B.A. in Liberal Arts

The Liberal Arts self-designed major consists of 30-39 credit hours of courses designated 200 and above, of which 2/3 must be designated 300 and above and a minimum of 24 credit hours must be taken in the College of Liberal Arts. As a whole, they should contribute to a broad understanding of some area, theme or direction in the liberal arts. Further information is available on the College's website and in the College Office. Students who create a self-designed major must complete the standard requirements of the Bridges Common Learning Experience, the College Distribution, a minor, and earn a total of at least 120 credits to graduate. All self-designed majors appear on the transcript as a major in Liberal Arts and lead to a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Second Degree Liberal Arts

Students who have received an Associate or Bachelor’s degree and come to Duquesne to earn a College of Liberal Arts degree may do so by completing all major departmental requirements. Associate degree students must complete a minimum of 60 credits in residence at the University. Students seeking a second Bachelor's degree must complete a minimum 30 credits in residence.

Pre-Law

Students who intend to prepare for a career in law may select any subject area for their undergraduate major. In consultation with the Pre-Law Advisor, students will be expected to meet degree requirements in the major department, as well as admission requirements of the law school of their choice.

B.A./B.S. - M.B.A. Program

The College of Liberal Arts and the Graduate School of Business Administration offer a unique joint program that allows students in the College of Liberal Arts to earn a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) in five years.

3/3 Early Admissions Program with the School of Law

After completing 90 credit hours, including a minimum of 60 credits taken at Duquesne University McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts and subject to the conditions below, a student will be eligible for admission to the Duquesne University Kline School of Law for completion of the J.D. degree after three years (Full-Time Day Division) or four years (Part-Time Evening Division) of work as defined by the Duquesne University Kline School of Law. Each student in this early admission program will be awarded a Bachelor's Degree by Duquesne University McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts after successful completion of the first year Full-Time Day Division program or the first three semesters of the Part-Time Evening Division program of Duquesne University Kline School of Law. Student eligibility for the program is as follows:

  1. An overall minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 (90 credit hours total), and a 3.5 grade point average at Duquesne University McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts (at least 60 credit hours);
  2. Completion of all Duquesne University McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts undergraduate curricular requirements, except for the minor;
  3. A minimum LSAT score in the 60th percentile on the LSAT. It is assumed that the student will take the LSAT in the winter of his/her junior year at Duquesne University; however, by request a student may defer taking the LSAT until the spring of his/her third year;
  4. A letter of recommendation from a faculty member in the applicant's major department, chosen in consultation with the pre-law advisor at the Duquesne University McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts to the Dean of Admissions of Duquesne University Kline School of Law.
  5. As part of the application process, all applicants for this program must complete a satisfactory in-person interview with the Dean of Admissions of Duquesne University Kline School of Law. This interview should be scheduled after the student has taken the LSAT, but the results of the LSAT need not be available to the Kline School of Law at the time of the interview.

Dual-degree Programs

Dual degree programs are available with the School of Education (English, history, and Spanish), the Palumbo▪Donahue School of Business Administration, and the School of Science and Engineering. Students complete the Bridges Common Learning Experience, as well as the general requirements of each school. 

Residential Learning Communities

Learning communities are the centerpiece of the curriculum for first-year students in the McAnulty College of Liberal Arts. In each learning community, first-year students share integrated classes. Resident students may also share the same floor in a living-learning center. Activities outside of class support the curriculum. Students select the learning community they want to join (as space allows). The learning communities help first-year students in the McAnulty College find friends and study companions, create a sense of identity and unity, learn how topics in different courses are related, and connect the classroom with the community through service. The Honors College functions as a residential learning community of its own. 

Internships

Internships are an extension of the curriculum for students seeking expanded learning through work experience. Interns engage in business, government or in other institutional settings. An internship should enhance students' academic programs as well as give them the opportunity to explore vocational options. The College sponsors two types of internships:

  1. Departments in the College offer specialized internship courses, which may be required or elective. When departments of the College have internships or field work as courses in their curricula those departments set their own standards for approving internship sites, identify and approve specific sites, place students who meet their criteria for participation, supervise interns and evaluate their work.
  2. The College approves internships offered outside the Pittsburgh area by other specific organizations, such as American University's Washington Semester Program, the Washington Internship Institute, and Richmond, the American International University in London.

Study Abroad

To encourage the international competence important to succeed in the global community, the College encourages students to study abroad for a summer, semester, academic year, or through a Spring Breakaway course. The College accepts international credit only from University-approved programs. Departments approve courses that apply to their respective major requirements. Students must be at least sophomores at the time they study abroad and must have at least a 3.0 grade point average to be eligible for study abroad. For each approved international program or school, the University adopts a grade equivalency that permits automatic conversion of the grades earned abroad to their Duquesne University equivalents, which appear on the Duquesne transcript, with the transcript from the foreign institution attached.