Explore a flexible BA in Liberal Studies at Arizona State University! Perfect for international students seeking diverse perspectives. Apply now!
For students whose interests are too big for any one major, or degree-completion students looking for the best way to finish a bachelor's degree with earned credits, the BA program in Liberal Studies opens up the academic world for exploration. The Liberal Studies major offers a course of study emphasizing the humanities and social sciences and gives students great flexibility in constructing their own educational path. Courses engage students in diverse ideas and perspectives, and students develop habits of mind beneficial in all areas of life. Liberal studies prepares students to meet the challenges of a complex world. It offers a path that enables students to prepare for a career or to change careers, to increase self-understanding, and to develop thoughtful engagement with other people and diverse cultures. Liberal Studies are the oldest form of higher education in the Western tradition, with roots going back to ancient Greece. It was realized early on that democracy depends on a population of educated people who can make and follow arguments, who can communicate clearly in a public forum, and who can learn how to learn about the important subjects affecting people's lives. A liberal education is not the same thing as being politically liberal in the modern sense, as throughout history people from all political perspectives have made significant contributions to and drawn from the knowledge and skills that define a liberal education.
