Study Liberal Arts in Florida

Many college students select Florida to get their education because of the nice weather, abundance of beaches, and plentiful recreational opportunities. However, as a prospective liberal arts major, Florida offers plenty of other amenities.

You can choose from dozens of schools from the panhandle in the north to the southern portion of the state in the Miami area. You can also select from on-campus and online programs that enable you to customize how and when you get your degree.

Florida offers many internship opportunities for liberal arts students, too, so you can supplement your education with real-world experience with a Florida-based business or organization. In other words, Florida is the complete package!

This guide explores the Sunshine State’s some of the popular liberal arts bachelor’s programs to kickstart your college search.

Best Accredited Liberal Arts Colleges and Bachelor's Programs in Florida Online

Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Programs in Florida

Listed below are some of the popular schools offering liberal arts bachelor’s programs in Florida:

  • Florida International University
  • University of Tampa
  • University of Miami
  • Florida State University
  • Eckerd College
  • Florida Southern College
  • Lynn University
  • Southern New Hampshire University

Florida International University

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Liberal Studies

The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from Florida International University is a comprehensive and well-rounded program that prepares you for a wide range of potential careers after graduation. It is a traditional four-year, on-campus program that requires 120 credits to graduate.

How you proceed through the required credits is largely up to you. You have the choice of four concentration tracks to choose from:

  • Health and Human Concerns
  • Humanities and Cultural Traditions
  • Law, Business and Society
  • Education, Policy and Community

Naturally, each of these concentration areas focuses on different subject matter. For instance, the Health and Human Concerns track emphasizes coursework in biomedical science, ethical considerations in medical care, and the philosophical underpinnings of the medical field. This track might be appropriate if you want to pursue higher education or an entry-level career as a biomedical researcher.

Alternatively, you might choose the Humanities and Cultural Traditions track if you are interested in working in politics, history, geography or another social science. You can choose the region or country you study and delve deep into its history, language, religion, and other cultural elements.

The Law, Business and Society track explores fields like international relations, political science, and economics. You can customize the curriculum according to your specific educational or career needs. For example, you might prioritize economics coursework if you intend to apply to a Master of Business Administration program after finishing your undergraduate work.

Of course, you might choose instead to focus on the Education, Policy, and Community track if you aspire to work in the education field. You can take courses in Early Social and Emotional Development, Instructional Decisions and Classroom Management, and Cultural and Social Foundations of Education in preparation for a non-licensed education position, like a preschool teacher’s aide.

While these tracks focus on different elements of the liberal arts, they have one thing in common: a capstone course.

A capstone course occurs at the end of the degree program and serves as a summative exercise during which you reflect on what you have learned, the skills you have developed, and how your interests might have changed. This capstone experience also affords you the opportunity to connect what you’ve learned in your degree program with related career opportunities. If you like, you can choose to participate in an internship to get even more college-to-career experience.

You can apply to this program as a first-year student online at any time. When you apply, you must also submit your high school transcripts and your ACT or SAT score.

The University of Tampa

Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS)

The University of Tampa’s Bachelor of Liberal Studies program is unique because it’s specifically designed for non-traditional students and working adults who need a flexible schedule to get their degree. As such, the University of Tampa has a generous transfer credit policy that accepts many types of previously earned college credits from an array of disciplines.

One of the reasons this program is so flexible is because you can choose from no less than seven concentration areas. These areas include:

  • Social Science
  • Community Wellness
  • Public Information
  • Humanities
  • Applied Arts
  • Instructional Support
  • Community Safety

So, let’s assume you are interested in a career as a police officer. In that case, the Community Safety track, which explores topics related to criminology, policing, and the courts, would be a good option. But, let’s assume you want to work in communications instead. The Public Information track would help prepare you for a career in that field with coursework in interpersonal communication, technical writing, and journalism.

Of course, these are just two examples. Whether you want to be an artist, a healthcare aide, a historian, or something in between, this liberal studies degree can be tailored to your specific interests.

The flexibility of this program isn’t its only unique feature: the University of Tampa allows you to earn credit for some courses by either testing out or applying for credit for past work experience. Furthermore, the University permits you to earn up to 10 credits toward your degree using these alternative methods.

As an added benefit, Tampa is a beautiful city with a vibrant culture, and the University of Tampa campus is in the middle of it all. As a student here, you will enjoy sunny days, easy access to local beaches, and abundant social activities in between attending your classes. If you study full-time, you can complete this degree in four years or less. If you’re a transfer student, your timeline to graduation depends on the number of credits you have earned.

You can apply as a transfer student using the UT admissions portal. The specific requirements for admission vary depending on how many college credits you’ve completed. For example, if you have fewer than 17 college credits, you must submit the following when applying:

  • An official final high school transcript
  • Official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended
  • A transfer application to UT
  • A non-refundable $40 application fee

However, if you have completed more than 17 credits, you need not provide official high school transcripts at the time of your application. Supplementary materials like letters of recommendation or a personal essay are not required but will be accepted.

The University of Miami

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Liberal Studies

The University of Miami offers a comprehensive Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts that provides a well-rounded education with options to individualize your course of study. It’s also a good candidate if you’ve already completed some college credits and wish to finish your degree more quickly.

This is an on-campus program requiring 120 credits to graduate – 60 of which must be at the 300-level or higher. At least half of those credits must be earned within the College of Arts and Sciences. You can transfer up to 30 credits or the equivalent of two full-time semesters of study.

Additionally, you are required to satisfy the University’s general education requirements. This involves completing a cognate (nine credits) in Arts and Humanities, People and Society, and STEM. You must also take required English courses, approved math or statistics courses, and complete a nine-credit second language proficiency sequence.

