Advising

Prospective Students

The Department of Interdisciplinary Studies and Liberal Studies that has the largest number of majors in the College of Humanities at California State University Northridge (CSUN). With two distinct Bachelor of Arts degrees, we offer a wide range of multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary degrees, minors, and options. 

The B.A in Liberal Studies is for anyone who wants to be an Elementary School teacher (from Kindergarten to grade 6) or a special Education teacher (from Kindergarten to grade 8). Our B.A in Liberal Studies degree is one of the oldest, largest, most complex, rigorous, and well-respected state-approved subject matter programs for the multiple subject teaching credential required for elementary school teachers (K-6) in the state. Our department is among the top three institutions in California in preparing K-6 educators for the classroom. Our B. A. in Liberal Studies offers teacher preparation students the choice of eight different areas of specialization from the traditional areas of Language Arts, Math, Sciences, and History and Social Sciences to the newer areas of Arts Integration, Childhood Studies, Digital Humanities, and Sustainability and Environmental Humanities. We also offer students the Elementary Subject Matter Verification (ESM). 

B.A., Liberal Studies is available for students interested in careers as elementary or special education teachers should select one of the Liberal Studies Teacher Preparation option programs. All provide a B.A. degree in Liberal Studies, including preparation in the multiple subjects taught in self-contained classroom settings. Students in the Teacher Preparation option take courses in the language arts, natural sciences, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, visual and performing arts, human development, physical education and health. By the end of the degree program, students have a foundation of basic knowledge in all of these areas. Students pursuing the Teacher Preparation option are not required to meet the University General Education requirements. By completing the Liberal Studies major, students are considered to have fulfilled those requirements.

B.A., Interdisciplinary Studies is available for students interested in a degree that approaches complex problems that are best addressed by integrating several academic schools of thought, specialized knowledge from multiple research areas, or methods and perspectives from different disciplinary fields. This degree emphasizes the practice and methodology of interdisciplinarity to enable students to merge different scholarly areas and fields. With a selection of courses drawn from a variety of departments (from the Sciences, Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities) focusing on quantitative, qualitative and cultural approaches, the degree prepares students to produce college-level cross-disciplinary work and grants them the freedom to design a major around their intellectual interests and professional goals.

Humanities Minor is available for students interested in supplementing their degree with an interdisciplinary array of courses in Ethnic Studies, the Arts, English, Linguistics, Philosophy, and others.

Sustainability Minor is available for students interested in learning current and best practices for planetary sustainability on an individual, institutional, regional and global level.  This minor provides a strong supplement for all majors.

Digital Humanities is available to students interested in studying humanities subjects by integrating digital technologies and computational methods in a variety of disciplinary fields ranging from computer science to history, engineering to literature, media studies to library science. The Minor complements many academic majors, and many of the courses offered within the program satisfy requirements or electives for other degree programs.

Interdisciplinary Studies and Liberal Studies Advisement

Holistic advisement support is offered in collaboration with professional academic advisors in the SSC/EOP.

Students who are interested in teaching Elementary School (Kindergarten to 6th grade) may also consult a faculty advisor to learn more about the three teacher preparation options  : (1) the Pre-Credential option, (2) the Integrated Teacher Education Program (ITEP) Freshman option, and (3) the Integrated Teacher Education Program (ITEP) Junior option.

Students interested in the B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies should call the office to make an appointment with a faculty advisor.

The Department of Interdisciplinary Studies and Liberal Studies also offers advisement for Digital Humanities, Sustainability and Humanities minors. Interested students may call the office for faculty advisement.

Applying for Graduation

Advising Resources

• New Student Handout (PDF)
• How to Guides
• The Matador Advising Hub
• Student Services Center/EOP
• List of Plan M Specializations (PDF)
• Elementary Education Advisement form (PDF)
• Education Specialist Advisement form (PDF)
• ITEP/EED - Course Prerequisites & Sequencing (PDF)
• Sustainability Minor Advisement form (PDF)
• Humanities Minor Advisement form (PDF)
• Calculate Your GPA (PDF)