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Introducing the Hutchins Track I Program
A nationally recognized recognized leader in the movement
for reform in higher education, the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies
has maintained its commitment to innovative pedagogy and interdisciplinary
inquiry into vital issues of modern concern since its inception in 1969.
Acting under the premise that the life of the mind should inform and be
informed by the life of the community, the Hutchins Track I program offers
you an opportunity which is all too often absent in current educational
discourse. As a Hutchins student, you are urged to identify issues and
ideas of importance - real importance - to yourself and to others. You
are given a chance to pursue these issues and ideas, research them, study
them in depth and breadth, and consider how they speak - socially, politically,
economically, ethically - to the communities and the larger worlds in
which you live. Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living,
an idea which proved too subversive for his fellow citizens; trusting
that this is no longer the case, we invite you to examine your life and
your world through the Hutchins Track I program.
B.A. In Liberal Studies
- This program is designed for students seeking a broad
liberal arts education. It is especially valuable for those who desire
to explore intellectual interests for their own sake, or as the foundation
for graduate work and careers in a variety of fields (e.g., community
and public serivce, business, law, non-profit organizations, health
administration, the arts, etc.).
- Upon successful completion of the
Hutchins School's interdisciplinary studies major (Track
I) you will receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal
Studies. While completing requirements for the BA in
Liberal Studies, students may pursue an emphasis which
will help focus coursework into a particular supporting
area. The emphasis might lead to more narrowly-defined
graduate study, specific career and vocational goals, or
an in-depth understanding of another field of
knowledge.
- Students entering Sonoma State
University as freshmen will, on average, require four
years to complete this major. Transfer students with
60-70 university credits (from another major within
Sonoma State University, from another four-year
institution, or from a junior college) who select this
major cam complete the program in two year by taking
15-17 units each semester.
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Overview of Requirements
Major Requirements: Students enrolled in the Hutchins Track I-
Interdisciplinary Studies major must complete 40 units of upper division
Liberal Studies coursework. Specific course requirements are listed below,
but within the major students may also pursue either a broad range of
study or a defined area of emphasis, selected with the help of
a Hutchins advisor, and centering upon specific academic disciplines,
areas of interest, fields of study, and/or social/scientific/artistic
issues. The development of an emphasis might include elective seminars,
workshops, independent and directed studies, internships and study away
experiences. Up to 9 units of advisor-approved emphasis courses
may be taken outside the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies.
SSU Requirements: Students enrolled in the
Hutchins Track I - Interdisciplinary Studies major must take
at least 6 units of upper division General Education courses
distributed over a minimum of two areas of the GE program. A
total of 124 units of university credits are required for
graduation.
Advising: Before selecting courses for the major,
all students must consult with a Hutchins advisor, usually
the student's LIBS 302 instructor. All Liberal Studies
majors should meet with a Hutchins Advisor at least once
each semester.
How to fill in your major requirements form and
worksheet:
The following KEYS:
KEY I - Hutchins Major Form
KEY II - Emphasis Form
KEY III - Graduation Procedures and Requirements Form
are designed as a line-by-line explanation of all
requirements. Read the Keys carefully. At the end of
each semester, fill in completed courses and grades on the
appropriate lines of the appropriate forms.
KEY I - HUTCHINS MAJOR FORM (HMF)
Fill in your courses as you complete them.
Student Information Box
Complete all information requested.
- Area of Emphasis: After receiving advisor approval, specify your area
of emphasis. Students not choosing an area of emphasis, write in "no
emphasis."
- Grades: All courses must be taken for a Letter Grade unless offered
CR/NC only. You must receive a "C" or higher in LIBS 302, and a "C-"
or higher in all other courses taken for a Letter Grade.
- Seminar Requirement: The educational philosophy of the Hutchins School
of Liberal Studies emphasizes the small group learning environment of
the seminar. Limited to 14 students or small group discussions, the
seminar fosters students in their ability to participate actively in
discussion and in their learning. Students must complete at least
four seminars (12units); LIBS 302 counts as a seminar. All 320 courses
are seminars. On the HMF, place an X under the column Seminar for a
minimum of 4 LIBS seminars (including LIBS 302).
