Students studying in a college or university at an undergraduate level may choose to pursue a liberal arts bachelor's degree program. The undergraduate liberal arts study course offers interdisciplinary studies and gives students the opportunity to design their own concentrations. Students may select a specific area of concentration, they can create a double major or they may simply pursue a broad-based education that includes courses in varied disciplines. Some universities term their liberal studies degrees "bachelor's of science," depending on the student's major. Most American universities offer a liberal arts/science degree.
Universities that offer master's of liberal arts degrees provide students with the opportunity to study liberal arts courses in more in-depth concentration than undergraduate liberal arts studies. Universities open a master's of liberal arts course of study to students who have completed a bachelor's degree in any subject and who want to spend time learning about different fields of study in a focused atmosphere. Stanford University, Harvard University and John Hopkins University, among others, offer these master's degree-level studies.
Doctoral programs in liberal arts studies emphasize interdisciplinary study and research for students who plan to teach or do research as a career. Students study the importance of liberal arts to specific professions, to the student and to the community. Students create their own coursework and research and write a thesis on their specific topic of interest within the liberal arts field. Purdue University, Emory University and Georgetown University offer Ph.D. programs in liberal arts studies.
Individuals who wish to study for a liberal arts degree but prefer to study at home or at their own pace can register for a liberal arts degree program through an online university. Distance studies allow students the freedom to access course material at their leisure and study as quickly or slowly as they want. Many online universities carry accreditation from Department of Education-recognized accrediting agencies. Kaplan University, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, offers a bachelor's degree in liberal sciences. The University of Massachusetts offers an online liberal arts degree accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Penn State's World Campus offers students the opportunity to attain a bachelor's degree in Letters, Arts, and Sciences, accredited by the Middle States Association.