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Dec 03, 2024
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2019-2020 Undergraduate Studies Bulletin
Liberal Studies, BA
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Overview of the BLS
The Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies Program (BLS) is only available to students on USC’s regional campuses or online through Palmetto College. It is designed to provide access to upper-level study in a range of liberal arts disciplines, fostering the abilities to think critically, communicate effectively, solve problems, and interpret human experience. Goals of this program are to enhance students’ intellectual and creative capacities and broaden their historical, ethical, social, and international perspectives while allowing them some flexibility in designing the upper-level curricula based on previous studies and employment objectives.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate the ability to initiate independent, interdisciplinary inquiry and the ability to apply critical thinking to interdisciplinary problems.
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- Students will demonstrate an understanding of South Carolina from historical as well as contemporary political, cultural, economic, and social perspectives in papers, assignments and other student writing.
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- Students will be educated and participatory citizens of South Carolina and explain how their academic training has prepared them to be active state citizens.
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- Students will demonstrate the ability to apply classroom learning to real-world experience in the public or private sector.
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Admission and Graduation Standards
Students may apply to the Liberal Studies Program after completion of at least 45 semester hours of accredited, college-level work. A minimum grade point of 2.00 is required for admission and graduation. As part of the application process, a specific Program of Study is developed by the student and the student’s advisor and approved by the Program Committee. Any changes to the Program of Study must be approved by the advisor and Program Committee. All students must earn at least 30 USC hours after admission to this program. A minimum of 120 semester hours of accredited, college-level work must be presented to earn this degree.
Major Map
A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.
Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.
Liberal Studies, BA
Degree Requirements (120 hours)
The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies (BLS) is designed for students who want to pursue liberal studies without a major in a single discipline.
Program of Study
- Carolina Core (32-44 hours)
- College Requirements (9-12 hours)
- Program Requirements (28-43 hours)
- Major Requirements (36 hours)
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1. Carolina Core (32-44 hours)
Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written — CMW (6 hours)
must be passed with a grade of C or higher
Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving — ARP (6-8 hours)
Scientific Literacy — SCI (8 hours)
Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language — GFL (0-6 hours)
Demonstration of proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the minimal passing grade on the exit examination in the 122 course is required. Students can demonstrate this proficiency by successfully completing Phase II of the Proficiency Test or by successfully completing the 122 course, including the exit exam administered as part of that course.
It is strongly recommended that students continuing the study of a foreign language begin college-level study of that language in their first semester and continue in that language until their particular foreign language requirement is completed.
Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Historical Thinking — GHS (3 hours)
Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences — GSS (3 hours)
Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding — AIU (3 hours)
Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component* — CMS (0-3 hours)
Information Literacy* — INF (0-3 hours)
Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility* — VSR (0-3 hours)
*Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours must add up to a minimum of 31 hours. At least one of these requirements must be satisfied by a course not applied elsewhere in general education. (3-9 Hours)
2. College Requirements (9-12 hours)
- PHIL 102 - Introduction to Philosophy
- Foreign language course (0-3 hours) - only if needed to meet 122-level proficiency
- Arts and Sciences Electives (6 hours)
- Must include two disciplines
3. Program Requirements (28-43 hours)
Cognate (12 hours)
must be passed with a grade of C or higher
The cognate cannot be a discipline included in the student’s major option. No more than six hours of transfer work maybe applied to the cognate.
A minimum of 12 hours of course work at the 300 level or above from one of the following disciplines:
- Anthropology
- Art
- Business
- Criminal Justice
- Dance
- Economics
- Education
- English
- Geography
- History
- Health Promotion, Education and Behavior
- Languages
- Mathematics
- Native American Studies*
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Physical and/or Biological Sciences
- Religious Studies
- Social Work
- Sociology
- Theatre
*Courses designated as fulfilling the Native American Studies option will be listed on the BA in Liberal Studies program website.
Electives (16-31 hours)
4. Major Requirements (36 hours)
A minimum grade of C is required in all major courses.
Major Courses (9 hours)
Major Electives (27 hours)
The student’s major will be chosen from TWO of the disciplines below.
All courses must be at the upper level with at least 15 hours at the 400-level or above, with the exception of Sociology, in which the following 300-level courses may be substituted for 400-level courses: SOCY 304, 305, 312, 320, 323, 340. All grades must be C or better. A minimum of 12 hours is required in each of the two disciplines. At least 15 hours must be USC courses. No more than 12 hours of the major will be accepted in transfer.
- Anthropology
- Art
- Astronomy
- Biological Sciences
- Chemistry
- Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Economics
- English
- Environmental Studies
- Geography
- Geological Studies
- Health Promotion, Education and Behavior
- History
- Languages
- Marine Science
- Mathematics
- Native American Studies*
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Religious Studies
- Sociology
- Statistics
- Theatre
*The most updated list of courses designated as fulfilling the Native American Studies option will be listed on the BA in Liberal Studies program website.
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