Online Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies Curriculum
Online Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies Curriculum
Online Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies Curriculum

An online degree program in liberal studies can offer flexibility and breadth of study, allowing students to personalize their coursework based on personal interests. The discipline creates a foundation across humanities and social science that is then complemented with coursework in other academic areas, depending on a student’s interests.

Liberal studies courses often cover key areas such as effective communication, research skills, data analysis, teamwork, and decision-making, among many others. Through exposure to areas such as philosophy, literature and history, students can gain critical thinking and writing skills while developing a deeper understanding of human nature. However, a liberal studies program should also teach and expose students to the professional, discipline-specific skills that are necessary in the workforce today.

Maryville University Online BA in Liberal Studies Curriculum

The online Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies program at Maryville University offers students a well-rounded education in liberal studies to help prepare students to thrive in a range of professional settings.

The 128-credit curriculum includes general education courses (51 credits), liberal studies core courses (30 credits), professional concentration courses (18 credits) and general electives (29 credits).

Learn more about Maryville’s Online BA in liberal studies curriculum here:

Liberal Studies Core Courses (30 credits)

Liberal studies majors at Maryville build a foundation in the humanities and social sciences to help broaden their worldview and strengthen cultural competencies. Study history, philosophy, art history, literature, social science, and other areas as they relate to modern culture.

Liberal studies core courses include a minimum of two discipline areas: Humanities and Social Science.

  • Humanities Discipline courses span: ADAH, ADGD, ADDM, ADIN, ENGL, HUM, MUS, PHIL, REL
  • Social Science Discipline courses span: ECON, GEOG, HIST, PSCI, PSYC*, SOC, SOSC

* PSYC courses as a Social Science Discipline course in the Liberal Studies Concentration cannot also be used to fulfill professional concentration courses.

Professional Concentration Courses (18 credits)

In addition, students complement their liberal arts experience by selecting a professional concentration, chosen based on their personal interests.

Professional concentrations draw from courses in accounting, business administration, communication, criminal justice/criminology, cybersecurity, financial services, forensic psychology, healthcare management, management information systems, marketing or organizational leadership.

To ensure the best possible educational experience for our students, we may update our curriculum to reflect emerging and changing employer and industry trends. Undergraduate programs and certificates are designed to be taken at a part-time pace. Please speak to your advisor for more details.

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Skills, Concepts, or Opportunities Gained With a Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies

Anyone who’s still undecided about his or her professional future may want to consider a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies. Liberal studies courses prepare graduates for work in an array of sectors by emphasizing the following key components:

  • Problem-solving. Problem-solving is most effective when multiple tools and tactics are being employed. Businesses today are in need of effective problem-solvers who aren’t afraid to look beyond the obvious possibilities. In essence, a liberal studies program delivers a well-rounded education that emphasizes this skill across multiple areas and topics.
  • Effective communication. Students who choose liberal studies programs will learn how to become good communicators and problem-solvers. There will be various projects and discussions (usually via live streaming) that help participants in the respective course practice collaboration, teamwork, presenting ideas in a convincing way, and debating for the purpose of reaching an agreement.
  • Collaboration. Liberal studies programs also help students learn to work together. They are challenged to work with individuals from very different backgrounds and ambitions in order to complete a project or assignment. This helps develop students into well-rounded and aware graduates prepared to enter today’s highly diverse workforce.
  • Adaptability. Finally, many liberal studies curricula focus on the ability to adapt to different people, situations, and environments. This characteristic is invaluable across all careers and necessary to thrive in our fast-paced world.

Key Liberal Studies Curriculum Courses

Liberal studies courses could cover some of the following typical topics:

English

  • Writing Across the Disciplines:  This English course is designed to deepen your abilities to write for particular purposes, audiences, and contexts within specific disciplines and genres. Using a project-based learning approach, students identify an audience and develop an advocacy project targeting that audience.

Ethics

  • Values and Decision-Making: This ethics course focuses on the values and criteria that people use to evaluate the actions of others. The decision-making process is evaluated based on these criteria, shedding some light on the dilemmas that decision-makers face.

History

  • America and the Contemporary World: History courses are essential for completing a comprehensive liberal studies program. This particular course looks at the history of the United States in the context of world events and developments since 1945.

Psychology

  • Social Psychology: Social psychology is a discipline that focuses on thought patterns and relationships between people. The interactions between individuals and the effects these could have are examined in detail.

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