Academics and Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree offers students the opportunity to select one of three Concentrations, based on the three academic divisions at Wesleyan:

• Arts and Humanities
• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Each Concentration includes many majors or departments. For instance, the English department and its courses are found within the "Arts and Humanities" Concentration. To view the list of departments and courses available in each area, visit Wesmaps, Wesleyan's online course catalog. 

Requirements for a BLS concentration:

• 12 courses (minimum .75 Wesleyan credits each) within the chosen Concentration*
  
  • 8 courses within a specific department in that Concentration – at least 4 of those taken at Wesleyan
  • 4 courses in other departments in that Concentration
  • At least 8 courses in courses number 201 or higher
• 8 courses outside the chosen Concentration
• 12 courses in electives – inside or outside the chosen Concentration
• BLS students are permitted to enroll in tutorials for credit.
• BLS students may apply to participate in the Teaching Apprentice program for credit.
• BLS students may be eligible to participate in some credit-bearing Wesleyan travel programs in summer and winter, and should enquire if they find a program that interests them.
• All approved degree requirements must be met (see below)

For the more focused student, a BLS concentration may be combined with an existing minor, in which case, the transcript would list both the concentration and the minor. BLS students also have the option to complete a standard major to serve as their concentration if it is feasible given their schedule and/or entry requirements for the major. Information about majors and minors is available here. In addition, self-designed concentrations are possible with the approval of the faculty governing board.

* For students in Wesleyan's Center for Prison Education, the Concentration requires ​12 courses in the chosen Concentration as follows: 5 must be within a specific department (4 of these must be Wesleyan courses); 4 courses must be in other departments in that Concentration; the remaining 3 courses are electives within the Concentration, from any department.

Degree Requirements:

• Completion of 32 credits
• Completion of a Concentration consisting of at least 12 courses (8 of which are within a specific department)** or of a department major that has been approved and certified by the individual department.
• At least 16 credits earned through Wesleyan courses (may include courses taken via the regular fall and spring semesters, Summer Session, Winter Session, GLS courses taken for undergraduate credit, or the Center for Prison Education)
• Minimum 74.00 GPA
• Honors possible upon completion and evaluation of an honors project (normally a thesis), at least 9 courses (rather than 8) within a specific department and fulfillment of General Education Expectations. To learn more, please visit General Education Expectations.
• Graduate Liberal Studies courses taken for undergraduate credit count as 0.75 BLS credits. BLS students may count a maximum of 8 GLS courses (equivalent to 6 BLS 1-credit courses) toward the BLS degree; students may not take GLS courses until the student has successfully completed 16 credits toward the BLS degree. 

** 5 of the 12 in a specific department, for students in Wesleyan's Center for Prison Education.

Academic advising:

The BLS is a small, individualized program, and in many cases, students may need to find creative ways to complete the degree. BLS students will work closely with an advisor to devise their plan of study.

• BLS students pursuing an area concentration will be advised by a member of the Continuing Studies staff or a Class Dean.
• BLS students pursuing a standard departmental major and/or minor will be advised by a faculty advisor in the department.