Study Liberal Arts in Louisiana

Thoughts of Louisiana likely go immediately to the vibrant city of New Orleans and the French influences on Louisiana Life. However, the bayou state is much more than Mardi Gras celebrations on Bourbon Street.

Louisiana has a diverse citizenry, a diversified economy, and a robust higher education system. These factors make studying liberal arts a popular choice for undergraduates. You can study multiple disciplines, graduate with in-demand skills, and go to work in Louisiana in any number of businesses or industries.

To establish your professional life, though, you have to get an education first. Popular liberal arts programs outlined in this guide can help you do just that!

Best Popular Accredited Liberal Arts Bachelor's Degree Programs and Colleges in Louisiana Online

Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Programs in Louisiana

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

  • McNeese State University
  • Louisiana State University
  • University of Louisiana at Lafayette
  • Southern University
  • Dillard University
  • Centenary College of Louisiana
  • Xavier University of Louisiana
  • Louisiana Tech University
  • Tulane University
  • Nicholls State University

McNeese State University

Bachelor’s – Liberal Arts

McNeese State offers a unique liberal arts bachelor’s program that focuses on the humanities. More specifically, your coursework will be in a wide variety of topics related to the arts, social sciences, and liberal studies.

This 120-credit program requires about four years to complete. During that time, you will get an in-depth education that spans multiple fields of inquiry. Your studies prepare you for the job market by enhancing skills related to the following:

  • Effective communication
  • Problem-solving
  • Critical thinking and analysis
  • Academic research

You will gain these and other skills in your concentration field of choice. McNeese State offers six concentrations to choose from, including Geography, General Humanities, Philosophy, Pre-Law, Theatre Arts, and Women and Gender Studies.

The specific courses you take depend on the concentration you choose. For example, as a philosophy major, you will take courses like History of Modern Thought, Formal Logic, and Ethics. As a Geography major, you’ll take courses in World Regional Geography, Geographic Information Systems, and Political Science.

No matter which concentration area you choose, you have to fulfill certain graduation requirements. For example, you must complete a group of general education courses that all undergraduates are required to take. These freshman and sophomore-level courses are introductions to essential fields like math, science, English, and social studies.

You must also complete major-area coursework, including electives. McNeese State requires you to complete at least 40 credits of upper-division coursework, too (classes at the 300 or 400 level).

Likewise, you have the chance to complete a capstone research project in your concentration area. If, for example, you select the pre-law concentration, your capstone might include research into the ethics of prosecuting attorneys overcharging clients and then using plea bargains to avoid going to trial.

This program also offers many opportunities for applied learning. Since this is an on-campus program, you can seek research or mentorship opportunities with your professors that help you connect your classroom learning with applications of your knowledge and skills in real-world environments.

If applying as a first-year student, you must provide the university with the following:

  • Official high school transcripts
  • Transcripts from every college or university from which you have earned credit
  • ACT or SAT scores

Louisiana State University

Bachelor’s – Interdisciplinary Studies

The Interdisciplinary Studies major at Louisiana State is a four-year, 120-credit program offered as an on-campus program of study. The program is specifically designed to accommodate varying subject-matter interests and allows you to explore those interests in a number of available concentrations.

For example, if you are interested in a career in healthcare, you might choose the Health Sciences option. This concentration includes studies in sports, biology, and psychology. On the other hand, the Writing and Performing Arts concentration is ideal if you see yourself as a future journalist, film director, or actor. This concentration includes studies in English, Theatre, and Media Studies.

Other concentrations include the following:

  • Studies in Organizations— Business Administration, Communication Studies, Sociology
  • Interdisciplinary Studies—Three minors as approved by the Director of the General Studies program
  • Leadership and Society—History, Leadership Development, and Political Science

In each case, these concentrations are comprised of coursework in three distinct yet related undergraduate minor areas of study. This gives you a more broad-based education than studying a single major area of study.

While you have a lot of leeway regarding how your degree is structured, you must satisfy certain requirements to graduate with your degree. As mentioned earlier, 120 credits are needed to graduate. Of those, no more than 24 credits can be in any one field of study.

