General Studies Curriculum
CompleteDegree@Simmons
The online Bachelor of Arts in General Studies curriculum merges your previous undergraduate coursework and work experience with various educational disciplines. You’ll develop core competencies that employers value in the workplace such as communication, critical thinking, organization, problem-solving, and intercultural understanding. In your online courses and during a capstone project, you will learn to think globally, critically, and practically about contemporary issues — and you will graduate prepared to advance your career as you competently solve a wide range of problems for your organization.
Key Content Areas
A Simmons education will prepare you to think and lead within your area of focus and beyond. Our undergraduate experience includes courses in a variety of key content areas — such as science, culture, social history, and the arts — that represent different ways of thinking about the world and of approaching complex topics. These learning opportunities within and across disciplines prepare our graduates to solve a wide range of challenges in their lives, careers, and communities.
Like many of our students who are continuing their academic journey with Simmons, you may have transferable credits that fulfill key content area requirements. Be sure to submit your academic transcripts for review. We accept up to 96 transfer credits.
Program Requirements
Below are the required General Studies courses. Students are also required to take electives to optimize their path to degree completion.
General Studies Core Courses
| Thematic Focus | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
General Studies | Introduction to General Studies (GS 101) | 2 |
Social Justice | Social Inequalities (SOCI 249) or Ethics (PHIL 130) | 4 |
Global Change Science | Energy + Global Warming (CHEM 227) or Introduction to Environmental Science (BIOL 104) | 4 |
Planning and Organization | Project Management (BUS 221) or Organizational Communication and Behavior (BUS 234) | 4 |
Humanities, Communication, and Literacy | Visual Communication (COMM 121) or Media Writing and Editing (COMM 122) | 4 |
Policy | Health, Illness, and Society (SOCI 241); Global Health (SOCI 245); or Sociology of Food (SOCI 321) | 4 |
Capstone | Capstone in General Studies Capstone Major | 4 |
Electives
Students will work with their academic advisors during the Introduction to General Studies course to craft a suite of elective courses in support of their academic and professional goals for their remaining required credits. Students will have the flexibility to change their elective courses to align with newly formed interests as they progress in the program. At least one elective course must be at the 300-level.