persons or facilities that will be involved. The purpose of this section is to demonstrate that the College is able to support a program in the student’s area of interest.
The proposal will also indicate the student’s local and permanent address, telephone number, Stockton ID number, the title of the proposed program and the names of the two faculty sponsors who are supporting the program. The student should attach copies of all Stockton and transfer transcripts.
When the proposal is in its final form, it must be submitted to the Dean of General Studies. The student will then arrange to meet with the advisory committee, whose members include the dean and the two faculty sponsors. The dean may also appoint an additional member. If the committee approves the proposal, the student may then declare LIBA as his or her major. The committee may set conditions for its approval and may agree to meet subsequently to monitor the student’s progress. As previously noted, this part of the process is to be accomplished prior to achievement of senior status (i.e., prior to completion of the 96th credit).
Program distinction in Liberal Studies will be awarded to students who receive 70% A grades in their courses, including transfer courses; who maintain at least a 3.5 grade point average; who receive two recommendations from faculty other than the LIBA sponsors for the purposes of this distinction and who, in the judgment of their LIBA sponsors, complete an outstanding senior project.
For more information, contact Jan Colijn, Dean of General Studies, The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey , Pomona, NJ 08240-0195, Phone: (609) 652-4542.
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