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Bachelor of Arts

A bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree generally offers a comprehensive liberal arts education with a major in one or more specific areas. The B.A. degree provides the opportunity to develop breadth in the knowledge of arts, humanities, natural sciences, quantification and social and behavioral sciences. With this breadth, students learn to communicate effectively, engage with relevant and current issues relating to diversity and the common good, develop a historical and global consciousness, explore enduring questions through multiple disciplinary perspectives, and attain an intermediate proficiency in language other than English. Students also learn how to identify questions, methods, and evidence in disciplines outside of their primary major discipline. These outcomes are accomplished through completing the following requirements:

  • 15 credit hours of upper-division learning outside the primary major, 9 credits of which must come from at least three different college disciplines.
    • Students who complete a 300-level course for their language requirement may apply that course towards this requirement.
    • Students in interdisciplinary majors such as Environmental Ethics and Policy fulfill these credits within the major.
  • At least one language course other than English and successful progression through at least the 202-level in French, German, or Spanish, or the 103/113-level in Chinese. Any exceptions to the language requirement must be approved by the Office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of International Languages and Cultures.
  • 3 credit hours for the Effective Communication requirement, fulfilled by CST 107, CST 327, CST 332, ENG 107, or ENG 311.
  • 3 credit hours of upper-division learning outside the primary major for the Commitment and Consciousness requirement. Generally, this requirement is fulfilled by those upper-division courses designated for the Exploration level in the University Core Curriculum and addressing either the Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, and the Common Good habit or the Global and Historical Consciousness habit. This requirement cannot count towards the 15 credit hours of upper-division electives.