Regarding your 60 credits of upper-level coursework, you can pick and choose your courses to align with your academic and professional goals. For example, if you are interested in pursuing a career as a veterinary technician, you might prioritize courses in biology, chemistry, and animal science. Likewise, courses in computer science, interpersonal communication, and psychology might be beneficial for this career field.

Or, let’s assume you want to develop your business acumen so you can start your own company after graduation. In that case, you might focus your studies on business administration, marketing, and management. Classes in sociology, economics, and finance might be helpful as well.

This degree is good preparation for graduate-level studies, too. For example, you might concentrate your undergraduate work on religious studies, world cultures, and languages in preparation for a graduate program in history and museum administration.

No matter the design of your program, you are expected to graduate with the knowledge and skills needed to be an effective communicator, a critical thinker, and an apt problem-solver. You are also expected to have proficiency in a broad scope of liberal arts topics.

You can apply to this program as a first-year student online. Additionally, you must complete the following tasks:

  • Pay a $70 non-refundable application fee
  • Submit a 250-word supplemental essay
  • Submit high school transcripts
  • Provide a letter of recommendation
  • Provide a list of educational activities

The University of Miami does not require you to submit ACT or SAT scores.

Lynn University

Online Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Liberal Arts

If completing your degree on campus is a non-starter, Lynn University’s online Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts might be the program for you. The flexibility of an online program like this can help you complete your degree with less of an impact on your work and family life than a traditional program.

Lynn University’s online learning platform includes interactive courses with rich content, including multi-touch digital books generated by Lynn’s faculty. You can also learn anytime you like and complete your coursework asynchronously without worrying about logging into your classes at a specific time.

The flexibility of this degree continues in the coursework you take. You can choose from many different courses like psychology, literature, and philosophy to gain knowledge and skills in areas such as:

  • Ethical decision-making in a global context
  • Leadership and management
  • Analytical problem-solving and critical thinking
  • Oral and written communication

These and other skills you will gain can be applied in a host of career settings. For example, leadership and management skills are useful in business and education. Effective communication skills are the cornerstone of many career fields, from law to accounting to marketing. You might use this degree as a stepping stone to other careers, too, including journalism, management, social services, and public administration.

If it seems overwhelming to decide what courses to take and what track to follow, you can rely on a Lynn University success manager to help you devise a learning plan. Your success manager will be your primary point of contact throughout the program. Small class sizes (Lynn University has a student-to-teacher ratio of 18:1) further help you focus your studies and get the individualized attention you need to be successful.

This program has three start dates throughout the year, which allows you to start the program on your terms and according to your schedule. You can start your application online after creating a Lynn University account. When applying, you must submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended. You must also provide a personal statement that speaks to your academic goals.

What is a Liberal Arts Major Good For?

A liberal arts major is valuable for several reasons, particularly in fostering a versatile skill set and broad perspective that can be applied to various career paths.

  • Education and Academia: Many liberal arts graduates become teachers, professors, or administrators in both K-12 and higher education. Their broad knowledge base and communication skills are essential in these roles.
  • Writing and Journalism: Skills in writing and critical analysis are directly applicable in careers such as journalism, content writing, editing, and publishing.
  • Marketing and Public Relations: The ability to understand diverse perspectives and communicate effectively is crucial in marketing and PR roles, where crafting messages for various audiences is key.
  • Law and Public Policy: A liberal arts background, especially with majors like political science, history, or philosophy, serves as a solid foundation for careers in law, public policy, or government.
  • Business and Management: Skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication are valuable in business settings. Liberal arts majors often pursue careers in management, human resources, or consulting.
  • Social Services and Non-Profit Work: Majors like sociology, psychology, or anthropology are well-suited for careers in social work, counseling, or non-profit sector roles.
  • Arts and Cultural Organizations: Graduates may work in museums, galleries, or cultural institutions, utilizing their understanding of history, art, and culture.
  • Tech Industry: Surprisingly, many tech companies value the diverse perspectives and problem-solving skills of liberal arts majors, especially in roles like software development, project management, user experience design, or content strategy.
  • International Relations and Diplomacy: The broad knowledge of global cultures and languages that a liberal arts education can provide is beneficial in international relations, diplomacy, or global business roles.
  • Entrepreneurship: Liberal arts graduates, with their ability to think creatively and adapt, can excel in starting their own businesses or ventures in various sectors.

What are the Liberal Arts Career Opportunities in Florida?

Not only does a liberal arts degree from a Florida college or university prepare you for a large number of potential careers, but Florida also boasts a robust jobs market. In that regard, it could be a win-win situation for you as a liberal arts graduate in the Sunshine State.

Tourism is a leading industry in Florida, and job opportunities abound for liberal arts graduates. For example, you might use your liberal arts education in communications to work for a local tourism board as a marketing specialist. Alternatively, you might use your liberal arts studies in history and culture to become a tour guide in one of Florida’s many historic districts and parks.

A related industry – hospitality – is also a prime target for a job after you graduate. Marketing and management skills earned in a liberal arts degree can prepare you for a career in hotel or restaurant management. A focus on entrepreneurship could give you the skills needed to build your own hospitality business, too.

Many liberal arts programs focus on essential skills like problem-solving and analytical skills. These skills are needed in virtually any employment location, whether that’s working in a retail shop in Miami Beach, running an RV park for tourists in Tallahassee, or something in between. Likewise, these skills are necessary for jobs in customer service, human resources, and project management.

In other words, the combination of a well-rounded liberal arts education and a state economy that boasts available jobs in hundreds of niches is good news for someone with a liberal arts degree. The most difficult part of the process will likely be choosing which of the programs outlined here best fits your needs!

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