Undergraduate Bulletin > Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies > SPLS Major—Social Sciences

Special Programs in Liberal Studies Major—Social Sciences Concentration (SPLS)

Rationale and Program Objectives

The Special Programs in Liberal Studies, Social Sciences Concentration, is an online degree completion program for adult students who have earned a minimum of 60 hours of transferable credit at other institutions. The program is designed to provide students with an opportunity to earn their baccalaureate degree in an e-learning environment by gaining a broad-based understanding of the social sciences. The social sciences are the fields of academic scholarship that explore aspects of human behavior and societies. Upon completing the Special Programs in Liberal Studies Social Sciences concentration students will be able to:

• Engage theory and practice in the social sciences to better understand human behavior, activities, organizations, and cultures.
• Critically analyze social science related information in the popular media.
• Explain the interconnections, differences, and interdependence among the social sciences.
• Read, evaluate, and interpret research in the social sciences.
• Communicate clearly and effectively in an appropriate professional style.

Program Requirements

I General Education Core Requirements (GEC)

See complete GEC requirements and approved course listings for all categories.

Core Category	S.H.
Students may select courses for:
Literature (GLT)	3
Fine Arts (GFA)	3
Philosophical, Religious, Ethical Principles (GPR)	3
Historical Perspectives on Western Culture (GHP)	3
Mathematics (GMT)	3
Natural Sciences (GNS) one must be a laboratory course; each must have a different departmental prefix	7
Reasoning and Discourse (GRD) ENG 101 or FMS 115 or RCO 101, and one additional GRD course	6
Social and Behavioral Sciences (GSB)	6

 

II General Education Marker Requirements

See details and courses. It is possible to meet all GE Marker Requirements while completing the GE Core requirements or courses required by the major/concentration.

 

III College of Arts and Sciences Additional Requirements

See requirements and approved courses.

Category	S.H.
Historical Perspectives on Western Culture one GPM (Premodern) or GMO (Modern) course, depending on category used to satisfy GHP requirement	3
Humanities and Fine Arts one additional Literature (GLT) course	3
Natural Sciences one additional GNS/GLS or GPS course	3–4
Social and Behavioral Sciences (GSB) one additional GSB course	3
Foreign Language (GFL) intermediate-level proficiency in one language, demonstrated by placement test, or completion of course work through course number 204	0–12
Writing Intensive Courses (WI) a total of four WI courses

 

IV Major Requirements

Minimum of 30 semester hours above the 100 level including the following:

1. Core Courses (6 s.h.)
   
   SSC 300 Doing Social Science
   SSC 301 Contemporary Issues in the Social Sciences
    
2. Distribution Requirement (12 s.h.)
   
   Select four (4) courses from the list in section C, each from a different department.  
    
3. Area of Emphasis (9 s.h.)
   
   At least three (3) additional courses in one of the departments listed below:
   
   • Anthropology: ATY 308, 330, 357, 390
   • Communication Studies: CST 315, 341, 408, 460
   • Economics: ECO 201, 300, 310, 375
   • Geography: GEO 301, 302, 306, 315
   • Political Science: PSC 240, 329, 335, 355M
   • Psychology: PSY 318, 341, 375, 444
   • Sociology: SOC 201, 317, 327, 429
      
4. Capstone Seminar (3 s.h.)
   
   SSC 400 Senior Seminar in the Social Sciences

V Electives

Electives sufficient to complete the 122 semester hours required for the degree.