The following provides policy guidelines for the Liberal Studies Program (LSP). For Liberal Studies requirements associated with a specific program, see that program's University Catalog page.
Students in the DePaul University Honors Program should consult with their program advisor about their requirements.
There are a number of general Liberal Studies Program (LSP) guidelines that pertain to all DePaul undergraduate students (except students in the School of Continuing and Professional Studies).
- Students may not use the same course to fulfill a requirement in both their primary major and LSP. There are two exceptions to this rule:
- Designated courses in the major may also be used to fulfill the Experiential Learning requirement. Students who pursue this option will then complete an additional learning domain elective or, if applicable, the third course of the Language for Liberal Studies Option.
- Transfer students who complete the General Education Core Curriculum of the Illinois Articulation Initiative may apply a particular course to fulfilling a requirement in the major (see the GECC/IAI section of this policy.)
- New first-year students (i.e. traditional freshmen) must enroll in LSP 110 DISCOVER CHICAGO or LSP 111 EXPLORE CHICAGO during Autumn Quarter of their first year and (if required by major) the Focal Point Seminar, regardless of prior college credit and/or test credit hours.
- Students may complete the LSP First-Year Writing sequence with either transfer credit or coursework completed at DePaul. Placement in DePaul's First-Year Writing sequence is determined by a placement process. Students must earn a C- or better in WRD 103 and WRD 104 (or WRD 103X and WRD 104X). Some students may be required to take preparatory writing classes before being eligible to enroll in WRD 103 COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC I WRD 103 COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC I , while other students may have one or both FYW courses met by test scores or transfer credit.
- The LSP 200 SEMINAR ON RACE, POWER, AND RESISTANCE may not be substituted or waived.
- Students may request an exception to substitute a different course to fulfill an LSP requirement. All substitutions must meet the learning outcomes and writing expectations for the particular LSP requirement.
- Students completing a second major or minor may use the same courses to fulfill requirements in those areas and in the Experiential Learning, Capstone, and Learning Domains of LSP.
- Students who have more than one major should consult with their college advisor as to their specific Capstone requirement(s).
- Accumulation of additional credit that fulfills LSP requirements: In some circumstances, students may earn transfer credit that exceeds LSP requirements. For example, coursework from institutions organized by semesters earn 1.5 quarter hour credits for each semester hour. Hence each 3.0-credit course transferred from a semester institution earns 4.5 credits at DePaul. As a result, students may have credits that exceed the required number in a particular component of the program. These excess general education credits may be added up and, when the sum reaches 4 quarter hours (and multiples thereof), applied to other LSP requirements as follows:
- Students must complete at least one course in each domain, whether through transfer/test credit or DePaul credit. Once that requirement has been met, students may apply the excess credit to any of the following domains: Arts & Literature; Historical Inquiry; Philosophical Inquiry; Religious Dimensions; or Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry. College-specific rules may apply; see your college advisor.
- Students may combine excess credit with the Language for Liberal Studies Option within a single domain as long as they complete at least one course (transfer or DePaul) per domain.
- Students who have test credit must have official score reports sent directly to the Transfer Articulation Center (TrAC).