Ohio University’s Bachelor of General Studies, or BGS, program is still in its infancy but is picking up traction as a way for students to carve their own path toward graduation. The BGS program allows students to pick minors and certificates to constitute graduation requirements instead of following a set curriculum like other majors.
The program launched in Fall 2024 and is available online and in person on the Athens campus, according to an OHIO News article.
University College Director of Degree Programs Julie Cohara said the BGS program is one of three individualized majors, the other two being Bachelor of Integrative Studies and Associate of Individual Studies degrees. Cohara said BGS could appeal to undecided majors who are still figuring out their college goals.
“BGS is an individualized major program that is institutionally designed,” Cohara wrote in an email. “Individualized major program students usually have a better understanding of their curriculum because they designed it.”
According to the Ohio Department of Higher Education, 1.3 million Ohioans have earned college credit but have not earned a degree or credential, an issue the program hopes to solve.
Unlike the Bachelor of Integrated Studies program, in which Cohara describes that students design their own courses in the major, BGS students choose two preset minor certificates to constitute their graduation requirements.
The program gives institutionalized structure while still allowing students to explore options and personalize their learning.
Cohara said the program is inspired by a program at West Virginia University that functions similarly to OU’s own Bachelor of Integrative Studies major and sought to cut the tedium of students curating their own courses.
“Ohio University had the first individualized major program in the state of Ohio,” Cohara wrote in an email. “Our new BGS curriculum was inspired by many innovative practices other universities are doing with individualized major programs.”
Dean of University College David Nguyen, who also teaches the BGS program’s two capstone courses, said similar programs exist at Indiana University, Miami University, Swarthmore College, Kent State University, Tufts University and the University of Michigan.
“General studies is not a substitute or specific alternative for undecided students,” Nguyen said. “It’s really for students that have a myriad of interests and are looking to package it together into a single degree.”
According to an OHIO News article, a General Studies degree provides students with skills essential for today’s jobs, such as critical thinking, communication, problem-solving and interpersonal abilities.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that over 766,000 of the U.S.’s approximately 62 million workers possess a liberal arts degree, of which a general studies major is a part.
Currently, there are 79 students enrolled in the BGS program across all campuses.
Any students wishing to switch their major to the BGS program can do so by calling (740)-593-1935 to schedule an appointment with an adviser through University College.
