Overview
The B.A. in Liberal Studies degree provides students with a flexible, customizable path to a bachelor’s degree that puts you in the driver’s seat of your education. The program combines a toolkit of foundational skills with student-designed concentrations that reflect your unique interests and career goals. All Liberal Studies majors complete core foundational courses that develop critical skills in analysis of reasoning and data, as well as global awareness, while gaining career readiness through a required internship experience. The major culminates with a bilingual interdisciplinary capstone project that integrates learning across disciplines. Design Your Own Concentration The signature feature of Liberal Studies is the ability to create your own concentration by combining any two minors from across Gallaudet’s curriculum—whether pairing criminal justice with ethics, linguistics with ASL, education with business administration, or any other combination that aligns with your passions and professional aspirations. This is your opportunity to design a degree that truly reflects who you are and where you want to go. The Liberal Studies major is ideal for students whose interests pull them in multiple directions or who don’t find the right fit in a traditional major. It offers structure through established minors while providing the freedom to innovate, explore interdisciplinary connections, and craft an educational experience that’s uniquely yours.
Program at a Glance
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On campus
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120
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4
Courses & Requirements
Summary of Requirements
| 2025-2026 | |
| Core Curriculum | 43 |
| Required LST Coursework | 12-13 |
| Required Concentration Courses | 36+ |
| Free Elective Courses | 28-29 |
| TOTAL | 120 |
All Gallaudet students must earn a GPA of at least 2.0 to graduate. Beyond this, the Liberal Studies major does not require any particular GPA. However, some Gallaudet minors do have minimum GPAs. LST students need to satisfy all requirements of the minor(s) that are included in their concentration, including any GPA requirements.
To declare a Liberal Studies major, complete ASL 125 and ENG 102, or equivalents, and consult with your Academic Advisor and the LST Program Director.
Choose one reasoning/rhetoric analysis course (3 credits) from:
Study of media literacy, including techniques and strategies used to analyze the use of diverse media to inform, entertain, and sell. Examines diverse media messages in advertisements, television, film, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet.
The purpose of this course is to help students learn how to analyze, critique, and construct arguments. It will enhance the student's ability to read, reason, and write clearly. In this course we will look at visual media, including TV news, newspapers, and short essays by philosophers and analyze them according to what constitutes a well-reasoned argument and what does not.
Choose one data analysis course (3 credits) from:
This course is designed to expose students to the variety of features in ASL by recognizing and considering the ways those features are demonstrated in naturalistic data. Students will compile a collection of data sets, which will allow them to investigate ASL features. Critical analysis of ASL features including ASL fingerspelling, sentence types, and non-manual aspects of the language reinforces students' abilities in creating, utilizing, and analyzing ASL materials for the purpose of academic research, pedagogy, and resources.
ASL 290
This course is an introductory class that aims to show the students the main problems and methods of data science with a minimal mathematical background. The course covers basic data science concepts and algorithms with an emphasis in real-life applications and gaining a broad understanding of the area.
MAT 101, 102, 125, or MAT 130
Problems of research planning; collection, analysis, and presentation of research data. Significant studies from various fields of sociology and related disciplines exemplifying different research approaches will be analyzed.
SOC 101
Choose one global awareness course (3 - 4 credits) from:
Other courses with strong global content may also qualify; consult with the LST program director. Students may satisfy the global awareness requirement with a COIL course or study abroad experience.
This course is the first part of a two-semester course sequence. This course combines an intensive study of the principles of grammar and usage of the language with exposure to various aspects of Francophone [French-speaking] culture(s), including the cultures of Deaf communities abroad. The course focuses on basic vocabulary building, reading, translation, and composition. A contrastive grammar approach will be incorporated, drawing upon elements of English and ASL, and French signs (LSF), as appropriate. When offered face to face, the course has four hours of classroom instruction plus an additional, required weekly hour in the department's Learning Laboratory. When offered on-line or as hybrid, the lab hour is part of the on-line component.
An overview of historical and contemporary African religions inclusive of a variety of practices indigenous to specific ethnicities as well as enculturated forms of African Christianity and Islam. Attention is given to the impact of colonialism and how the variegated religious practices of the worldwide African diaspora are influenced by African Religious worldviews.
