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Home / Continuing Studies

Bachelor of Liberal Studies

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The Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) degree is designed for mature students seeking a broad-based education as a part-time or full-time student with a direct route to graduation. Students are able to shape their degree plan around their interests, career goals and previous work/academic background. There are many reasons why students choose the BLS degree. The most common reasons include:

  • Highly flexible curriculum for working adults
  • Acceptance of many previously earned college credits in a variety of disciplines
  • Career advancement
  • Interest in a true liberal arts learning experience

Students enrolling in the BLS degree select a concentration of courses, satisfy the general curriculum core and complete a prescribed number of general electives credits. Students may test out of some course requirements or apply for credit for work experience. Courses are offered in the day, evening and throughout the summer. Transfer courses can satisfy the BLS general curriculum core, concentration and general electives.

New students to The University of Tampa should apply online or contact admissions at (813) 253-6211. Current UT students should contact their academic advisor if they wish to change to the BLS degree.

BLS General Curriculum Core

The BLS general core consists of courses that develop academic, critical thinking and public speaking skills. The general curriculum provides students the opportunity to go beyond the scope of their chosen concentration and complete course work in various disciplines to reflect a true liberal arts experience. The full requirements for the BLS major can be found on UT's online catalog.

Concentrations

Students select one of these concentrations.

Concentration Description
Humanities Allows students to combine a variety of humanities courses with the potential for graduates to be employed throughout numerous industries.
Social Science Offers a variety of social sciences courses, permitting students to thrive off of the potential to enter a wide array of work places.
Applied Arts Designed 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
Community Wellness Designed for students who work in or wish to transition to a career as a support person in a community health setting and desires to combine select courses from a unique set of disciplines.
Instructional Support Those students who wish to work in the educational support capacity should consider this specialization.
Public Information Primarily designed for those who wish to work as a communication specialist in a public or nonprofit agency, this specialization will prepare graduates to advance in the workplace.
Community Safety Students who aspire to work in or transition to a role in a public safety agency should consider this specialization.

Prior Learning Credit

A special feature of the Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree is the provision for earning prior learning credit. Students can earn a maximum of 10 credit hours for verifiable expertise gained from current or previous work-related experiences. In addition, students are able to earn credits through testing programs such as CLEP and DANTES. College credits can also be applied to some military training or course work.

Contact Information

The University of Tampa
Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies
401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Box F
Tampa, FL 33606-1490

Phone: (813) 253-6249
Toll free: 888-MINARET (646-2738)
Fax: (813) 258-7451
Email: ogcsadvising@ut.edu