Our Mission
The Liberal Arts and Sciences are the nexus of all education, providing us with the tools to understand the past, negotiate the present, and create the future. Without them we are lost; with them, we can reimagine anything.
Program Learning Outcomes:
- Communicate ideas in a coherent, logical, and compelling way for different purposes and audiences.
- Identify issues clearly, synthesize and contextualize relevant sources, and make connections across experiences and disciplinary perspectives to create well-reasoned and imaginative approaches to issues, problems, and challenges.
- Develop skills to locate, evaluate, and use information resources from both traditional and emerging technologies appropriately, effectively, and ethically.
- Develop collaborative skills to construct knowledge, negotiate effective outcomes, and generate new insights.
- Forge interdisciplinary connections among the liberal arts and sciences, studio, and community.
- Develop cultural awareness in a global context
Degree Requirements
Degree Requirements
Liberal Arts and Sciences courses and credits for the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree make up one-third of the credits required for graduation with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. The three credit courses are distributed among the following: Liberal Arts and Sciences course designations and abbreviated as follows:
- Art History (AHCS)
- English (ENGL)
- Liberal Studies (LIBS)
- Social Science Critical Studies (SSCI)
- Natural Sciences Critical Studies (NSCI)
- Mathematics (MATH)
- Creative Action Integrated Learning (CAIL)
Required Foundation Liberal Arts and Sciences Courses
Your studio major determines the overall number of LAS credits you need to complete. However, students in all majors are required to fulfill the courses listed below in their Foundation (first) year:
- Visual Culture 1: Gateways to Art and Culture AHCS122 - 3 credits
- Visual Culture 2: Unpacking Art, Power, and Modernity AHCS123 - 3 credits
- Writing as Discovery: Thought Lab 1 ENGL108 - 3 credits
- Exploration into Making: Thought Lab 2: Exploration into Making LIBS115 - 3 credits
Transfer students may be able to receive credit for these courses. If you have any questions about specific classes on your transcript, contact Academic Advising.
Based on the Writing Placement Assessment, students may be required to take the following prerequisites before enrolling in their English classes: ENGL020, ENGL050, ENGL 090, or the following co-requisite: ENGL 102 or ENGL103 Writing Labs.
Required Liberal Study Courses by Major
Animation
AHCS224 Theories and Trends in Contemporary Art, Media and Culture (3)
AHCS228 Art History of Animation (3)
CAIL200 Creative Action Lecture (3)
LIBS214 Sophomore Elective (3)
LIBS314 Upper Division Elective (6)
MATH136 Math Elective (3)
NSCI307 Natural Science Elective (3)
SSCI210 Social Science Elective (3)
LIBS440 Capstone (3)\
Fashion Design
AHCS224 Theories and Trends in Contemporary Art, Media and Culture (3)
AHCS234 History of Costume (3)
CAIL200 Creative Action Lecture (3)
LIBS210 Contemporary Fashion Issues (3)
LIBS314 Upper Division Elective (3)
MATH136 Math Elective (3)
NSCI315 Textile Science (3)
SSCI210 Social Science Elective (3)
LIBS414 Business of Fashion (3)
LIBS440 Capstone (3)
Fine Arts
AHCS226 Contemporary Art Survey (3)
AHCS237 Seminar I:DEI in Global Art and Culture (3)
CAIL200 Creative Action Lecture (3)
LIBS238 Seminar II: DEI in Global Art and Culture (3)
LIBS314 Upper Division Elective (6)
MATH136 Math Elective (3)
NSCI307 Natural Science Elective (3)
SSCI210 Social Science Elective (3)
LIBS440 Capstone (3)
Game and Entertainment Design
AHCS224 Theories and Trends in Contemporary Art, Media and Culture (3)
AHCS228 Art History of Games (3)
CAIL200 Creative Action Lecture (3)
LIBS214 Sophomore Elective (3)
LIBS314 Upper Division Elective (6)
MATH247 Programming/Scripting for Games (3)
NSCI307 Natural Science Elective (3)
SSCI213 Cultural and Social Design for Games (3)
LIBS440 Capstone (3)
Graphic Design
AHCS224 Theories and Trends in Contemporary Art, Media and Culture (3)
AHCS222 History of Graphic Design and Illustration (3)
CAIL200 Creative Action Lecture (3)
LIBS214 Sophomore Elective (3)
LIBS314 Upper Division Elective (6)
MATH136 Math Elective (3)
NSCI307 Natural Science Elective (3)
SSCI210 Social Science Elective (3)
LIBS440 Capstone (3)
Illustration
AHCS224 Theories and Trends in Contemporary Art, Media and Culture (3)
AHCS222 History of Graphic Design and Illustration (3)
CAIL200 Creative Action Lecture (3)
LIBS214 Sophomore Elective (3)
LIBS314 Upper Division Elective (6)
MATH136 Math Elective (3)
NSCI307 Natural Science Elective (3)
SSCI210 Social Science Elective (3)
LIBS440 Capstone (3)
Product Design
AHCS224 Theories and Trends in Contemporary Art, Media and Culture (3)
AHCS225 History and Future of Product Design (3)
CAIL200 Creative Action Lecture (3)
LIBS214 Sophomore Elective (3)
LIBS314 Upper Division Elective (6)
MATH136 Math Elective (3)
NSCI319 Human Factors in Product Design (3)
SSCI210 Social Science Elective (3)
LIBS440 Capstone (3)
Toy Design
AHCS224 Theories and Trends in Contemporary Art, Media and Culture (3)
AHCS236 History of Toys (3)
CAIL200 Creative Action Lecture (3)
31508 Methods and Materials (3)
LIBS314 Upper Division Elective (6)
MATH136 Math Elective (3)
NSCI308 Human Factors in Toy Design (3)
SSCI211 Child Psychology: Development and Play (3)
LIBS440 Capstone (3)
Otis Honors Program
The Liberal Arts and Sciences Honors Program at Otis College of Art and Design brings motivated, academically oriented students together for advanced, cross-disciplinary coursework with the goal of synthesizing Liberal Studies and Studio curricula. Honors students gain increasing independence over their studies through research, experimentation, and collaboration.
