Integrative studies - Clayton State University

Integrative studies from Clayton State University is a Campus Bachelor Liberal Studies degree that prepares you for a Liberal Arts career. The Integrative studies program allows students to create an individualized curriculum composed of courses and experiences which meet their individual career needs. This approach is different from many traditional, discipline-based baccalaureate programs which are designed in part to prepare students for advanced work in a specific academic discipline--a major in history or biology, for example. This flexibility enables students to develop academic plans that meet the ever-changing requirements of the world of work, but it also requires careful planning. Students should clarify their career or learning goals as they begin designing the components of their program. The bachelor's degree in Integrative Studies can also be an appropriate preparation for students planning to attend graduate school in certain disciplines and professions. Students may earn either a baccalaureate degree by completing a planned program of 120 semester credit hours or an associate's degree with a major in Integrative Studies upon the completion of Areas A-F of the Core Curriculum. Why is it called Integrative Studies? The program is called integrative because of its emphasis on clearly identified career or learning outcomes rather than on academic disciplines. The program allows students the opportunity to bring together--or integrate--courses from a wide variety of academic areas or disciplines to support their individual career goals. In addition to the courses available at Clayton State, students may elect to take courses on the campuses of the Atlanta Regional Consortium like Emory, Georgia State, or Agnes Scott, or they can take advantage of distance learning courses offered by those institutions or others. The program also integrates on-campus with community-based, experiential methods of learning. Workforce skills today require new competencies such as effective collaboration and teamwork which may not be available through classroom instruction alone; these skills must be learned, developed, and advanced in real work environments. For these reasons, internship placements which support this component are arranged for all students in the program. Clarification of Career/Learning Goals Since this program was developed to allow students to design individualized curriculum plans, the first step in the application process is the identification and clarification of career goals. These goals will shape the outcomes of individual programs--what students need to know and be able to do in order to be successful in the occupational or professional area chosen. This step is primarily the responsibility of students seeking admission to the program and will require considerable investigation and reflection prior to completion of the application process. Only if students have clear goals statements can faculty advisors effectively assist them in designing programs which are appropriate and which maximize the resources available. 1. Students who are already employed and who desire a baccalaureate degree to advance in their current career should meet with supervisors in order to identify the types of courses and experiences which would best equip them to succeed in their chosen line of employment. 2. Students who are not currently employed but who have a prospective career in mind should seek out and interview those who are successfully engaged in the line of work they desire to enter in order to identify the types of skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in the career desired. 3. Students who plan to advance to graduate or professional school after graduation should contact these schools to determine undergraduate requirements and to insure that a baccalaureate in Integrative Studies is an appropriate program to meet graduate prerequisites. In most cases, the Integrative Studies baccalaureate is acceptable for graduate and professional programs such as law which have few discipline-specific prerequisites. It is appropriate preparation for the new Master of Liberal Studies graduate degree program at Clayton State. On the other hand, it is likely not an appropriate choice for students planning to enter traditional, discipline-specific graduate programs such as those in math, biology, or physical science. View more details on Clayton State University . Ask your questions and apply online for this program or find other related Liberal Studies courses.