Liberal Arts

About the Liberal Arts Program

Program Requirements

English
Math
Science
Social Sciences
Language and Fine Arts
Electives

Liberal Arts Degree Concentrations

English Concentration
Foreign Languages Concentration
History Concentration
Mathematics Concentration
Philosophy Concentration
Psychology Concentration
Sociology Concentration
Urban Affairs Option

The Liberal Arts Program provides the first two years of the traditional liberal arts curriculum. Most CCRI students who enroll in this program plan to transfer to a four-year college or university in pursuit of a bachelor�s degree.

The Liberal Arts program offers students the opportunity of acquiring a perspective on world affairs, human relationships and language, while developing essential skills in critical reading, organization, effective writing, analysis and research. Concentration options are available in the following disciplines: English, foreign languages, history, mathematics, philosophy, psychology, sociology. See the following pages for more complete descriptions.

Students who successfully complete this program and/or a Liberal Arts concentration receive an Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree.

Program Requirements: In order to earn an Associate in Arts (A.A.) Degree in Liberal Arts, students must complete a total of 60 credits. Of these 60 credits, 41 or 44 must be earned in the distribution described below:

1. English - 9 or 12 credits

   1. all students will be pretested and placed in ENGL 1005 (formerly ENGL 1050) or ENGL 1010.
   2. those students required to take ENGL 1005 (formerly ENGL 1050) will then have to take ENGL 1010, ENGL 2015 and one literature course. (ENGL 1005-formerly ENGL 1050- may be used as elective credit.)
   3. those students placed in ENGL 1010 will then also complete ENGL 2015 and one literature course. It is recommended that Liberal Arts candidates take two literature courses.

2. Math  - 6 credits

   1. Students may satisfy the math requirement with MATH 1430 and MATH 1450, or MATH 1430 and MATH 1470, or MATH 1430 and MATH 1472, or MATH 1430 and MATH 1475. MATH 0500, 0600, 0700, 1410, 1420, 1600 and 1620 CANNOT be used to fulfill the math requirements. All other math courses will fulfill the math requirement. It is recommended that sequential courses be taken.

3. Science - 8 credits

   Two laboratory science courses: It is not required but it is recommended that students take the two courses as part of a sequence. These courses may be selected from the following:

   ASTR - 1010		BIOL - 1060		GEOL - 1020
   ASTR - 1020		CHEM - 1000		OCEN - 1010 AND 1030 (need both)
   BIOL - 1010		CHEM - 1030		PHYS - 1000
   BIOL - 1020		CHEM - 1100		PHYS - 1030
   BIOL - 1001		GEOL - 1010		PHYS - 1040
   BIOL - 1002

4. Social Sciences - 9 credits

   Liberal Arts candidates must choose two sequential history courses; i.e., Survey of Western Civilization I & II or History of the United States to 1877 and History of the United States from 1877 and one other course chosen from the following:

   sociology		political science		psychology
   economics		philosophy		geography

5. Language and Fine Arts - 9 credits

   Three courses � two sequential courses of a foreign language and one course chosen from the following (basic spoken and specialized introductory foreign language courses do not fulfill or substitute for required foreign language credits at the elementary level in the Liberal Arts Program):

   art
   music
   drama

   A student may begin a new language or continue a language started in secondary school. Students should consult an advisor to be sure they choose the correct course level. Intermediate foreign language courses 2010-2020 will normally satisfy the language requirements of transfer institutions which require six credits of language at the intermediate level.

   It is recommended that Liberal Arts students take at least two fine arts courses (art, music, drama).

   Total Required Course Credits 41/44

6. To bring to 60 the total number of credits needed to earn an Associate in Arts Degree, students may choose courses from any instructional program in the College, including arts and sciences, the occupational, paraprofessional, computer studies (COMI only), and technical areas, and allied health, provided the courses they choose are taken for college credit, all prerequisites are completed and space is available. This includes LIBA 1010 and LIBA 1020 Cooperative Work Experience I and II.

   Elective Credits 16 or 19

   Total Credits for Liberal Arts Degree 60

Liberal Arts Degree Concentrations

Students may complete the degree program as described on the previous page or may select an area of study in which to concentrate. Concentrations require the study of five three-credit courses (15 credit hours) in the selected discipline. Additional required or recommended courses will be selected from among the electives offered as part of the Liberal Arts Program. These concentrations emphasize course work typically required in the freshman and sophomore years of baccalaureate programs.

Students interested in pursuing one of the options should contact the appropriate academic department about transfer and career opportunities.

English Concentration

The English concentration prepares students for advanced study at the baccalaureate level and provides an excellent foundation in English composition and literature.

Required Courses:

In addition to the English requirements for the Liberal Arts program, (ENGL 1010 - Composition I, ENGL 2015 - Composition II for Liberal Arts, and one literature course), the following courses are required to complete the concentration:

ENGL 1020 � Nineteenth Century American Literature and ENGL 2020 � Twentieth Century American Literature
OR
ENGL 1040 � World Literature to the Sixteenth Century and ENGL 2040 � World Literature from the Sixteenth Century
OR

ENGL 1030 � British Literature I and ENGL 2030 � British Literature II

In addition, a student must take three additional transferable courses selected from the following:

ENGL 1200 � Introduction to Literature
ENGL1220 � Introduction to Poetry
ENGL 1260 � Readings in Shakespeare
ENGL 1280 � Dramatic Literature
ENGL 1430 � Creative Writing
ENGL 2200 � Children's Literature

Foreign Languages Concentration

The foreign language concentration prepares students for advanced study at the baccalaureate level and provides an excellent foundation in the foreign language.

