Hutchins School of Liberal Studies

Provost
Debora Hammond

Subject Matter Preparation Coordinator
Eric McGuckin

Administrative Coordinator
Sue Foley

Blended Program Advisor
Thomas Cooper

Faculty Les K. Adler, *Susan Barnes, Richard Gale, Debora Hammond, Nelson Kellogg, Heidi LaMoreaux, Eric McGuckin, Anthony Mountain, Wendy Ostroff, David Reichard, Francisco H. V·zquez, Richard Zimmer
*Faculty Early Retirement Program Interdisciplinary General Education Program: Lower Division / Integrated G.E. Program Hutchins Course Descriptions / Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies / Minor in Integrative Studies / M.A. Program in Interdisciplinary Studies (Action for a Viable Future) / Upper Division Hutchins Course Descriptions

A nationally recognized leader in the movement for reform in higher education, the Hutchins School has maintained its commitment to innovative pedagogy and interdisciplinary inquiry into vital issues of modern concern since its inception in 1969. The program is designed to encourage students to take themselves seriously as readers, writers and thinkers capable of continuing their own educational process throughout their lives.

The Hutchins School is an interdisciplinary school within Sonoma State University offering lower-division students an alternative General Education program that integrates material from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences; and upper division students a similarly integrated major in Liberal Studies leading to a B.A. degree. A minor in integrative studies is also offered.

The Hutchins School has several distinctive features:

An emphasis on active participation in oneís own education, on self-motivation and on learning to learn.
Small, seminar-type classes.
Close cooperation and a feeling of community among students and professors.
A diverse faculty, each member trained in more than one field of study, to help students learn how to approach a problem from several points of view.
Courses organized around themes or questions, rather than according to the traditional division of subject matter into disciplines. (Please see course descriptions below).
Encouragement to engage in independent study projects.
Internship/field study to bridge academic studies with career placements and community service.
An opportunity for student-instructed courses.

Whatever their particular interests, all Hutchins students are challenged to read perceptively, to think both critically and imaginatively, to express their thoughts and feelings in writing, speech and other media, and to make productive use of dialogue and discussion. By developing these skills, students will be ready to take a position in a democratic society as thoughtful, active citizens conversant in a broad range of disciplinary perspectives. Through seminar discussions, essays, research, and other assignments, students will be prepared for a wide variety of careers in which creative, independent thinking and effective communication are the prime requisites.

Hutchins is also committed to offering students opportunities for contributing to and learning from local communities. Some seminars include a service learning component which enhances the reading, writing and discussion of shared materials through applied service projects. These seminars provide hands-on experience for students while also creating valuable partnerships with local community organizations. Through service, Hutchins students can draw connections between what they discuss in seminar with how they live their lives, enabling them to integrate critical thinking, active participation, and careful reflection.

Hutchins School graduates do especially well in teaching, counseling, social services, law, media, journalism and many types of businesses. They have entered graduate programs in fields as diverse as American studies, anthropology, counseling, English, history, law, library science, management, medieval studies, physics, religion, sociology and theatre arts.

Students seeking a teaching credential in elementary or early childhood education can enroll in the Track II: Subject Matter Preparation for the Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. Students capable of carrying a substantially heavier load can enroll in the Track III: Blended Program, which allows them to complete their B.A. degree and complete all requirements for the Multiple Subject Teaching Credential in four years. Students may transfer to another program at the end of any semester without loss of credit successfully completed in the Hutchins program.

Students in other majors may complete a Hutchins School integrative studies minor to help place their disciplines in a wider intellectual context. If space is available, Hutchins School courses are open to all SSU students, regardless of their major. Hutchins majors, likewise, are encouraged to take courses or pursue a minor in an area of special interest or in which they expect to be employed.