Additionally, at least 45 credits must be in 3000-level courses or higher. At least 15 of these credits must be 4000-level. You must maintain a C average in all your courses, regardless of the class level or subject matter.

Other program requirements are as follows:

  • Earn three credits in computer science or a foreign language
  • Complete coursework in at least three departments
  • Complete coursework in both humanities and social science
  • Complete a capstone course in which you synthesize your learning and explore how your knowledge and skills can be used to solve real-world problems

You can only declare this major after you’ve been accepted to Louisiana State. You can apply for admission as a first-year student online. Once accepted to the university, you will need to visit the Humanities and Social Sciences office to complete an application for the Interdisciplinary Studies program.

When applying to Louisiana State, you must provide the following documentation:

  • A $50 application fee
  • High school transcripts
  • At least one letter of recommendation
  • ACT or SAT scores (though this is optional)

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Bachelor of General Studies

The Bachelor of General Studies degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is a 120-credit on-campus program that offers you tremendous flexibility for completing your degree. In fact, the university offers five concentrations, or blocks, as they call them, to choose from:

  • Arts and Humanities
  • Natural Sciences
  • Behavioral Sciences
  • Applied Sciences
  • Business Studies

Choosing one of these blocks allows you to explore many different fields of study. For example, the Behavioral Sciences block includes course options in Criminal Justice, Geography, Sociology, and Psychology. Other options include Anthropology, Economics, and Health.

The Business Studies block is similarly broad. You can take classes in Informatics, Organizational Leadership, and Business. You can also apply coursework in Business Law, Accounting, or Finance toward your degree. Many other course options are available as well.

Better still, you can choose multiple blocks if you wish. Combining Natural Sciences and Behavioral Sciences can give you a unique skill set for a master’s program in either field. Behavioral Sciences and Business Studies is another potential combination that you can use to prepare for a career in business, marketing, or human resources, to name but three options.

Louisiana-Lafayette’s General Studies program is available to first-year students and transfer students as well. As a first-year student, you can map out your degree plan from the start, taking necessary courses each semester for four years. As a transfer student, the university will work with you to determine how your existing credits might transfer, and then you can complete the remaining credits needed to graduate.

For example, let’s say you started your college career at another Louisiana university. Provided you have 45 or more credits, you can apply to the General Studies program at Louisiana-Lafayette and complete the remaining credits online. You can do so regardless of your previous major, too.

You can apply for undergraduate admission to Louisiana-Lafayette online. You must meet the following requirements:

  • A 2.0 cumulative high school GPA
  • 18 on the ACT English Test, 500 on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing test, a 250 score on the Accuplacer writing test, or a 3.0 GPA in English and language arts
  • 19 on the ACT math test, 510 on the SAT math test, a 250 score on the Accuplacer QAS math test, or a 3.0 GPA in math

Additionally, in-state first-year applicants must complete the Core 4 curriculum outlined by the Louisiana Board of Regents and do so with a 2.5 GPA. This requirement can be waived if you have a composite ACT score of 23 or higher or an SAT composite score of 1130 or higher.

Out-of-state or homeschooled first-year applicants must meet one of the following:

  • Meet the general first-year requirements above
  • Complete at least 17 units of the Core 4 curriculum and do so with a GPA of 2.5 or above, plus score 23 or higher on the ACT or 1130 or higher on the SAT
  • Have a 26 composite ACT score or a 1230 composite SAT score

    Southern University

    Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies

    Southern University’s Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies is an online program that’s intended to be a degree completion sequence. In other words, if you have started your college education in another major but feel like interdisciplinary studies is a better fit, you might be able to use your existing credits as a basis for your interdisciplinary degree.

    This program requires 120 credits to graduate. If you are a first-year student with no college experience, you will need about four years to complete the degree. If you are a transfer student, the time it takes to finish the degree requirements depends on the number of transferable credits you have.

    The 120-credit requirement for graduation breaks down as follows:

    • 60 general education credits
    • 8 departmental course credits
    • 10 elective credits
    • 18-21 credits in a minor
    • 18-21 credits in a second minor

    Of these credits, at least 45 must be in the elective and minor course categories and must be completed at the 300 or 400 level.

