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Online Liberal Studies Degree (BA)Online Liberal Studies Degree (BA)Online Liberal Studies Degree (BA)
Every industry needs critical thinkers who can communicate effectively, drive culture, design strategies and solve workplace challenges. Maryville University’s online liberal studies degree program helps you to develop your thought-leadership skills and to thrive and stand out as a leader in diverse professional settings.
The online Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Liberal Studies provides you with a comprehensive foundation in the humanities and social sciences while also having you explore specialized courses in accounting, business administration, marketing, healthcare management, cybersecurity and other such disciplines.
Explore financial aid and eligible transfer credit options.
Choose to start in fall, spring, or summer.
Apply with no application fees and entrance exams.
Eligible for Early Access – get a head start on your graduate degree.
Why earn an online liberal studies degree?
Today’s job market is competitive. But, when you pursue your Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Liberal Studies degree online with Maryville University, you can develop a well-rounded and customizable skill set that can help you qualify for a number of careers and stand out. This multidisciplinary program exposes you to thoughtful study of the rational, social and spiritual topics that connect us as humans, and the role they play when we collaborate, negotiate or lead as professionals.
The topics that our online liberal studies degree program covers are designed to support your development by helping influence the way you approach problems and tasks, nurture interpersonal relationships and provide creative leadership. These skills remain crucial as your career evolves, and can help you pursue advanced roles in your organization or transition to a new industry.
Curriculum for the online Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Liberal Studies degree
Maryville’s online liberal studies degree curriculum aims to teach you highly transferable skills that can be applied in almost any industry. It delivers a comprehensive foundation in the humanities or social sciences while also allowing you to personalize your major with specialized courses in marketing, healthcare management, psychology, cybersecurity and other disciplines. The online coursework incorporates real-world scenarios to help you learn how to apply your growing theoretical knowledge in the field.
Our instructors offer a broad range of expertise in their areas of focus — from philosophy to economics — and are dedicated to applying emerging concepts and practices to your curriculum. Through courses that balance historical and contemporary perspectives on topics relevant to world culture and events, you can develop a unique and marketable knowledge base for your career.
Qualified online liberal arts degree students can satisfy the general education requirements through eligible transfer credits to complete the program sooner.
Liberal studies major courses — Study history, philosophy, art history, literature, social science and other subjects as they relate to modern culture.
Liberal studies professional disciplines — Dive into your chosen area of interest: accounting, business administration, communication, criminal justice/criminology, cybersecurity, financial services, forensic psychology, healthcare management, management information systems, marketing or organizational leadership.
Elective courses — Customize your education with topics relevant to your interests and career goals.
Insights from our faculty
Anthony Santirojprapai, assistant dean for humanities and assistant professor of English, shared his thoughts on the online liberal arts degree program:
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In a highly competitive, ever-evolving job market, employers tend to look for applicants who have a versatile array of skills and talents. The liberal studies major prepares students for this market. Whether their next step is in business, public relations, management, social services, health administration or even graduate school, the skills they gain from a humanities degree, such as Maryville’s online Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Liberal Studies, will always be trending.
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Our program is one of the longest-running liberal studies programs in the region, and our experienced faculty and staff are dedicated to meeting students where they are with their career interests and goals through personalized advising and guidance. The liberal studies degree is a highly personalized degree that puts Maryville’s main focus on you, the student, whether that be in the career path you are most inspired by or the degree you are working to complete.
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The flexibility of the online liberal studies degree is one of its most attractive qualities. Liberal studies majors are empowered to choose a focus that is both relevant to their career goals and interesting to them personally. The ability to tailor their discipline toward their goals and the qualifications of their career path allows them the flexibility to define how the degree complements their skill sets.
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A humanities degree is always an important degree to have because the humanities teach us why we do the things we do and, quite frankly, what it means to be human. Furthermore, the current job market bears out the importance of a well-rounded education, which the liberal studies degree can provide. As companies and corporations rapidly evolve to meet the challenges of an ever-evolving society and economy, the need for liberal studies majors and their highly versatile skill set will continue to be at a premium.
What can you do with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Liberal Studies degree online?
As a liberal studies degree candidate, you can learn to effectively relate opinions and ideas, and to use research to support specific objectives. Your study of the humanities and social sciences, as well as of other such topics in industry-specific courses, can help you make informed decisions about matters that impact both people and business in your desired field. You will gain skills that could be useful in virtually any role and industry — and that are in demand by organizations looking for intuitive and creative thinkers to help them remain competitive in a changing world.
What are some liberal studies career options?
With your online liberal studies degree, you can build the expertise you may need to pursue careers such as:
- Business manager
- Information security analyst
- Public relations director
- Entry-level manager
- Human resource specialist
- Communications director
- Librarian
- Paraprofessional librarian
- Training and development specialist
- Journalist
- Editor
- Policy research and development specialist
You could work in a variety of industries, too, including:
- Banking and finance
- Information technology
- Corporate communications
- Journalism
- Education
- Management
- Government
- Nonprofits
- Public services
What is the median salary for liberal studies degree graduates?