Admission

In general, the Hutchins School accepts students at the freshman or junior level for fall admission only, although exceptions are made depending on space availability. At this point the Track III Blended Program is only open to freshman. When applying to the University, all students seeking admission to the Hutchins School should list Hutchins School as their major and should select the appropriate code number indicated below:

If you are applying for the Hutchinsí program for the general liberal studies degree, use code number 49015.
If you are applying for the Hutchinsí program in order to prepare for the elementary teaching credential, use code number 49012.
If you are applying for the 4 year Blended Program, use code number 49019

Note: In order to be accepted into the Blended Program, students must pass both the ELM and the EPT, complete three years of foreign language (or American Sign Language) and submit an essay describing their qualifications for the program along with two letters of recommendation.

Students already at Sonoma State seeking admission into the Hutchins program must file a separate Hutchins application form by February 15 for the fall semester and by October 1 for the spring semester. Application forms are available in the Hutchins School office.

Interdisciplinary General Education Program Lower Division

The lower-division program of the Hutchins School fulfills, with the exception of mathematics, all of the Sonoma State University lower-division general education requirements. Upon completion of the lower division General Education program in Hutchins, students may elect to continue in the program as a Liberal Studies major, or they may transfer into another major at any point in the program. The program consists of four interdisciplinary seminars of 12 units each, taken successively as follows:

Each of these seminars is made up of 10 to 15 students and a professor. Learning proceeds by a process of reading, writing, and discussion, in which all students are urged to take an active part. There are generally four to six sections of each seminar offered simultaneously, so that each seminar is part of a larger Learning Community that meets together once a week for lectures, field trips, labs and other group projects. The curriculum for these seminars is developed collaboratively by the faculty facilitating each seminar section, thus drawing on a wide range of disciplinary expertise.

Strongly emphasizing excellence in written communication, the program includes extensive writing projects and regular tutorials. A variety of experiential exercises, independent projects (both scholarly and creative), and extracurricular social gatherings enrich the seminar. The emphasis throughout is on the critical examination of contemporary problems in their historical contexts. Each student is expected to arrive at conclusions that result from personal reflection and exploration of the ideas of major thinkers in diverse fields.

At mid-semester, students meet individually with the professor to discuss their progress. At this point, they have an opportunity to reflect on and assess their own learning, a key ingredient in developing the skill of life-long learning. At the end of every semester the student receives an official grade of Credit or No Credit. The student also is given a copy of a detailed evaluation of his or her work, which is placed in the studentís Hutchins file but not entered on the official university record or used to compute a grade point average. This evaluation assesses the studentís cognitive skills, seminar participation, understanding of the course content, writing skills, independent project and special course assignments. A written commentary indicates the way in which the student should improve in order to become an effective, life-long learner. Thus, the evaluation conveys a great deal more information than does a single letter grade. Unofficial grades can, at the studentís request, be made available to other schools, agencies or prospective employers who need a quantitative measure of performance.

A student who does not work well within the Hutchins program may receive credit with a probationary or terminal qualification, or a terminal no credit. If the studentís enrollment remains probationary for two semesters, or is terminated, he or she must transfer out of the Hutchins program. Application for readmission may be made after the student has successfully completed at least one semester in the traditional general education program.

Hutchins Courses (LIBS)

Integrated General Education Program

Classes are offered in the semesters indicated. Please see the Schedule of Classes for the most current information and faculty teaching assignments. Laboratory science requirement fulfilled by completing four semesters in lower-division program.

101 The Human Enigma (12) / Fall

Drawing on materials about small-scale societies, ancient Greek culture and contemporary civilizations, this course concentrates, within a comparative framework, on the development of cultural values, the concept of human nature, the growth of self-awareness, and the emergence of scientific and abstract thought. Prerequisite: A passing score on the EPT.

102 In Search of Self (12) / Spring

This course focuses on the individual, exploring how personal history, unconscious processes, and political and historical environments shape the concept of the self. This course develops a fuller understanding of these influences through scientific investigation, historical exploration and creative expression, and employing materials drawn from biology, psychology, sociology, literature, history, politics, and the arts.