    Southern University offers three minor areas to choose your two designated minors: Psychology, Sociology, and Criminal Justice. Since these fields are all closely related, any combination of the two offers good preparation for a career in case management, corrections, probation and parole, or victim advocacy, to name a few.

    The 18-21 credits you complete in your minor concentrations give you an advanced understanding of critical topics. For example, choosing a Psychology Minor allows you to study concepts such as Abnormal Psychology, Social Psychology, and Developmental Psychology. The Sociology Minor likewise offers advanced learning opportunities in areas like Problems in Marriage and Family, the Sociology of Black Americans, and the Urban Community.

    Criminal Justice is one of the most popular undergraduate majors. With a minor in this field, you can get a solid introduction to themes related to Policing, Corrections, and Criminal Law. Furthermore, you can study Victimology, Criminology, and Criminal Justice.

    No matter which two minors you choose, you must earn C’s or better in all the required minor courses. Furthermore, you must have a 2.0 GPA to graduate.

    To qualify for admission as a first-year student, you must meet the following criteria:

    • Complete the Louisiana Board of Regents Core Curriculum, including four years of English, math, natural science, and social science, two years of foreign language or speech, and one year of arts, all with a 2.0 GPA or higher
    • Have a cumulative high school GPA of 2.0 or higher
    • ACT composite score of 20 or higher or an SAT composite score of 1030 or higher

    You can also qualify for admission if you have at least nine early college academic credits or an associate’s degree with a 2.0 GPA or higher.

    Is LSU a Liberal Arts School?

    Louisiana State University (LSU) is not primarily categorized as a liberal arts school. It is a comprehensive public research university, offering a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various fields, including science, engineering, business, and the arts.

    However, LSU does include a College of Humanities & Social Sciences, which offers liberal arts education among its many disciplines. So while LSU isn’t exclusively a liberal arts school, it does provide liberal arts education within its broader academic offerings.

    Why are Schools Called Liberal Arts?

    Liberal arts generally refers to areas of study that include the humanities (such as literature, philosophy, and history), social sciences (like psychology, sociology, and political science), natural sciences (including biology, chemistry, and physics), and sometimes fine arts (like music, theater, and visual arts). The focus remains on providing a broad, well-rounded education that emphasizes critical thinking, communication skills, and intellectual versatility, rather than specialized or professional technical training.

    Schools that label themselves as “liberal arts schools” usually emphasize undergraduate education with a focus on these broad areas of study, encouraging students to explore a variety of disciplines before specializing in a major field of study. They aim to equip their students with a diverse skill set and a broad base of knowledge, preparing them for a range of careers and roles in society.

    What are the Liberal Arts Career Opportunities in Louisiana?

    Armed with a liberal arts education, you can set your sights on any number of jobs in Louisiana. Whether you are interested in working in education, retail, tourism, or something in between, your undergraduate degree will equip you with relevant knowledge and skills that employers demand.

    For example, you might use your liberal arts skills to pursue a career in banking. You might start in an entry-level position, like a bank teller, which requires many liberal arts skills like effective communication and problem-solving. With on-the-job experience and training, though, you can build on your liberal arts education and potentially move into higher roles within the bank.

    Tourism is a very large industry in Louisiana, and many tourism-related jobs require liberal arts skills. On the one hand, you might consider seeking a management position with a Louisiana tourism company where you oversee the development of marketing programs that encourage tourists to visit the Bayou State.

    On the other hand, you might be more hands-on in the state’s tourism industry. If, for example, your liberal arts degree focused on visual arts, you might open your own business and sell paintings, pottery, or other art to tourists. If performing arts was your focus, you might find a job with a theater company or at a music venue performing for visitors to the state.

    Yet another option you might consider is working in the human resources sector. Companies large and small in Louisiana need qualified human resources personnel to interview employees, handle employee disputes, manage payroll, and so forth. With a background in business, management, psychology, and related fields, this could be an option well worth your efforts after your college graduation.

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