B.A. in Liberal Studies

Liberal studies is unique at Marymount in that it provides a broad general education and the opportunity to gain knowledge in two major fields, designated as concentrations. Some examples of concentration options are biology/physical sciences, business and related fields, communication, English, fine and applied arts, gender and society, graphic design, history, humanities, information technology, mathematics, philosophy/religious studies/theology, politics, and psychology/sociology/criminal justice. Other concentrations may be considered. Liberal studies can serve as a degree completion program for transfer and nontraditional students with previously earned college credits and full-time work experience. The program provides an efficient way to maximize the number of transfer credits and/or shorten the time required for graduation in a single discipline. The program is also desirable for students who have more than one specialized interest, have altered their career goals, or want to change their major. Upon successful completion of the liberal studies program, students will be able to demonstrate appropriate levels of knowledge of content from two areas of concentration; apply and integrate methods from different disciplines in research and analysis that examine an issue from multiple perspectives, effectively incorporating and synthesizing information from two different disciplines; find, use, and evaluate a variety of sources of information and demonstrate competence in a documentation style appropriate to their discipline; produce a well-structured and well-written argumentative essay of substantial length that supports students' claims, evaluates opposing and/or alternate viewpoints, and reaches a conclusion logically arising from the discussion; communicate ideas clearly in an oral presentation, defending conclusions effectively and responding extempore to questions and critiques; and demonstrate an understanding of the value of lifelong learning by articulating how educational experiences relate to careers and daily life. The e-portfolio contains a collection of experiential and scholarly writings, including a lengthy senior thesis. The topic of this paper involves the student in conducting scholarly research integrating knowledge of the student?s two fields of concentration. The e-portfolio is often sent to prospective employers to demonstrate students' high level of research and writing skills and knowledge of the controversial issues in their fields of concentration.