To earn a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree in the College of General Studies, you must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 120 credits, consisting of General Education, Major, and Elective courses and requirements.
- Choosing a CGS Major
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The baccalaureate degree, in addition to providing certain skills and broad exposure to the major bodies of knowledge, also allows the opportunity to specialize in a particular field, providing depth of experience essential for vocational competence or further graduate study.
Students admitted to CGS can choose from the following majors. Many majors are available by combining on-campus and online courses.
- Dental Hygiene (a BS degree completion program for certified dental hygienists)
- Health Services (a BA or a BS degree completion program for allied health professionals)
- Law, Criminal Justice, and Society
- Liberal Studies
- Media and Professional Communications
- Natural Sciences
- Public Service
The major is a part of the 120 credits required for the degree and most majors require a minimum of 30 credits. An outline of each major is available on our Academics page.
Note: In the student information system, PeopleSoft, the terms 'major' and 'plan' both represent the degree program that the student is planning and majoring in.
Tip: Students should consult with their advisor for more information concerning the courses required in the major and any prerequisite coursework necessary before entering the major.
Students who need additional help choosing a major that matches their interests and career goals should contact the CGS Career Consultant. The CGS Career Consultant can discuss the student’s interests, current employment trends and job search; review internship opportunities; make suggestions for writing a resume, and administer interviewing skill-building workshops. More information concerning CGS Career Services is available on the CGS Career Services website.
Note
If you are a CGS student and wish to change or add a second major, please contact CGS Advising directly and complete the CGS Program Change Form (Qualtrics).
If you are a prospective CGS student or a student in another Pitt school, please visit CGS Admissions for application information.
- Choosing a CGS Minor
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A minor provides an option for a student earning a degree to gain knowledge in an area other than their major. Students may earn minors in schools other than the school in which they are enrolled. However, the student must be admitted into the minor in the school that offers it. The minor is included on the graduation application and appears on the student‘s academic record and on the official transcript when the degree is awarded. The following departmental minors are offered in CGS and include Law, Criminal Justice & Society and Public Service. Two ROTC minors are also available to qualifying students.
Students must complete at least half of the minor at the University of Pittsburgh and earn a 2.0 or better GPA in minor courses. Learn more about CGS minors here.
Graduation note: If you are ONLY pursuing a CGS minor, you do not need to complete a CGS graduation application. List your CGS minor on your home school graduation application. CGS students, please list your non-CGS minors on your CGS graduation application. If pursuing a certificate in another school, complete a separate application with that school/program.
- Choosing a CGS Certificate
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Students looking to broaden their educational experience or seeking professional development may elect to enroll in an academic certificate program. Certificate programs offer a course concentration in a specific area of study and may partially fulfill the student‘s degree requirements. Students must be admitted into the certificate program through the school offering it. Students must take at least one half of the coursework for the certificate at the University of Pittsburgh and earn a 2.0 or better GPA in certificate courses.
* Please note that Leadership and all non-CGS certificates must be earned in conjunction with a degree.
CGS certificates–Accounting (Post-Baccalaureate); Communication; Community Health Assessment; Corporate/Community Relations; Digital Media; Disability Studies, Information System Design; Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies; Leadership; Managing Health Systems Programs and Projects; National Preparedness and Homeland Security; Nonprofit Management; Writing; and Writing for the Professions. To enter the Accounting certificate, students must already have a bachelor‘s degree with at least a 2.75 GPA. Learn more about CGS certificates here.
Credential Overlap
The Provost’s Office establishes regulations governing the use of overlapping coursework across multiple academic credentials. For complete details, see the current regulations here.
Approved Exception:
The Provost’s Office has approved an exception to this policy for the following programs:
- Liberal Studies BA
- Natural Sciences BS
This exception is in effect for students admitted to the College starting AY 26-27. Details of the approved exception are provided below.
The Liberal Studies major is intended as the primary major for CGS students seeking a flexible program of study that spans multiple disciplinary areas by constructing a program of study in conjunction with their academic advisor. Overlap is not permitted with other Dietrich School or College of General Studies majors.
The Natural Sciences major and its tracks are intended as the primary major for CGS students seeking an interdisciplinary and flexible program of study within the natural sciences. Overlap is not permitted between Natural Sciences majors at CGS and majors in the natural sciences/STEM fields within the Dietrich School or College.