Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Liberal Studies
Transfer Requirements and Classes

The major preparation Cal Poly San Luis Obispo lists for Liberal Studies transfers starts with LS 1201, LS 2230 and LS 2255; the full list is below.

51 California community colleges have a current transfer agreement with Cal Poly SLO for this major. Pick yours below to see which of its classes count.

California community colleges with a transfer agreement for Liberal Studies

Your community college

Which classes count at your community college?

Pick your college to see its class for each Cal Poly SLO requirement.

Major Requirements

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Liberal Studies Major Preparation

The courses Cal Poly San Luis Obispo lists as Liberal Studies major preparation for transfer applicants, for the 2026-27 academic year. Course numbers are Cal Poly SLO's own; pick your community college above to see the matching class there.

Major courses

Complete all of these

LS 1201 Orientation to Liberal Studies
LS 2230 Field Experience in the Elementary Classroom I
LS 2255 Children's Literature in a Diverse Society
LS 2370 Performing Arts for Children: Theory and Practice

Support courses

Courses listed

EDUC 2207 Children's Learning and Development in Educational Settings
HIST 2201 United States History to 1877
HIST 2210 World History to 1800
PSC 1101 Physical Science for Elementary Educators I
PSC 1102 Physical Science for Elementary Educators II
PSY 2201 Introductory Psychology

Complete 1 of these

PHIL 2230 Philosophical Classics: Knowledge and Reality
PHIL 2231 Philosophical Classics: Ethics and Political Philosophy

Complete 1 of these

STAT 1000 Statistical and Data Literacy
STAT 1110 Applied Statistical Concepts and Methods

Also listed by Cal Poly SLO

Cal Poly SLO lists these under the headings shown, apart from the list above.

Other courses (concentration/emphasis/electives)

ENGL 2290 Introduction to Linguistics

GEOG 1150 Human Geography
BIO 1114 Plant Diversity and Ecology
BIO 2217 Wildlife Conservation Biology
PSC 2201 Physical Oceanography

1 of these

CD 2254 Child, Family, and Community
PSY 2205 Personality
PSY 2240 Biopsychology

MATH 1261 Calculus I
MATH 1253 Calculus II for Transfers
MATH 2031 Transition to Advanced Mathematics
MATH 1151 Linear Algebra

CHEM 1110 World of Chemistry
CHEM 1112 Chemistry in Context
CHEM 1120 Fundamentals of Chemical Structure and Properties
CHEM 1122 Fundamentals of Chemical Reactivity
CHEM 2240 Organic Chemistry: Fundamentals and Applications
PHYS 1111 Contemporary Physics for Nonscientists
PHYS 1121 College Physics I
PHYS 1123 College Physics II
PHYS 1141 General Physics I

ASTR 1101 Introduction to the Solar System
ASTR 1102 Introduction to Stars and Galaxies
BIO 1114 Plant Diversity and Ecology
BIO 2231 Human Anatomy and Physiology I and BIO 2232 Human Anatomy and Physiology II
BOT 1121 General Botany
CHEM 1120 Fundamentals of Chemical Structure and Properties
CHEM 1122 Fundamentals of Chemical Reactivity
CHEM 2240 Organic Chemistry: Fundamentals and Applications
GEOL 2203 The Geologic Record: Fossils and the History of Life
GEOL 2240 Physical Geology
MCRO 2221 Introduction to Microbiology
MSCI 1111 The Oceans
PHYS 1121 College Physics I
PHYS 1123 College Physics II
PHYS 1141 General Physics I
PSC 2201 Physical Oceanography

HIST 2208 Survey of California History
POLS 1112 U.S. and California Government
GEOG 1150 Human Geography

ES 2253 Introduction to American Indian Studies
ES 2254 Introduction to African American Studies
ES 2255 Introduction to Latina/o/x Studies
ES 2256 Introduction to Asian American Studies

Where a list says “courses listed”, or options are separated by a dot, Cal Poly SLO's own Liberal Studies requirements say exactly which of those courses you need.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Cal Poly San Luis Obispo have a Liberal Studies major for transfer students?

Yes. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo offers Liberal Studies and lists the major preparation it expects transfer applicants to complete.

What classes do I need to transfer to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for Liberal Studies?

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo's Liberal Studies major preparation includes LS 1201, LS 2230, LS 2255, LS 2370, EDUC 2207 and HIST 2201, with more courses in the list on this page. Pick your community college on this page to see which of its classes match.

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