Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies

The requirements below pertain to this Undergraduate Catalog year and are intended as a guide for academic planning. Students should consult with their academic advisor to discuss their individual plan of study.

Program Length: 120 credit hours

Accepted Transfer Credits: 90 Credit hours

The B.S. in Liberal Studies is the most flexible degree to design your future. The Department of Liberal Studies attracts a wide variety of talented students whose diverse interests contribute to our stimulating intellectual environment. A Liberal Studies major can broaden your academic knowledge and equip you with various skills relevant for entry into many occupations. Employers value critical thinking, teamwork, and solid communication skills. They seek employees who can handle complex information and solve real-world problems. The Liberal Studies degree is customizable to meet your academic goals within the degree requirements and prerequisites.

For the student searching for a broad education rather than training in a particular occupation, the Department of Liberal Studies offers a rewarding degree program. This interdisciplinary degree program prepares students for many careers because it gives them the skills, knowledge, and perspectives needed to succeed. The program consists of two years of studies in the different Social Science, Humanities, and Fine Arts branches. After graduating with this degree, a student is better prepared to enter the workforce or transfer into a bachelor’s degree program for further studies.

Moreover, the Bachelor's of Science degree program enables students to transfer to a four-year college/university. This degree emphasizes student completion of 40 credit hours of  CORE program, 24 credit hours in one Area of Study, 21 credit hours in the second Area of Study, 12 credit hours of electives and of a 18 hours of a minor area or an equal number of credit hours as electives.  In addition, the program requires the completion of 4 credit hours LIBS 490. Students interested in the Liberal Studies degree may choose to pursue one of three paths:

• The Path for Interdisciplinary Opportunities – These are students who passionately wish to seek accomplishment in more than one field simultaneously, with the idea that such diversity is mutually sustaining.
• The Path of Focused Competencies – Many of our students develop vital interests in a particular field within Liberal Studies.
• The Path for Self Seekers – Some of our students utilize the Liberal Studies major to develop a stronger sense of themselves to develop their interests further as they self-discover.

Program Goals and Objectives

Students who complete the Bachelor's of Science in Liberal Studies, offered by the Department of Liberal Studies, will be able to:

• Communication Skills: The program computer will have the ability to express ideas and share knowledge orally and in writing in a clear, focused, and organized manner.

• Critical Thinking - The ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information logically and coherently.

• Global Perspectives - The ability to examine a concept in contexts and from perspectives other than one’s own.

• Quantitative Reasoning - The application of computational methods and numerical data interpretation to solve problems.

• Scientific Processes - The application of scientific methods to learn and examine physical and biological phenomena' laws, theories, and processes.

• Technical Skills - The theoretical and applied knowledge for career entry and continued professional development.

• Investigative  Skills -  The application of strategies, resources, and attitudes to find solutions and gain knowledge.

Overall Degree Requirements

In addition to the University’s CORE requirements, the major, the minor, and elective requirements must meet the set of the overall requirements listed below:

1. Students must complete a minimum of 120 credits.
2. Students must maintain a minimum satisfactory GPA of 2.0 (C) overall program with no grade lower than a C in a course designated as a major in Economics.
3. Within the 120 credits required, the following coursework must be taken at Leighton University:

• At the minimum, the last 30 credits of the degree program.
• At least 50% of courses listed within the major of the required number of credits in the major.
• At least 50% of credits earned for courses numbered 300 to 499 in the minor.

4. At least 45 credits hours of the 120 credits to meet the degree requirements must be upper level (300-499).

Liberal Studies Program Structure

The requirements below pertain to this Undergraduate Catalog year and are intended as a guide for academic planning. Students should consult with their Academic Navigator to discuss their individual plan of study.

Minimum of 120 total credit hours required, including 45 senior level hours [300 - 499 level]