Liberal Studies, BLS

for the degree of Bachelor of Liberal Studies in Liberal Studies

The Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) degree-completion program allows students to explore various subject areas available across campus, while still having the opportunity to build strong foundational knowledge in liberal arts. Students will work with an advisor from the College of LAS to select concentration(s) and coursework based on their interests with the purpose of aligning their educational and career goals with their academic plans.

Students will earn a degree with a major indicated as Liberal Studies and have 1 or more concentrations noted on their transcript.

Students in the Bachelor of Liberal Studies program must maintain a 2.0 or higher GPA to remain in good standing.

Specific course recommendations will vary depending on the student's goals and interests. Course substitutions will be permitted upon consultation with the BLS academic advisor and LAS guidelines.

for the degree of Bachelor of Liberal Studies in Liberal Studies

Graduation Requirements

Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours.
Minimum Overall GPA: 2.0

University Requirements

Minimum of 40 hours of upper-division coursework, generally at the 300- or 400-level. These hours can be drawn from all elements of the degree.  Students should consult their academic advisor for additional guidance in fulfilling this requirement.

The university and residency requirements can be found in the Student Code (§ 3-801) and in the Academic Catalog.

General Education Requirements

Follows the campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements. Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in the program.

Composition I4-6
Advanced Composition3
fulfilled by BTW 380, EPOL 310
Humanities & the Arts (6 hours)6
Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours)6
Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours)6
fulfilled by PS 201; and one other course approved as Social & Behavior Sciences
Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course)3
Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course)3
fulfilled by PS 201, EPOL 310
Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) 3
Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses, at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I)6-10
fulfilled by STAT 100; and one other course approved as Quantitative Reasoning I or II
Language Requirement (Completion of the third semester or equivalent of a language other than English is required)0-15

Major Requirements

Required Core Courses44
ACE 240Personal Financial Planning3
ADV 120Consumer Data and Society3
ADV 370Sales and the Consumer3
BADM 310Mgmt and Organizational Beh3
BTW 380Global Business Communication3
CMN 211Business and Professional Communication3
CMN 326Mass Media and the Audience3
ECON 300Everyday Economics for Non-Majors3
EPOL 310Race and Cultural Diversity4
GER 455Multilingual Europe3
LAS 103BLS Online Student Success0
LEAD 440Interpersonal Intelligence for Professional Success2
LEAD 470Leading Professional Organizations and Communities2
PHIL 442The AI Revolution3
PS 201US Racial & Ethnic Politics3
STAT 100Statistics3
Concentrations: Choose at least one below14-15
Global Perspectives
Health and Society
Management Studies
Free Electives
Free electives to bring total to 120 hours
Total Hours120

for the degree of Bachelor of Liberal Studies in Liberal Studies

This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.

Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a third level of a language other than English. See the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements page.

First Year

First Semester
RequirementsHours
LAS 103 - BLS Online Student Success0
Composition I or General Education course4
CMN 211 - Business and Professional Communication3
Semester Hours7

Second Semester
RequirementsHours
ADV 120 - Consumer Data and Society3
Composition I or General Education course3
Semester Hours6

Summer Semester
RequirementsHours
PS 201 - US Racial & Ethnic Politics3
Semester Hours3

Second Year 

First Semester
RequirementsHours
General Education course3
Language Other Than English (1st level)4
Semester Hours7

Second Semester
RequirementsHours
General Education course3
Language Other Than English (2nd level)4
Semester Hours7

Summer Semester
RequirementsHours
Language Other Than English (3rd level)4
Semester Hours4

Third Year 

First Semester
RequirementsHours
ADV 370 - Sales and the Consumer3
General Education course3
Semester Hours6

Second Semester
RequirementsHours
BTW 380 - Global Business Communication3
ACE 240 - Personal Financial Planning3
Semester Hours6

Summer Semester
RequirementsHours
STAT 100 - Statistics3
Semester Hours3

Fourth Year 

First Semester
RequirementsHours
PHIL 442 - The AI Revolution3
BADM 310 - Mgmt and Organizational Beh3
Semester Hours6

Second Semester
RequirementsHours
CMN 326 - Mass Media and the Audience3
EPOL 310 - Race and Cultural Diversity4
Semester Hours7

Summer Semester
RequirementsHours
General Education course3
Semester Hours3

Fifth Year 

First Semester
RequirementsHours
Concentration course3
Concentration course3
Semester Hours6

Second Semester
RequirementsHours
ECON 300 - Everyday Economics for Non-Majors3
Concentration course3
Semester Hours6

Summer Semester
RequirementsHours
Concentration course3
Semester Hours3

Sixth Year 

First Semester
RequirementsHours
Concentration course3
General Education course3
Semester Hours6

Second Semester
RequirementsHours
GER 455 - Multilingual Europe3
Free Elective course3
Semester Hours6
RequirementsHours
General Education course3
Semester Hours3

Seventh Year 

First Semester
RequirementsHours
Free Elective course3
Free Elective course3
Semester Hours6

Second Semester
RequirementsHours
Free Elective course3
Free Elective course3
Semester Hours6

Summer Semester
RequirementsHours
General Education course3
Semester Hours3

Eighth Year 

First Semester
RequirementsHours
LEAD 440 - Interpersonal Intelligence for Professional Success2
Free Elective course3
Semester Hours5

Second Semester
RequirementsHours
LEAD 470 - Leading Professional Organizations and Communities2
Free Elective course3
Semester Hours5

Total Hours

Total hours for all requirements: 120

for the degree of Bachelor of Liberal Studies in Liberal Studies

Learning Outcomes

  1. Students will demonstrate proficiency in written and oral communication, expressing ideas clearly in various formats and for diverse audiences.
  2. Students will learn to inspire, cooperate, and motivate others to achieve shared goals. Students will understand the importance of obtaining feedback from others and appreciating other perspectives.
  3. Students will demonstrate the ability to learn independently, make inquiries, think critically, discover solutions, and integrate knowledge across both similar and varied areas of liberal arts. Students will analyze complex problems, identify relevant information, formulate creative and effective solutions, and demonstrate critical thinking skills in addressing real-world challenges.
  4. Students will understand the importance of using data and gain the ability to effectively acquire, analyze, and interpret data. Students will be able to effectively convey complex data insights to diverse audiences across various industries.
  5. Students will broaden their global and disciplinary knowledge, enhancing their understanding of the world around them. Students will demonstrate awareness, attitudes, and skills required to equitably engage and include people from different local and global cultures.
  6. Students will be able to integrate knowledge and approaches from multiple disciplines, recognizing the interconnectedness of ideas and applying a holistic understanding to real-world challenges. Students will be equipped with the skills to adapt to evolving challenges and new contexts, demonstrating a commitment to continuous learning and personal development.

for the degree of Bachelor of Liberal Studies in Liberal Studies

Bachelor of Liberal Studies Website


For more information, contact onlinebls@illinois.edu