Required Courses:

The following five courses (15 credits) are required to complete the concentration:

Students who begin language studies at CCRI or who have experience below the intermediate collegiate level:

1010 (1030)* - Elementary I
1020 (1040)* - Elementary II
2010 - Intermediate I
2020 - Intermediate II

An elementary level course (1010, 1030, 1020 or 1040) in a language different from the language of the student's concentration.

Students who continue studying a language begun in high school:

2010 - Intermediate I
2020 - Intermediate II
2210 - Advanced Conver. & Comp. I
2220 - Advanced Conver. & Comp II

An elementary level course (1010, 1030, 1020 or 1040) in a language different from the language of the student's concentration

In addition, the student must complete the category requirements of the Liberal Arts program.

Recommended Courses:

In addition, the following courses are highly recommended but are not required:
HIST 1010 - Survey of Western Civilization I
HIST 1020 - Survey of Western Civilization II
ARTS 1220 - Survey of Modern Art
ARTS 1330 - Survey of Ancient Art

*1010 and 1020 courses consist of five contact hours, 1030 and 1040 consist of three contact hours

History Concentration

Required Courses:

The following courses are required to complete the concentration:
HIST 1010 - Survey of Western Civilization I and HIST 1020 - Survey of Western Civilization II
OR
HIST 1210 - History of the United States to 1877 and HIST 1220 - History of the United States from 1877

In addition a student must take three additional courses selected from the following:

Recommended Courses:

The following courses are strongly recommended:

Mathematics Concentration

The mathematics concentration prepares a student for advanced study in mathematics at the baccalaureate level. The concentration also provides an excellent foundation in mathematics or any related fields requiring a strong mathematics background.

Required Courses:

Fifteen credits are required to complete the concentration.

Completion of the math placement test is required before registration in the initial math course.

Recommended Courses:

The following courses are highly recommended but are not required:

MATH 1550 - Statistics I
MATH 1510 - Scientific Programming

Philosophy Concentration

Required Courses:

The following courses are required to complete the concentration:

PHIL 1010 - Introduction to Philosophy
PHIL 2040 - Logic

In addition a student must take three additional courses selected from the following:

	PHIL 2020 - Philosophy of Religion		PHIL 2030 - Ethics
	PHIL 2070 - Honors Course in American Thought		PHIL 2080 - Honors Seminar, Philosophies of Human Nature
	PHIL 2090 - Honors Course in Selected Topics in Philosophy

Recommended Courses:

The following courses are strongly recommended:

	ENGL 1200 - Introduction to Literature		HIST 1010 - Survey of Western Civilization I
	MUSC 1100 - The Creative Process in the Arts		MATH 1472 - History of Mathematics

Psychology Concentration

The concentration in psychology provides students with an opportunity to prepare for advanced study at the baccalaureate level. In addition, the concentration provides an excellent foundation in behavioral science. Courses typically required in the freshman and sophomore year for the baccalaureate level psychology major are emphasized.

Required Courses:

The following courses (15 credits) are required to complete the concentration:

	PSYC 2010 - General Psychology		PSYC 2020 - Social Psychology
	PSYC 2030 - Developmental Psychology		PSYC 2110 - Abnormal Psychology
	PSYC 2120 - Foundations of Psychological Research

In addition the student must complete the category requirements of the Liberal Arts Program.

Recommended Courses:

In addition, the following courses are highly recommended but are not required:

MATH 1475 - Statistics for the Social Sciences
BIOL 1001 - Organismal

Sociology Concentration

Required Course:

The following course is required to complete the concentration:

SOCS 1010 - General Sociology

In addition the student must take four additional courses selected from the following:

	SOCS 2020 - Marriage and Family		SOCS 2030 - Urban Sociology
	SOCS 2040 - Cultural Diversity		SOCS 2050 - Social Problems
	SOCS 2070 - Sociology of African-American Religions		SOCS 2080 - Global Seminar � Man and the Environment
	SOCS 2110 - Introduction to Anthropology		SOCS 2300 - Criminology
	SOCS 2310 - Introduction to Corrections

Recommended Courses:

The following courses are strongly recommended:

	ENGL 1200 - Introduction to Literature		MATH 1475 - Statistics for the Social Sciences
	POLS 1000 - Introduction to Government and Politics		PHIL 1010 - Introduction to Philosophy

Note to Full-Time Students: It is recommended that full-time students take a minimum of 15 credits each semester.

Urban Affairs Option

This option is designed to provide, during the first and second years of college, a general introduction to contemporary urban affairs as viewed from a number of disciplines. The student who completes this option can transfer to a four-year college with an Associate in Arts Degree, and most credits earned are acceptable. For the student who transfers to University of Rhode Island, all credits will be accepted provided the criteria cited in the social science course recommendations outlined in the Liberal Arts Program are satisfied. Contact the Social Sciences Department.

This page last modified on: August 25, 2010