General Letters BA
The Bachelor of Arts in General Letters gives students the solid foundation of a bachelor's degree with coursework that stresses critical thinking and communication skills across disciplines, along with the flexibility of a curriculum with no major. This degree may be for you if you do not want to be limited by a major, want to take a wide range of courses, or need to make the most of credits you are transferring into UWM.
The B.A. in General Letters does not allow completion of a major but can include one or more minors, certificates, and/or microcredentials.
This degree can be completed mostly or entirely online depending on which courses the student chooses to enroll in. Students who do choose to attend entirely online can opt into special online program pricing which may be more cost effective.
To declare the B.A. in General Letters, visit the College of Letters & Sciences page on this degree. To learn more about online program pricing, visit the College of Letters & Science page for online/distance students.
An online option for General Letters is available. Learn more about the online option.
Program Format
On Campus
Course of Study – Bachelor of Arts in General Letters (BAGL)
Complete 120 credits including 75 credits in the College of Letters & Science with 45 of the 75 credits in L&S upper-level (numbered 300 or above) courses.
The College requires that students must complete, in residence at UWM, at least 15 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses. The College also requires that students complete at least 30 credits overall in residence at UWM. For additional residency and transfer credit limitations, see L&S Undergraduate Policies and Regulations.
In addition to the requirements listed below, students completing this degree must submit a portfolio containing summative assessment assignments from two of their L&S 300-level or above courses, and a reflection paper in which the student discusses those assignments in relation to their learning across the degree. The student may submit this portfolio at any time after declaring this degree; it is best to submit it before or at the same time as applying for graduation.
Students are also required to complete University-wide General Education Requirements and the specific L&S requirements listed below.
The Bachelor of Arts in General Letters does not allow for the completion of a major. Students may complete minors, certificates, and/or microcredentials with this degree. As for all UWM degrees, students seeking the B.A. in General Letters must attain a 2.0 GPA on all credits attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all credits attempted toward the degree, including any transfer work. The B.A. in General Letters cannot be completed as a second degree.
College of Letters and Science Requirements
I. Language other than English Requirement
Students must fulfill the language other than English requirement by successfully completing the second semester of university work or equivalent in one language other than English (including all languages other than English and American Sign Language).
Language courses (including American Sign Language) other than English taken in high school may be used to satisfy all or part of this requirement. One year of high school language equates to one semester of college work. Proficiency tests approved by the Languages faculty may be used to satisfy all or part of this requirement.
II. International Requirement
To meet the International Requirement, students must successfully complete some two-course (minimum 6 credits) combination of:
- Courses with L&S approved international content (see Approved Courses for the L&S International Requirement for course options).
- Any study-abroad course(s).
Students who graduate secondary school in a country other than the U.S. are exempt from this requirement.
III. Breadth Requirement
In addition to completing the University General Education Requirements, L&S students must complete the Breadth requirement to obtain deeper experience across our three substantive divisions.
The L&S Breadth requirement calls for 9 credits each in L&S courses designated L&S Humanities, L&S Natural Sciences, and L&S Social Sciences breadth. One of the L&S Natural Sciences breadth courses must be a laboratory or fieldwork course. See Courses Approved for the L&S Breadth Requirement for course options.
IV. The Minor
If a student chooses to complete a minor, the College requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA in all credits in the minor attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all minor credits attempted, including any transfer work. Individual departments or programs may require higher GPAs for graduation. The minor must include at least 9 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 and above) courses at UWM.
The Bachelor of Arts in General Letters is a unique degree program designed for the student who has accumulated a significant number of credits across multiple subject areas.
This degree is major-less. Students complete a set of requirements that include upper-level coursework that can span different subject areas, and students complete a portfolio consisting of three papers in order to graduate.
Students can opt to complete a minor if they wish.
Overview & Online Program Pricing
The Bachelor of Arts in General Letters is a unique degree program designed for the student who has accumulated a significant number of credits across multiple subject areas.
This degree is major-less. Students complete a set of requirements that include upper-level coursework that can span different subject areas, and students complete a portfolio consisting of three papers in order to graduate.
This program can be completed fully online, fully in-person, or a hybrid combination of both types of classes. Students who wish to be 100% fully online can opt into special online program pricing. Our online programs page has more details about the pricing so that you can determine if it is a good choice for your situation. The opt-in form can also be found on that page.