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Course Information Box
1. LIBS 302 Intro. to Liberal Studies: This course is
taken in your first semester in the Major, together with
LIBS 304 or 308. Except for LIBS 304 or 308 no other LIBS
seminars may be taken until LIBS 302 has been successfully
completed with a "C" or higher grade. LIBS 302 may be taken
only once.
2. LIBS 304 We Hold These Truths: Fall Semester
only.
3. LIBS 308 The Practice of Culture: Spring Semester
only.
4-7. LIBS Core Area Course: There are 4 Core Areas in
the Major: Core Area A: Society and Self, Core Area B: The
Individual and Material World, Core Area C: Human Experience
and the Arts, Core Area D: Consciousness and Reality.
Seminars and courses are offered in each of these
categories. Take one seminar or course in each of the 4
Core Areas. Each semester the Hutchins Schdule of
Classes lists all courses and seminars which fulfill Core
Areas. It is recommended that you complete 3 Core Areas
before your final semester. Any additional Core Area
seminars and courses you take will count in your area of
emphasis.
8. The Hutchins Forum: The objective of the Hutchins Forum in to
serve as a learning community among Track I students. It functions as
a "headquarters" for advising, a "communications center" where students
articulate the meaning of a Liberal Studies education, a "laboratory of
ideas" used to focus on a project or define an academic interest or emphasis.
This course must be taken at least once, and students are urged to take
it every semester. It includes individual and group directed study projects,
preparation for student-led courses, preparation for graduate school,
and group community action projects. Obviously, different people/groups
pursue different projects simultaneously. However, there are overarching
topics / issues each semester, with some invited guests or other activities
which engage the entire Forum from time to time.
9. Independent or Directed Study: Every students is required
to engage in at least one Independent or Directed study project (the Guidelines
for Independent Study are available from the Hutchins Office). Such work
can serve as preparation for Field Study, Study Away or Internship, or
for the projects suggested in #8. These can also help to clarify an area
of emphasis.
10. Field Study 396, Study Away 397 or Internship 499: This requirement
allows students to receive credit for experiences as diverse as: a period
of travel and formal study in a foreign country; an independent project
in a nearby city; an internship in a local school, business, or social
service agency; or substantial involvement in some other department or
program on this or some other campus. The Field Study, Study Away or Internship
(designed in collaboration with a faculty advisor) should be preceded
by a semester of Independent or Directed Study related to the expected
activities. Whether close at hand or far away, this experience should
help students reltate educational experiences to the larger world, and
such explorations can often lead to expanded career options.
11-14. Student Choice Liberal Studies: In order to
reach the 40 unit major requirement for graduation, students
take additional LIBS courses selected to fill educational
gaps and enrich the academic experience. These courses
should be chosen carefully, and might serve as the basis for
an area of emphasis (described elsewhere). Up to 9
units of coursework from other departments may be counted
towards the Liberal Studies Track I Interdisciplinary
Studies major, if it is justified by the nature of the
Hutchins emphasis and approved by your advisor.
Exceptions: LIBS 395 CIP does NOT count for the major, but
either University 301 "The Holocaust" or Social Science 305
"War and Peace" may be taken as LIBS student choices.
15. LIBS 402 Senior Synthesis: This course must be
taken ONLY in the semester in shich a student graduates.
Application to graduate must be filed. See KEY III
Graduation Procedures and Requirements Form.
KEY II AREA OF EMPHASIS (AE)
Fill in your courses as you complete them.
First and foremost you should realize that students in the Hutchins School
are in no way required to choose an area of emphasis. Indeed, the very
nature of the program is such that many students choose to range far and
wide as they explore the possibilities of a liberal education. Yet for
others, the interdisciplinary work and seminar-based process of the Hutchins
School lends itself to a more focused and clearly-defined area of personal
investigation. Often, a particular course or workshop or event will spark
a life-long interest in and passion for a particular endeavor. Sometimes
a student may come to realize how a question or issue can be addressed
from a variety of perspectives, and will choose to pursue that question
or issue through independent means. Frequently students' intellectual
and career/life interests allow them to connect, directly or indirectly,
with fellow students, teachers, authors and artists, professionals, and
members of the community with like minds. In these cases and many more,
an area of emphasis might be the best or most valuable approach to achieving
your goals and becoming learned in a chosen arena.
