St Louis goes online

Publish date	2008-07-14
Available Articles	Full articles without membership

Saint Louis University School for Professional Studies is now offering the University’s first online undergraduate degree programme.

The 120-credit hour Bachelor of Arts in General Studies (BSG) is a multidisciplinary, flexible degree programme that offers students an opportunity to study aspects of society and culture, sharpen comprehension, speaking and writing skills, and think critically.

Students will emerge from the programme with a broad knowledge base from which they may continue to advance in their academic pursuits.

Jennifer Giancola, associate dean of the School for Professional Studies, said students would develop competencies such as principled decision-making, appreciation for diverse perspectives and analytical and communication skills.

He added: “Ultimately, the programme provides students with a liberal arts foundation and transferable skills that can be applied in multiple industries and positions.

A National Occupational Employment and Wage study from the Bureau of Labor Statistics points to continued demand to fill jobs requiring a general studies degree. In the next seven years, full and part-time positions that require general studies degrees are projected to grow by over 11,987.

In 2005, there were over 1,482,090 positions that required a general studies degree. The total number of new jobs and replacement jobs needed by 2014 is estimated at 1,601,955, up from 1,505,063 in 2006.

The study also indicated the median salary earned in fields that require a general studies degree is $53,221 with a range of $34,854 to $71,585.

The flexible degree programme is available in both online and face-to-face formats and meets the growing need for online courses as well as generalist degrees for students looking to balance the demands of work, family and education.

Jo Gardner is a 2007 graduate of the School for Professional Studies. She explained how the flexibility of online classes allowed her to study around her schedule rather than having to schedule her life around classes.

“I think online classes are advantageous for working professionals,” she said. “They are convenient and don’t add unnecessary stress to life while trying to combine school with family and work.”

The School for Professional Studies offers degrees and certificates for working professionals, with accelerated online, evening and weekend classes. This flexible, accelerated format allows busy adults to pursue their education while balancing demands at work, home and in their communities.

Programmes include criminal justice, computer science, contemporary adult spirituality, contract management, general studies, health information management, hospitality and food service management, industrial psychology, nursing, organizational studies, public administration, real estate and community development, teacher certification, social work and strategic communications.

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