A new bachelor of general studies degree program, available this fall at the Downtown Phoenix campus, will allow students a broad education and other benefits.
“It would help students who don’t have a specific discipline in mind,” said Mirna Lattouf, the program coordinator and senior lecturer in the School of Letters and Sciences. “We wanted to widen the range of opportunities for students.”
The degree requirements include two classes for all general studies majors: The ASU Experience for freshmen and Society and the Individual seminar.
Students then pick four clusters, which have themes, and pick three classes from each cluster. Cluster names include “Science, Technology and Society,” “Health Care” and “Society and Mass Media.”
“It’s a cooperative effort from all of these [Downtown] schools,” Lattouf said.
She said career services thought the degree was a good idea, since it prepares students for the workplace, with the overall theme being “Society and the Individual.”
“Because it is a general studies degree … any entry level positions anywhere would be available to the students,” Lattouf said.
Barbara Lafford, the faculty director for Languages and Cultures at the downtown Phoenix campus, has some familiarity with the new degree program, since there is a “Language and Culture” cluster.
Lafford said that there are three main purposes for the new general studies degree.
“[The degree is for] people that need a degree completion program … [and] people with a very broad array of interests,” Lafford said.
She added in an e-mail that the new degree program can also help students solve major problems in society.
“A broad background in different areas/clusters related to society and the individual can help these students apply that broad base of knowledge to solving problems that face humanity,” Lafford said.
She also said that the degree fits in well with the idea of the New American University.
“Social embeddedness is one of the design features of the New American University, and this degree helps students become productive and compassionate members of society,” Lafford said.
She added that although the degree is more of “breadth than depth in one area,” employers may like that.
“An employer today may be looking at someone with a lot of different skills,” Lafford said.
Frederick Corey, director of the School of Letters and Sciences and dean of the University College, said there are 100 expected declared majors by January 2010.
The degree was first discussed in a meeting of the deans in February 2008, he said.
“We developed the degree to respond to the needs of students who want a rigorous, robust and broad-based university education,” Corey said.
Reach the reporter at reweaver@asu.edu
