Get more information

Loading...

Liberal Studies

96%
Employment Rate
of surveyed alumni within 9 months of graduation
Online
(ON-DEMAND)
Learn from anywhere
12:1
RATIO
Of students to faculty

Designed to be a student-centered major

Choose a combination of courses that uniquely help you achieve your career and personal goals.

Students who choose liberal studies build a bachelor’s degree with a concentration that works for them. Make connections among fields of study with an area of concentration that fits your educational, career, and personal goals.

This major is appealing to students who want to pursue a range of opportunities in any number of different fields. It allows you to choose a combination of courses to help you achieve your career and personal goals.

It's also ideal for students who:

  • need to graduate after a late change of major or job interest
  • desire a bachelor’s degree completion program that allows for greater flexibility in the use of transfer credits
  • want a degree to meet continuing education or personal learning goals

At Mount Mercy, my advisor and mentors have encouraged me to define my career goals in the abstract, and then build my career trajectory around those terms.

Tessa Friason '16
Community Health Nurse II, Lance County Government, Eugene, Oregon

Curriculum

Learn to articulate the value of your education.

A student must have at least 60 credit hours before declaring the liberal studies major.

Those who pursue a liberal arts major will earn a Bachelor of Arts degree—ideal for keeping career options open.

Requirements

All liberal studies majors will complete the MMU Core Curriculum and design a 31-credit major, including the following requirements:

  • Any 6 courses with 200-level or above course codes and no more than three different academic disciplines; for example, 6 courses from biology, chemistry, and physics.
  • Any 4 courses with 300-level or above course codes from no more than two different academic disciplines.
  • Strategies for a Successful Job Search (one credit hour class)

Choose your format

Learn from anywhere with our online (on-demand) classes, where you'll complete coursework each week at a time/place that works best for you. 

This pathway allows you to effectively balance work, school, and life. Build your schedule with 9 start dates year-round and 5- and 10-week block classes.

Accelerated plan of study

The on-campus modality offers courses in-person at the semester pace.

This is a great option for students wanting a residential, on-campus experience, or who are comfortable commuting to classes during the day.

Traditional plan of study

What are the next steps?

Transfer up to 75 credits from an Iowa community college or up to 93 credits from a regionally accredited 4-year university.

Veterans may also earn credit for military training via the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES).

Mount Mercy offers competitive tuition and generous scholarships.

We also encourage all students to apply for federal, state, and other kinds of financial assistance.

Learn more about:

We make it easy by accepting applications year-round! No deadline, no fee, no pressure.

  1. Create your application
  2. Apply under standard admissions criteria or go "test optional"
  3. Request official transcripts from all institutions previously attended. Mail to:

 Mount Mercy University Admissions
 1330 Elmhurst Drive NE
 Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402

For more detailed instructions on how to apply, see our Admissions page.