If your goal in college is to pursue a broad range of interests or to develop a specialized program in areas where majors are not currently offered, our Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) and Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Studies (AALS) degree programs are just what you’re looking for. The BLS option is designed by you and your academic advisor to ensure a comprehensive academic experience, while allowing flexibility in fulfilling requirements. It can serve as a terminal degree or as preparation for graduate school, professional school, or employment in business, government or industry. The AALS, a 64-credit hour program, includes a strong core of foundation courses and allows you to study selected disciplines in-depth. If you have a lot of college coursework under your belt already, our BLS and the AALS allow you to pull it all together, give it shape, and complete your degree.
Several minors and concentrations are available, each aiming to build career-ready knowledge and skills for students interested in areas such as Allied Health, Business, Communication, Creative Writing, Education, Math, Science, or Social Science.
Online YourPace Bachelor of Liberal Studies
Program Highlights
Voice and Choice
In our BLS and AALS programs, degrees are tailored to your needs, which means each one could look a little different.
Maximum Flexibility
One of the biggest benefits of our Liberal Studies programs is that their flexibility leverages your previously earned credits and streamlines your pathway to degree completion.
Ensuring Your Success
At UMPI, you get unparalleled one-on-one support, providing a strong network to ensure your academic and personal success.
Meeting You Where You’re At
So you have lots of different courses from lots of different places. Let us help you turn them into something beautiful.
EXPECT generous scholarships
Voice and Choice
Whether you’re looking for a bachelor’s or associate’s degree, you’ll get to choose the particular pathway you want to pursue within Liberal Studies. If your passion is Business, you can focus your studies there. Or if you want to learn all you can about Education, you can tailor your studies accordingly. Just keep in mind that no matter what pathway you choose, you get a firm grounding in important career-ready skills, from effective written and oral communication to critical and creative thinking to global consciousness and intercultural awareness.
Maximum Flexibility
If you’re looking for a degree program that takes your past studies into account, nothing provides flexibility like our BLS and AALS programs. In the AALS, you choose from a wide range of general requirements and then select a concentration: Business Administration, Creative Writing, Science and Mathematics, or General, which includes 30 credits in whatever area you select. In the BLS, you again choose from a wide range of general requirements, select any one of UMPI’s 44 minors, and complete 24 elective credits in any area of your choosing.
EXPECT an education tailored to your needs
Ensuring Your Success
At UMPI, we believe in a strong support network to help you get to degree completion, from your faculty to your advisors to the many staff members who assist you on your educational journey. We don’t just know you by name, we’re incredibly invested in your success and work to support your specific goals.
Meeting You Where You’re At
For transfer students who have earned college credit from another or multiple institutions, our Liberal Studies programs are just what you need to finish your degree. The flexibility of the programs works particularly well for those who want to apply their credit to the minors, concentrations, and electives that comprise these degrees, meaning you may only have 30 credits or less to complete in order to graduate.
Exciting, Focused Learning Opportunities
Just because the name of your degree indicates you’ll be learning about a wide range of studies, you can still drill down into an area of study that fascinates or excites you. If you’re passionate about the Sciences, you can get lots of hands-on experience by taking part in labs and research. And if writing is your strongest skill, you can focus on creative writing classes that let you explore your craft.
Student Organizations
Liberal Studies is all about exploring new ideas, so you should consider expanding that experience beyond the classroom. UMPI offers a diverse list of student clubs and organizations, which will not only allow you to further focus your attention in areas that are important to you, but also participate in exciting projects, service learning activities, and even club trips. Consider joining one or two clubs to maximize your educational experience!
Faculty
Sarah Coyer
- Location
- Emerson Annex
- Phone
- (207) 768-9518
- sarah.coyer@maine.edu
Alana Margeson
- Location
- Suite 235 Preble Hall
- Phone
- (207) 768-9554
- alana.margeson@maine.edu
Other Important Links
EXPECT to Finish in Four
Liberal Studies Program Offerings
What can you do with a degree in Liberal Studies?
Next Step: Admissions
We’re so excited that you’re considering the University of Maine at Presque Isle! As a student at UMPI, we want your experience to be anything but ordinary! So what makes UMPI extraordinary? Our Learning Environment, Our Student Engagement and Our Location!
No matter what stage of life you are in, we can help you take the plunge into higher education and put you on YOUR PATH TO SUCCESS!