Liberal Studies

Liberal Studies Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Online Degree

About Liberal Studies Bachelor's Degree - 100% Online

Obtain a well-rounded education with an online liberal studies degree.

Build a strong foundation for your future with a 100% online bachelor's degree in liberal studies from PennWest California. This accredited program spans traditional disciplinary boundaries, enabling you to study interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary liberal arts topics in the humanities, the natural sciences and the social sciences.

 PennWest California's bachelor's degree program in liberal studies also provides a flexible degree completion option if you have not taken a traditional degree route. The program is popular with adult learners trying to balance work and family obligations while pursuing a degree.

Start here. Go far.

  • Establish a solid academic base upon which you can build almost any career.
  • Work with expert professors to develop new research, scholarship and creative projects.
  • Take advantage of personalized academic support and career

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: LIBERAL STUDIES

Customized Course Plan: Select your degree courses from a wide range of topics in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Whether you're interested in art or biology, anthropology or physics, you can tailor your degree to your personal and professional interests.

Experiential Learning: Your online PennWest California bachelor's degree in liberal studies will incorporate active research and hands-on activities that put ideas into context and build in-demand job skills. You'll graduate with the knowledge, experience and confidence you need for career success.

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Best Online Programs 
PennWest California's bachelor's degree programs are consistently named among the "Best Online Programs" by U.S. News and World Report.
97%
of surveyed liberal studies graduates reported successful job placement or are in graduate school. (From a 2014 survey of program graduates.)
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Degree Benefits

PennWest California's bachelor's degree in liberal studies will enable you to:

  • Take flexible online courses that allow you to fit your college education into your busy schedule.
  • Develop in-demand analytical skills, historic and cultural knowledge, and an appreciation for the arts.
  • Adapt to changing employment, personal and social demands.
  • Gain invaluable real-world experience through internship and paid career
  • Create a pathway to career entry, enhancement or advancement.
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Gradaute Outcomes

A bachelor's degree in liberal studies prepares you to thrive in wide range of job opportunities and can serve as a strong foundation for graduate-level studies. PennWest California program alumni have gone on to successful careers in the government, social work and education. Liberal studies graduates also excel in areas such as accounting, advertising, consulting, marketing, public relations and sales. 

 

Liberal Studies Online Bachelor's Degree
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A Top Quality Online Education

Quality online courses at PennWest California have the same objectives, content and learning outcomes as campus-based programs and are taught by the same expert professors. PennWest California's Global Online programs are regularly ranked among the top online programs in Pennsylvania and the United States.

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A Degree Employers Seek

The "soft skills" you'll acquire as a liberal studies major - such as communication, persuasiveness and cultural sensitivity - are in demand in the workplace. In fact, a study by the Association of American Colleges and Universities found that "four out of five employers agree that all students should acquire broad knowledge in the liberal arts and sciences."

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Career Resources

PennWest California prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge, integrity, character and experience. PennWest California's Career and Professional Development Center will help you connect with potential employers via networking events, job shadowing opportunities, on-campus recruiting, job and internship fairs, and organizational visits.

Liberal Studies Online Bachelor's Degree Courses

Courses from the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences are used to fulfill the major requirements for PennWest California's bachelor of arts in liberal studies. This 120-credit degree program is delivered entirely online.

Curriculum


Course Credits
General Education Courses 40 or 41
Building a Sense of Community
UNI 100  First-Year Seminar
1
Composition
  • ENG 101  English Composition I
  • ENG 102  English Composition II
6
Public Speaking
Any CDC Public Speaking Course
3
Mathematics and Quantitative Literacy
Any Mathematics and Quantitative Literacy Course
3
Health and Wellness
Any Health and Wellness Course
3
Technological Literacy
Any Technological Literacy Course
3
Humanities
Any Humanities Course
3
Fine Arts
Any Fine Arts Course
3
Natural Sciences
Any Natural Sciences Course
3
Social Sciences
Any Social Sciences Course
3
General Education Options
  • Any Ethics and Multicultural Awareness Emphasis Course
  • Additional General Education Courses (two courses)
9
   
Required Major Courses 39
LST 490  Seminar in Liberal Studies 3
Lower- and/or Upper-Division Electives* 21
Upper-Division Electives* 15
   
Free Electives 40 or 41
   
Total 120

Additional requirements, not counted toward the General Education requirements, include:

  • Special Experience Course (1 course required): LST 490 Liberal Studies Seminar
  • Writing-Intensive Component Courses (2 courses required): Any Upper-Division, Writing-Intensive Menu Courses from: ANT, ARB, ART, BIO, CHE, COM, CSC, EAS, ECO, ENG, ENS, FRE, GEO, HIS, JUS, LEA, MAT, MUS, PHI, PHS, PHY, POS, PSY, SOC, SOW, SPN, THE, WST
  • Laboratory Course (1 course required): Any Laboratory Course

* Electives listed under "Required Major Courses" must be selected from the following disciplines: ANT, ARB, ART, BIO, CHE, COM, CSC, EAS, ECO, ELC, ENG, ENS, FRE, GEO, HIS, JUS, LEA, MAT, MUS, PHI, PHS, PHY, POS, PSY, SOC, SOW, SPN, THE, WFD, WST

Program Notes:

  • A maximum of 24 credits can be used with the same course prefix.
  • 42 credits (or 14 courses) of upper-division (any course numbered 200 or above with at least one pre-requisite course) courses are required.
  • No more than 30 credits may be earned via PLA.
  • Developmental courses do not count toward graduation but are calculated in the overall GPA.

View full course sequence

Admission Requirements

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Degrees

Associate
Bachelor's