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California State University, Chico

Online Students

About the Liberal Studies Online Program

The Liberal Studies Online Option is a degree completion program for students who plan on teaching elementary school or desire a broad-based degree. Upon completion of our program you will have a Bachelor of Arts. If you plan on teaching you will need to enter a credential program before you are ready to teach. At this time Chico State does not offer an online credential program.

Meet the Standards for K – 8 Teachers and General Education Requirements

The general education requirements for the liberal studies major are unique in order to meet state content standards for K – 8 teachers. By completing the liberal studies major, students also satisfy general education requirements.

GE courses taken at other institutions may not meet liberal studies major requirements. All lower division courses and some upper division courses must be completed by taking equivalents at a community college or four-year institution. Check with a liberal studies advisor to determine which courses can be accepted.

Online students interested in the Liberal Arts (Non-teaching) option, will also complete the LBST specific general education course work at a community college and take upper division coursework online at CSU, Chico.

Alternative Choices for Upper Division Courses

In place of education related upper division courses, you may choose one of two minors available online:

Admissions Information

Students who live outside of Chico and meet university admission requirements are eligible to apply to the Liberal Studies Online Option. We are confident that this will be a rewarding and convenient way for you to complete your undergraduate liberal studies major.

How to Apply

  1. Visit admissions for current information, deadlines, and fees. Keep in mind the requirements for getting into the University are different than the requirements for our major.

  2. Do a preliminary self-evaluation of your transcripts by checking the major requirements and course descriptions. Check equivalencies for lower division courses online at Assist.org. Remember all of the lower division coursework must be done at a community college or other institution. Liberal studies has its own general education classes built into the major, so make sure you have taken the right classes, because other transferable GE classes may not satisfy major requirements. When you have approximately two semesters of community college work left to complete, it's time to apply for admission to CSU, Chico. Once you have been accepted, you may request a transcript evaluation by an advisor. Contact an Liberal Studies advisor when you see that your transcripts are posted on your portal account.

  3. Submit an application online at Cal State Apply.
    1. IMPORTANT! Be sure to declare liberal studies online as your major. This will indicate to admissions that you will be taking all or some of your classes via the Internet.
    2. Online LBST admission deadline is sometimes extended beyond the regular admission deadline. Please contact the admissions office to verify 530-898-6321.

Fees and Financial Aid

Fees for the Liberal Studies Online Pattern are the same as fees for on-campus students. For a thorough explanation of current costs, see Tuition & Registration Fees.

Financial aid may be available for online students. For information, please visit the Financial Aid website.