This is the first part of a two-semester course sequence. This course combines an intensive study of the principles of grammar and usage of the language with basic vocabulary building, reading, composition, and translation of elementary texts. A contrastive grammar approach will be incorporated, drawing upon elements of English and ASL. Students will also be exposed to aspects of the target culture(s), including information on Deaf communities abroad. When offered face to face, the course has four hours of classroom instruction plus an additional, required weekly hour in the department's Learning Laboratory. When offered on-line or as hybrid, the lab hour is part of the on-line component.
This course is designed to build basic knowledge and skills of Lengua de Senas Mexicana (LSM) and Mexican Deaf culture. Students are expected to develop basic expressive and receptive skills, through signs and grammar lessons and interactive activities. The visual and spatial language, LSM will be taught with cultural context and brief Mexican Deaf history, as well. This course is designed to teach students the fundamentals needed to initiate and partake in, and understand basic LSM conversations with LSM users.
This course designs to continue the development of Lengua de Senas Mexicana (LSM) and emphasize development and refinement of comprehension, production, and interpersonal skills as well as deepening understanding of Mexican Deaf Culture. The visual and spatial language, LSM II will be taught with cultural context and brief Mexican Deaf history, as well. This course is designed to teach students the fundamentals needed to initiate and partake in, and understand intermediate LSM conversations with LSM users.
WLC 101 with a grade of B or better or equivalent, and permission of department chair.
This course provides a multidisciplinary introduction to the plethora of challenges Africa presently faces as a result of its colonial legacy, its economic under-development, its tribalism, and the devastation triggered by wars, AIDS, other diseases, and natural or man-made disasters. The focus of this course is to look for possible answers to the question, ¿Why does Africa struggle?¿ Students will apply knowledge, modes of inquiry, and technological competence from the fields of History, Government, Cultural Studies, and Literature to understand the complexity of the issues that shape the lives of people in Africa. Particular attention will be given to the issues that affect deaf Africans. Students will optionally participate in a service learning project in conjunction with and on behalf of Deaf people in an African country of their choice.
Build-a-Bison Concentration
- Complete any two Gallaudet minors (minors range from 15 to 30 credits; the majority are 18 – 21 credits)
- Two 9-credit microcredentials may substitute for one of the above minors.
- While any minors or microcredentials may be chosen, remember, you will need to draw connections between them in your capstone!
Concentration credits must add up to at least 36.
- Internship (0+ credits)
- LST 400 Liberal Studies Capstone (3 credits) Each student will create a capstone project that integrates methodologies of the disciplines included in their concentration to address a central question or issue. Capstone activities may vary, from creative endeavors to research projects to literary analyses. But all must result in substantial, sophisticated bilingual (signed and written) products. Prerequisite: LST major, permission of LST program director
Opportunities
Graduates of the Liberal Studies program are well-prepared for advanced degrees in law, business, public policy, education, and communication. Gallaudet offers access to 25+ graduate and certificate programs and 18 research labs, providing valuable opportunities for students to continue their education and deepen their expertise in their chosen field.
A degree in Liberal Studies offers exceptional flexibility, preparing graduates with strong critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills applicable across industries. Career paths include: Business & Marketing: Marketing Specialist, Human Resources Coordinator, Public Relations Specialist Education: Teacher (K–12), Academic Advisor, Librarian Media & Communications: Journalist, Editor, Social Media Manager Government & Public Service: Legislative Assistant, Policy Analyst, Nonprofit Program Coordinator Law & Criminal Justice: Paralegal, Legal Assistant, Police Officer or Detective Arts & Culture: Graphic Designer, Museum Curator, Event Planner Technology & Research: Technical Writer, Market Research Analyst, UX Designer Entrepreneurship: Small Business Owner or Freelance Professional Liberal Studies graduates are known for their adaptability and leadership, often achieving some of the highest mid-career wage growth nationwide.
Students can customize their education by selecting two minors from more than 40 options across the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. This flexibility, combined with a capstone course and internship opportunity, helps students connect their studies to real-world applications and professional goals.
Admissions
Learn about Gallaudet’s admissions requirements, steps to apply, application deadlines and more at our Undergraduate Admissions page.
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