General Studies

Is a General Studies Major for Me?

The Bachelor of General Studies degree allows learners to design their own program of study combining courses from multiple majors. Learners must complete a minimum of 36 upper division credit hours in at least five different disciplines. The degree will allow a learner to become a generalist, and will allow flexibility in developing a plan which will address the learner’s particular professional needs or personal areas of interest.

Program Outcomes

  1. The learner demonstrates that s/he has gained breadth and depth of key concepts and generally accepted theories and practices in the disciplines applicable to their program goal.
  2. The learner can demonstrate the ability to apply critical thinking to the completion of projects and case studies associated with their primary goals.
  3. The learner can demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of ethical reasoning in organizations.
  4. The learner can demonstrate an understanding of how to effectively lead people and processes in complex organizational settings.
  5. The learner can demonstrate the ability to produce documents which showcase an understanding of the use of technological tools.
  6. The learner can demonstrate the use of effective written communication skills.
  7. The learner can demonstrate competencies applicable to a preparation for a specific career path.

Required Core Courses

Foundation Courses

CORE101 Developing Academic and Professional Strengths
ENGL101 Composition I
ENGL102 Composition II
CORE110 Information Literacy
MASC115 College Algebra (or other approved college mathematics)
CLO 415 Professional Communication

Competency Areas

Quantitative Literacy, Analytic Thinking, Creativity,
Ethical Reasoning, Communication, Leadership,
Applied Learning

As a part of your degree program, you will be required to complete competency courses in the following areas:
• Exploratory Courses
• Institutional Outcomes

The remainder of the requirements to reach graduation will come from your Competency Courses. See an admissions counselor for specific transfer credit substitutions.

Course Descriptions

CORE101 Developing Academic and Professional Strengths

How does higher education help create the type of person that businesses want to hire? Learners will explore the answer to this question, and in doing so, help lay the foundation for academic and professional success. Each learner will develop a core set of skills needed to be both an effective college student and a successful professional in the 21st-century workplace. Learners will develop and practice practical strategies with which to become more efficient and effective learners, while also developing higher-order learning skills to reflect on critical issues relevant to both academic and professional environments such as personal responsibility and ethics (3 credit hours).

CORE110 Information Literacy

This course is designed to provide learners with the skills that are fundamental to becoming an information-literate professional who can locate, evaluate, organize and communicate information. The abundance and rapid flow of data requires skill development in the understanding of information resources, accessing information sources, determining the credibility of Internet information, logically organizing sources and finally presenting the information professionally (3 credit hours).

ENGL101 Composition 1

This course focuses on developing reading and writing skills necessary for college level coursework. It provides a focus on the writing process and rhetorical modes utilized in writing (3 credit hours).

ENGL102 Composition 2

This course emphasizes the writing associated with critical thinking and research, argumentation and persuasion (3 credit hours).

MASC115 College Algebra

This course provides a review of intermediate algebra with more in-depth exploration of logarithmic and exponential functions, the binomial theorem, systems of quadratic equations, and matrices and determinants (3 credit hours).

CLO 415 Professional Communication

Learners study the communication processes in situations encountered in organizations and professional environments. Analysis of simulated and real life situations will include the creation of professional documents and various functions of written, oral, and interpersonal communications (3 credit hours).


All classes are 3 credit hours unless otherwise indicated.

Admission Requirements

Entering learners must have earned at least 6 college credits from previous college coursework or ACE evaluated military training, a GPA of 2.0, and have three years of work experience. Transfer hours accepted for Professional Studies admittance should include English Composition I and II, and mathematics (college algebra preferred). These courses may be considered in transfer or completed at Southwestern College.

With the assistance of an academic success coach, and with approval of the Chief Academic Officer, each learner will outline a plan of study incorporating a minimum of 21 hours from a combination of majors in addition to the 5 required foundation courses listed above. Learners will be required to fulfill the entrance requirements for Comp I, II, Math, General Education courses, and will complete CORE101 as their first course.

Contact an admissions counselor to evaluate your options.

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Bachelor of General Studies online undergraduate major