After graduation, Liberal Studies alumnus Diana Benavides (Class of 2003) worked with the Canadian-Mexican humanitarian organization "Caminamos Juntos Para Salud y Desarrollo" as a teacher and education program supervisor.
Liberal Studies Option I — Interdisciplinary Studies in Culture and Society — offers students the opportunity to pursue an integrative interdisciplinary course of study that will provide them with a broad base of knowledge and skills. The knowledge and skills developed in this option prepare students for careers in fields such as education, law, journalism, publishing, government, business, and non-profit work.
Students pursuing Option I have may take two 20-unit depth areas or one of the 40-unit concentrations listed below. For specific course lists, visit the department of Liberal Studies main office in ET A405.
Concentration in Science, Technology, and Medicine Studies (40 units)
Drawing from the traditions of critical science studies scholarship in a wide variety of disciplines, this concentration examines the social and cultural dimensions of science and its technological and medical applications. While deepening students' knowledge of the sciences, the concentration explores the social and cultural imperatives that shape science and its applications. It also studies the influence of the sciences on social formations and cultural productions. The concentration is designed for students interested in science-focused careers in law, journalism, education, publishing, government, business, and non-profit work. Students interested in careers in medicine should consult with the Health Careers Advisement Office (HCAO) located in the Biological Sciences building (rooms 106 and 110) to discuss the recommended courses and preparation appropriate for their career goals. You can also call the HCAO at (323) 343-6062 or visit their website.
Concentration in Women's and Gender Studies (40 units)
The Women's and Gender Studies Concentration is an interdisciplinary program of study that takes as its central object of study gender in culture and society. This concentration draws from the traditions of feminist scholarship in a wide variety of disciplines, from the natural and social sciences through the humanities and arts. Although the field of women's studies has always looked at the construction of gender and gendered roles and representations, the use of "gender studies" makes the focus both general and specific: students critically analyze gender in the context of class, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, and explore gender as a category that structures power, as a set of cultural meanings to be interpreted, and as a set of bodily performances.