Welcome to BA:Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies

We are an Interdisciplinary Studies Degree Program

The Bachelor of Arts degree program in Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies, is jointly offered by the colleges of Liberal Arts and Engineering. This program prepares students for a wide range of innovative careers in emerging professional fields that combine skills and interests in engineering, the arts, technology, and culture, and also prepares them for further study in graduate school. This program is open to all students at Cal Poly.

The curriculum allows Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies students, in collaboration with students from all other Cal Poly majors, to participate in development teams working on national and international technology and culture projects. To further prepare students for work with diverse teams that include participants from across the globe, the program requires students to spend three to six months studying and/or working abroad.

Graduates of the Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies program receive a solid foundation in engineering and scientific principles as well as a cultural appreciation that supports them in careers requiring significant levels of technical and cultural fluency. To support these goals, the primary learning objectives are to:

• Think critically and creatively in the process of solving techno-social problems considering philosophical, aesthetic and expressive concerns.
• Communicate effectively through a variety of media in diverse, multi-cultural perspectives and facilitate communication between technical and non-technical collaborators.
• Use mathematics, science, and engineering principles to produce solutions to problems within the student's Liberal Arts and Engineering concentrations.
• Function effectively as a member of interdisciplinary or international teams, formulating sustainable solutions to problems at the intersection of technology and society.
• Demonstrate ethical and professional responsibilities associated with the creation, use and integration of technology.
• Serve as informed and responsible citizens in a global culture and remain involved with learning and helping society improve.