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LBST FAQ

• Where do I find a list of courses that are required for the LBST-ESM major?

  Go to the  ACL worksheets to find your required courses based on your catalog (requirement) term.  

• How do I know which color of Approved Course List (ACL) to use?

  Liberal Studies students with catalog years before Fall 2025 use color-coded Approved Course Lists (ACL) that are based on the year that the student started the LBST program.  This is called your requirement term or catalog year.  

  Approved Course List by Program

  Year started LBST program	ACL to follow
  2004-2015	PINK
  2016-2018	BLUE
  2019-2020	GOLD
  2021	GREY
  2022-2024	GREEN
  2025	WHITE

  If you are not sure of your requirement term, you can find this information in your student center in the Academics tab or at the top of your Academic Requirements Report. 

• What are the different Depth of Study/Area of Focus choices; what classes are required?

  If your requirement term is before Fall 2019, your curriculum includes a Depth of Study section.  There are 16 options that you can choose from, each consisting of 15-16 units.  You can find the options and specific courses on the Depth of Study Worksheets page.

  If your requirement term is Fall 2019 or later, your curriculum includes an Area of Focus. The course requirements for each area of focus is included on your Approved Course List.

• How do I declare my Depth of Study/Area of Focus?

  How to Declare your Area of Focus

  1. To declare your Area of Focus, go to your Student Center in your myÌÇÐÄÉÙÅ® account.
  2. In the dropdown menu on the left side of the page, select 'Change of Major or Minor'.
  3. Click the link at the bottom of the next page to Proceed to Change Major.
  4. Your major should show 'Liberal Studies BA'. Click ‘Change’.
  5. Select 'Liberal Studies-Elem Subj BA' in the drop-down list for major. The Required Subplans dropdown menu will show under the major.  Click to open the Subplan dropdown. Select your Area of Focus from the list of options. Click OK.
  6. Be sure to confirm your selection at the bottom of the page.
• Can I double count any of my classes in my Depth of Study?

  For students in the Pink and Blue catalog years, you can double count only two classes between your major requirements and Depth of Study requirements.

  Students in catalog years from 2019 and later will follow the ACL with no double counting in their concentrations.

• Why don’t I see all my classes in my Degree Planner? What are ‘Declare Option’ lines?

  If you have not yet selected your Area of Focus, your ARR and Degree Planner will not show all your remaining classes and instead show ‘declare option’ on a number of lines.  Once you select your Area of Focus, your ARR and Degree Planner will automatically update with your remaining classes.

• Why are the Liberal Studies GE requirements different than other majors?

  Because the LBST major prepares students to be teachers in the state of California, the requirements must meet the California Standards for Multiple Subject Preparation for future K-8 teachers.  Coursework is selected to address the seven core subject matter areas of the K-8 curriculum: Reading, Language & Literature; History & Social Science; Mathematics; Science; Visual & Performance Arts; Human Development; and Physical Education.

  Because of this, LBST students are required to take additional lower division courses that count for their major.  This can affect students changing majors into LBST as even though a GE class will count for other majors, it may not count for the LBST major.

  In addition, LBST majors must earn a C or higher in all GE and major requirement courses.  If you earn a C- or lower, you will need to repeat that course for it to count for the major.

• What is the process for becoming a California State teacher?
  The best resource for understanding the process for becoming a teacher in California can be found .
• What additional classes do I need to take for the ÌÇÐÄÉÙÅ® Credential Program?

  EDUC 350, 364 and 422 are prerequisites for the ÌÇÐÄÉÙÅ® Credential program.  You must earn a C+ or higher for these courses to count towards your School of Education credential application.

• Where can I get specific information about teaching credentials and the application process?
   

  The School of Education (SOE) in the College of Education, Health and Human Services (CEHHS) houses all the credential programs at ÌÇÐÄÉÙÅ®.  You can find more information, including credential advisors contact information and credential information sessions at the SOE credential website. 

• How can I get credit for a course I took at another university to count for a requirement?

  If you take a class at a California Community College, you can use to show articulated courses from community colleges that meet requirements for the Liberal Studies major. 

  If a class from a transfer university is not listed in Assist.org as meeting a requirement for the LBST major, or if your transfer course is not meeting a requirement that you thought it did, you need to submit a petition for the course to be reviewed by faculty for similar course content. 

  Course Match courses (CSUFullyOnline) need to be pre-approved by faculty in order for a course to meet a requirement for the LBST major.  Use the LBST petition form to submit your request.

• What is a Supplemental Authorization?
  For more information on Supplemental Authorization see School of Education.  You can also visit the SOE advising office in University Hall 221.