EARN YOUR GENERAL STUDIES DEGREE AT SC!
Total Credit Hours: 124
Transfer Credits: Up to 94
If you are seeking a degree relevant to a variety of career settings, then the online undergraduate degree program in general studies is for you! The best part is you design the degree around your area(s) of interest! Classes are taught completely online to ensure the flexibility needed by working adult learners. Courses are facilitated by experienced professionals who deliver real-word application and scenarios to the virtual classroom setting!
- Choose your area of study
- Nonprofit, regionally accredited
- Receive the same diploma as traditional students from our physical campus
- Discover more reasons to choose SC!
Recently ranked by U.S. News and World Report for its online bachelor’s degree programs, Southwestern College offers quality online degrees to adult learners. With courses taught by expert faculty and access to a variety of student resources, SC learners are provided with the tools and flexibility needed to succeed in their education while preparing for professional advancement.
CAREER OUTLOOK
Average Salary (PayScale): $62k
Graduates of the online general studies program at Southwestern College will be prepared for a variety career settings, including:- Marketing
- Communications
- Business
- Science
- Human resources
STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES
“I think someone should choose Southwestern College because it’s affordable and it’s just a great college overall. They really work with any age group, so whether you’re a young student coming fresh from high school, or you’re an older student, you can come back and finish your degree or extend your degree.”
Janell Carr, 2017 Graduate
FACULTY
Visit our faculty page to view current general studies instructors.
View Courses & Program Details
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GENERAL STUDIES PROGRAM DETAILS
The Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) degree is an interdisciplinary degree designed for students with specific learning and/or career goals that can be better accomplished through an individualized program of study than a traditional major. As an interdisciplinary degree the BGS degree provides graduates with a broad base of knowledge that makes them marketable in a number of different professions. BGS students create individualized programs of study that directly apply to their personal and professional goals.
Admission Requirements
- Applicants must be graduates of an accredited high school or have completed a GED®
- Minimum GPA of 2.0
Core Major Requirements
- Areas of study (36 upper division credits)
- 2-3 approved areas of study (12+ credits each)
- CAPS495 Senior Capstone
General Education Requirements*
Basic Skills
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.
ENGL101: Composition 1
This course helps learners develop writing skills that are transferable to any academic or workplace writing task. The course guides learners through the process of planning, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading academic and workplace writing. Learners will develop skills necessary to craft coherent sentences and paragraphs, to edit editing their writing for proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. They will learn about narrative structure and techniques as well as the elements of successful argumentation and persuasive discourse. This course also guides learners through every stage of the research process. Learners will develop a research plan, conduct research, organize and draft a research paper, and then revise, edit, and proofread that research paper.
ENGL102: Composition 2
This course builds on the thinking and writing skills introduced in Composition 1. Learners will write critical, argumentative essays based on their interpretations of nonfictional texts, including literary, film, and cultural texts, and in doing so, will recognize the role of rhetoric in the writing situation as they craft persuasive discourse. In doing so, they will learn methods of questioning, analyzing, and evaluating their own beliefs as well as the perceptions and perspectives of others. These methods of critical thinking are intended to improve the quality and organization of learners’ writing for any purpose, including academic and workplace purposes. In addition to writing essays, learners will develop more advanced research strategies, as well greater proficiency in APA style.
Prerequisite: ENGL101
COM125: Speech
This course helps learners majoring in any discipline strengthen communication skills essential for success in academics and the workplace. Learners will focus on listening, evaluating, and delivering spoken discourse based on audience and purpose. Learners will evaluate why some people are more effective than others as public speakers, analyze speeches and audiences, study ethical considerations for speakers, research and organize findings on a topic, and present findings before an audience, and learn techniques for identifying and reducing speech anxiety.
MASC110 Statistics & Probability or MASC115 College Algebra
MASC110 Statistics & Probability, or MASC115 College Algebra, or more advanced college credit bearing mathematics course requiring college algebra or higher as a prerequisite.
Ethical Reasoning
HUM201: Ethics
Ethics introduces learners to moral philosophy, the branch of philosophy that questions what is good and bad. The course surveys a number of important ethical theories—ethical relativism, objectivism, egoism, altruism, utilitarianism, duty‐based moral theory, natural law, natural rights, and virtue ethics—as they examine reasons why certain actions are morally right or wrong. Learners will apply ethical theories in the evaluation and analysis of current controversial issues, question ethical matters from a variety of angles, and acquire new tools to assist them in making ethically sound, well‐informed decisions throughout their lives.
Disciplinary Perspectives
Natural Science (3 or more credit hours)
Social Science (3 or more credit hours)
Humanities (3 or more credit hours)
The Arts (3 or more credit hours)
Other Cultures (3 or more credit hours)
Capstone
CAPS495 Senior Capstone
Senior capstone or major capstone course.
*Most general education requirements are waived for students with an AA, AS, or AAS degree. Speak to your admissions counselor for details.
Graduation Requirements
- Complete all foundation and major courses with an overall GPA of 2.0
- Complete a minimum of 124 credit hours, with at least 60 hours at a bachelor’s degree-granting institution
- Complete at least 30 credit hours with a C average or above from Southwestern College
All degree requirements are subject to change. Please see Southwestern College Professional Studies Catalog for the most current degree requirements.