Frequently Asked Questions

The Liberal Studies program is DePaul’s general education program. While your major provides in-depth knowledge in a discipline, your LSP courses deliver fundamental literacies and a breadth of knowledge beyond any single field.

LSP courses begin upon arrival at DePaul with your Chicago Quarter (Discover/Explore) course, and continue during the entire first year as you take your Writing Courses, a Focal Point Seminar, and a Quantitative Reasoning course (depending on your major or college requirements). Together, these classes orient you to DePaul and prepare you for continuing academic success.

During the sophomore year, students generally take a Seminar on Race, Power, and Resistance and, in the junior year, an Experiential Learning course (e.g., study abroad, field internships, research), both of which can be applied to complement or strengthen other fields of interests. In the senior year, a Capstone Course culminates your educational experience at DePaul.

Across all years of study, you also take two to three courses from seven broadly defined domains of intellectual inquiry:

• Arts and Literature
• Historical Inquiry
• Math and Computing
• Philosophical Inquiry
• Religious Dimensions
• Scientific Inquiry
• Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry

(Note: You should carefully review the specific requirements in your chosen major as slight variations do exist in what students take.)

Your academic advisor, your Chicago Quarter advising team, an assigned major field advisor, or a college office advisor are all trained to help guide you through your various LSP course requirements. There also is detailed information about the LSP online that you should carefully read on your own.

Changes in your academic pursuits often do result in minor adjustments in your LSP requirements. To find out exactly what the changes might be, talk to your advisor or run a What-If Degree Progress Report (DPR) in Campus Connect, selecting the major you would like to switch to.

If you are undecided about a major, or unhappy with the major you’ve chosen, your Liberal Studies courses provide an opportunity to sample other areas of study you may not have considered pursuing.