University Catalog

If you're eager to graduate and get a job, check out UT Arlington's Bachelor of Science degree in University Studies . This program puts you on the fast track to earning a degree by maximizing your existing credit hours through an individualized curriculum.

Designed for students seeking options beyond the traditional university majors, the program features a breadth of study in a range of academic disciplines that prepares you for a variety of career paths. When you earn a University Studies degree, you'll graduate with a broad-based education in at least three subject areas. And you'll be one step closer to launching your career.

What can University Studies do for you?

• Synchronize coursework to help you graduate faster.
• Provide a foundation to begin your career.
• Re-focus your academic goals.
• Provide options for applying your existing hours toward a degree.
• Hone your skills in important areas such as communication, critical thinking, project management and problem solving.
• Make you a more appealing candidate to potential employers.

Who should apply?

• Students who find that a traditional major doesn't meet their needs.
• Former students who want to return to UT Arlington and complete their degrees.
• Transfer students who are unsure about what major to pursue.
• Transfer students who want to accelerate their graduation but have numerous hours that don't easily apply to a major.
• UT Arlington students unable meet the academic requirements to enter or graduate from another major.
• Please Note: The Bachelor of Science in University Studies is not open to students who have already earned an undergraduate bachelor’s degree.  Students seeking a second bachelor’s degree should select another major area for the continuation of their studies.

What are the program requirements?

• You must have 60 or more credit hours to be admitted to the program.
• You must have a 2.0 GPA to be admitted to and graduate from the program.
• You must complete UT Arlington's core curriculum courses.
• You must complete an online application .
• Once admitted, you must complete 15 hours from three content areas for a total of 45 hours. Hours earned before entering the program may be used to satisfy degree requirements after consulting with a program advisor.
• In each content area, at least six of the 15 hours must be 3000/4000 level courses.
• Of the total 45 hours, no more than 15 may have the same course prefix.
• Courses completed as part of the core curriculum may not be used to satisfy the degree requirements.

You may choose your three content areas from the following:

• Arts
• Business
• Community Studies
• Engineering
• Health and Wellness
• Humanities
• Media
• Physical Science
• Social Science

Bachelor of Science in University Studies

To earn a Bachelor of Science in University Studies, you must complete 120 credit hours and have a 2.0 cumulative grade-point average upon completing the course requirements. Of the 120 total hours, you must complete at least 36 advanced credit hours (3000- and 4000-level courses). You must also meet the residency requirements for completing a degree at UT Arlington.

The three curriculum areas for each University Studies Degree are major content, core curriculum and electives.

There are three areas of curriculum to complete for each degree plan: Major Content, Core Curriculum, and Electives.

Major Content

• Comprised of 15 hours from three major content areas selected by the student with a University Studies advisor for a total of 45 hours
  • At least 6 of the 15 hours required for each content area must be advanced (3000-4000 level) courses.
• For each major content area selected, students may only take courses from the approved department prefixes listed.
• Major Content Areas
  • Arts: ARCH, ART, DNCE, INTD, MUSI, THEA
  • Business: ACCT, BCOM, BLAW, BSTAT ECON, FINA, INSU INSY, MANA, MARK, OPMA, REAE
  • Community Studies: BEEP, CRCJ, ECED, EDUC, EDML, LIST, SOCW, URPA
  • Engineering: BE, CE, CSE, EE, ENGR, IE, MAE, MSE, NE
  • Health and Wellness: HEED, KINE, NURS
  • Humanities: CLAS, CHIN, ENGL, FREN, GERM, GREK, HIST, HUMA, LATN, LING, MODL, PHIL, PORT, RUSS, SPAN
  • Media: ADVT, BCMN, COMM, COMS, CTEC, JOUR, PREL
  • Physical Sciences: BIOL, CHEM, GEOL, MATH, PHYS, SCIE
  • Social Sciences: ANTH, CRCJ, GEOG, POLS, PSYC, SOCI, SOCW, URPA

Please note:  No more than 15 hours can come from the same department prefix within the 45 hours of the Major Content.

Download the Major Content Area Worksheet to help you select courses

Core Objectives

• Critical Thinking Skills - to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information
• Communication Skills - to include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual communication
• Empirical and Quantitative Skills - to include the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions
• Teamwork - to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal
• Personal Responsibility - to include the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making
• Social Responsibility: to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities

The UT Arlington Core Curriculum is comprised of the following component areas:

• Communication
• Mathematics
• Life and Physical Sciences
• Language, Philosophy and Culture
• Creative Arts
• American History
• Government/Political Science
• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Foundation Area Option

Click here for the requirements and approved courses

Electives

Students must complete a sufficient number of electives to fulfill the 120 hours required for the degree as well as 36 hours of advanced (3000-4000 level) coursework required. No more than 4 hours of EXSA or DNCA courses can be counted toward the electives,  In addition, coursework transferred in as WECM or Vocational cannot be used toward the University Studies degree.