BA in Liberal Studies, Individualized

Design a degree that aligns with your passion and vision for the future.

At Antioch, we understand that different life experiences and professional accomplishments are what makes us unique. A self-designed concentration allows you to develop an individually-tailored curriculum that fits your particular interests and goals. We help you find just the right combination of course offerings and learning opportunities, designed specifically for adult learners, and then work with you to develop a specific degree concentration that achieves the learning necessary to accomplish your goals. Don’t waste your time pursuing a degree that doesn’t align with your passion and vision for your future.

This degree is offered by AU Seattle.

Program Overview

BA Liberal Studies students may elect to design their own academic concentration. Students who choose the individualized option work with a degree committee composed of the student, their academic advisor, and two specialists in the area of concentration who could be other Antioch faculty members or professionals in the larger community. Degree Committees meet three times spaced over the student’s time at Antioch to help design and, in the end, evaluate the student’s program.

For example, a student who studies psychology, art, and social justice may have committee members who are art therapists or are working in mental health clinics for disenfranchised people. These concentrations are shaped to personal interests and often cross disciplines. The student proposes the name for their individualized concentration, which must be approved by the degree committee.

Examples of individualized Areas of Concentration from recent graduates are:

• Sustainable Communities
• Change Management
• Somatics, Psychology, and Dance
• Children, Family, and Community
• Film and Social Change
• Culinary Anthropology

Customization is Key

In the BA in Liberal Studies program, each study plan is based on the student’s past experience, current needs and interests, and future goals. Students work in close collaboration with faculty advisors, instructors, and other students to shape their studies. Students build on earlier college work and on competencies learned at home, and at work, through independent reading and volunteer activities.

Degree Requirements

The Liberal Studies Bachelor’s 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
• at least 40 credits in the concentration
• a senior capstone project

For detailed curriculum, degree requirements, and course descriptions, please visit the AUS catalog.

Example Coursework for Concentration Requirements

An individualized Area of Concentration requires a minimum of 40 quarter credits of coursework, comprised of transfer courses, prior learning, Antioch courses, independent studies, service learning, and other learning activities. Concentrations must include a minimum of 3 credits of community-based learning, and a final, capstone/senior synthesis project.  The student works out the component learning activities with their academic advisor and degree committee.