201 Exploring the Unknown (12) / Fall

An investigation of the meaning and limits of knowledge with respect to the nature of the mind and physical reality. These issues are pursued through several different but interrelated fields of study, including literature, art, philosophy, comparative religions and science. The course considers Newtonian and quantum mechanical theories of physical reality, the religions of various cultures, and the functions of myth and religious language. The term includes a section focusing on the nature of human creativity.

202 Challenge and Response in the Modern World (12) / Spring

An examination of modern accomplishments and problems that have derived from several sources: the 18th century mechanical models, the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions, and the rise of modern economic theories. Asking how it is possible in the 21st century to live a moral life, the course examines the rise of individualism, the tension between personal and social values, the problems of poverty and the distribution of wealth, and the multiple consequences of modern technology. Also included is a major project addressing environmental issues.

Lower Division (ED/LIBS Blended Program Courses)

The following courses have been developed specifically for the new Blended Program in order to help the students make connections between their academic and professional training. They are team taught by faculty from the Hutchins School and the School of Education. All three courses involve observation and volunteer work in the classroom.

100 Explorations in Teaching (2) / Fall

This seminar is designed as a reflection space for students who would like to consider the teaching profession. They will observe and interact with children and teachers in elementary schools, read about forces that shape teachers and issues they confront in our educational system. They will analyze what it means to be a teacher today in our elementary schools, facing the challenges of diversity, equity and quality of education.

200 Being a Student in Todayís Schools (2) / Spring

This seminar continues the process of exploration, building on ED/LIBS 100, in which students discussed what it means to be a teacher in our schools today. Here the focus is on the student in elementary education. ED/LIBS 200 also builds on LIBS 102, In Search of Self, where the focus is on the construction of identity. From an educational perspective, students will consider what it means to be a student; what forces and circumstances shape their identity and their journey as students in elementary education. Students will elaborate on their teaching philosophy throughout the semester, interweaving information from their own lives as students, from the readings and from their field observations.

300 Philosophical Perspectives on Education (2) Fall

In connection with the curriculum in LIBS 201, this course will explore issues in education from a broader philosophical perspective. LIBS 201 addresses the ways in which individuals in different cultures and historical eras have found meaning in their lives, from a variety of spiritual traditions to the contemporary emphasis on science. ED/LIBS 300 will examine how the educational system contributed to the formation of the childís experience of meaning in his or her life. In addition, students will consider the relationship between culture and the socialization process of schooling from both multicultural and historical perspectives. Issues to consider in connection with observation in schools include analysis of age-related factors in the formation of meaning, analysis of what kinds of world views tend to be reinforced in the learning environment of the public school, and exploration of the nature of education in other cultures and other time periods.

Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies Upper Division

Options for the bachelorís degree include: Track I, the General Liberal Studies Major plan (code #49015); Track II, the Subject Matter Preparation (pre-credential) plan (code #49012); and Track III, the Blended Program/B.A. plus Multiple Subject Credential (code #49019)

The general pattern for the major in all three tracks is outlined in the table below. During their first semester in the upper division, all transfer students are required to take LIBS 302. In this course, students work on the skills required in the major, develop their own learning plans and begin the portfolio, a document the student expands throughout the upper division and brings to a close in LIBS 402 Senior Synthesis. LIBS 302 is a prerequisite for all upper-division Hutchins courses. Students continuing from Hutchins lower division, however, are exempt from LIBS 302.

Also, in each of their first two semesters, students will take a key course designed to involve them in a discussion and critique of some of our most fundamental beliefs and values, viewed in a worldwide context. (Please see LIBS 304 and 308.)

Building on the foundations laid in the key courses, the student chooses at least one course from each of the following four core areas:

Core A Society and Self
Core B The Individual and the Material World
Core C The Arts and Human Experience
Core D Consciousness and Reality

The core courses are a key element of the curriculum in the Hutchins Major. Core Areas are designed to ensure that the intensive learning experience provided in the small seminar format is spread across the disciplinary spectrum, although all core courses offer an interdisciplinary perspective on a particular theme. (Please see general description of core areas below, as well as descriptions of individual offerings in course listings that follow the general discussion of programs offered.)

