University Catalog

University Studies - Undergraduate Program

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.

MAJOR CONTENT

  • Comprised of 2 content areas - 24 hours for the primary content area and 21 hours for the secondary content area. The primary and secondary content areas will be selected by the student with a University Studies advisor for a total of 45 hours.

    • Primary Content Area - at least 12 of the 24 hours required for must be advanced (3000-4000 level) courses.

    • Secondary Content Area - at least 6 of the 21 hours required for must be advanced (3000-4000 level) courses.

  • For each content area selected, students may only take courses from the approved department prefixes listed below. Some departments have prerequisites and/or restrictions on the courses that can be taken.
    Please note: No more than 15 hours can come from the same department prefix within the 45 hours of the Major Content.

Content Area Choices

AREA I: Art, Media, Humanities

AAST, ADVT, ARAB, ARCH, ART, ASL, BCMN, CHIN, CLAS, COMM, COMS, CTEC, DIVR, DNCE, DS, ENGL, FREN, GERM, GLOBAL, GREK, HIST, HUMA, INTD, JOUR, KORE, LARC, LATN, LING, MAS, MODL, MUSI, PHIL, PORT, PREL, RUSS, SPAN, THEA, WOMS

AREA II: Business, Community Studies, Social Science

ACCT, ANTH, BANA, BCOM, BDEC, BEEP, BLAW, BSTAT, BUSA, CM, CRCJ, ECED, ECON, EDAD, EDML, EDUC, ELED, FINA, GEOG, INSU, INSY, LIST, LSHP, MANA, MARK, OPMA, PAPP, PCOM, PLAN, POLS, PSYC, REAE, SOCI, SOCW, SPED, UDES

AREA III: Engineering, Health & Wellness, Physical Science

AREN, ASTR, BE, BIOL, CE, CHEM, CSE, DATA, EE, ENGR, ENVR, EXSA, EXSS, GEOL, HEED, IE, KINE, MAE, MATH, MSE, NE, NURS, PHED, PHYS, REE, SCIE, STATS

CORE CURRICULUM

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

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

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, no more than 15 hours of coursework transferred in as WECM may be used toward electives in the University Studies degree.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN UNIVERSITY STUDIES - TECHNICAL PATHWAYS Program

This degree enables working professionals to complete the BS in University Studies. Admission is limited to students transferring credit from approved programs at select community college and technical institute partners. A list of approved programs may be found here.

Degree requirements are identical to the general BS in University Studies degree, but approved technical credits may be used to satisfy requirements.   Approved core curriculum courses may also be applied. Please consult the list of approved technical pathways for more information.

Courses

UNIV 1000. FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE. 0 Hours.

A course that orients students to life on UTA's campus and emphasizes engagement beyond the classroom. Students in this course will experience the UTA community by attending campus events and making connections beyond their studies, including interaction with career services, the library and financial literacy services. Students will also be able to identify campus resources to support their wellness from multiple aspects of their lives, both the social and the physical. Each UNIV 1000 class section has a Peer Academic Leader (PAL), who is a student that has already taken the course and assists as a discussion leader for the class under the supervision of the instructor. PALs will work with students on finding their place on campus, learning academic success skills, and developing a degree map.

UNIV 1101. CAREER PREPARATION AND STUDENT SUCCESS. 1 Hour.

A course for new transfer students that will help students transition into UTA and achieve academic and personal success through recognition of campus resources and community building. Students will discover effective ways to balance personal and career obligations with academic goals. The course will allow for the discovery of marketable skills within a chosen academic discipline and the professions associated with that program of study. Experiential learning opportunities will be discussed, including undergraduate research, leadership, international engagement, community engagement and career development. Each UNIV 1101 class section has a Peer Academic Leader (PAL), who is a student that has already taken the course and assists as a discussion leader for the class under the supervision of the instructor. PALs provide peer mentorship and work with students to take a deep dive into how critical thinking and study skills can be applied to major academic content, raise awareness and understanding of students' majors and possible career pathways, and connect students to resources on campus and school-specific activities.

UNIV 1131. STUDENT SUCCESS. 1 Hour.

A learning community course that will teach new students academic success skills to aid their transition into college. The goal of the course is to help students identify their individual needs, determine what resources are appropriate, recognize the faculty role in their development, and formulate a plan for an actively engaged and enriched experience from campus to career. Each UNIV 1131 class section has a Peer Academic Leader (PAL), who is a student that has already taken the course and assists as a discussion leader for the class under the supervision of the instructor. PALs provide guidance, raise awareness and understanding of students' majors, and help support collaborative and co-curricular opportunities available within the School/College.

UNIV 1302. COLLEGE LEARNING. 3 Hours.

An introduction to the learning strategies and behaviors necessary for academic success in academic programs and in personal and career development. Focus is on self-assessment, self-regulation, and employing cognitive and psychological theories and strategies for self-change. Students complete a self-change project based on theories and models of behavior modification. Gateway Advantage students are required to enroll in this course during their first semester.

UNIV 3335. PEER ACADEMIC LEADER TRAINING. 3 Hours.

Students are trained on the expectations and responsibilities of becoming a Peer Academic Leader (PAL). These students will work as group leaders for UNIV 1131 after successful completion of the course. Students will learn group instruction procedures and requisite guidance material to explain academic regulations and student services, analyze study skills, initiate appropriate study habits, and make appropriate referrals when necessary. Focus on classroom management, learning theory, and lesson plan development. Elective credit; does not count as part of the professional education certification requirements. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.