Why a Degree in Liberal Studies?
Designed with the needs of a wide variety of students in mind, the Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) offers a structured, but flexible, path to a bachelor's degree. Students can choose courses from across the university that fit their schedule or can be completed online.
This degree plan is particularly well-suited to
- students who have earned many hours but are not close to completing a degree in any major, often as a result of changing their major multiple times,
- those in the military who need flexibility and online options,
- those who started a four-year degree and then needed to take time away for family, work, or financial reasons and now would like to complete their degree, and
- mid-career professionals who seek a bachelor’s degree for further advancement in their field.
What Will I Learn?
In addition to the General Education Curriculum of the University, students completing the BLS
- take 36 hours of coursework from three of six areas to design their own liberal studies degree. Courses
- choose an 18-hour concentration from among the minors offered at USM.
- complete a Capstone Experience by developing and implementing either an individual research project or an experiential learning project.
Please talk with an advisor in the school for details about this program.
Faculty who are willing to help
Students, whether they are online or on campus, benefit from working one on one with
faculty advisors to find the best path to the completion of their degree. In addition,
faculty work closely with students on their research or experiential learning projects
that are their senior projects.
Availability
| Degree Plan | Availability |
|---|---|
| Liberal Studies BLS | Gulf Park, Hattiesburg, Online 100% |
- Management
- Government
- Nonprofit Work
- General Business
- Military