Core area A: Society and Self

Courses in this area address the following issues and themes:

problems and possibilities before us at the start of a new century as we move toward a genuinely global culture.
the relationship between the individual and all kinds of human groups, the context of human interaction in which the individual finds many of the dimensions of the self.
ideas, attitudes, and beliefs that flow between society and the individual and which result in the political and economic arrangements that make life-in-common possible.
historical and economic developments, geographical facts, analytical models, and moral questions necessary to understand the dynamics of individuals and their communities.
moral and ethical underpinnings of our patterns of social interaction and how these affect issues such as race, gender, and class.
questions concerning whether the goals of human dignity, political justice, economic opportunity, and cultural expression are being enhanced or destroyed by specific historical developments, cultural practices, economic arrangements, or political institutions. For example: How, in the face of that compelling force, do we shape the kind of society that values and protects the individual? How do we become the kinds of individuals who understand and help foster the just society?

Core Area B: The Individual and the Material World

Courses in this area address the following issues and themes:

science and technology and their relationships to the individual and society.
the methods of science and important information that has been discovered through their applications.
some of the crucial issues posed by our cultureís applications of science and technology and, adversely, the cultural consequences of a materialist world view.
how science and technology impact all areas of our lives.
how, for better and for worse, as inheritors of the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions, we intervene in our material world technologically.
scientific aspects of particular social issues, or an issue of personal concern, the sense of science as a social endeavor.
the values implicit in a particular technology.

Core Area C: The Arts and Human Experience

Courses in this area address the following issues and themes:

why humans create literature, epics, poetry, drama, and other literary forms, the visual arts, languages, architecture, music, dance, the writings of philosophers, and the thought and literature of the worldís religions.
the inner world of creativity and individual values as well as the questions about how we arrive at a sense of meaning and purpose, ethical behavior, and a sense of beauty and order in the world.
deep and significant aspects of ourselves which may otherwise remain obscure and therefore troubling.
important questions - and occasional answers - about life and death, about feelings, and about the ways we see things.
the metaphors that help us recognize and become aware of the interrelations of all the areas of inquiry humanity has developed.
images from which we may learn about our reality or realities of other times.
creative and intuitive thinking processes that lead to an understanding of the aesthetic experience.
how the arts can be an end in themselves, as well as a means to an end.

Core Area D: Structures of Consciousness

Courses in this area address the following issues and themes:

Reality as a result of many factors, some of them psychological, some biological, some philosophical, some social and the many aspects of being or existence as reaching from the physical to the metaphysical.
consciousness as, somehow, the result of our gender, our ethnicity, our health, the ways in which we were reared, the social stratum in which we find ourselves, the beliefs that were engendered in us, and other factors.
consciousness as occurring across a spectrum of potentials (conscious/unconscious, rational/irrational, egocentric/transpersonal, masculine/feminine) that influence our personal and collective realities.
human needs at various levels of emotional, religious or spiritual, intellectual, and transpersonal or universal disciplines, practices, and experiences.
one of the major concerns of people in all places at all times has been: what are the components of being human?
the range of answers which are sometimes perplexingly inconsistent with one another, and yet their very divergence itself suggests something about the powerful complexity of the human individual.
the study of biology as it relates to psychology, and consciousness as it affects and is affected by perceptions of reality.
meaning-making as a necessary human achievement, and identity formation as it is understood in the light of developmental psychology and the nature-nurture controversy.

Track I: Interdisciplinary Studies

Those students wishing a broad interdisciplinary major as a foundation for their career choice (e.g. the arts, the law, public service, etc.), or who are motivated by intellectual curiosity and wish to pursue an individualized study plan, often choose the Interdisciplinary Studies Track I major within the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies. In addition to the core areas listed above, students majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies will complete the 17 additional units by choosing from a wide variety of courses which include elective seminars, workshops, independent and directed studies, internships, and study away opportunities.
LIBS 305 The Hutchins Forum
LIBS 310/315/410/415 Directed Study
LIBS 396 Field Study
LIBS 397 Study Away
LIBS 499 Internship

Track I students regularly participate in LIBS 305, The Hutchins Forum, which serves as an intellectual arena for the generation of ideas. Students in Track I may organize an Area of Emphasis within the 40 units required for the major which reflects their career plans and/or intellectual interests. Track I students might engage in artistic and creative activities, research and scholarly investigations, Hutchins community projects, social and community action opportunities, or gather together a variety of experiences that they find intellectually satisfying. Many Track I students have found valuable the Internship or Study Away program (one of which is required for the major).

