Online Arts Political Science Degree :: Accredited Universities

The Bachelor of Arts in history is an interdisciplinary degree designed to give students an understanding of the development of human society and the political, social, economic, and cultural dynamics that influence today’s complex world.

In today’s competitive marketplace, there is significant and increasing demand for professionals with critical thinking and writing skills, and individuals who possess the unique ability to thoughtfully evaluate conflicting pieces of information. This program will prepare students for successful careers in business, education and public service. Our graduates will also find a distinct edge in pursuing a graduate degree in fields such as business, history, justice studies, law and public administration.

As part of the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, we offer one of the largest and strongest history programs in the country. Students can select either the United States or world as their geographic emphasis area. The curriculum is firmly based in the humanities and involves the critical, historical and comparative study of texts, practices and contexts, as well as the natural and social sciences. This is a transfer-friendly program that is ideal for students looking to complete their degree, or for those with family and career responsibilities.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must successfully complete ASU competency requirements. Admission may be granted with one deficiency in no more than two competency areas. Deficiencies cannot be in both math and laboratory science. Students must earn a minimum 2.0 in any subject area. Most competencies may also be met by test scores or college courses.

English - 4 years (composition/literature based)
Math - 4 years - Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II and one course requiring Algebra II as a prerequisite.
Laboratory Science - 3 years total (1 year each from any of the following areas are accepted: Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Integrated Sciences, and Physics)
Social Science - 2 years (including one year American History)
Foreign Language - 2 years (same language)
Fine Arts - 1 year

Applicants must also meet at least one of the following:

Top 25% in high school graduating class
3.0 GPA in competency courses (4.0 = A)
ACT 22 (24 nonresidents)*
SAT Reasoning 1040 (1110 nonresidents)*

*ASU does not require the writing portion of these tests.

Official transcripts must be mailed directly to Undergraduate Admissions by the records office of the issuing institution(s). ASU does not accept transcripts delivered by hand or fax. Please have your previous academic institution(s) mail your official transcript to the appropriate ASU mailing address

Individual Review
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All students who don’t meet the above standards will be evaluated through a process called Individual Review. Through this process Undergraduate Admissions will review all available information about a student’s application, carefully considering all aspects of a student’s academic background and accomplishments. Submission of an ACT or SAT test score is highly recommended. In some cases, additional information might be requested.

International Applicants
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TOEFL and IELTS score must be mailed to the university.

Other Fees

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Studying and remembering the past is an important cultural activity for all peoples. It is only by studying the past that we learn how we have become who we are as humans and as societies. Our online Bachelor of Arts in History degree will seek to understand the historical formation of all human societies in light of a Christian worldview. The history major will serve an integral role in achieving the goals and mission of the College of Arts & Sciences and Regent University. Historical study draws on the essential skills of critical thinking, research, problem solving and communicating clearly and persuasively that are the foundation of a Christian liberal arts education.

Christians preparing for leadership in a global environment need to be aware of the unique histories of other cultures across time and place that historical study provides. Their grasp of their own Christian worldview as they develop an appreciation of the worldviews of the cultures they study will enable them to interact much more fruitfully with those in our modern world. Thus, the online learning history degree at Regent University equips students with narrative frameworks for understanding the cultural formation and interaction of all cultures in all historical periods and in a variety of regions of the world, both past and present.

Faculty in the history department strives to help students develop a deep appreciation for the critical role and responsibility that the Lord has given humans to create societies and cultures - those that reflect the Lord's desires for human flourishing, along with the grave tendencies of those cultures to frequently distort those desires. They desire that, in understanding history as an academic discipline, students also grow in their appreciation of the differing perspectives that ethnicity, class, gender, political perspective and religious values can bring to historical issues.

Finally, our online faculty hopes to engender in students a deep appreciation for the critical role that historical understanding plays in all areas of life, from one's personal life to the issues confronting the nations of the world in the present. The skills and insights that history majors learn will equip them for careers in a wide range of professions, including journalism, law, ministry, teaching, graduate study, government service and numerous others that value analytical and writing abilities.

Entry Requirements

Current high school seniors or students age 22 or younger with less than 15 transferable college credits are eligible for this program.

International applicants
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For international students in which English is not the primary language of their country, either the TOEFL®, PTE Academic® or the IELTS® exam must be taken to demonstrate one's effectiveness with the English language.

