Liberal Arts

Degrees & Programs

Design Your Own Degree

The Liberal Arts programs are designed for students who want to continue their education at senior colleges and to engage in studies leading to careers in the arts and sciences. Students in these programs choose from a wealth of courses offered by the Education and Language Acquisition, English, Humanities, Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Science, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences departments.

Design your own degree in either Social Science & Humanities or Mathematics & Science by choosing courses that match your interests or transfer plans, or choose from one of our eleven Liberal Arts options! Shape

Liberal Arts Programs at LaGuardia

Liberals Arts has two broad majors, Liberal Arts Social Sciences and Humanities and Liberal Arts Mathematics and Science, as well as 11 Options you can add to your major (ten for Social Science and Humanities and one for Mathematics and Science).

Options are sub-programs that offer a coordinated grouping of courses, typically 21 credits, representing a specialization or emphasis within a major field. Review the Degree Map for each Option, and speak to your advisor if you are interested in selecting one.

Liberal Arts: Social Science and Humanities A.A

For students who want an early start in planning for a liberal arts-related career, the program offers a number of courses offered in such areas as art, music, media, literature, theater, film, philosophy, journalism, and Latin American studies, to choose from.

• Deaf Studies Option (A.A degree)
• Ethnic Studies Option (A.A. degree)
• History Option (A.A degree)
• International Studies Option (A.A degree)
• Japanese Option (A.A degree)
• Journalism Option (A.A degree)
• Latin American Studies Option (A.A degree)
• Political Science Option (A.A degree)
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages TESOL/Linguistics Option (A.A degree)
• Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Option (A.A degree)

Liberal Arts: Math and Science A.S

For students interested in pursuing a career in mathematics, the sciences, engineering, medicine or allied health fields. The science and mathematics courses are designed specifically to meet the requirements of those students who wish to continue their education beyond the Associate degree.

• Applied Mathematics Option (A.S degree)

First Year Seminar

During your first semester, your First-Year Seminar (LIF101 or LMF101) instructor will be your advisor. They will help you be sure that you are in the right major, and help you plan your course of study at LaGuardia while also preparing for transfer or a career.

• LIF101 First Year Seminar for Liberal Arts Social Science and Humanities
• LMF101 First Year Seminar for Liberal Arts Math and Science

Learning Communities

Liberal Arts students have the opportunity to take courses in learning communities (also called pairs and clusters). These combine your science, math, and humanities courses around a theme and help you make connections.

Co-curricular Activities

Co-curricular activities are wide ranging, and include everything from participating in invited speaker’s presentations, workshops, student clubs, and ethnic celebration events. You can also go on a local field trip, watch a theater production in the college theater, or work with faculty on a research project. Your co-curricular experience outside the classroom makes what happens inside the classroom come alive for you. Speak with your professor to learn more about co-curricular activities that you can take part in.

Capstone LIB200

The Liberal Arts Seminar explores aspects of the relationship between humanism, science and technology. Students apply knowledge and critical strategies developed in other courses to significant contemporary and historical issues. The Seminar draws on texts from the Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Sciences as students explore ways developments in science and technology contribute to abuses as well as advances in civilizations. Students also reflect on the responsibilities of citizenship in a diverse society. As a capstone course, this seminar is designated writing intensive.

Career, Transfer and Articulation Agreements

In college, you’ll learn new subjects and develop new interests, and the Liberal Arts major at LaGuardia gives you the flexibility to explore a wide range of subjects while you are earning your degree. A liberal arts education will teach you to think critically, communicate effectively, and take an active role in your communities: it prepares you for almost any transfer major and for all sorts of jobs, even jobs in fields that don’t exist yet! Explore career possibilities on Career Connect.

An articulation agreement is an agreement between two schools that allows course credit at one school to be accepted or transferred and applied toward a degree at another school. Check out the articulation website to see which Liberal Arts programs have agreements.

Document Your Journey as a Liberal Arts Scholar Through the Liberal Arts Core E-portfolio

The Liberal Arts core ePortfolio helps you to craft your own definition of Liberal Arts at the beginning of matriculation, to reflect on how each class grows your liberal arts identity and to reflect on how you have grown as a liberal arts scholar during your time at LaGuardia.