Program Overview

Liberal Arts

A Path to Multiple Degree and Career Options

Program Overview

The Liberal Arts program offers a flexible, balanced academic course of study that fully prepares you for transfer to a four-year college. This program allows you to choose within several required course categories and focus your studies through general education courses. You can explore a personal interest or meet requirements of a transfer institution’s major. Liberal Arts is also ideal for students currently undecided about career goals who wish to sample different areas of study and select those which fit them best.

Program Details

• Program Duration: 2 Year Program
• Degree Type: Associate in Arts (A.A.)
• Total Credit Hours: 61

About This Program

Explore a wide range of subjects and courses while developing critical thinking and communication skills. The Liberal Arts program provides a clear educational path for many students at Community College of Philadelphia that also offers the opportunity to clarify their interests and career goals. It is designed for students planning to transfer to baccalaureate programs after study at the College.

Transfer Opportunities

• A private university known for its diverse academic programs and global perspective, located in Glenside, Pennsylvania.
• Public university in central Pennsylvania offering diverse programs.
• A private liberal arts college located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, offering a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs.
• A private research university in Philadelphia known for co-op programs and innovation.
• A private Christian university known for its faith-based education.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program graduates will be able to:

• Think critically about ideas and concepts in the arts, humanities, social and natural sciences, and mathematics to analyze complex personal, social, and global issues.
• Communicate in oral, creative, and written modes in ways that reflect the situation, audience, and conventions of the medium.
• Analyze content across disciplines to discern and respect diverse experiences and perspectives, such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and ability, from both local and global points of view.
• Question, investigate and solve problems using scientific and quantitative reasoning.

Semester 1

In the first 24 credits, students must complete: ENGL 101, ENGL 102, CIS 103, one Mathematics, one Social Science, one Humanities, one Communication course.

• FYE 101 - First Year Experience (3 credits)
• ENGL 101 - English Composition I or ENGL 101H - English Composition I (Honors) (3 credits)
• CIS 103 - Introduction to Information Technology (3 credits)
• FNMT 101 - Quantitative Reasoning or FNMT 118 - Intermediate Algebra or MATH 161 - Precalculus I or higher (3 credits)
• HIST 101 - United States History: Colonial America through the Revolutionary Period or PSYC 101 - Introduction to Psychology or PSYC 101H - 101H Introduction to Psychology (Honors) or SOC 101 - Introduction to Sociology or SOC 101H - Introduction to Sociology (Honors) or ANTH 101- Introduction to Anthropology (3 credits)

Semester 2

In the first 24 credits, students must complete: ENGL 101, ENGL 102, CIS 103, one Mathematics, one Social Science, one Humanities, one Communication course.

• ENGL 102 - The Research Paper or ENGL 102H - The Research Paper (Honors) (3 credits)
• BLAS 101 - Introduction to Black Studies or HIST 121 - World History: The Distant Past or HIST 122 - World History: The Recent Past or HUM 101 - Cultural Traditions: Ancient to the 13th Century or HUM 101H - Cultural Traditions: Ancient to the 13th Century (Honors) or HUM 102 - Cultural Traditions: 14th Century to the Present or HUM 102H - Cultural Traditions: 14th Century to the Present (Honors) or World Language 101: Arabic, Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, or Spanish or ENGL 190 - Introduction to Literature or any 200-level English course (with the exception of ENGL 214) (3 credits)
• ENGL 115 - Public Speaking or ENGL 116 - Interpersonal Communication or ENGL 117- Group/Team Communication or ENGL 118 - Intercultural Communication (3 credits)
• BIOL 106 - General Biology I or CHEM 105 - Inquiry into Chemistry (4 credits)
• General Elective (3 credits)

Semester 3

Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 or higher ("C" average) Meet with assigned Advisor to finalize last 15 credits based on transfer institution