TOEFL

Computer-based - 233
Internet-based - 90
Paper-based - 577

PTE - 61
IELTS - 7

Other Fees

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The degree program in Interdisciplinary Studies prepares students for a wide variety of careers and graduate study. The program stresses knowledge and understanding by promoting the virtues of a broad-based general education. The Interdisciplinary Studies program offers students a broadly focused degree that develops competencies in several disciplines, and prepares graduates for the modern workplace. In addition, the wealth of elective credits available in Interdisciplinary Studies affords excellent opportunities for students with prior learning experience.

Enrollment in Interdisciplinary Studies offers students the opportunity to organize a degree program to suit their individual career and academic goals. The degree program includes four key elements:

1. John Hancock University’s core curriculum, which includes a broad mix of liberal arts and science courses.

2. Three concentrations in any combination.

3. An array of general electives from which students can tailor to their career interests.

4. A final synthesis course, the Capstone Seminar.

John Hancock University’s required core curriculum (42 credits) is designed to provide students with communication skills and knowledge essential to job success as well as the broad perspective of history, science, philosophy and insights into human behavior derived from the study of behavioral science and literature.

In addition to the core courses, each student selects three subject areas of concentration, taking at least 12 credits in each area. An additional 18 elective credits may be taken in one of these areas of concentration, and an additional six elective credits in each of the other two areas. The remaining elective credits are chosen to complement the student’s individual degree plan.

The Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone Seminar rounds out the University experience by involving students in research, analytic and synthetic activities. The Capstone Seminar uses a general topic or current issue to explore a variety of perspectives that multiple disciplines bring to bear on any given substantive subject of interest. The capstone course requires students to demonstrate mastery of the reading, writing, communication and research skills they have learned throughout their coursework at John Hancock and/or previous institutions.

The John Hancock Interdisciplinary Studies program prepares students for a variety of professional careers that demand breadth of knowledge and excellent problem-solving skills. In the Capstone Seminar, students apply and refine these skills as they exchange ideas with fellow students and their instructors on engaging and timely topics.

Students may select their areas of concentration from the following 14 areas:

Concentrations:
Accounting
Business Law
Business and the Internet
Crime Scene Analysis
Entrepreneurial Management
Finance
Fraud Investigation
Hospitality Management
Human Resources Management
International Business
Marketing
Paralegal Studies
Political Science and the Law

Upon completion of the Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies program students will be able to:

1. Articulate major concepts and issues related to their chosen fields of study.

2. Write a research brief and annotated bibliography on their chosen areas of study.

3. Discuss and defend their positions on important issues related to their fields.

4. Synthesize research and interview material into a draft of a research paper.

5. Evaluate and critique other writers' papers.

6. Write a coherent, well-researched paper that supports an effective argumentative thesis with credible evidence.

Entry Requirements

1. Completion of a high school diploma or its equivalent.

2. One of the following criteria:

- Good academic standing and completion of at least 12 semester credits from an institution that is accredited by an accrediting association that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Good academic standing: students who have been academically dismissed from other colleges or universities are ineligible to pursue courses at John Hancock University unless they meet one of the following conditions:

- Earned 12 semester hours from an institution that is accredited by an accrediting association that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation with a minimum GPA of 2.0. Have not attended any college or university for one year since being academically dismissed.

- Successful appeal to the Chair of Academic Programs. At the Chair of Academic Program’s discretion the previous requirements may be waived. Undergraduate students who have their appeal approved will be placed on academic probation and must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher upon the completion of their fourth course at John Hancock University. Students will be restricted to two courses per trimester and must meet every other week with their academic advisor. Students who fail to earn a GPA of 2.0 after their fourth course will be academically dismissed from the University.

- An active military or honorably discharged veteran.

- Applicants who have completed a high school diploma or its equivalent but have not successfully completed 12 hours of college level work and do not meet the military service criteria can complete the necessary credit hours as a student at large. Upon successfully earning 12 credit hours, these students can apply for regular degree-seeking status.

