Bachelor in General Studies (Bachelor's)

For Bachelor in General Studies (Bachelor's), tuition is Tuition for the 2024-2025 academic year is $38,500 per year..

This programme is designed for students who want to create a custom liberal arts degree. It allows learners to combine courses in a personalized way to meet individual academic goals. There are no general education requirements or limits on departmental course counts. Students may pursue one or more majors without being required to complete a single academic major.

Focus areas include Early education psychology, Comedic writing and performing, Paleontology, Visual arts and the social environment, English, cognition, and education studies, Media and production entertainment.

The degree requires a total of 120 credits. Students design their own course of study with no restrictions on departmental or course level limits. There is no required capstone, thesis, or practicum.

Graduates pursue roles in education, creative arts, research, and media production based on their customized course paths.

Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent. A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required. Submit official transcripts and a personal statement outlining academic goals.

The programme totals about 120 credit hours. On-campus, full-time or part-time, typically four years. For international students, tuition is well above the median for US programmes. The institution admits about 81% of applicants.

For nearly 50 years, Cornell College has organized its campus around One Course At A Time. Students take one class for 18 days before beginning the next, creating extended periods for engagement with a subject, hands-on learning, and relationships with professors and classmates. The approach is designed to support deeper study and the confidence that comes from concentrating fully on one course.

Cornell offers students room to shape an individual academic path. Students may pursue majors such as Biochemistry and Molecular Biology or Spanish, and many double major. Academic and professional interests extend into areas including engineering, art, and infectious disease research, with students gaining experience through internships and other practical opportunities. The block plan can also make it easier to connect intensive coursework with projects, classes, and campus activities.

The college occupies a hilltop campus in Mount Vernon, Iowa, known within Cornell as the Hilltop. Campus visits can include student-guided tours, class attendance, meetings with professors or coaches, and time at the Hilltop Café. International students are welcomed each year and can receive help through the application process. They should also consider how the 18-day course format fits their preferred pace of study and plan for Iowa's changing weather, which moves through all four seasons.