General Studies

Description

The General Studies program provides an interdisciplinary approach to academic learning that has grown in popularity and influence over the last hundred years as the Academy has matured to embrace a view of human knowledge as integrated, as related to experience and inseparable into fundamentally different spheres. Pursuit of the B.A. in General Studies provides students with the opportunity to attain skills and knowledge at the intersection of different academic disciplines in an integrated, coherent program of study. General studies students develop well-trained minds while honing critical thinking and writing skills. General Studies students also enjoy the flexibility to choose focal areas according to their interests and experience. An undergraduate degree in General Studies prepares students for many post-degree paths, including employment in the helping professions, human resources, public relations, public policy, and government related fields as well as post graduate degrees in these areas or in general studies, law or business.

An excellent degree completion program for students with transfer credits in a variety of different disciplines, Trinity’s Bachelor of Arts in General Studies allows students to specialize in humanities or to create an individualized degree program.

Major Requirements

The BA in General Studies requires the completion of the General Education Core and 42 credit hours in concentration courses, which include two required seminars. Students interested in a humanities concentration take at least 15 credit hours from that concentraion area, which is detailed below.  Prospective General Studies majors should contact their academic advisor to develop a curriculum plan.

Required Courses

These 6 credits are required of all General Studies majors:

  • Integrating Seminar: taken at the start of major coursework
    GST 301 TELL Seminar
  • Senior Seminar: taken at the completion of major coursework
    GST 400 Senior Seminar in the Humanities

Humanities Concentration

The humanities concentration introduces students to philosophy, art, literature, history, and theology and religious studies. Study of the humanities encourages deep reflection on life and helps students make sense of personal and work experiences as they are situated within the larger context of the meaning of human existence. The humanities concentration is recommended for students interested in graduate study in humanities-related fields and law school or employment in fields requiring analytical thinking, writing, and communication skills, such as business, government, and public service.

These 15 credits are required for the humanities concentration:

  • GST 100 Humanity and Culture
  • FNAR 101 Survey: History of Art I
  • FNAR 102 Survey: History of Art II
  • PHIL 365 Readings in the Philosophy of Science
  • ENGL 271 Literature of the African Diaspora

Students should take 21 additional elective credits to fulfill this concentration.

Course Descriptions

As an interdisciplinary degree, General Studies includes coursework in many academic disciplines. Descriptions of courses designed for the program with GST designation follow; all other courses in the General Studies degree program can be found in the Catalog listed by their disciplinary prefix or on the Supporting Courses for the School of Professional Studies page of this Catalog.

GST 100 Humanity and Culture
GST 101 Fundamentals of Economics
GST 212 Fundementals of Accounting
GST 301 TELL Seminar
GST 400 Senior Seminar in the Humanities
GST 401 Transforming Education into Action