The Study Away/Internship requirement, often preceded by a semester of independent study related to the placement, allows students to include, as part of their major, experiences as diverse as (1) a period of domestic or international study and travel, (2) an independent project in a nearby community, (3) an internship with a local arts organization, business, school, or social service agency, (4) substantial involvement in a program with another department on this or some other campus, (5) or other options and activities created by the student in consultation with an advisor. Whether close at hand or far away, the Study Away/Internship experience can help students to relate their education to specific career choices, greater intellectual understanding, and their place in an ever-larger world.

Note: A student entering the Hutchins upper-division Track I program with a grade point average below 2.50 will be placed on probation for one semester. Any student earning a grade lower than a C in LIBS 302 will not be allowed to continue in Hutchins.

Track II Multiple Subject

The Hutchins School offers a state-approved subject matter preparation program for students intending to earn a California Elementary Teaching Credential or an Early Childhood Emphasis Credential. The B.A. pre-credential option ensures interdisciplinary subject matter proficiency as well as possession of the high-level analytic, synthetic, creative and expressive academic skills required of future educators. The 17 additional units are structured to fulfill state-mandated requirements for admission to a credential program:
BIOL 312, 314 or 332 (3 units)
LIBS 327, ENG 379, or LING 441 (3 units)
MATH 300 (3 units)
LIBS Electives (8 units)

Completion of the pre-credential liberal studies option waives the need to take the Multiple Subject Assessment for Teachers (MSAT) examination and is excellent preparation for entering a graduate-level credential program, either in the SSU School of Education or elsewhere, for the professional training required for a California teaching credential. Waiver students are required to take the C-Best Exam, an academic subject area diagnostic test. Information concerning the schedule and fee can be obtained in the Hutchins School office in Carson Hall 44.

Questions about admissions requirements for the credential program should be directed to the SSU School of Education Teacher Recruitment and Information Center.

Note: Students entering the Hutchins upper-division Track II program must have a grade point average of at least 2.6. Any student earning a grade lower than a C in LIBS 302 will not be allowed to continue in Hutchins.

Track III Blended Program

The Blended Program incorporates the lower division Hutchins General Education program and the basic coursework for Track II with courses from the School of Education beginning in the junior year, allowing students to complete a B.A. in Liberal Studies and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential as follows:

First Year - 34 units

Fall (17)	Spring (17)
ED/LIBS 100 (2)	ED/LIBS 200 (2)
LIBS 101 (12)	BIOL 115 (3)
MATH 150 (3)	LIBS 102 (12)

First Year Summer
CBEST Examination

Second Year - 35 units

Fall (17 units)	Spring (18 units)
ED/LIBS 300 (2)	LIBS 202 (12)
LIBS 201 (12)	LIBS 312 (3)
LIBS 330 (3)	LIBS 320 (3)

Third Year - 36 units

Fall (18)	Spring (18)
ED 460 (3)	BIOL 312 (3)
ED 461H (3)	ED 462 (4) [RICA exam]
ED 472H (2)	ED 473 (2)
LIBS 304 (3)	LIBS 308 (3)
LIBS 320 (3)	LIBS 320 (3)
MATH 300 (4)	LIBS 327 (3)

Fourth Year - 31 units

Fall (16 uits)	Spring (15 units)
ED 410H (3)	ED 482 (12)
ED 476 (3)	ED 480 (3)
KIN 400 (3)
LIBS 320 (3)
LIBS 337/9 (2)
LIBS 402 (2)

Total Units: 136

Some courses may be taken during the summer.