The purpose of the area of emphasis is to become part of a dialogue,
to enter into a conversation between yourself and your chosen focus. Your
participation may come through the selection of coursework within the
Hutchins School, within the context of a workshop or Forum meeting, or
as a result of off-campus field work or internships. Whatever the source
and whatever the theme, in selecting an area of emphasis you are choosing
to take control of your SSU education and your future. Through the questions
you pose, the courses you take, the projects you pursue, and the activities
you initiate, your emphasis can empower you in a practical way after you
graduate.
Student Information Box
- Title & Description: You and your advisor should
agree on how you wish your area of emphasis to be
designed and described.
- Signatures: The courses designated for your area of
emphasis must be authorized by you and your advisor.
Remember that courses outside of the Hutchins School must
be authorized by your advisor prior to your taking the
course to be counted towards an area of emphasis.
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Course Information Box
- LIBS Course: Your emphasis will often spark
from or be supported by Hutchins Core Courses, Workshops,
or other offerings. In this area you should list the LIBS
course or courses which stand as the foundation of your
emphasis.
- LIBS 305 The Hutchins Forum: Your initial
ideas about an emphasis can be expanded and developed in
LIBS 305, the Hutchins Forum. Examples may vary from
interdisciplinary foci (history, technology and social
policy, studies in social justice, culture and creative
expression, psychology and literature, etc.), to
preparation for traditional graduate study (pre-law,
pre-business, pre-medicine / health, pre-communications,
etc.), to pre-doctoral work in virtually any discipline.
List in this area any LIBS 305 projects that have
contributed to your emphasis.
- LIBS Independent or Directed Study Courses:
Independent or Directed Study allows you to develop
your emphasis. Students may, for example, develop an
annotated bibliography, plan a presentation for the
Forum, organize a community project, participate in the
Hutchins Center, and so forth. See available Guidelines
for Independent / Directed Study and list the projects
associated with your emphasis.
- Field Study, Study Away, or Internship: Students often apply
their required field study, study away, or internship directly to their
area of emphasis. Sometimes these courses can be used to investigate
career options or to make direct connections with organizations related
to a studnet's interests. Such courses enable students to related their
emphasis to the larger world in a more practical manner. To pursue field
study or internship opportunities, contact your advisor or speak with
a faculty member who shares your interest. For further information about
study away, contact the office of International Programs.
- Other Emphasis Courses: As you develop your emphasis you will
undoubtedly begin taking courses that support or augment your area of
interest. List in this section all courses you wish to specify as applicable
to your emphasis. Many of these will be LIBS courses, but up to 6 units
of coursework outside of the Hutchins School may be taken and applied
to the major with prior approval of your advisor. Additional courses
beyond the 6 units, or courses not approved for the major, may still
be applicable to the emphasis. Consult your advisor for clarification.
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NOTE: After completing your Track I interdisciplinary
Studies major, and depending on how many units you need to
complete the SSU requirement of 124 units, you may want to
extend your emphasis into a minor or into a second major in
another department. In either of these cases, you should
consult the SSU Catalog and speak with an advisor from your
minor or second-major department to insure completion of all
requirements and fulfillment of all expectations. Be advised
that because the Track I Interdisciplinary Studies major is
an individualized program, there is no standard way
to develop an emphasis.
KEY III GRADUATION PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS
Filing for Graduation: You must apply for graduation in the semester
before you intend to graduate; check the University schedule for the appropriate
date. Obtain the university Major/Minor Requirements Form (triplicate
form) and the Graduation Application form from the Hutchins Office and
proceed as follows:
- Copy your Hutchins Major Form (HMF) exactly onto the
university Major/Minor Requirements Form (MRF). You must
have at least 40 units in your major to graduate.
- See your Hutchins Advisor for review and
signature.
- Submit form the Hutchins Provost for signature (top
right mailbox outlined in blue).
- Fill out the Graduation Application form on which you
list all courses required for graduation that have NOT
been completed. When filling out this form, review the
graduation requirements to make sure you have completed
them. Those requirements are: minimum 124 units;
Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher; completion of all GE
requirements and the requirements to complete an academic
major.
- Submit both the Major/Minor Requirements form and the
Graduation Application form to the Office of Admissions
and Records. A copy of the MRF will be returned to you
after filing and will indicate if all university
requirements are completed.
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