College of General Studies
Online liberal arts bachelor's degrees
Learn to adapt with a liberal arts degree
With our online liberal arts bachelor’s degrees, you can sharpen your soft skills and prepare to be an asset in your career. Explore a broad curriculum in the humanities and sciences. Immerse yourself in literature, writing and rhetoric. Or investigate how to build a more sustainable future. All these exciting courses are available 100% online, giving you the flexibility to get a well-rounded education anytime, anywhere.
The best part? Your instructors know what works in the real world. What they teach you today can be directly applied to your career tomorrow – bridging the gap between academics and industry knowledge.
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Find the liberal arts bachelor's degree for you
Develop diverse skills with core courses in liberal arts
BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ENGLISH
You’ll learn how to:
- Develop knowledge related to foundations in literature, writing, research and rhetoric
- Apply relevant theory and research to the analysis and critique of written works
- Create original written work that responds to a specific purpose and audience
- Integrate feedback to revise and enhance written works
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
You’ll learn how to:
- Develop knowledge that is foundational to the physical and biological sciences
- Evaluate environmental phenomena using social, environmental and financial principles
- Construct scientific arguments to accurately assess environmental risk
- Utilize environmental regulation to examine human activity
- Apply environmental policy in the management of the environment
Earn career-relevant skills in weeks – not years
Get value from your education before you even graduate. Update yourresumé and LinkedIn profile with learned skills when you complete every 5- or 6-week course in our associate, bachelor's and master's programs.
Career outlooks for liberal arts bachelor’s degree holders
Course requirements for liberal arts bachelor’s degrees
Bachelor of Arts in English
You’ll take 16 core courses with program-specific knowledge and 5 focus courses of your choosing to supplement your studies. Your coursework can help you gain a solid foundation in writing, rhetoric and literature. The program’s core courses include topics like literary interpretation and analysis, classical literature, rhetoric and critical thinking, research and writing for professions and how to create a professional writing portfolio.
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science
You’ll take 18 core courses with program-specific knowledge and 5 focus courses of your choosing to supplement your studies. Your coursework can help you develop a comprehensive understanding of scientific principles and the environment. The program’s core courses include topics like biology, chemistry, environmental science, sustainability, toxicology, risk assessment, hydrology, public policy and environmental law.
Tuition and financial aid
Affordable, locked-in tuition
Ways to pay — and save. Explore your options.
From scholarships to transfer credits and federal financial aid for those who qualify, there are a variety of ways to pay for school and save on tuition.
Student experience
“۴ý gave me the opportunity I needed to realize that I have what it takes to rise to the challenge and excel at whatever I set my eyes on.”
—Sierra M. | BS in Environmental Science, 2020
Over 1 million alumni have earned their degrees while balancing work, school and life. So can you.
Steps to apply for your liberal arts bachelor’s degree program
Once you’ve selected your degree program, choose your start date from our calendar, apply for free and register before the deadline (usually one week before the program starts). Then you’ll speak to an enrollment representative to begin class.
- No application fee
- No SAT, GMAT or essay required
- Our risk-free trial lets eligible students try out ۴ý for three weekswith no financial obligation
Meet your college deans
Our college deans focus on developing a career-relevant curriculum. They bring industry experience to the classroom and lead a faculty of academic professionals with one goal in mind—to help you earn the skills you need to pursue your career.
Briana Houlihan, MBA
Dean,College of General Studies
Jacquelyn Kelly, PhD
Associate Dean,College of General Studies
Susan Hadley, PhD
Associate Dean,College of General Studies
Accreditation
Accredited for 45+ years
Since 1978, ۴ý has maintained institutional accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), . Learn more about the value of ۴ý accreditation and how it benefits our students.
Liberal arts bachelor's degree FAQs
If you’re interested in learning how to think critically, creatively and analytically, a degree in liberal arts can establish a great foundation of knowledge for many career paths. Our liberal arts bachelor’s degree programs promote collaboration, communication and critical thinking – all of which are essential skills in today’s workplaces. Other benefits of a liberal arts education include gaining interdisciplinary knowledge, preparing for professions in diverse industries and developing a strong sense of social responsibility.
Yes. ۴ý is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Plus, all our courses are available 100% online. Where most colleges expect you to take several courses at once, here you take one course at a time over five weeks in an innovative, virtual, asynchronous learning environment. What’s more? Throughout the course of your learning experience, our academic counselors and finance advisors are always there to support and guide your decisions from your first day to your last.
Yes, our liberal arts bachelor’s degree programs accept eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions. Speak with an enrollment representative to start the process of evaluation by the University to see if your prior college credits can apply to your program and to request your transcripts.
The published program length to complete a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts is four years. Your time to completion could differ based on various factors, including any breaks from your coursework. There’s not a set timeframe to complete your degree, so you can work at your own flexible pace to graduate by satisfying the 120-credit requirement. You may be able to save time and money on your degree if you have eligible transfer credits from an institutionally accredited university or college.
