2020-21 Undergraduate Academic Catalog Version B | General Education and Interdisciplinary Programs | Interdisciplinary Majors

Liberal Arts, B.A.

[Liberal Arts - 4901]

The Liberal Arts major focuses on the breadth of knowledge acquired through the study of multiple disciplines and the pursuit of integrative, interdisciplinary relationships that form the basis of liberal arts education.  The degree offers a flexible structure that allows students to individually design their own program.  It serves a wide variety of students, including self-directed students who want to combine areas of study in creative ways not available in other majors; traditional students seeking a broad preparation rather than more narrowly focused studies; transfer students whose prior academic credits do not fit neatly into traditional majors; and non-traditional students seeking advancement in careers that require the bachelor's degree as a credential.  The Liberal Arts major allows students to construct creative, challenging, and timely degrees relevant to their personal interests and professional goals.        

SPECIFICS OF THE LIBERAL ARTS B.A. DEGREE

Minimum Total Hours: 124

Total Liberal Arts Hours: 90

General Education Requirements: Per General Education list (see General Education Council). Exception:American Sign Language may not be used to meet the foreign language proficiency requirement.

Minimum Requirements: GPA of 2.0 in the major and overall; no grade less than C- in the major.

Transfer Requirements: See institutional transfer policies.

Application to the Major: Special application form and description of procedures for program design may be obtained from the General Education Council.  Application may be submitted as early as the end of the freshman year and no later than the first week of the second semester of the junior year (unless an exception is granted by the Council). (Note: The standard institutional major application will not be accepted.)

Major Requirements: Minimum of 50 hours in three Areas of Study as described below:

  • Minimum of 18 hours through completion of an existing minor (Area of Study I)
  • Minimum of 15 hours in Area of Study II
  • Minimum of 15 hours in Area of Study III
  • GED 402-Senior Integrative Project [2 hours]
Areas of Study include:
  • Business Administration (ACC, BUA, ECN, MGT, MKT)
  • Computer Science
  • Education (EDU, PED, PPE; no more than 1 hour of PE skills)
  • Fine Arts (ART, MUS, THR)
  • Foreign Language (ASL, FRN, GRK, HEB, SPN)
  • Humanities (CMC, CMP, GEO, HST, LIT, PSC, WST)
  • Mathematics
  • Natural Sciences (AST, BIO, BCH, CHM, ESC, PHS, PHY)
  • Religion and Philosophy (BIB, MIN, PHL, REL, THE)
  • Social Sciences (CRJ, HSI, PSY, SOC, SWK)

Special Notes: 

  • A majority of the courses in the major must be in the liberal arts.
  • A course used to meet a General Education Program requirement cannot also be used in any of the Areas of Study.
  • Completion of the major must be accomplished without any form of "double-dipping."  No single course may be applied to fulfill the requirements for more than one Area of Study.  Courses applied to this major may not also be applied to fulfill the requirements of another major.
  • The same Area of Study may be completed twice only if one of the Areas of Study is an existing minor and no single course is counted twice.
  • At least six hours of upper-level courses (300-400) must be taken in each Area of Study beyond the approved minor (unless an exception is granted by the Council).