The Honors Program runs from the sophomore to senior year, and the application process is open to any Otis student.
Sophomore Year:
Fall: Honors AHCS 224 (3 credits): Theories and Trends in Contemporary Art, Media, and Culture
Spring: Honors LIBS 214 Elective (3 credits): a dynamic, rigorous class that affords Honors students the opportunity to integrate liberal studies content into their art and design practice. Past courses have included "Culture of the Copy," "Poetry: The Voices of Many," "Art of Time + Place in Fiction"
Junior Year:
Fall: Honors LIBS 314 Lab (3 credits): In the spring of their sophomore year, Honors students meet to discuss their shared interests and work with faculty to give shape to a customized LIBS 314 course conducted in the fall of their junior year.
Spring: Honors MATH, NSCI 307, or SSCI 210 project concurrent with a Social Science, Math/Science, or other LAS Course (3 credits): Honors students develop a special project related to an existing course which they will present to faculty as well as the Honors cohort at the end of the semester.
Senior Year:
Fall: Honors LIBS 440 Capstone - (3 credits): Students will have the option of collaborating on their Capstone project.
Application Process:
The application process will begin in February of the Foundation year. Students will be asked to:
- Write a general statement about what they hope to gain by being part of the Honors program and what they feel they can contribute to an Honors community
- Respond to a prompt about a contemporary social issue. A panel of Liberal Arts and Sciences faculty will review the applications. Students will be notified of the results in advance of spring advising so that they may register for the sophomore fall Honors course. There are no prerequisites for the Honors program. The application process is open to all Otis Foundation students as well as those transferring to the College as sophomores. Students must complete a minimum of four Honors courses to graduate from the Honors program.
Incentives for applicants: courses with more rigor and depth than regular Liberal Arts and Sciences classes; experimental curriculum in which cohort has some agency in shaping; pathway to graduate school; special events
English Requirements
Initial placement in English courses is determined by the Writing Placement Assessment. A grade of “C-“ or better must be earned in order to pass the Foundation year required course ENGL108 Writing as Discovery: Thought Lab 1.
Based on the Writing Placement Assessment, students may be required to take the following prerequisites before enrolling in the required ENGL108 course: ENGL 020, ENGL 050, ENGL 090, and/or the co-requisite: ENGL 102 or ENGL 103 Writing Labs.
The ENGL 102 Writing Lab is required for students who place in ENGL 020, ENGL 050 and ENGL 090. Many of the reading and writing assignments are connected to their concurrent Art History course Visual Culture I (AHCS122) or Thought Lab II (LIBS115) classes. These language skills reinforcement classes and writing labs serve as bridges to student success in future Liberal Arts and Sciences courses. A grade of “C” or better is required to pass ENGL 020, ENGL 050 and ENGL 090.
Liberal Arts and Sciences Course Offerings
All Liberal Arts and Sciences courses are 3 credits unless otherwise noted.
Students may take Natural Science, Social Science, and Math courses off campus, unless a specific course at Otis is required by their major.
Students may not take Art History, English, Creative Action Integrated Learning or Capstone courses off campus without the written permission of the Chair of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Liberal Arts and Sciences Course Offerings
All Liberal Arts and Sciences courses are 3 credits unless otherwise noted.
Students may take Natural Science, Social Science, and Math courses off campus, unless a specific course at Otis is required by their major.
Students may not take Art History, English, Creative Action Integrated Learning or Capstone courses off campus without the written permission of the Chair of Liberal Arts and Sciences.