Major In Liberal Arts

Degree Requirement Summary (DRS)

Under the rubric of Liberal Arts, students may design

  • a single concentration in a discipline such as behavioral sciences, economics, government, law, mathematical sciences, modern languages, or natural sciences; or
  • an interdisciplinary concentration in areas such as communication, environmental sciences, gender studies, interpersonal and social relations, 
    and legal studies. 

Students will work with David Curley and faculty advisors from appropriate departments to construct a major within the framework of the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts. 

Liberal Arts Concentrations
 

Interdisciplinary Studies

Coordinator: David Curley, AAC 235, ext. 3496

The Interdisciplinary Studies Program supports development of new courses that integrate major concepts, concerns and questions from different academic disciplines. Courses are often designed and taught jointly by faculty from business and the arts and sciences departments. 

ID courses may be applied to a variety of elective slots, depending on course content: behavioral or social sciences, humanities, arts and science, unrestricted, and sometimes management-related electives. 

Law

Pre-Law Program: The Law Department has established a unique advising/mentoring program for students interested in pursuing a career in law or a law-related field. Students may select a full-time Law faculty member as a Law Mentor who acts as an adviser and will assist the student in selecting a major, choosing courses that focus on the steady development of key communication and analytical skills necessary for a career in law.  All Law faculty possess Doctorates in Law (JD) and are attorneys with practical legal experience. If interested, please contact Department Chair, Stephen Lichtenstein. 

Bentley Service Learning Program activities, through course work, hands-on experience and internships are extensive.  The Bentley Consumer Action Line (BCAL), a consumer mediation program, is part of the Bentley Service Learning Project and operates under the auspices of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. Interested students should contact John Hayward, BCAL Faculty Coordinator, MOR. 335, x. 2426. Other Service Learning opportunities include volunteering at Greater Boston Legal Services, and the U.S. Government Federal Records (Archives) Center in Waltham. At the Center, students volunteer as public information officers expediting public requests for federal court records and documents. If interested, please contact Department Chair, Stephen Lichtenstein.
The following Law courses are designated as Arts and Science courses and may be used to satisfy social science, arts and science, and unrestricted elective requirements:

  • LA 101 Law and Society
  • LA 103 Consumer Law
  • LA 104 Gender and the Law
  • LA 105 Race and the Law
  • LA 106 Outsiders and the Law
  • LA 108 Moot Court (honors course)
  • LA 109 Law and Ethics for Cybersociety
  • ID 245 English Origins of American Law (1-week intensive in London, England)      

All other law courses are business-related and may be used to satisfy unrestricted or business elective requirements. 

Note: LA 104 (Gender and the Law), LA 105 (Race and the Law), LA 106 (Outsiders and the Law), LA 210 (Business Law I), LA 211 (Business Law II), LA 300 (Cyberlaw), LA 308 (International Business Law), LA 311( Real Estate Law), LA 313 (Securities Regulation) and LA 315 (Alternative Dispute Resolution in Business) are offered only to students who have taken GB 103 (Legal Environment of Business) or LA 200 (Legal Environment of Business). 

Modern Languages

Through the Modern Languages Department, students may develop a concentration within the liberal arts framework, pursue a minor, complete the required language requirement for the bachelor of arts, or satisfy humanities, arts and science, or unrestricted electives. Courses focus on both language and culture, providing an excellent exposure to our global community. Advanced work is available in Spanish and French literature and culture; Japanese, and Italian through intermediate level, Chinese through the elementary level.

Because language courses are offered on a rotating basis and entail proper placement, students who intend to pursue a language beyond elementary competency should be referred to the Department Chair for consultation.

Natural Sciences

Environmental Sciences Concentration: This concentration provides students with the necessary background courses in science and technology to directly enter the job market or go on to graduate study in a specialized environmental field.  

With help of the Concentration Advisor, the student must prepare as early as possible a plan to complete the following requirements: 

1.  In addition to satisfying the Natural Sciences requirement in the General Education Core, one additional 200- level Natural Sciences course must be selected.

2.  Six Natural Sciences courses in a single theme must be selected and approved by the Concentration Advisor;

3.  NS415: Environmental Research Project or NS421: Internship in Natural Sciences (requires Department Chair’s permission);

4.  Three courses selected and approved by the concentration adviser from the following:

                EC 346  Environmental Economics

                LIT 383  Technical Writing and Editing

                MA 237   Math Modeling in Environmental Management

                MA 251   Mathematical Statistics I

                PH 130  Corporate Social Responsibility

                SO 142  Social Trends and Problems

                ID 300    Into the Ocean World: Marine Studies Seminar

                ID 302    Water: Planning for the Future

                Other courses as approved by the Concentration Advisor