Skip to main contentSkip to main navigationSkip to footer content
Saint Xavier University Chicago Campus Residence Halls

Liberal Studies Major


The liberal studies major offers a rich interdisciplinary program to those students who desire a broad curriculum. Students have the opportunity to broaden their knowledge, improve their critical analysis and communication skills and sharpen their awareness of the impact of liberal disciplines like art, history and philosophy on contemporary issues. The unique quality of this program is the flexibility of course options as the student reaches upper-division coursework. Liberal studies majors have the opportunity to organize part of their program around personal and professional goals.

Admission to degree completion programs requires the completion of an Associate of Arts or Sciences degree or completion of the Illinois General Education Core Curriculum (IAI-GECC). In addition to the major requirements, all degree completion students must complete Philosophy 150: The Examined Life and at least one religious studies course at Saint Xavier University. These courses embody the commitment of the Catholic intellectual tradition to the development of the whole person through liberal education.

Degree completion students who do not hold an associate's degree may complete the Saint Xavier Degree Completion Core in conjunction with a major curriculum.

Additional information about evaluation of transfer college credit, ACE credit, CLEP and credit for prior learning is available in the Credit for Prior Learning section of the catalog.

Requirements 

The liberal studies major consists of 30 credit hours. 

Core (6 credit hours)

  • FOSEM 301: Research and Analytical Thinking (3)
  • FOSEM 350: Senior Seminar/Project (3)

One Area of Concentration (24 credit hours)

  • Can be in any discipline offered in the College of Liberal Arts and Education
  • Requires at least 3 credits at the 300-level in the Area of Concentration

General Note

At least 18 hours in the liberal studies major must be completed at Saint Xavier University. Completion of an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, IAI-GECC program or SXU general education program is required.

A Bachelor of Arts degree requires completion of 120 semester hours, of which the liberal studies major provides 30 hours. Additional electives may be required to reach 120 semester hours.

An academic advisor will assist each student in developing a program plan to meet personal and professional goals.