General Studies

Career potential

A bachelor's degree from the University of North Texas with a major in general studies offers a multidisciplinary approach to education. By majoring in general studies, you will acquire knowledge from three areas that can be interrelated, so the major will reflect your career interests.

This major was created in response to employers' interest in students with well-rounded educational backgrounds and problem-solving skills to adapt to an ever-changing global marketplace. Graduates of the general studies program have entered such diverse career fields as art, business, computers, counseling, environmental science, law, medicine and various entrepreneurial endeavors. The major can also prepare you to enter a professional school or a master's or doctoral degree program.

UNT's Career Center can help you prepare to pursue your career. The center has information about jobs and employers, and the staff can help you with resume and letter writing, job search strategies, and interview preparation.

Majoring in general studies

A major in general studies will allow you to study in three areas of interest to you. You will select three academic departments at UNT and take 12 advanced hours (3000- to 4000-level courses) from each department. At least one department must be in the College of Arts and Sciences, where you can choose from such humanities courses as English and philosophy, such social science courses as economics and political science, or such science and technology courses as chemistry and physics.

You may choose one, two or all three of your areas of study from the departments in the College of Arts and Sciences. If you choose only one department in the College of Arts and Sciences, you must select courses from departments in two of UNT's other colleges and schools. Those colleges and schools are the College of Business Administration, the College of Education, the College of Engineering, the School of Library and Information Sciences, the School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management, the College of Music, the College of Public Affairs and Community Service, and the College of Visual Arts and Design.

For example, you may prepare for a career in international business by taking foreign language courses in the College of Arts and Sciences, anthropology courses in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service and business courses in the College of Business Administration.

As a general studies major, you can become skilled in communication, critical thinking and analysis, interviewing, investigating and solving problems, managing tasks, and relating to others. You also may develop a greater appreciation and desire for continued learning.

Getting hands-on experience

Internships as part of a class may be available to you, depending on the academic interests you choose for your general studies major. If you are taking courses in political science, for example, you may work in a government agency in Washington, D.C. If you are studying journalism, you may write for the North Texas Daily, UNT's student newspaper, or for a community newspaper in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. If you are taking courses in the sciences, you may work on a professor's research or on your own research project in a UNT laboratory.

Upon completion of 12 semester hours at UNT with at least a 2.5 GPA, you may work in a job related to your major through UNT's Cooperative Education and Internships office. You may earn academic credit and money and gain valuable work experience.

Preparing for UNT

If you are a high school student, we suggest you prepare for college by becoming computer proficient and taking:

• English … 4 years
• Math … 4 years
• Social science — economics, geography, government, history … 4 years
• Science … 3 years
• Foreign language … 3 years
• Fine arts … 1 year

You will need to take courses in most of these subjects under the university core curriculum required of all undergraduates, in addition to your major courses. Talk with your high school counselor about preparing for college, including the entrance exams (SAT Reasoning Test or ACT) that you should take during your junior year.

As a benefit for transfer students, UNT participates in the Texas Common Course Numbering System. This system makes it easier to transfer credits for general academic courses from one Texas institution to another.

If you're attending a Texas community college, you should consult the UNT Transfer Guide, the UNT Undergraduate Catalog and an academic counselor/advisor to discuss your degree plan. Proper planning will help you receive the maximum amount of transfer credits.

Transfer students can also contact the College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Office for Undergraduates and Student Advising for information on transferability of credits from other institutions.

Charting your path with academic advising

The College of Arts and Sciences has full-time counselors to help you select areas of study and courses to achieve your degree and your career goals. The college's student advising office is in the General Academic Building, Room 220.

Curious about courses and other features of this major?
See the current catalog.