Earning a University of Iowa Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree allows you the opportunity to enroll in a variety of courses within different UI departments as you complete a required track, instead of earning a major or minor.  Beyond completion of a required track, optional Certificates are also available if you want additional focus within their BLS degree.

In order to graduate from the University of Iowa with your Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) you must have at least 120 semester hours from all sources, with a maximum of 60 semester hours credit from two-year institutions or as part of an associate degree program.

Your 120 semester hours must include:

• Completion of BLS Common Core Requirements
• Completion of at least one Track
  • Expression in Writing and Arts  
  • Family, Community and Social Support
  • Global Studies
  • Health and Human Studies
  • Justice and Ethics  
  • Organizational Studies
• 30 semester hours of Upper-Level Course Work
• After admission to the University of Iowa, one of the following residence requirements must be met—at least 90 s.h. completed at the University of Iowa, or 45 of the final 60 s.h. completed at the University of Iowa, or the final 30 s.h. completed at the University of Iowa.
• You must also have a minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 2.00 in the following calculations:
  • Overall GPA (combined transfer and UI work)
  • University of Iowa GPA
  • Track GPA
  • UI Track GPA

OPTIONAL: You also have the option to supplement your degree with an online certificate program. 

If you have an Associate of Arts degree from an Iowa community college or other two-year institution participating in articulation agreements with the University of Iowa have satisfied all BLS Common Core general education requirements except Leadership and Career Development.

BLS-1 Prior to Fall 2014