Liberal Studies for education

Liberal Studies is an interdisciplinary program that prepares students to become effective teachers in the diverse classrooms of the 21st century. If you want to teach in PreK-8 classrooms or in county school alternative classrooms, Liberal Studies will put you on a path to your future career.

Core courses help students understand child development, the social and political forces shaping schools, effective teaching practices and educational research. You will develop your own teaching philosophy and gain experience working with students to make sure that teaching is the career for you.

Liberal Studies students also take a range of courses to prepare them to teach multiple subjects at the elementary level. These required courses in science, math, humanities and art satisfy most of the Liberal Arts Inquiry requirements for graduation at University of Redlands.

Double Major Requirement -- Students are required to complete a second major to develop a deeper understanding of at least one subject area. Students are encouraged to select a subject area that could provide flexibility for a student to also earn a single subject area credential to teach at the high school level in addition to the multiple subject teaching credential or to open a pathway into a second profession or graduate study. Common second majors include Spanish, History, Communication Sciences and Disorders, English, Math, Psychology, Race and Ethnic Studies, and Environmental Science.

Students interested in California multiple subject and single subject credentials for PreK-12 can begin the Undergraduate Teacher Credential Pathway at the University of Redlands School of Education.

Advising for all Students interested in a Career in Teaching

Students who want to be PreK-12 teachers should seek early advising by Liberal Studies faculty.  You don’t have to major in Liberal Studies to pursue your teaching credential, but we can help you prepare for credentialing and choose the path to a teaching career that suits you best. We also help you to cultivate mentors and professional contacts in local school districts and give you the opportunity to take classes from guest teachers and principals.

We invite you to make an appointment with our program director Deon Garcia.