General Studies Major

Program Description

The General Studies degree provides students the opportunity to pursue a personalized course of study. This major allows students to explore and integrate academic offerings from across multiple departments, programs, and colleges.  A General Studies degree is in the tradition of a liberal arts degree that educates a student broadly. This degree is not to be confused with USU’s Interdisciplinary Studies degree—also a degree that offers a personalized course of study, but one that has specific structural requirements of two thematically organized sets of coursework. 

Admission Requirements For This Major

• Be a student in good standing at Utah State University
• Have obtained 60 earned credits
• Submit an application and plan of study with an identifiable area of emphasis (Arts and Humanities, Agriculture, Education and Human Services, Natural Resources, Policy and Administration, Science, Social Science and Technology) to the Associate Dean of the academic college that oversees the chosen emphasis
• This plan of study must include (1) a plan for completing USU’s University Studies requirements, (2) include at least 40 credits of upper division courses, and (3) include a culminating capstone course or experience
• Admission to the General Studies degree program will require approval of both the advisor and the College Dean, or his or her designee, who will consult with faculty of the college in which the student wishes to enroll
  
  
  

Graduation Requirements

The degee requirements for General Studies include the following:

• 120 total credits
• Grade point average of 2.0 USU cumulative GPA - in good standing at Utah State
• Completion of USU General Education credits (minimum of 30 credits) 
  
• Depth education components of 2 Communications Intensive courses, 1 Quantitative Intensive course; and 2 Depth Courses.
• 40 credits of upper-division courses
• An area of emphasis identified within an academic college (Agriculture, Business, Education and Human Services, Engineering, Humanities, Arts and Social Science, Natural Resources, and Science) with a minimum of 30 credits
• A plan of study approved by their advisor, the associate dean of the college associated with their emphasis
• A capstone experience is required (e.g., internship; research project, independent study, senior project)

Degrees Offered Through This Program

General Studies: Bachelor of Science (BS), Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Academic Advisement
Students interested in the General Studies major should contact the Office of University Advising and Transfer Services, (435) 797-3373.   

Materials for Persons with Disabilities
This requirement sheet is available in large print, audio, and braille format upon request to the USU Disability Resource Center.

For information contact:
University Advising and Transfer Services, TSC 304, Utah State University, 0114 Old Main Hill, Logan UT 84322-0114, tel. (435) 797-3373.

Minimum University Requirements