BA in Liberal Studies
Find a degree that aligns with your future. Immerse yourself in your education.
Develop the skills you need to be successful in whatever career path you choose with a BA in Liberal Studies. Skills like leadership, communication, social justice, and sustainable business—all grounded in a foundation of the humanities with a multicultural focus to give you a well-rounded education to succeed. Apply up to 135 quarter credits if at least 15 are upper division transfer credits, and learn about prior learning credits for professional or military work experience. Become part of a powerful community of engaged students of all backgrounds, and acquire the skills, knowledge, and hands-on experience to meet your goals.
Choose from 8 Areas of Concentration, or create your own Individualized course of study:
- Arts and Literature Concentration
- Communication & Media
- Education
- Global and Social Justice Studies
- Leadership & Sustainable Business
- Psychology and Counseling
- Spiritual Studies
- Urban Ecology
- Individualized Concentration
This degree is offered by Antioch University's Seattle Campus.
Program Overview
Students come to AUS with backgrounds ranging from recent community college experience to students with up to 30 or more years of work and life experience. From these diverse backgrounds, BA Liberal Studies students, with faculty guidance, design their own plans of study to round out liberal arts learning outcomes and focus on an area of personal and career interest.
The BA degree completion program is designed to meet learners where they are personally, professionally, and academically. Antioch’s BA in Liberal Studies program is meant for the learner who is planning, among other things, to:
- Change career directions
- Get a promotion
- Pursue a new job opportunity
- Attend graduate school
- Become a community or environmental activist
- Launch one’s life dream/project
- Experience the personal fulfillment of completing a bachelor’s degree
Many Antioch BA students are currently employed and have clear personal and professional goals. They are managers, artists, small business owners, social service workers, parents, community activists, military veterans, independent scholars, and recent (or not-so-recent) graduates of community and technical colleges. Others are at early stages of their careers and want to explore ways to match their ideals with their studies and future work, especially with regard to social change and social justice.
All these students share:
- A desire to shape their education to fit professional and personal goals
- Interest in self-directed learning
- Drive for a personally meaningful education
- Strong motivation to enhance their professional and personal lives
- Appreciation of the value of collaboration
- Strong desire to make a significant contribution to society and create social change
Additional Information
The average time to complete this degree is 1-2 years, depending on number of credits transferred into AUS.
The Liberal Studies Bachelor degree requires 180 quarter credits, including a minimum of 60 upper division credits, and a maximum of 120 lower division credits. Graduation requirements include 7 liberal studies courses, an internship or other in the world learning experience of the student’s choosing, an area of concentration consisting of at least 40 credits, and a senior capstone project. A minimum of 30 semester or 45 quarter credits must be completed with Antioch University.
Our various concentrations empower you with the skills and knowledge to successfully engage in careers such as:
- Spiritual/faith leadership
- Writing, publishing, film, visual and performing arts, curating, arts management
- Global and social justice organizations
- Leadership, management, human resources, training, business, social entrepreneurship, sustainable systems design, community development
- Social change advocacy, environmental stewardship, climate change activism, urban environmental education, public policy & law, urban design, and government
Faculty Spotlights
Sue Woehrlin
Chair
Sharyn Merrigan, MEd
Adjunct Faculty
Barrett Martin
Adjunct Faculty
Elizabeth Burke
Senior Lecturer & Adjunct Faculty
Admissions
How to Apply:
Antioch University Seattle offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies through a degree completion program. All applicants to the BA program must have completed at least 36 quarter or 24 semester credits to be eligible for admission. A combined minimum of one full-time year of college credit is required; however, AUS will transfer up to the equivalent of three full-time years (80 semester credits/120 quarter credits, and up to 135 quarter credits if at least 15 credits are upper-division).
- Complete the online admissions application.
- Submit official transcripts from ALL colleges/universities you have attended to the Admissions Office. Transcript evaluations are required for all coursework completed outside of the U.S. or Canada (except Quebec). See Transcript Evaluation section on International Students webpage for details.
- Submit a short essay (two-three pages; approximately 500 words) that addresses why you would like to finish your bachelor’s degree at Antioch University Seattle.
- International Students have additional admission requirements. See International Students page for details.
Application Deadlines:
| Quarter | Application Deadline* | Start Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March 15 | March 31 |
| Summer | June 15 | July 1 |
| Fall | September 15 | September 30 |
| Winter | December 15 | January 2 |
| *Complete applications received after the Deadline date may be considered if space is still available in that quarter or will be reviewed for the next available term. | ||
Applicants coming to AUS fulfill the minimum transfer requirement with:
- College courses taken at a U.S. college or university (with a final grade of ‘C’ or better, or pass if taken as pass/no pass)
- College Board Advanced Placement exams (a score of 3 or higher)
- CLEP credit (a score of 50)
- International coursework (university, college, upper-secondary/gymnasium) that is assessed to be equivalent to college credit earned at a regionally accredited U.S. college/university (with a final grade of ‘C’ or better, or pass if taken as pass/no pass) by an external transcript evaluation agency.
Antioch University Seattle Admissions Office 2400 Third Avenue, Suite 200 Seattle, WA 98121 [email protected] LEARN MORE
Cost
| Per quarter credit | $535 |
| View the Cost of Attendance Components | |
Our students typically earn 10-25 credits for life experience/prior learning, up to a maximum of 45 and transfer in between 45-120 credits. It takes 180 credits total to graduate. Please note: Additional fees for all AUS programs may include (but are not necessarily limited to) charges for materials, late registration, enrollment maintenance, parking, graduation, transcripts, tuition payment plan, late payments, late registration, and returned checks.
Financial Aid
A majority of AUS students finance their education through some form of financial aid. You may not be sure which federal, state, public and private aid packages – such as loans, scholarships, and grants—are right for you. Our staff is here to help you, so you can focus on what’s most important: beginning your academic program at AUS.
Transfer Credits and Prior Learning
Transfer Credits
Prospective students with at least 36 quarter credits (equivalent to 24 semester credits) of college credits from an accredited institution can apply to complete their degree in one of Antioch’s Bachelor’s degrees. Our undergraduate programs accept a maximum of 120 quarter credits/80 semester credit lower-division credits that can be transferred toward your degree program. Antioch will accept 135 quarter credits (90 semester credits) of lower-division and upper-division learning that can be transferred toward your degree. The formal evaluation of previously earned transfer credits starts during the admission process. For more information regarding the specifics of transfer credits, please talk with your admissions counselor.
*Note: See specific articulation agreements for any exceptions to these parameters
Prior Learning Credits
Undergraduate students can earn up to 45 university quarter credits (30 semester credits) for demonstrating college-level learning gained outside of school, such as through work experience, professional training, military training, or personal experience. Demonstration of prior learning involves showing evidence of the student’s knowledge of the topic and situating that knowledge within an academic context. Earning academic credit for prior learning activities may accelerate a student’s time to degree completion and significantly reduce tuition costs. Antioch offers a workshop and course to support students interested in earning credit through prior learning.
Free Unofficial Transcript Evaluation
Want to know how long it’ll take to finish your degree at Antioch? Upload your unofficial transcripts for a free evaluation, and our advisors will contact you. No strings attached.
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