Degree Requirements
BLS General Curriculum Distribution Requirements (GCDR)
| AWR 101 | Reading Locally and Globally | 4 |
| AWR 201 | Writing and Research: The Local and the Global | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 8 |
One of the following:
A higher-level math course may also apply, except MAT 180 College Geometry or MAT 201 Introduction to Statistics, which are not accepted to meet this requirement for the GCDR.
One of the following:
| SPE 200 | Oral Communication | 4 |
| SPE 208 | Speech for Business and the Professions | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 4 |
BLS GCDR Liberal Studies Requirements
Consult with BLS advisor for assistance with course options.
| Art/Aesthetic | 3 |
| Humanities/Fine Arts | 4 |
| International Studies | 8 |
| Natural Sciences | 3 |
| Social Sciences | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 22 |
Art/Aesthetic: any course with Art/Aesthetic course tag
Humanities/Fine Arts: any course with HFA course tag; studio courses (courses with Studio/Performance course tag) are limited to 2 credit hours
Natural Sciences: any course designated as a biological, chemical or physical science with or without a laboratory
Social Sciences: any course with Social Science or Art/Aesthetic course tag)
International Studies: any course with International Global or Non-Western course tag.
At least 9 credits must be Writing Intensive: any course for GCDR or concentration with Writing Intensive course tag.
BLS Concentration Requirement (Choose 1)
A BLS degree requires selection of and focus on one of the following concentrations:
- Humanities
- Social Science
- Applied Arts
- Community Wellness
- Instructional Support
- Public Information
- Community Safety
Students must earn at least 43 credit hours in the field of concentration unless otherwise noted, and at least 15 of those credits must be earned in residence at the University. Courses used to satisfy the General Curriculum Distribution requirements may not be used to also satisfy requirements of any concentration.
At least 16 credit hours in the concentration must be earned from 300-level courses or higher.
All course pre- and co-requisites or course substitutions must be met unless otherwise waived with the approval of the department chair.
Humanities Concentration
The humanities concentration is designed for students who want to combine a variety of humanities courses into a cohesive degree.
To meet the requirements for the humanities concentration, students must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 43 credit hours from courses in any of the following disciplines:
English (ENG), Journalism (JOU), Languages (Ex. SPA, FRE), Literature (LIT), Philosophy (PHL), Religion (REL), Writing (WRI).
At least 20 credit hours for the concentration has to be from the same discipline.
At least 16 credit hours for the concentration must be upper level (300-level or higher) courses.
Consult with BLS advisor for other Humanities-based course options each semester.
Social Science Concentration
The social science concentration is designed for students who want to combine a variety of social science courses into a cohesive degree.
To meet the requirements for the social science concentration, students must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 43 credit hours from courses in any of the following disciplines:
Economics (ECO), Geography (GEO), Criminology (CRM), History (HIS), Political Science (PSC), Psychology (PSY), Sociology (SOC).
At least 20 credit hours for the concentration must be from the same discipline.
At least 16 credit hours for the concentration must be upper level (300-level or higher) courses.
Consult with BLS advisor for other Social Science-based course options each semester.
Applied Arts Concentration
The applied arts concentration is for students who are interested in a broad application of the arts and want to combine a variety of courses in the arts into a cohesive degree.
To meet the requirements for the applied arts concentration, students must satisfactorily complete a minimum of
43 credit hours from courses in any of the following disciplines:
Art (ART), Film, Animation, and New Media (FMX), Music (MUS), Theatre (THR), Dance (DAN)
No more than 20 credit hours may be earned in studio courses.
400-level special problems ART courses are not accepted.
MUS courses designated "for performing arts majors only" are not accepted.
MUS 108 Introduction to Recording and Electronic Music and
MUS 109 Recording and Synthesis Techniques are not accepted.
THR courses designated "for THR majors only" are not accepted.
At least 20 credit hours for the concentration must be from the same discipline.
At least 16 credit hours for the concentration must be upper level (300-level or higher) courses.
Consult with BLS advisor to discuss course options for this concentration.
Community Wellness Concentration
The community wellness concentration is designed for the student who works in or wants to work as a support person in a community health setting, and who desires to combine select courses from a variety of related disciplines into a cohesive degree.
As part of the General Curriculum Distribution requirements (hours count to fulfill the GCDR but not the concentration) complete the following courses:
| One of the following: | |
| BIO 124 | Life Sciences | 4 |
| or | |
| BIO 183 | Microbiology for the Allied Health Sciences | 4 |
| and | |
| PSY 101 | General Psychology | 4 |
| SOC 100 | Introduction to Sociology | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
A minimum of 44 credit hours required in the concentration, consisting of:
HSC/ESC Requirements
| HSC 100 | Personal and Family Health | 3 |
| HSC 130 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| HSC 203 | Nutrition | 3 |
| HSC 220 | Functional Anatomy | 3 |
| ESC 150 | Comprehensive First Aid/CPR/AED | 2 |
| and | |
| ESC Elective | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
Students must complete two (2) psychology (PSY) courses at 200 or higher level.
