What is Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies?

Hi everyone,
The Excelsior college bachelors program has BS in many fields,that is many majors,but there is one which is BS in Liberal Arts/Studies.
I called them and asked them to explain what this meant and what will be the final year exams that i would have to take if i enrolled in this.
The person did not explain clearly and just said it's a BS degree with no major.
Can someone pleas explain this to me?
Thanks a lot,
Adoncia

 

Sure. It's more or less what I got, a B.A. in Humane Studies. My second ex wife (also a lawyer) got a Bachelor of University Studies. Same thing.

You accumulate enough upper division credits in a handful of subjects, usually student selected, to add up to a major in a single subject. Mine, for example, were (if memory serves) philosophy, history, music theory and...what was the other one...oh, yeah, English. I think I had to have a total of four upper division classes in each subject. What would that be...48 semester hours? And I had to write a paper.

Plus all the usual general education stuff.

DAMN fine prelaw education, by the way. Tailor made for a criminal lawyer!

Not such a good idea for someone interested in an academic career requiring an Arts and Sciences Ph.D. though.

 

The Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies (BSLS) is a 4-year degree with no specified major course of study. It is a very generalized degree when compared to the BA or BS with a specific major.

The BSLS requires 120 semester hours of credit with at least 30 hours at the upper (3rd and 4th year) level.

There is a 60 semester hour general education requirement that includes such courses as English, Math, Science, Literature, Social Sciences, History, etc... at the lower level.

The BSLS allows for more courses in the area of applied professional studies than does the BA in Liberal Studies. Applied professional includes subjects such as business, teaching, technology, etc...

Excelsior doesn't have a prescribed course of study that requires specific coursework or exams. The options of available ways to meet course requirements is what makes the school appealing to many students (and less appealing to others).

There are no final year exams in the traditional sense (as a comprehensive graduation requirement); only those requirements of the specific courses you take.

The main reason to select the BSLS vs a BA or BS with a specific major is that it allows for application of credit in a variety of related or unrelated fields.

Someone with many credits in art but not much in any other area would be better served with the BA or BS in Art -- conversely, someone with 12-15 credits in each of several fields of study (with some credit at the upper level in each) would be better served by the BA or BS in Liberal Studies.

The BSLS is appropriate preparation for graduate study in many fields provided that the coursework used in the degree program meets the standards of the graduate program. This is especially true of grad programs in interdisciplinary content areas.

The greatest advantage to the degree is that it allows the maximum amount of selection of coursework to meet degree requirements. One could persue a concentration in Geology and a second in Music, thereby qualifying as a Rock Musician.... or simply meeting their own personal educational interests.

 

With all due respect to Nosborne and Coach, I have an explanation that is a bit simpler.

A Bachelors degree in Liberal Arts is a little of this and a little of that. It does not require any degree of specialization although it might permit some degree of specialization. It is generally for people who want a Bachelors degree yet are uncertain of their educational/career goals and wish to keep their options open
Jack
(I earned a Bachelors degree in Liberal Arts with no regret)