Undergraduate Degree

Bachelor of Science in General Studies

The Bachelor of Science in General Studies is the program of choice for the student who plans to become a skilled elementary classroom teacher. The General Studies program emphasizes:

awareness of the school's culture-building role in a free and productive society,

selection and use of the appropriate model of teaching and instructional materials to achieve the objective of a lesson,

awareness of the language, economic, racial and ethnic experiences that affect teaching and learning, and the professional skills to account for diversities,

transformation of academic content to pedagogy,

development of relationships with colleagues.

Requirements for the degree meet the state's requirements for a Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential with a Crosscultural, Language and Academic Development Emphasis. This credential authorizes a person to teach in a regular classroom or a classroom with limited-English-proficient students.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements are: a completed university application with an indication of GNST (General Studies) as the major and a grade point average of 2.75 (A = 4.0) in any previous undergraduate work. Admission decisions are made on the full application and not on any one criterion.

Unit Requirements

The total unit requirement for graduation is 128 units.

Grade Point Average Requirement

A 2.75 grade point average must be maintained for all courses taken in the major.

Advisement

Each student, immediately after admission, is assigned a faculty advisor. The faculty advisor is available to the student throughout the student's stay at USC and is ready to discuss topics of mutual professional interest.

Each student also has a staff advisor in the School of Education who can provide technical assistance regarding program requirements and procedures. Checkpoints with staff advisors have been established to assure regular, accurate advisement. These are: summer orientation and welcome by staff advisors; mandatory advisement for the first 24 units at USC; CTSE 130 Introduction to Curriculum Frameworks (1 unit) or a passing score on the examination during the first year at USC; Credential Essentials Workshop prior to enrolling in CTSE 410; student teaching interview, prior to enrolling in CTSE 424-425 Curriculum, Methods, and Directed Teaching; exit interview prior to application for the credential.

Notification of these events are sent by mail and/or announced in classes.

The advisement office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located in Waite Phillips Hall, Room 1001. The phone number is (213) 740-3471.

Diversity Requirement

All students must pass one course from the list of courses approved to meet the standard diversity requirement. These courses carry the designation "m" for multiculturalism.

Course Requirements

Subject Areas	76 units
Concentration	16 units
Subject Area/Professional	9 units
Professional	27 units
	______
Total	128 units

Subject Areas

Requirements		Units
Composition Skill Level: Expository Writing 101 and
	Expository Writing 102 or equivalent	8
Foreign Language II and III (2 courses)		8
The Natural World (one course must have a lab)
	Earth Sciences (1 general education course)	4
	Life Sciences (1 GE course)	4
	Physical Sciences (1 GE course)	4
American Public Life (1 GE course)		4
Western Culture I (1 GE course)		4
Western Culture II (1 GE course)		4
Non-Western Cultures (1 GE course)		4
Literature (1 GE course)		4
Empirical Approaches (1 GE course)		4
Ethical Approaches (1 GE course)		4
The Arts (one course in art and one in music;
	one course must have hands-on experience)
	1 GE course	4
	1 GE or other course	4
Mathematics
	MATH 040x Basic Mathematical Skills
	or Placement Examination	0
	MATH 200 Elementary Mathematics from
	an Advanced Standpoint	4
U.S. History and Constitution
	HIST 200 The American Experience, or
	GEOG 222 Geography of American Politics	4
Physical Education
	EXSC 300L Physiology of Exercise	4

General education (GE) courses are chosen from the list of courses published in the USC Catalogue and the General Education Addendum.

Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995
Joye Day
day@mizar.usc.edu