CRITERIA FOR LIBERAL STUDIES AREA III:
HISTORY/SOCIAL SCIENCES

SCOPE

History: To study the past is to help mold the future by providing the basis for informed judgments. The study of history provides important personal, political, cultural, and social experience in the present. Liberal Studies should present a broad introduction to significant aspects of historical study. Courses in world history or in major regions of the globe should cover a relatively long extent of time and broad issues. Courses in United States history should be surveys either of our national history or of the experience of significant groups in that history.

Social Sciences: The Social Sciences deal with human behavior in its social and cultural aspects. The role of social science liberal studies courses is to provide individuals with the fundamental skills to critically examine and evaluate their place in society and, more generally, develop an understanding of the network of relationships of people at group, community, national, and world levels. An understanding of the ethical foundations, as well as behavioral components of social change, should also be provided. These courses systematically describe and analyze social, political, and economic reality and attempt to explain and predict outcomes of alternative social actions.

CRITERIA

Courses must fall within the scope of history or social sciences as described above.

• Courses should deal with fundamental concepts, principles, and processes stressing general disciplinary knowledge as opposed to narrower specialized knowledge, such as courses designed for upper division majors.
• Courses should have no prerequisites.

The following statement must be included in the course syllabus:

The Liberal Studies Program at Florida State University has been designed to provide a perspective on the qualities, accomplishments, and aspirations of human beings, the past and present civilizations we have created, and the natural and technological world we inhabit. This course has been approved as meeting the requirements for Liberal Studies Area III, History and Social Science, and in combination with your other Liberal Studies courses, provides an important foundation for your lifelong quest for knowledge.

Revised: 11/07