Bachelor's Degrees in Liberal Arts

A recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) reveals that employers tend to focus on finding employees with the right skills rather than the right major. Employers recognize that a liberal arts education prepares students for a successful career.

Our Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts (BALA) balances the narrowness of specialization while teaching skills important to any career field — drawing connections among subjects within a discipline, expressing research discoveries clearly and persuasively in narrated and written presentations.

The program develops characteristics that employers value highly including flexibility, competence, and confidence in analytical and communication skills.

The BALA major in Liberal Arts offers flexible learning pathways and specializations. After completing the required 12-hour core, students are free to build a specialization that meets the career or personal needs of the student, or to add an optional concentration in elementary education toward completing requirements for teacher licensure.

The BALA major in Interdisciplinary Studies provides a ten-course sequence that addresses important topics in the humanities that also apply directly to the workplace, including ethics, culture, citizenship, business literacy and management.

The BALA requires 120 semester hours of coursework, including 30 hours for the major in Liberal Arts or 60 hours for the major in Interdiscplinary Studies. You may transfer up to 60 semester hours into the BALA degree.

Degree Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree Admissions BALA Degree Requirements
  • Liberal Arts Major

    Undergraduate Major in Liberal Arts

    The undergraduate major in liberal arts is available for the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts (BALA).

    Total: 30 semester hours 

    REQUIRED CORE
    12 semester hours. Select four 300-level courses that meet the following requirements:

    • One 3-hour course from each of the following groupings (12 semester hours)

    • Selected topics (numbered 398U) are eligible

    • Independent studies (numbered 399U) may be eligible (requires chair approval)

    Social Sciences

    • Anthropology (ANTH)

    • Economics (ECON)

    • Education (EDUC)

    • Geography (GEOG)

    • History (HIST)

    • International Studies (ISTY)

    • Journalism (JOUR)

    • Philosophy (PHIL)

    • Political Science (PLSC)

    • Psychology (PSYC)

    • Sociology (SOC)

    Sciences

    • Biology (BIOL)

    • Geology (GEOL)

    • General Science (GSCI)

    • Mathematics (MATH)

    Humanities

    • Art (ART)

    • Studio Art (ARTS)

    • English (ENGL)

    • Foreign  Languages

    • Humanities (HUM)

    • Music (MUS)

    • Religious Studies (RELG)

    • Theatre (THTR)

    Professional Studies

    • Human Resource Management (HRM)

    • Communications (SPCH)

    • Nonprofit Studies (NPS)

    • Paralegal Studies (LA/LAW)

    • Information Systems (ISYS)

    • Education (EDUC)

    LIBERAL ARTS ELECTIVES
    18 semester hours from across the humanities, sciences and social sciences. 12 semester hours must be taken at or above the 300U level. 100U- and 200U-level courses may be taken prior to or concurrent with the Knowledge Management sequence (ADED301U and ADED302U).

  • Interdisciplinary Studies Major

    Online Major in Interdisciplinary Studies

    The undergraduate major in interdisciplinary studies in the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts (BALA) is only available online.

    60 semester hours

    • ADED300U Knowledge Management - Methods of Learning and Thinking

    • IDST306U Understanding Culture and Language

    • HIST345U The History of Ideas

    • HUM346U The History of Human Expression

    • PLSC301U The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

    • GSCI301U The Role of Science and Technology in Shaping the Modern Era

    • MGMT345U Business Literacy

    • LDSP310U Leadership and Ethical Decision Making

    • IDST310U The Examined Life

    • IDST495U Capstone Course: Senior Seminar