Liberal Arts BA

A Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts takes a broad view, exposing you to courses in various subjects including philosophy, mathematics, religious studies, literature, arts, sciences, languages, and more. Upholding both our mission and the Sisters of Mercy, a BA at Maria adds another key component to your education – providing caring and compassionate service to others.

With a Maria Liberal Arts BA, you’ll gain a unique perspective of the world around you and your role as a global citizen. In this program, you will explore the ideas and beliefs that have guided human beings and shaped civilizations—giving you a strong and resourceful educational foundation.

Choose from two concentrations

Communication Studies.

Develop sought after communication skills ranging from organizational, strategic, technical, and professional communication. This will prepare students for careers in virtually any industry, but specifically marketing, public relationships, journalism, advertising, and more.

Government Studies.

Lay the foundation for a career in federal, state, or local government. With classes on composition, the American political system, international relations, and constitutional law, students are prepared to further their education. From here, students can go on to study pre-law, public policy, and political science.

Regardless of which concentration you choose, both provide practical experience to prepare you for the career of your choice or continued study at the graduate level. Rounding out the program, you will complete an internship in your chosen concentration to gain real-world experience and give you a competitive edge in the job market..

Contact our admissions office today to find out more about the courses we offer.

College Factual has ranked Maria College in the top 15% nationally for 2022 Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools. The ranking score is based on a total of 306 colleges and universities; Maria’s ranking is #46 on the list.

Program Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate a breadth of knowledge in multiple academic disciplines with more in-depth and more advanced knowledge in communication studies or government studies.
- Apply analysis and critical thinking to a variety of written materials.
- Effectively communicate using a variety of techniques, including writing and technology, for various discourse groups.
- Access a variety of information resources (e.g. internet, library, databases), evaluate the quality of the information, and effectively use the information.
- Solve problems and make decisions by analyzing various types of evidence and by using scientific and ethical reasoning.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of the human experience through historical, psychological, sociological, and religious/philosophical perspectives.
- Recognize, understand and respect the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity.
- Develop insight into their own and others’ behavior and mental processes and apply effective strategies for self-management and self-improvement.
- Pursue realistic ideas about how to implement their knowledge, skills, and values in occupational pursuits in a variety of settings that meet personal goals and societal needs.

Course Overview

Liberal Arts Core (66 credits)

Arts/Humanities (9 credits): ENG 200, ART or MUS elective, HUM elective
Communications/English (9 credits): ENG 103 or ENG elective, ENG 111, ENG 211
Cultural Studies (6 credits): CUL 310, CUL 410
History (6 credits): HIS elective
Languages (9 credits): SPA 101, 102, 201 or ENG 209; or other foreign language
Philosophy (6 credits): PHI 101, PHI elective
Religious Studies (6 credits): RES 201, RES elective
Science/Math (6 credits): MAT 106 or MAT 200or MAT 101; BIO/CHM/PHY/SCI elective
Social Sciences (9 credits): PSY 100, SOC 101, ECO 100 or ECO 101

Concentration (select one, 24 credits)
Communication Studies
Course		Credits
ENG 310	Professional Writing	3
ENG 410	Technical and Professional Communication	3
COM 100	Foundations of Communication	3
COM 300	Strategic Communication	3
COM 320	Social Media: Theory and Practice	3
COM 400	Internship in Communication Studies	6
COM 450	Capstone in Communication Studies	3
Government Studies
ENG 300	Advanced Composition	3
POL 101	The American Political System	3
POL 310	International Relations	3
POL 320	Constitutional Law	3
PSY 350	Research Methods (MAT 200 prerequisite)	3
POL 400	Internship in Government Studies	6
POL 450	Capstone in Government Studies	3
Free Electives (30 credits)
		18 credits at any level
		12 credits at the 300/400 level

Course Sequence

First Year: First Semester
Course		Credits
ENG 111	Composition I	3
HUM 101 or 102	Intro to Humanities I Intro to Humanities II	3
PHI 101	Intro to Philosophy	3
SPA 101	Spanish I or other language	3
RES	Religious Studies Elective	3
		15
First Year: Second Semester
ENG 211	Critical Inquiry and Writing	3
PSY 100	General Psychology	3
SOC 101	Intro to Social Change	3
SPA 102	Spanish II or other language	3
ART/MUS	Art or Music Elective	3
		15
Second Year: Second Semester
COM 100 or POL 101	Foundations of Comm. or The American Political System	3
ENG 103	Speech and Oral Comm. or ENG elec.	3
SPA 201	Intermediate Spanish or other language or ENG 209 Shakespeare	3
HIS	History Elective	3
	Free Elective	3
		15
Second Year: Second Semester
MAT 106 or MAT 200 or MAT 101	Intro to Algebra or Statistics or Found. of Math. I	3
RES 201	Foundations in Social Justice	3
PHI	Philosophy Elective	3
HIS	History Elective	3
	Free Elective	6
		18
Third Year: First Semester
COM 300 or POL 310	Strategic Communication or International Relations	3
CUL 310	Cultural Studies I	3
ECO 100 or ECO 101	Macroeconomics or Microeconomics	3
ENG 300 or ENG 310	Advanced Composition or Professional Writing	3
	Free Elective	3
		15
Third Year: Second Semester
COM 320 or POL 320	Social Media: Theory and Practice or Constitutional Law	3
CUL 410	Cultural Studies II	3
ENG 200	Exploring Literature	3
	Free Elective, 300/400 level	3
	Free Elective	3
		15
Fourth Year: First Semester
ENG 410 or PSY 350	Technical and Professional or Communications Research Methods I	3
	BIO/CHM/PHY/SCI Elective	3
	Free Elective 300/400 level
	English Elective, 300/400 level	3
	Free Elective	3
		15
Fourth Year: Second Semester
COM 400 or POL 400	Internship in Communication Studies or Government Studies	6
COM 450 or POL 450	Capstone in Communication Studies or Government Studies	3
	Free Elective, 300/400 level	3
		12

Articulation Agreement
- Fulton-Montgomery Community College graduates with AS in Liberal Arts and Sciences: General Studies to BA in Liberal Arts at Maria College
Internship Sites
Examples of internship sites attended by current and former students:
- St. Mary’s Church
- Shenendehowa School–Kindergarten classroom
- Maria College–Marketing, Teaching Assistant
- New York State Legislature–Environmental lobbying
- Relentless Awareness (public relations firm)
- Writing Partnership, Inc.
- Jewish Community Center–After School Program
- Blessed Sacrament Church