An online liberal studies degree can lead to careers with a wide range of salaries, including the following:
Flexible, affordable — and 100% online
Complete you coursework 100% online.
No campus visits are required.
Choose your focus area.
Personalize the program with your choice of several professional disciplines.
Get advice from supportive and attentive faculty.
Discuss your goals with dedicated faculty members, who can help you connect the curriculum to your career vision.
Benefit from simplified admission.
Apply without the barriers of entrance exams or fees.
Why choose Maryville University’s online Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Liberal Studies degree program?
You have your own interests, and Maryville’s online liberal arts degree program provides an opportunity to personalize your studies in many different professional disciplines to help you prepare for the career you want. Whether you’re just starting your journey in higher education or you’re interested in a career change, our liberal studies degree is designed to help you achieve your goals.
Our online lectures and projects can help you develop your writing and research skills, and teach you to analyze data and share ideas. The goal is not only to nurture your professional interests but also to help you understand how an expanded worldview can influence the way you approach your job and your relationships with coworkers.
Maryville University was founded in 1872 and has been connecting motivated professionals with industry expertise ever since. We’re proud of our reputation for quality academics, accelerated growth and affordability, as it demonstrates our devotion to advancing students like you.
Become an expert in your chosen field
A liberal studies degree online can help you to open your future to a range of professional outcomes, as well as provide a foundation to further specialize your skills with one of Maryville’s online graduate programs.
At Maryville, your online liberal studies degree can qualify you for Early Access to graduate degree programs in a range of related disciplines, including accounting, business administration, cybersecurity, health administration, and other areas that provide opportunities to explore advanced careers.
When you’re ready to go further, we offer many online graduate degree options, such as:
Master of Business Administration (MBA), with 12 concentrations and flexible options, including a one-year online MBA program.
Master of Science in Accounting, where you can qualify and prepare for the CPA exam with Becker prep courses.
Master of Science in Data Analytics, which you can complete in one year and which can help you prepare to sit for Microsoft SQL Server and Azure certification exams.
Master of Arts in Strategic Communication and Leadership, with the opportunity to earn at least three professional industry certifications.
Master of Health Administration (MHA), with concentrations available in data management, healthcare strategies, population management and senior services, as well as a general option.
Master of Arts in Management and Leadership, with concentrations available in cybersecurity, health administration, human resource management, information technology, marketing and project management.
Frequently asked questions
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A Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Liberal Studies online degree prepares students with a range of skills that can be useful in virtually any role and industry. Graduates can choose from a wide variety of careers to pursue, including:
- Business manager
- Information security analyst
- Advertising or public relations manager
- Entry-level manager
- Human resource specialist
- Training and development specialist
- Speech writer
- Project coordinator
- Urban planner/city manager
- Teacher
Some roles may require graduate degrees or advanced training, and job candidates may need to meet specific licensure requirements as well.
Find out more about bachelor’s in liberal studies careers.
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The median annual salary for professionals holding a bachelor’s in liberal studies degree from a U.S. higher education institution is about US$54,000.7
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Yes. Maryville University proudly holds regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Maryville has maintained accreditation from the HLC since 1941, and this status was most recently reaffirmed in 2015.
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Maryville University’s online liberal studies degree program explores a variety of subjects, such as literature, philosophy, and the social and physical sciences. In addition to these core topics, our liberal studies program covers two discipline areas: Humanities and Social Science. In addition, you can complement your liberal arts degree by selecting a professional concentration.
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With Early Access, students in our online liberal studies degree program can get a head start on earning a graduate degree by taking graduate-level courses that count toward their undergraduate and graduate degrees. Through the program, you can earn up to 12 credit hours toward your master’s degree. Graduate-level Early Access courses are billed at the undergraduate tuition rate — so students save time and money.
Our MBA, Master of Science in Data Analytics, Master of Health Administration and Master of Arts in Management and Leadership are among the many Maryville graduate programs that offer Early Access options for students enrolled in our online liberal studies degree program.
If you’re interested in participating in the program, you should apply one semester before you plan to start taking Early Access courses. To apply, you must have completed at least 75 credit hours and have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher. Our advisors can help you select your Early Access courses, which must be taken one at a time.Learn more about the Early Access program.
Apply to the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Liberal Studies online degree program at Maryville University
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- Administrative Services and Facilities Managers: Summary. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved July 12, 2024. ↩︎
- Public Relations and Fundraising Managers: Pay. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved July 12, 2024. ↩︎
- Human Resource Specialists: Pay. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved July 12, 2024. ↩︎
- Management Analysts: Summary. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved July 12, 2024. ↩︎
- Training and Development Specialists: Pay. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved July 12, 2024. ↩︎
- Database Administrators and Architects: Pay. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved July 12, 2024. ↩︎
- Field of degree: Liberal Arts. (2023). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved July 12, 2024. ↩︎