This plan is no longer accepting students.
This program is provided through our Personalized Learning system, wherein a student completes their courses at their own pace, in six month subscriptions, through an online competency-based learning environment. Students in a Personalized Learning program are not able to concurrently enroll in traditional semester-by-semester courses.
A student majoring in Liberal Arts through Personalized Learning will study broadly from history, philosophy, literature and the arts. The student will learn how to analyze, interpret and evaluate important cultural artifacts of diverse cultures. This is a fresh, contemporary take on Liberal Arts in that each exercise in understanding important works of art and letters is immediately connected to relevant skills.
Core competencies for this degree are based on the qualities that employers value most and look for in leaders, including critical thinking and collaborative communication skills. Students in this program study broadly from history, philosophy, literature and the arts.
To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally include a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.
The full policy can be viewed here.
In addition to University Requirements:
Please note that you may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement.
Students may transfer up to 75 units of credit from an accredited community college.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 120 |
| Highest Mathematics Required | MATH 115 |
| Some online/blended coursework | Required |
| AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-A | Recommended |
| Progression Plan Link | Not Available |
Purpose Statement
In the Personalized Learning Liberal Arts program, students will explore ideas from many different areas of study, including sociology, philosophy, psychology, history, literature, and the arts. The coursework for this program provides an opportunity to explore ideas from many different angles and perspectives. The mission of a Liberal Arts education is to broaden the mind, encouraging students to think critically and creatively, and to make informed decisions on a wide variety of topics.
The skills students learn in the Liberal Arts degree prepare them for further study in a graduate program or to work in any workplace. The ability to write effectively, to communicate clearly, and to think analytically will serve students well in any field. Students will also practice problem solving and the application of ideas in new and different ways. This program provides the opportunity to explore the interrelationship of concepts and ideas from varying disciplinary subjects.
The bachelor of science degree takes students beyond their major coursework to also explore more closely the science of the world around them. Students will learn about water management and green technologies, as well as astronomy and the intersection of science, technology, and religion.
At the completion of the program, students will be able to articulate themselves clearly in writing, apply ideas from different schools of thought, and think creatively across a broad range of contexts.
Student Learning Outcomes
Liberal Arts Personalized Learning Graduates will be able to:
Students may transfer up to 75 units of credit from an accredited community college.
Liberal Arts Requirements
This major requires 66 units distributed as follows:
Personalized Learning Competencies for the Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts
Completion of these competencies will result in the awarding of credit for NAU courses.
C.1 Work in a team structure
C.2 Communicate with diverse populations
C.3 Solve complex problems
C.4 Analyze complicated materials
C.5 Write about culture effectively
C.6 Compose academic essays in various rhetorical styles
C.7 Demonstrate knowledge of potential and limitations of technology's advances
C.8 Practice an examined or self-reflective life
C.9 Describe ethical theories
C.10 Apply ethical theories to education
C.11 Formulate and substantiate theses
C.12 Formulate and test hypotheses in humanities and social science
C.13 Demonstrate knowledge of leadership in the working of organizations
C.14 Demonstrate knowledge of the significance of the humanities
C.15 Demonstrate knowledge of the significance of the social sciences
C.16 Demonstrate effective transfer of competencies to workplace
You may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your faculty mentor for details.
Science Requirement, select from the following (12 units):
Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.
You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.
We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.
Some courses may have departmental prerequisites required by students in other majors. Any prerequisites not fulfilled with transfer credit may be met by successfully completing a pretest; however, the pretest credit(s) will not be granted for the completion of the plan requirements.
This degree is offered only through the Personalized Learning program. Work with a faculty mentor for any questions regarding the applicability of coursework completed through Personalized Learning to any other plan of study at NAU.
See the following sites for additional information.
Grading and Transcripts
Definition of a Term