Bachelor of General Studies
The Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) is an undergraduate liberal arts degree available through the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Fort Hays State University. The degree provides maximum flexibility for students who have well-defined career objectives and wish to determine the content of their degree rather than pursue one of the established majors at FHSU. The program includes general education requirements and an area of concentration but not a specific major.
The Bachelor of General Studies is a general degree that can be used for entry into a wide variety of occupations. The BGS degree serves as a bridge to numerous graduate degree programs and prepares students for employment in areas not requiring specific baccalaureate degrees. The area of emphasis or concentration can be tailored to prepare students for entry into a particular career.
Program Summary
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education | 34 | |
| Program (Major) Core | ||
| BGS Required Courses | 6 | |
| BGS Emphasis Area | 21 | |
| Additional Liberal Arts 2 | 19-43 | |
| Open Electives 1 | 40 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
- 1
Open electives are the credit hours required to reach a minimum of 120 total hours and 45 upper division hours. The number listed assumes all courses are completed at FHSU as listed. This number may vary if students transfer courses, or have individual substitutions allowed. Students should speak with their advisor if either situation applies to determine if the number will vary, and to ensure they enroll in a minimum of 45 upper division hours.
Students entering within 1 year of high school graduation will take UNIV 101 Freshman Seminar and may apply that hour in the open elective category.
- 2
The additional Liberal Arts category will be the number of hours to reach 80 needed after counting the Liberal Arts hours taken in the general education program and concentration area. Students electing Liberal Arts courses to satisfy all General Education and concentration requirements will have 19 hours of additional Liberal Arts coursework required. Electing non-Liberal Arts concentrations, or Personal and Professional Development course in the Institutionally Designated Area of the General Education requirements will increase the hours and reduce the open electives available.
Program Requirements
Total Hours Required for Degree: 120 Credit Hours
General Requirements
- A minimum of 80 credit hours of coursework in Liberal Arts and Sciences disciplines: Art, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Communication Studies, Criminal Justice, Economics (ECON 201 Principles of Microeconomics and/or ECON 202 Principles of Macroeconomics), English, Geography, Geology, History, Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS), Leadership Studies, Mathematics, Modern Languages, Music, Philosophy, Physical Science, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology.
- A minimum grade point average of 2.0.
- A minimum of 45 credit hours of upper-division coursework (courses numbered 300 or greater).
- A minimum of 30 graded credit hours of coursework from FHSU.
Concentration Requirements
- Area of Concentration (21 Credit Hours)
All students completing a Bachelor of General Studies must fulfill the requirements of a 21-credit-hour concentration. For details about concentrations, see the Bachelor of General Studies Areas of Concentration webpage.
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FHSU General Education Program | ||
| ENG 101 & ENG 102 | English Composition I and English Composition II | 6 |
| COMM 100 | Fundamentals of Oral Communication | 3 |
| or COMM 304 | Intermediate Interpersonal Communication | |
| Mathematics Discipline Area 1 | 3 | |
| Natural & Physical Sciences Discipline Area 1, 2 | 4 | |
| Arts & Humanities Discipline Area (2 courses from different disciplines) 1 | 6 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences Discipline Area (2 courses from different disciplines) 1 | 6 | |
| Personal & Professional Development Area 1 | 3 | |
| Critical Thinking Area 1 | 3 | |
| Additional BGS Required Courses | ||
| UNIV 301 | Information Literacy | 3 |
| UNIV 402 | Upper-Level Writing | 3 |
| Total Hours | 40 | |
- 1
See General Education Document for course list.
- 2
1 lab and 1 lecture course or 1 lecture/lab combination course.
The General Education Math Pathways course identified for this major is MATH 101 Contemporary Mathematics . All students pursuing this degree program will be required to complete this course or the corequisite support course. Students who place into a higher level math course may be able to satisfy this requirement; consult with your Academic Advisor for additional information.
Placement measures for MATH 101 Contemporary Mathematics include:
- Math ACT: 19 or higher OR
- Math SAT: 510 or higher OR
- ALEKS PPL: 30 or higher OR
- Accuplacer QAS: 255 or higher OR
- HS GPA and Course Grade: 3.00 cumulative GPA (unweighted) and C- or higher in Second Semester Algebra 2 or Integrated Math 3 OR
- Institutional Measure
Students who do not meet any of the placement measures listed above will need to register for the corequisite support course: MATH 100 Contemporary Mathematics with Review
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| MATH 101 | Contemporary Mathematics | 3 |
| ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| COMM 100 | Fundamentals of Oral Communication | 3 |
| UNIV 101 | Freshman Seminar | 1 |
| Concentration Course | 3 | |
| Open Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| SGE070 - Institutionally Designated Area: Personal and Professional Development | 3 | |
| SGE040 - Natural Physical Science Discipline Area | 4 | |
| ENG 102 | English Composition II | 3 |
| Concentration Course | 3 | |
| Directed Electives | 1 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| SGE060 - Arts Humanities Discipline Area | 3 | |
| SGE050 - Social Behavioral Sciences Discipline Area | 3 | |
| SGE070 - Institutionally Designated Area: Critical Thinking | 3 | |
| Concentration Course | 3 | |
| Open Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| SGE060 - Arts Humanities Discipline Area | 3 | |
| SGE050 - Social Behavioral Sciences Discipline Area | 3 | |
| Concentration Course | 3 | |
| Open Electives | 3 | |
| Open Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Concentration Course | 3 | |
| Upper Division Liberal Arts Course | 3 | |
| Upper Division Liberal Arts Course | 3 | |
| Upper Division Liberal Arts Course | 3 | |
| Upper Division Liberal Arts Course | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Concentration Course | 3 | |
| Upper Division Liberal Arts Course | 3 | |
| Upper Division Liberal Arts Course | 3 | |
| Upper Division Liberal Arts Course | 3 | |
| Upper Division Liberal Arts Course | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| UNIV 301 | Information Literacy | 3 |
| Concentration Course | 3 | |
| Upper Division Liberal Arts Course | 3 | |
| Upper Division Liberal Arts Course | 3 | |
| Open Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| UNIV 402 | Upper-Level Writing | 3 |
| Upper Division Liberal Arts Course | 3 | |
| Upper Division Liberal Arts Course | 3 | |
| Upper Division Liberal Arts Course | 3 | |
| Open Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Academic Degree Maps are term-by-term sample course plans that specify milestones, courses, and special requirements that are necessary for facilitating on-time completion. Degree Maps are examples and are not prescriptive. Individualized choices such as concentration options, transfer credits, optional minors, advisory programs (certificates), etc. can alter the recommended coursework. Course offerings are subject to change. Students should consult with their academic advisors for additional guidance on course planning.
To determine courses to take in the directed choices (often listed as Program Elective Course) and directed elective course blocks see the overview tab for courses. Open electives indicate the student is free to choose courses from any subject, but students should discuss with their advisor how many of these hours must be upper division. To locate approved courses in General Education areas (Undergraduate Programs) see the general education section of the catalog.
The undergraduate course maps typically advise the most efficient route for students to complete the general education requirements. Courses that are required in the major may be listed as fulfilling relevant general education requirements. This will result in more open elective course hours in some maps than is listed on the degree overview page.