Students studying in the library next to the windows

Liberal Studies

El Camino’s liberal studies associate degree program starts you on a path to becoming an elementary school teacher. Courses prepare you for transfer to a bachelor’s degree program and a rewarding, in-demand career.

$2,208
Approximate cost for an El Camino College AA degree in liberal studies
9.4%
Career opportunities for this program are expected to grow 9.4% nationwide from 2016 to 2026
$64K
Careers associated with this program have a salary range from $25,000 to $130,000 with an average salary of $64,000

Our Liberal Studies Associate in Arts (AA) degree typically takes two years to complete.

Interested in making a difference in young lives? We can help you pursue a career in education.

Choose a Degree Designed for Transfer

A liberal studies degree at El Camino is designed to get you ready to transfer to a university and earn a multiple-subject teaching credential. It’s a great way to start your career as an elementary school teacher.

Liberal Studies (Elementary Teaching) Associate in Arts (AA) Degree

With this degree, you can complete the first two years of lower-division courses and up to 45 hours of the required fieldwork for your teaching credential.

  • Study many subjects to prepare for teaching English, math, science, visual and performing arts, and social science.
  • Meet most transfer requirements; agreements with area universities offer a clear transfer pathway.
  • Start your journey toward a bachelor’s degree, a teaching credential, and even graduate study.
  • Develop collaborative experience, compassion, and a passion for lifelong learning essential to a teaching career.

Transfer to a University and Earn a Teaching Credential

As an El Camino liberal studies graduate, you’ll be ready to transfer to a four-year college or university bachelor’s degree teaching program. We’ll help you build the knowledge and skills needed to earn your teaching credential.

  • Make an impact on young lives and teach others to be successful through education.
  • Despite shifts in the job market, there is an ongoing demand for teachers.
  • Find additional career opportunities with advanced education: administrator, principal, counselor, social worker, professor, librarian, and more.
  • Careers associated with this program have a salary range from $25,000 to $130,000 with an average salary of $64,000.

Participate in Academic and Career Opportunities

Gain hands-on career experience, learn about teaching careers, and practice skills in real-world settings.

  • Find support with TEACH El Camino, a program that provides future teachers with role models, fieldwork experiences, professional development, and activities such as a guest speaker symposium and a college/career night.
  • Join the active Future Teachers’ Club and participate in career workshops, field trips, and job recruitment events.
  • Access our Teacher Resource Room, stocked with teaching supplies such as laminators, bookbinders, die cuts, children's books, puppets, flannel stories, teacher resource books, computers, scanners, and more.
  • Participate in tutoring sessions available in multiple subjects.
Campus Building with El Camino sign.

Academic Details

Learn about course requirements and more for the Liberal Studies AA degree in El Camino’s online catalog.

Interior of campus building with students.

Liberal Studies Program Maps

Find semester-by-semester plans that chart your path to a Liberal Studies AA degree on El Camino’s Guided Pathways site.

Contact Info

El Camino College

Liberal Studies Department