Public and Applied Liberal Arts Major, B.A., B.A.A., B.S.

B.A. degree, B.S. degree, or B.A.A. degree

Advisors: Christi Brookes, JoEllen DeLucia, Desmond Harding, Guy Newland, Greg Smith

This is a transdisciplinary program that combines liberal arts courses with an applied field. The program will bring to bear the power and expertise of the liberal arts to solve problems in professional and public fields. Using key skills taught in the humanities and the social sciences (cross-cultural awareness, writing, public speaking, qualitative and quantitative analysis, research, storytelling, and textual analysis), students will work toward real-world problem-solving in their applied fields.

Admission Requirements, Retention & Termination Standards

To declare a major, students must meet with a Public and Applied Humanities faculty advisor.

Note: It is recommended that students select a minor or undergraduate certificate in consultation with their major advisor.

Program Requirements

Core Courses I: Introduction and Methods (6 hours)

LAR 200	Introduction to the Public and Applied Liberal Arts	3(3-0)
LAR 201	The Creative Lab: Campus, City, Community	3(3-0)

Core Courses II: Communication and Teamwork (6 hours)

LAR 250	Storytelling for the Public Good	3(3-0)
LAR 302	Wicked Problems: Working toward the Public Good	3(3-0)

Core Courses III: Capstone and Internship (6-9 hours)

LAR 401	Capstone Seminar: Projects for the Public Good	3(3-0)
LAR 495	Internship in Public and Applied Liberal Arts	3-6(Spec)

Electives: Humanities and Social Sciences (3 hours)

Select one elective in consultation with and approval by a PALA advisor.

Professional and Applied Option Courses (18 hours)

Select one of the following options:

Option 1: Resilient Communities (18 hours)

The six-class goal of the Resilient Environment option is to take liberal arts skills and apply them to key twenty-first-century environmental issues. As climates and environments change, the next generation of change makers will need to lead governments, business, and non-profits through how to respond, plan, and prepare human decision making for a changing environment.

ENV 101	Introduction to Environmental Studies	3(3-0)
ENV 310	Environmental Issues Management	3(3-0)
ENV 312	Adapting To Our Changing Climate	3(3-0)
GEO 105	Physical Geography	3(2-2)
GEO 325	Resiliency of Socio-Ecological Systems	3(3-0)
GEO 331	Introductory Urban Planning	3(3-0)

Option 2: Entrepreneurship (18 hours)

The Entrepreneurship track will enable students in the Public and Applied Liberal Arts degree to have the skill set to start their own ventures and explore topics pertaining to the financial side of running a business, legal issues relating to new ventures, and digital entrepreneurship.

Required Courses I (12 hours)

BUS 100	Introduction to Business	3(3-0)
ENT 200	Introduction to Entrepreneurship	3(3-0)
ENT 301	Innovation & Entrepreneurship	3(3-0)
ENT 495	Venture Development	3(3-0)

Required Courses II (6 hours)

Select two of the following:

BLR 202	Legal Environment of Business	3(3-0)
ENT 210	Accounting Concepts for Entrepreneurs	3(3-0)
ENT 213	Economics for Entrepreneurs	3(3-0)
ENT 221	Marketing Strategies for Entrepreneurs	3(3-0)
ENT 300	Digital Entrepreneurship	3(3-0)
ENT 320	Financial Concepts and Entrepreneurial Ventures	3(3-0)
ENT 420	Legal Aspects of New Ventures	3(3-0)

Bulletins