16 credits (three courses must be 300 level or higher):
| One of the following: | |
| SOC 306 | Racial and Ethnic Relations | 4 |
| SOC 313 | Social Stratification | 4 |
| SOC 320 | Sociology of Gender | 4 |
| And three of the following courses: | |
| SOC 202 | Love, Marriage, and Intimate Relationships | 4 |
| SOC 205 | Medical Sociology | 4 |
| SOC 240 | Sociology of Childhood | 4 |
| SOC 307 | Families in Global Perspective | 4 |
| SOC 308 | Sociology of Religion | 4 |
| SOC 325 | Clinical and Counseling Sociology | 4 |
| SOC 330 | Global Sociology | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
One of the following:
| HIS 212 | Witchcraft and Magic in the Early Modern Atlantic World | 4 |
| HIS 215 | Women in American History | 4 |
| PHL 205 | Feminist Philosophy | 4 |
| SOC 340 | Social Psychology: A Sociological Approach | 4 |
| WGS 125 | Introduction to Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies | 4 |
| WGS 383 | Women, Gender and Sexuality: Histories and Horizons | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 4 |
Instructional Support Concentration
The instructional support concentration is designed for the student who works in or wants to work in an educational support capacity that does not require certification, and who desires to combine select courses from several related disciplines into a cohesive degree.
As part of the General Curriculum Distribution requirements (hours count to fulfill the GCDR but not the concentration) complete the following courses:
| PSY 101 | General Psychology | 4 |
| SOC 100 | Introduction to Sociology | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 8 |
A minimum of 43 credit hours required in the concentration, consisting of:
EDU Required Courses
| EDU 200 | Foundations of Education | 4 |
| EDU 206 | Human Development and Learning | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 8 |
Choose electives from the following areas:
Education (EDU) Elective Courses - 11 credits
Writing (WRI) Courses - 4 credits
Art/Aesthetic (Art/Aesthetic course tag) Courses - 4 credits
English (ENG) or Literature (LIT) Courses - 8 credits
Consult with BLS advisor for assistance with course options.
Choose one each from the following groups:
| One of the following: | |
| SOC 306 | Racial and Ethnic Relations | 4 |
| SOC 313 | Social Stratification | 4 |
| SOC 320 | Sociology of Gender | 4 |
| And one of the following courses: | |
| PSY 210 | Psychology of Child Development | 4 |
| SOC 240 | Sociology of Childhood | 4 |
| SOC 340 | Social Psychology: A Sociological Approach | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 8 |
Public Information Concentration
The public information concentration is designed for the student who works in or wants to work as a communication specialist, most likely for a public or nonprofit agency, and who desires to combine select courses from a variety of related disciplines into a cohesive degree.
A minimum of 43-44 credit hours in the concentration, consisting of:
One of the following courses:
| SPE 212 | Global Speech, Human Rights and Social Justice | 4 |
| SPE 308 | Group Communication | 4 |
| THR 204 | Acting I for Non-Majors | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 3-4 |
Choose electives from the following areas for min. of 12 credits:
English (ENG), Writing (WRI), or Literature (LIT)
Choose one of the following:
| PSC 101 | Introduction to American Government | 4 |
| PSC 326 | Political Campaigns and Electoral Politics | 4 |
| PSC 426 | Public Opinion | 4 |
| HIS 326 | The History of U.S. Foreign Relations | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 4 |
Choose at least 8 credit hours of coursework in Art (ART) or Communication (COM).
Community Safety Concentration
The community safety concentration is designed for the student who works in or wants to work in a public safety agency and desires to combine select courses from a variety of related disciplines into a cohesive degree.
As part of the General Curriculum Distribution requirements (hours count to fulfill the GCDR but not the concentration) complete the following courses:
| PSY 101 | General Psychology | 4 |
| SOC 100 | Introduction to Sociology | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 8 |
A minimum of 46 credit hours required in the concentration, consisting of:
Required Courses
| CRM 101 | Introduction to Criminology | 4 |
| CRM 102 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 4 |
| CRM 200 | Law Enforcement | 4 |
| CRM 300 | Victimology | 4 |
| HSC 250 | Emergency Care for the Healthcare Professional | 3 |
| LJA 204 | Introduction to Law, Justice, and Advocacy | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 23 |
One of the following:
One of the following:
| PSC 302 | U.S. National Security Policy | 4 |
| PSC 401 | Public Policy Analysis | 4 |
| SOC 306 | Racial and Ethnic Relations | 4 |
| SOC 313 | Social Stratification | 4 |
| SOC 320 | Sociology of Gender | 4 |
| SOC 325 | Clinical and Counseling Sociology | 4 |
| SOC 460 | Applied Sociology | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 4 |
Choose general electives from the following areas:
Health Science (HSC) - min. 3 credits
and any three courses from the following:
Criminology (CRM)
Psychology (PSY)
Political Science (PSC)
Health Science (HSC)
Philosophy (PHL)
Consult with BLS advisor for assistance with course options.