Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the Bachelor of General Studies degree?

A: The Bachelor of General Studies degree (BGS) uses already completed university-level course work to develop a degree-completion plan for students. It should not be confused with a bachelor’s degree in a specific discipline (i.e. Business, English, art etc.)

Q: Who is the BGS appropriate for?

A: The BGS may be appropriate for students who:

• Began college, completed significant course work, but did not complete a degree
• Have completed a two-year (associate) degree
• Began their college education at a junior or community college
• Are in careers where a college degree could lead to advancement
• Seek careers or graduate programs that require only a bachelor’s degree of any type
• Want the personal satisfaction of having completed a degree
• Have not gained entry into the degree programs they originally sought

Q. What is the degree requirement for the BGS?

A: The requirements for the BGS degree are as follows:

• Students must meet all University graduation requirements including:
  • A minimum of 124 semester hours
    • A minimum 60 semester hours must be completed at the 2000 level or higher and 48 semester hours must be completed at the 3000 level or higher
  • Residency requirements including:
    • The last 30 hours taken at YSU
    • A minimum of 21 upper division hours taken at YSU
    • A minimum of 16 concentration hours taken at YSU
• Students must fulfill all of the General Education Requirements
• Students must fulfill the following requirements for the General Studies concentration:
  • A total of 48 semester hours
    • A minimum of 24 semester hours must be at the 3000 level or higher
    • Two focus areas of 18-24 hours each
    • Optional support courses to bring the total to 48 s.h.
    • All work in the concentration area must be completed with a grade of “C” or better
  • Two cultural courses

Q: The degree requirements refer to two focus areas, what is a focus area?

A: A focus area consists of between 18-24 semester hours of course work. You choose your own focus areas based upon your interests or the courses you have already completed. Some disciplines require specific courses to constitute a focus area, others have simply specified any 18 semester hours.

Q: What does the BGS prepare me for?

A: Entry level positions for some career paths require only a bachelor’s degree of any type. Employers may simply be looking for individuals who are college educated. Because the BGS has the same general education and University requirements as any bachelor’s degree, its graduates have completed the same basic skill and content area courses as all Youngstown State University graduates. If you are currently in a career, you may also find that completing a bachelor’s degree increases your likelihood of advancing in that career. Likewise, some graduate programs do not specify a particular major for applicants. Students who plan to enter graduate programs should speak with representatives from the graduate programs they seek before choosing the BGS.

Q: It’s been over ten years since I last took college classes and my completed courses are on the quarter system, can I still participate in this degree program?

A: Yes, it does not matter when you completed course work. If you took classes on a quarter system, we can easily convert your credits to semester hours. You will not loose credit for those courses.

Q: How long will it take me to complete the BGS?

A: That totally depends upon how many credits you have already completed, what specific courses you have taken and whether or not you intend to enroll full-time or part-time. We do a preliminary evaluation for each person to give them an estimate of how long it will take them to complete the degree.

Q: Would I be better off choosing the BGS or a traditional major?

A: It depends on many things including what your ultimate academic, career and personal goals are, how many credits you have already completed, and what particular degree completion timeline you have in mind. These are things that can be determined as we discuss your educational plans.

Q: Do other universities offer a BGS degree?

A: Yes, the Bachelor of General Studies degree is quite commonly offered. Nearly 300 colleges and universities offer such programs nationwide, including 13 in Ohio. Sometimes these programs are called a Bachelor of Liberal Studies or a Bachelor of Liberal Arts.