Bachelor of General Studies Program

Capitalizing on a Lifetime of Learning

The Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) degree is for adult students who have already completed 60 or more college credits.

Housed in the College of Social Sciences & Public Affairs, this program’s flexible curriculum allows adult students to maximize credits already earned and shorten the time needed to complete the degree.

General studies students have a great deal of freedom in selecting upper-division course work that meets their individual life and career goals.  Students Individual Degree Plans (IDP) are developed in GS 200 – Introduction to General Studies.  They are submitted to the BGS Faculty Committee who reviews and approves the plans.

Students will work closely with an advisor to develop an academic degree plan that will help them meet their stated goals. Students desiring a more narrowly focused, discipline-specific course of study should consider one of Boise State’s traditional majors.

Scholarship Opportunities

The Karen Kelsch Memorial Scholarship was established in memory of Karen Kelsch, a 27-year staff member at Boise State who passed away in November 2008. She last worked as a management assistant position for the dean in the College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs.

Kelsch returned to school as a nontraditional student while continuing to work full time at Boise State. In 1990 she completed her bachelor of business administration degree in administrative services.

In Kelsch’s honor, this scholarship is being established to assist Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) students pursuing the BGS degree as non-traditional students. Any BGS student taking six or more credits will be eligible to apply for the scholarship. Students must have a current GPA of 3.0 and be at least a junior. If you or your employer are interested in contributing to this scholarship please contact the BSU Foundation. Indicate that you would like your gift to go towards the Karen Kelsch Memorial Scholarship.

Prior Learning

The Bachelor of General Studies degree allows for credit to be awarded for knowledge acquired from external study or from experience equivalent to the learning outcomes of traditional courses. Sources may include testing, military or other training programs and the student’s prior learning portfolio.

Testing for which Boise State awards credit include Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Proficiency Examination Program (PEP), DANTES, challenge examinations and credit for prerequisites not taken.

Prior Learning Assessment is a highly individualized process. Talk to an advisor early to discuss details on if this might work for you.

What Do BGS Graduates Do?

Graduates continue in their current position, move to higher level positions in their organizations, pursue a masters degree, or explore new passions.  Many BGS students pursue a minor or certificate while completing their BGS degree.

Student Organizations & Support

Join one of the hundreds of student groups on campus such as the non-traditional student group or the returning women’s student group for support and encouragement in your transition back to school. For more information, visit http://involvement.boisestate.edu/.