BGS in General Studies
Degree Program Description
The Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) is designed for students who want a multidisciplinary major to meet educational and career objectives. Students who pursue the BGS need a high degree of motivation and independence. Students design their curriculum across three main components. Components may be made up of courses from a single department or from a single theme. These degree requirements allow students to build an individualized major that reflects their personal academic interests. Careers options are as varied as the combination of curricula.
Major Program Requirements
Students must complete the Department Requirements as well as those required for the degree listed below:
The BGS major requires 45 credit hours, including a capstone. These 45 credit hours are evenly distributed among three areas of study called components. A component may be made up of courses from a single department or may be made up of courses from multiple departments that relate thematically. Component courses may be selected from any department or program at MU (if the department permits), but at least 18 credit hours must be made of courses from an A&S department. Of the 15 credit hours required for each component, 6 credit hours in each of the components must be numbered 3000 or higher. Students must maintain a GPA of 2.0 in each component area and grades of D are not acceptable. A student may include one component made entirely of transfer coursework if the other two components each contain 9 credit hours of coursework numbered 3000 or above. BGS students are required to include a minimum of 12 credit hours of MU coursework numbered 2000 level or above in their three components. A student who has earned a degree in General Studies may not pursue a second degree in a field that was used as a component of the first degree.
- 30 of the last 36 hours a student completes must be taken at MU.
- In order to graduate, students must have the following GPAs:
- 2.0 cumulative GPA (the GPA for all coursework taken at MU)
- 2.0 major GPA (the GPA for all courses taken to fulfill requirements in the major)
- 2.0 minor GPA (the GPA for all courses taken to fulfill requirements for a minor)
- A maximum of 6 hours of Internship may apply to graduation.
- A maximum of 12 hours of Internship, Readings and/or Special Problems may apply to graduation.
- A minimum of 12 hours of coursework must be satisfactorily completed after declaring the General Studies major. For currently enrolled students, this may include credit earned during the semester in which the student declares the BGS major. For students who have been absent from MU for four or more consecutive years, and who need fewer than 12 credit hours to complete the BGS, A&S and MU degree requirements, a minimum of 6 hours of coursework, including 3 hours at the 3000 or higher level, must be satisfactorily completed after declaring the General Studies major. The minimum must allow the student to meet any System or Campus residency requirements.
In addition, students must complete all College of Arts and Science and University graduation requirements, including University general education.
Semester Plan
Below is a sample plan of study, semester by semester. A student's actual plan may vary based on course choices where options are available.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGLSH 1000 | 3 | MATH 1050, 1100, or STAT 1200 | 3 |
| Behavioral Science 1000+ | 3 | Science 1000+ | 3 |
| Social Science (MO STATE LAW) 1000+ | 3 | Behavioral & Social Sciences 1000+ | 3 |
| Humanities or Fine Arts 1000+ | 3 | Humanities & Fine Arts 1000+ | 3 |
| BGS Component #1 1000+ | 3 | BGS Component #2 1000+ | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Science with a lab 1000+ | 3-5 | A&S Diversity Requirement | 3 |
| Writing Intensive I 1000+ | 3 | Behavioral & Social Sciences 2000+ | 3 |
| Humanities & Fine Arts 2000+ | 3 | BGS Component #1 2000+ | 3 |
| BGS Component #3 1000+ | 3 | BGS Component #2 2000+ | 3 |
| BGS Component #3 2000+ | 3 | ||
| 12-14 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Any Arts & Science 2000+ | 3 | BGS Component #1 3000+ | 3 |
| BGS Component #1 3000+ | 3 | BGS Component #2 3000+ | 3 |
| BGS Component #2 3000+ | 3 | BGS Component #3 3000+ | 3 |
| BGS Component #3 3000+ | 3 | Writing Intensive II 3000+ | 3 |
| General Elective or Minor 1000+ | 3 | General Elective or Minor 2000+ | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| BGS Component #1 4000+ CAPSTONE | 3 | General Elective or Minor 1000+ | 3 |
| BGS Component #2 3000+ | 3 | General Elective or Minor 1000+ | 3 |
| BGS Component #3 3000+ | 3 | General Elective or Minor 1000+ | 3 |
| General Elective or Minor 1000+ | 3 | General Elective or Minor 1000+ | 3 |
| General Elective or Minor 1000+ | 3 | General Elective or Minor 1000+ | 3 |
| General Elective or Minor 1000+ | 2-3 | ||
| 17-18 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits: 119-122 | |||
Degree Audit
The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree.
MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner. Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress. This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.
Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.
Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.
For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.
Major and Career Exploration
The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities. For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.
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If you are considering a change of major or are exploring multiple majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573)884-9700 or through MU Connect Discovery Center service in you success network.
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If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring the major.
- If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values and talents, visit the MU Career Center. No Appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.
- If you would like information about MU majors and degree programs, visit:
- the Degrees, Majors (Degree Programs), Emphasis Areas, Minors and Certificates page in the catalog,
- the MU Majors website.
For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.