Bachelor's in Liberal Studies

The Liberal Studies program offers students an educational experience that emphasizes broad academic inquiry and purposeful interdisciplinarity. The online program is a good fit for students whose interests fall outside a discipline-specific major, transfer students, and returning students. The Liberal Studies program helps students contextualize their learning through the lens of liberal education and personal and social responsibility, acquire skills in writing, research, and communication, gain breadth of knowledge in arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, and pursue specialization in a minor or focus area.

The Online Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies requirements have been designed to prepare you for success as a student in the program and your subsequent career.

Curriculum

Requirement Area A: Context

A1: Seminar in Liberal Studies
A2: Personal & Social Responsibility
A3: Capstone in Liberal Studies

Requirement Area B: Skills

B1: Writing Skills
B2: Intellectual & Practical Skills (Analytical, Research, or Computer)
B3: Expression Skills (Creative Expression, Oral Communication, or Foreign Language)

Requirement Area C: Content

C1: North American & European Cultural Heritages (focus on humanities & arts)
C2: Society and Identity (focus on social sciences)
C3: Global Studies (outside North America & Europe)
C4: Physical and Natural World (focus on natural sciences)

Requirement Area D: Experience

D1: Internship
D2: Travel Study

Requirement Area E: Focus Area or Minor

Learning Outcomes

By the end of their Liberal Studies program, students will be able to:

• Think critically, integrate and synthesize knowledge from diverse perspectives and evaluate complex information
• Make informed ethical and value judgments
• Understand and explain the value of a liberal education
• Apply the concepts and methodologies of the liberal arts to understand issues in society and in one’s own life
• Communicate effectively in written form
• Effectively utilize intellectual and practical skills– including analytical skills, research methods, and/or computer skills
• Effectively utilize expression skills– including communicating creatively, orally, or in a language other than English
• Demonstrate a base of knowledge from various disciplines– including arts & humanities, social sciences, and physical sciences
• Demonstrate a base of knowledge about cultures within North America & Europe
• Demonstrate a base of knowledge about cultures outside North America & Europe

The liberal studies degree provides a firm basis in critical thinking, writing, and problem solving that can be applied to most twenty-first century jobs.  This degree helps prepare a well-rounded person who can quickly adapt to changing career needs.  Positions requiring clear communication, analysis, and historical/cultural context would be good fits for degree earners.

There are several application paths an online bachelor’s student might take including as transfer, reentry, freshman, or second-degree seeking applicants. For more information on each path, click on the links below.

There are several application paths an online bachelor’s student might take including as transfer, reentry, freshman, or second-degree seeking applicants. For more information on each path, click on the links below.

Transfer applicants

Transfer applicants are students that have attended another college or university (including having earned an associate’s degree) but have never attended UW-Whitewater. You will find detailed application and transfer information at University Admissions.

Reentry applicants

Reentry applicants are students that have previously attended UW-Whitewater. Application information can be found at University Admissions.

Freshman applicants

Freshman applicants are students that have never attended a college or university. If you have never attended a college or university, regardless of age, you would be considered a freshman applicant. You can find application information for freshman applicants at University Admissions.

Second-Degree seeking applicants

Second-Degree seeking applicants are students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree and would like to pursue another. If you would like to earn another bachelor’s degree, you can apply to UW-Whitewater’s online bachelor’s program as a special student with full credentials. To complete your degree, you would only need to fulfill the College of Business and Economics requirements and the requirements for the major you choose.