School of Education

1996 Teacher Education Liberal Studies Requirements

For Students First Enrolled as New Freshmen, Summer 1996-Spring 2007, in Teacher Education Programs

The liberal studies requirements combine students' strengths and interests with an opportunity to explore a wide selection of courses offered across campus. Similarly, liberal studies courses can also be used to define, confirm, and explore major and minor options while counting toward graduation credit. The liberal studies requirements include course work in communication and quantitative reasoning, humanities, social studies, and science. Students will also need elective course work to reach the minimum of 40 credits. These requirements are identical for all UW-Madison teacher education students.

These specific requirements apply only to students in School of Education teacher education programs who began as new freshmen in the years indicated. Students who first enrolled as new freshmen summer 2007 and later must complete the 2007 Liberal Studies Requirements. Students interested in non-teacher education programs should consult the 1996 Liberal Studies Requirements for these programs. Students who began as freshmen before summer 1996 should consult with Education Academic Services staff for different requirements. Students with a previous degree, regardless of when they were first enrolled as freshmen, have satisfied the liberal studies requirements.

Completion of the liberal studies requirements is NOT a prerequisite to professional program application or admission. No liberal studies course work may be taken on a pass/fail basis. Courses taken from School of Education departments usually do not satisfy the liberal studies requirements; see details below.

Most liberal studies courses are offered by academic departments in the College of Letters and Science. Courses in other schools/colleges (excluding the School of Education) may meet a requirement if designated by a T or C in the last column of the Schedule of Classes (Timetable), or assigned a level or breadth code. Level codes may be Elementary (E), Intermediate (I), Advanced (A), or Intermediate/Advanced (D) level. The breadth (B) column in the Schedule of Classes (Timetable) identifies most course work with the following codes:

B Biological Science
S Social Science
H Humanities
W Social or Natural Science
L Literature
X Humanities or Natural Science
N Natural Science
Y Biological or Social Science
P Physical Science
Z Humanities or Social Science

For the most part, courses taken from School of Education departments may NOT be used to satisfy the liberal studies requirements. For example, PE Activ 100 Exercise, Nutrition, and Health, cannot count toward the liberal studies requirement even though it is coded as a biological science. Ed Psych 320 and RP & SE 300 cannot count toward liberal studies even though they are coded as social studies courses. Exceptions include Art and Dance courses on the fine arts list and some courses that are cross-listed in departments outside the School of Education. School of Education departments include Art, Art Education, Counseling Psychology, Curriculum and Instruction, Dance, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Educational Policy Studies, Educational Psychology, Kinesiology, PE Activity, and Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education.

While most students may apply any course work from the major or minor toward liberal studies requirements, students in Music Education may apply no more than 6 credits of music history and no more than 4 Art and Dance credits toward the 40 total credits. Art Education students may apply all of the aesthetics credits (usually 14) toward the liberal studies requirements. Communicative Disorders students should consult both this handout and the Communicative Disorders program requirements, particularly the "related courses" section, when selecting liberal studies course work.

While one course may cover two requirements, students must still complete both the 40-credit total and the 9-credit minimum requirements in humanities, social studies and science. For example, Theatre 120, a literature course also on the fine arts list, may be used to meet both the specific fine arts and literature requirements of the humanities area, but a total of 9 credits of humanities are still required.

Important notes regarding liberal studies course selection are provided below. Students should review these notes carefully to ensure that course selections actually match their intentions.

Liberal Studies Requirements—40 Credits

General Education Requirements

All new freshmen must complete a group of campus-wide, basic course requirements known as the General Education Requirements. This initiative is designed to provide all students with a comprehensive, well-rounded program of studies on the Madison campus. Each school or college implements these requirements slightly differently. The General Education requirements include communication and quantitative reasoning requirements as well as humanities/literature/arts, social studies, and natural science course work (included in the liberal studies requirements below).

Complete GER Communication Requirements Parts A and B

Complete GER Quantitative Reasoning Requirements Part A and B

Ethnic Studies Requirement

Students who began a degree program at UW-Madison (including freshmen, transfers, and second degree candidates) starting in fall 1989 and thereafter are required to complete three (3) credits of approved ethnic studies course work. This is a requirement for graduation. Teacher education students meet this requirement by satisfying the Minority Group Relations Requirement.

Humanities—9 credits

Complete a minimum of 9 credits to include Literature and Fine Arts:

Social Studies—9 credits

Complete a minimum of 9 credits to include Political Science, Western History, and Non-Western History/Non-Western Contemporary Culture:

Science—9 credits

Complete a minimum of 9 credits to include Biological and Physical Science. Must include one laboratory science course. Elementary Education, Secondary Social Studies, and Secondary Science students can use a science course from the environmental education course list to meet both the liberal studies and environmental education requirements.

Liberal Studies Electives

Additional course work to bring the total to 40 liberal studies credits. May include the general education requirements and credits from above categories with the exceptions noted below.

Important Notes Regarding the Liberal Studies Requirements