Q: Is this a marketable degree?
A: Definitively. Professionals from varying occupations believe their liberal arts degree prepared them effectively for their careers and often recommended a liberal arts major to students considering those same careers. The skills that your liberal arts degree develops are applicable in a variety of job fields; you'll be surprised just how "marketable" you are to prospective employers.
Q: Can I transfer my previous college work?
A: Yes; All credits earned from an regionally accredited college or university are accepted assuming a grade of "C" or better on college level, academic courses. Please refer to our Information for Transfer Students page.
Q: When are classes available?
A: Students may select courses from online, day, evening or weekend schedules depending on their preference.
Q: Can I go on to graduate school?
A: Absolutely. The BGS degree prepares you for further study at any accredited college or university. Our graduates have pursued graduate degrees in liberal arts, education, the humanities, the social sciences, law and business.
Q: What is the tuition?
A: It is about 1/3 of the normal tuition.
Q: Do I get a major?
A: No; however, you do get to pick your own area of concentration. You can pick up to two different subjects and outline your own 30 credit curriculum. This curriculum must be approved by the Associate Dean before you begin taking area of concentration courses.
Q: What are the Interdisciplinary Courses?
A: They are classes that are only open to BGS students. You must take 5 throughout your degree program, one of which must be ENG 333: Writing the Research Paper.
Q: Is there financial aid available?
A: Yes. Admitted students are eligible for financial aid along the guidelines set forth by the financial aid office. All financial aid is handled by the financial aid office. The BGS office does offer a few in house scholarships.
Q: How long does it take to finish the degree?
A: The length of the program is dependent on how many credits transfer in and how many classes are taken per semester. Ideally students with 60 or more completed transferable credits can finish in about 2-3 years. Contact our enrollment advisor to receive an evaluation of your academic history.
Q: Does tuition remission apply to the BGS program?
A: For the most part a full time regular employee is eligible for tuition remission; however, each employees benefit is different and should consult with the Benefits Office at 305-284-3004 for verification and explanation of benefit eligibility.
Q: What is the age requirement for BGS?
A: You must be 22 years old and 4 years out of high school.
Q: I have a GED. Can I still apply?
A: In lieu of completing high school, an applicant may apply to the University upon completion of the GED. When applying with the GED, applicants must submit official high school transcripts up to the time of withdrawal as well as the official GED score report and diploma.
Applicants submitting the GED must achieve the following scores to be considered for admission. These scores should be considered a guideline and do not guarantee admission to the applicant.
- For exams taken in English, a score of 175 or higher on all four subject tests
- For exams taken in any language other than English, a score of 175 or higher on all four subject tests
Q: I submitted my application;how can I can check if it was received.
A: Once a student's application is downloaded and processed by the Office of Undergraduate Admission, you will receive an acknowledgment email within 3-4 business days containing your Cane ID and instructions on how to log into CaneLink. If you do not receive a confirmation email within two weeks after submitting your application, please check your junk mail, spam, and clutter folders in case the email has been filtered.
CaneLink is your UM portal for tracking application materials and viewing your admission decision when it becomes available. To check your application status and the receipt of application materials, log into CaneLink and click on the "To-Do List” in the Student Center. When your application is complete, there will be no items in your "To-Do List.
If you are unable to log into your CaneLink account, you can contact our IT Support Center at ITSupportCenter@miami.edu or 305-284-6565, option 1. You can also visit our CaneLink FAQ page or our CaneID Self-Service.
Q: How do I submit an update (or error correction) to an already submitted application?
A: f you need to update your contact information including email address, current address, or permanent address, you may do so in your CaneLink account. You can visit the Student FAQs page for instructions on how to update your account.
Q: How does UM notify applicants when a decision has been reached?
A: Admission decisions are available via CaneLink, UM’s online application management portal. Students should monitor their email closely for a notification that a decision has been posted. Our policy dictates that we cannot reveal to applicants their admission decision via email or telephone.
