from advisors in the Whitney M. Young, Jr., College.
Students who major in Liberal Studies, who earn at least 128 semester credit hours, who successfully complete 30 semester credit hours in required WYC courses or approved liberal studies electives (with a grade of "C" or better) in their junior and senior years, who pass the Senior Comprehensive Examination, and who meet all other University requirements will receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies. Whitney Young College students take part in all activities of the University, such as social and academic clubs, student government, choir, band, and intramural/intercollegiate athletics. Students have an opportunity to put the leadership skills that they learn in classes to practical use by serving on the Whitney Young College Student Council. The Council was originally created by student initiative and organizes service and social events and acts as a forum for student suggestions and concerns.
Students seeking teacher certification who successfully complete the 48 semester credit hour honors core through the Whitney M. Young, Jr. College of Leadership Studies also fulfill the University's Liberal Studies Requirement for all Teacher Education Certification programs. It should be noted that in addition to the 48 semester credit hour honors core, students seeking teacher certification must also enroll in HED 221 (Personal Health and Lifetime Fitness) to complete all requirements as outlined and approved by the Kentucky Department of Education. All other courses for certification will be taken through the Division of Education and Human Services of the College of Professional Studies, as outlined in the major program. The 48 semester credit hour honors core fulfills the University's Liberal Studies Requirements for all the Teacher Education Certification programs. Whitney Young College students participating in the Teacher Education Program have advisors in both the College and the Division of Education and Human Services to ensure that they take appropriate electives and develop an integrated and cohesive program of study.
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KSU graduates applying to professional schools have the advantage of coming from an institution that emphasizes the liberal studies foundation in addition to specialized training. It is very important for students contemplating graduate school to continue their pursuit of liberal studies into the junior and senior years with the goal of achieving a liberal studies major or minor, even in conjunction with a specialized major. Among the selection criteria mentioned by the UK medical school is the following (1997-1998 University of Kentucky Bulletin): “Often the physician’s ability to communicate effectively will determine the degree of success in the diagnosis and management of a patient’s health.... Thus, consideration is given to the communication skills demonstrated by each applicant. Communication is a two-way process and involves the ability to listen perceptively, as well as to speak and write clearly.” Regarding “Prelegal Study,” the UK Law School has written that legal education “is not a technical or scientific training that builds upon a specific preparation in basic techniques and knowledge acquired in undergraduate school.” Rather, legal education requires that students come having developed three fundamental capacities: “a thorough preparation in the use of language”; “a comprehensive, exploratory undergraduate experience”; and the completion of a degree program in which the student will learn “to think clearly, form sound study habits, and have the opportunity to master the methodology and knowledge of a particular field under the guidance of experienced instructors.” These are precisely the skills developed by a liberal studies major or minor.
Many Whitney Young College students plan careers in a pre-professional program. Each of these students benefits from an advisor in the College and in the pre-professional program. Many pre-medical students remain in the college to complete a major in liberal studies. Students majoring in Business, Biology, and Education can complete a minor in Liberal studies in four years. Liberal Studies curricula for pre-law students are listed in the following pages. Engineering students, who finish their final two years at another university, are often able to complete both an Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Studies and a Bachelor of Science degree in