In order to continue in the program after the first year, students must have the recommendation of their professors in LIBS 101, LIBS 102, ED/LIBS 100 and ED/LIBS 200.

Minor in Integrative Studies

The Hutchins minor is designed to help the student in a traditional discipline understand the relation that his or her major field of study bears to a number of other areas of inquiry and expertise. The minor consists of 20 units, taken in the Hutchins School, and is distributed as follows:

LIBS 302 Introduction to Liberal Studies	3
LIBS Seminars	12

In consultation with an advisor, the student selects 12 units of interdisciplinary core courses drawn from LIBS 304 and 308 and the four core areas. These courses need not be chosen because of their specific relationship to the student's major. Rather, it is intended that through these courses the student acquire a breadth of exposure to the ideas of a number of disciplines.

LIBS Electives 2

Two elective units from liberal studies elective courses or workshops.

LIBS 403 Senior Project 3

A final independent study project that specifically relates the student's major field of study to other disciplines.

Total units in the minor 20

Degree Completion Program

The Liberal Studies Degree Completion Program is for those who have completed junior transfer requirements. It offers an alternative route to a Bachelor of Arts degree for working adults whose schedules do not permit them to attend regular campus classes. Instruction is organized around one on-campus meeting for a full Saturday each month combined with weekly on-line seminars and on-going reading and writing assignments. For individual pre-admissions counseling, call Beth Warner, Administrative Coordinator, at 707 664-3977, e-mail beth.warner@sonoma.edu.

M.A. Program in Interdisciplinary Studies (Action for a Viable Future)

As people become aware of the magnitude of dilemmas and issues in the world they inhabit, they often express the desire and need to go beyond studying these problems; they want to know what they can do about them. This program is a response to that question.

We emphasize the interrelationship among three themes: the psychological and moral dimensions of change, economic, and social justice issues, and ecological issues. These three are inextricably linked: economic practices and concerns about social justice must involve considerations of environmental sustainability, and changes in the environmental and economic spheres necessarily imply personal change. And all must be understood on a global scale.

The 6-unit introductory seminar course helps students uncover the roots of contemporary problems and to understand the processes of change. A strong library research component gives them the skills to pursue their individual studies. Later, case studies demonstrate practical models of the dynamics of change.

Students then pursue their own individual study plan for 15 units in courses taken across the University. Internships are encouraged in order to provide hands-on learning to help move students from theory to practice. Instead of a thesis, students will choose an issue that inspires them to create and execute an action plan to make an impact on the community, either by raising awareness or by directly fostering change.

For further information, contact Beth Warner, Administrative Coordinator, at 707 664-3977, e-mail beth.warner@sonoma.edu.

Requirements for Admission:

1. Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution;
2. Grade point average of 2.5 or above for the last 60 units of coursework;
3. A personal narrative describing your goals and three letters of recommendation;
4. Completion of a graduate studies application to the University;
5. Satisfactory participation in a seminar interview; and
6. Favorable recommendation by the departmental graduate studies coordinator.

Requirements for the M.A.:

1. Advancement to candidacy form signed and submitted to Graduate Studies office.
2. With the approval of the student's committee chair and the graduate advisor, a maximum of 9 units of transfer credit may be included as part of the student's specific pattern of study. All courses are to be taken for a letter grade. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above in all courses to be counted towards the degree.
3. All requirements for the M.A. degree in Interdisciplinary Studies stipulated at the time of admission to candidacy must be satisfactorily completed within 7 years from the time the first course is completed. A completion of requirements form must be signed and submitted to the Graduate Studies office.
4. Completion of required courses and individual study plan coursework as outlined below:

ITDS 510A Critical Inquiry: A Preparation for Action and Change	6
ITDS 510B Case Studies	3
ITDS 599A Project Planning	3
ITDS 599B Project Implementation	3
Approved Individual Study Plan (300, 400, or 500 level courses)	15
Total units required for the M.A.	30