International applicants may be required to take a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and submit the results to John Hancock University prior to enrollment.
TOEFL scores vary based on the method in which the test is taken. The required scores for admission to John Hancock University are as follows:

Print: 550
Computer: 213
Internet: 79

Other Fees

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The International Studies major in the Department of Government, History, and Criminal Justice is founded upon the principle that learning about others on their own terms is a biblical responsibility of all believers1, one that demands not only moral excellence on the part of its agents, but also its diligent study and careful application. Based on this principle, this program emphasizes interdisciplinary and biblical integration, an international and cross-cultural dimension in its curriculum, strong academic content, critical thinking and analysis, and ethics as guiding principles in the education of international studies. Students in the program are thus educated to be high-level critical thinkers, excellent professionals, and ultimately, well-rounded human beings.

The International Studies Program offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a minor for students in other majors.

The BA in International Studies prepares students for careers in a number of local, state, federal, and international agencies and organizations. Successful careers often evolve into major management, administrative, and leadership responsibilities in government and private industry. Students earning a BA degree also pursue graduate level education in diverse fields such as law, political science, international business, and public policy and administration.

The International Studies major is composed of a required curriculum of 50 hours that provides students with an understanding of the various fields within and approaches to the discipline of international studies. In addition, students may choose a 3-6 credit study abroad internship that provides further in-depth study of an area of interest. Students not selecting the study abroad internship will take those credits in either the major core or major electives. Given the global nature of the program, students are also required to be proficient in a foreign language (20 hours of coursework).

Entry Requirements

Current high school seniors or students age 22 or younger with less than 15 transferable college credits are eligible for this program.

International applicants
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For international students in which English is not the primary language of their country, either the TOEFL®, PTE Academic® or the IELTS® exam must be taken to demonstrate one's effectiveness with the English language.

TOEFL

Computer-based - 233
Internet-based - 90
Paper-based - 577

PTE - 61
IELTS - 7

Other Fees

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Many occupations today require at least some legal knowledge and notion of the law. With a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Society, you will not only learn about the law, legal principles, and legal systems and processes in the United States, but you can also become skillful in logic, rhetoric, research and legal writing. These versatile skills can help you develop your legal or law enforcement career in a variety of organizations including nonprofit organizations, regulatory agencies, small businesses, public offices, or even the military.

Why Law and Society at Penn State?

Applicable course work — As a law and society student, your 15 credits of core course work will include legal brief writing and the philosophy of law and legal ethics. Throughout your studies, you can develop skills to critically analyze arguments and detect careless language use and fallacies.

Immediate results — While earning your bachelor's degree online, you can enhance your resume by acquiring a professional certificate or an associate degree. For example, both the Certificate in Organizational Communication and the Associate in Arts in Letters, Arts, and Sciences include many of the courses required for the Bachelor of Arts in Law and Society. You may be able to apply some credits toward a bachelor’s degree while also reaching these notable milestones along the way.

The bachelor's degree in law and society might be a good choice if you:

- are not a lawyer but work with legal issues in human resources, affirmative action, law enforcement, child and family services, government, education, communication, technology, or health care

- have an associate degree in areas such as law enforcement, legal studies, or law and society
have earned a certificate through Penn State’s paralegal certificate program

- want a baccalaureate degree focused on law, as opposed to related fields such as criminal justice and political science

- are a law enforcement and corrections officer, community service professional, or member of the armed services and want to enroll in a degree-completion program

- own your own business and often must handle legal matters such as contracts or permits

- plan to attend law school after earning a baccalaureate degree

Career Opportunities for Graduates
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With a bachelor's degree in law and society you can work as a:

legal assistant
arbitrator
mediator
conciliator
contract negotiator
business owner
law enforcement officer
police officer or detective

Entry Requirements

To apply for this program, you must be a high school graduate, or have completed your GED.

International applicants
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International students whose native language is not English must submit proof of English language proficiency.
The scores must be less than two years old. The following are ways in which you can satisfy the language proficiency requirement:

TOEFL: A minimum TOEFL score of 80 on the Internet-based TOEFL or 550 on the paper exam (score reports must be official and cannot be more than two years old (code #2660);

IELTS: A minimum IELTS score of 6.5 on the academic test

SAT score of 530 or higher on the critical reading section (code #2660);

ACT score of 24 or higher on the English section (code #3656);

IGCSE score of A, B, or C on the English language exam,
IB score of 5 or higher on the English Language & Literature (SL/HL) exam.

Other Fees

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