BLS Degree Requirements
The Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) degree requires completion of a minimum of 120 semester credit hours. Those hours are distributed in three (3) categories: general education requirements, major program of study, and elective credit.
General education requirements:
Courses that ensure a well-rounded degree, including Quantitative Reasoning, Social Science, Natural Science, and other areas.
Major program of study:
Courses leading to a completed major or approved special major. A grade-point average (GPA) of at least a 2.0 in the major is required to graduate.
Electives:
Additional courses to reach 120 credits on your academic transcript total, as required for graduation. These courses may be graded or taken as pass/fail. BLS students may earn elective credit at the University of Mary Washington, at other accredited institutions, or through CLEP exams, a life/work portfolio submission, or ACE military credit.
Fulfilling General Education Requirements
Per the 2019 articulation agreement with Germanna Community College, students who earned an Associate’s degree at Germanna Community College will automatically fulfill the BLS general education requirements of “Foundations” and “Methods.” Read the full transfer agreement on the Office of the Provost’s website.
Upon admission, BLS students will receive a credit evaluation report. To check transfer course equivalencies, students may use the Office of the Registrar’s transfer credit guide.
The BLS degree general education requirements are as follows. See the general education list for courses that will meet the requirements.
Written Communication
Three (3) courses designated Writing Intensive.
Oral Communication
One (1) course designated Speaking Intensive.
Arts and Literature
One (1) course focusing on visual art, performing art, and/or literature.
Humanities
One (1) course in the humanities (including history).
Natural Science
One (1) course in the natural sciences that includes a laboratory.
Quantitative Reasoning
One (1) course focusing on quantitative information and abstract reasoning.
Social Science
One (1) course in the social sciences.
Additional Methods of Investigation Courses
Three (3) additional courses taken from two (2) different Methods of Investigation categories.
Digital Intensive
One (1) course designated as a Digital Intensive course that is not being used to meet one of the Methods of Investigation requirements or to fulfill the Diverse and Global Perspectives requirement.
Diverse and Global Perspectives
One (1) course focusing on global and/or diverse communities that is not being used to meet one of the Methods of Investigation requirements or to fulfill the Digital Intensive requirement.
Degree Requirements
Students are required to complete at least 30 institution credit hours to graduate from UMW. A cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 2.00 and a major GPA of 2.00 are also required for the BLS degree. Full BLS degree requirements can be found in the Academic Catalog.