• ANTH 112 - Cultural Anthropology or HIST 102 - United States History: The Civil War and the 19th Century or HIST 103 - United States History: The 20th Century and Beyond or HIST 103H - United States and Pennsylvania History: The 20th Century (Honors) or PSYC 205 - Psychopathology/Abnormal Psychology or PSYC 215 - Developmental Psychology or PSYC 215H - Developmental Psychology (Honors) or SOC/POLS 230 - Political Activism and Social Movements or SOC 231- Social Problems or SOC 233 - Race, Ethnicity and Social Inequalities (3 credits)
• General Elective (3 or 4 credits)
• BLAS 102 - Global Black Theory and Social Change or HIST 121 - World History: The Distant Past or HIST 122 - World History: The Recent Past or HUM 101 - Cultural Traditions: Ancient to the 13th Century or HUM 101H - Cultural Traditions: Ancient to the 13th Century (Honors) or HUM 102 - Cultural Traditions: 14th Century to the Present or World Language 102: Arabic, Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, or Spanish or ENGL 190 - Introduction to Literature or any 200-level English course (with the exception of ENGL 214) (3 credits)
• ENGL 250 -Women in Literature or GS 101- Intro to Gender Studies or GS 110 - Global Perspectives in Gender Studies or PHIL 202 - Philosophy of Love & Sexuality or PSYC 202 - Philosophy of Love or SOC 115 - Gender and Society (3 credits)
• ANTH 211 - African Peoples and Cultures or ANTH 215 - Peoples and Cultures of Asia or GLS 101 - Introduction to Global Studies or GEOG 103 - Introduction to Human Geography or GS 110 - Global Perspectives in Gender Studies or HUM 130 - Introduction to Japanese Culture and Civilization or HUM 150 - Introduction to Latin American Cultures and Civilizations or HUM 170 - Middle East Cultures and Civilizations or HUM 180 - Introduction to African Cultures and Civilization or RS 151/PHIL 151 - World Religions (3 credits)
• ART 103 - History of Art: Ancient to Renaissance or ART 103H - History of Art: Ancient to Renaissance (Honors) or ART 104 - History of Art II: Renaissance to Modern or ART 104H - History of Art: Renaissance to Modern (Honors) or ART 105 - Drawing I or ART 109 - Ceramics I or ENGL 131 - Acting I or ENGL 137 - Introduction to Theater or ENGL 205 - Creative Writing or MUS 103 - Introduction to Music or PHOT 101 - Introduction to 35mm Film Camera and Darkroom Techniques or PHOT 105 - Introduction to Digital Photography (3 or 4 credits)

Semester 4

• GEOG 180 - Urban Geography or JUS 101- Survey of Criminal Justice or PHIL 101 - Introduction to Philosophy or POLS 111 - American Government or POLS 111H - American Government (Honors) or POLS 117 - City and State Government and Politics, with Cases from Philadelphia and Pennsylvania or PSYC 221 - Social Psychology or SOC 215 - Criminology (3 credits)
• ENGL 260 -Women in Literature or GS 101- Intro to Gender Studies or GS 110 - Global Perspectives in Gender Studies or PHIL 202 - Philosophy of Love & Sexuality or PSYC 202 - Philosophy of Love or SOC 115 - Gender and Society (3 credits)
• ANTH 211 - African Peoples and Cultures or ANTH 215 - Peoples and Cultures of Asia or GLS 101 - Introduction to Global Studies or GEOG 103 - Introduction to Human Geography or GS 110 - Global Perspectives in Gender Studies or HUM 130 - Introduction to Japanese Culture and Civilization or HUM 150 - Introduction to Latin American Cultures and Civilizations or HUM 170 - Middle East Cultures and Civilizations or HUM 180 - Introduction to African Cultures and Civilization or RS 151/PHIL 151 - World Religions (3 credits)
• General Elective (3 or 4 credits)
• CHEM 103 - Fundamentals of Chemistry I (Non-Lab Based) or EASC 111 - Environmental Conservation or EASC 111H - Environmental Conservation (Honors) or PHYS 108 - Descriptive Astronomy (3 credits)

Career Outlook

• Median Salary: $61,539
• Number of Jobs in the Region: 564
• 10-year Job Outlook in the Region: +4.6%

Featured Career

• Program Directors
  • Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in preparation of radio or television station program schedules and programs, such as sports or news.
  • Starting Pay: $30,145
  • Typical Tasks:
    • Plan and schedule programming and event coverage, based on broadcast length, time availability, and other factors, such as community needs, ratings data, and viewer demographics.
    • Coordinate activities between departments, such as news and programming.
    • Monitor and review programming to ensure that schedules are met, guidelines are adhered to, and performances are of adequate quality.
    • Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in broadcast news, sports, or programming.
    • Check completed program logs for accuracy and conformance with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules and regulations and resolve program log inaccuracies.

Related Programs

• Liberal Arts — Honors Option
• Liberal Arts — Social/Behavioral Science
• English