Degrees earned in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are composed of three elements: the General Education Program, courses for the major, and electives.

The General Education Program provides each student with a breadth of knowledge and proficiencies across the main fields of learning. The faculty members of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are responsible for defining the General Education Program using the principles and procedures described in this document. The General Education Curriculum Committee and the Educational Policy Committee oversee the review and approval of specific courses and policies of the Program.

The Major provides a depth of knowledge in a single discipline or in an interdisciplinary field of study. Every student is required to choose a major by the time seventy-two hours have been earned. For some students, the major supplies the foundation for a subsequent career, while for others the major is an organizing center for learning important intellectual capabilities that may be brought to a variety of future endeavors. In either case, the major facilitates the acquisition of critical thinking skills. Through courses in the major, students learn to think clearly and deeply about complex problems and to develop the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that comes from knowing a subject well.

Electives provide students the opportunity to round out their education through individual choices of courses or course combinations. Students may organize their elective courses to complete a second major, to add minors or certificates to their degrees, or simply to satisfy an intellectual curiosity. The diversity of degree seeking students, differing in age, ethnicity, educational background, and personal objectives, increases the importance of electives in the liberal arts curriculum. Students choose their own electives, often with the help of an academic advisor.