BA Liberal Arts

Average program length

4 years

Credit hours required

120

The Bachelor of Arts in liberal arts degree program provides students with a core of artistry, collaboration, adaptability, inclusion and leadership courses paired with career-focused courses in the creative industries offered through ASU. The student-centered program develops the skills needed by future creative leaders to thrive in their career of choice. 

According to the American Association of Colleges and Universities, liberal arts degrees are preferred by four out of five employers for the education and real-world skills they provide. Through this degree, you’ll learn to approach and solve a broad array of types of problems while gaining the opportunity for experience in the creative industries.

You’ll gain hands-on, industry-specific experience from experienced creative professionals, many of whom continue to work in the film and television industries. And, you’ll work with award-winning faculty while completing liberal arts coursework tailored to the creative industries, including focuses on communications, storytelling principles, creative problem-solving and strong interpersonal skills for leadership and adaptability.

The liberal arts core 

Artistry 

Artistry is creativity at work in the world. Students develop artistry in parallel with professional skills. They become agile and innovative thinkers with an edge in an increasingly automated workforce and powerful imaginations that the world needs and market leaders seek.

Collaboration

Collaboration makes everyone's world bigger. Students at California College of ASU acquire the skills that empower them to create positive and productive team environments wherever they choose to go next.

Adaptability 

The only thing we know about the future is that it won't look like today. Our students learn skills of adaptability that prepare them for opportunities and challenges we can't yet envision.

Inclusion 

Students learn to value the knowledge, perspectives, voices and skills of their classmates and develop the tools needed to thrive in diverse and changing environments. The pursuit of inclusive excellence connects students to each other, the curriculum and the world. Students grounded in these values grow into professionals with the strength of character, courage and commitment to create high-performing, equitable work environments.

Leadership 

Students at California College of ASU learn to harness their own and others' artistry and adaptability. They develop as leaders who are ready to make a place for themselves and others in any work environment or civic realm they enter.

Your career path

The BA in liberal arts program prepares you to start your career in the film, television, fashion and digital media industries — and the creative industries of the future. Most importantly, you’ll acquire the liberal arts education employers seek as well as the essential, practical skills, experience and knowledge you need to succeed as a storyteller and leader in any industry. 

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Choose your emphasis

Customize your liberal arts degree by choosing a focus in the creative arts. Areas of interest include filmmaking practices, fashion studies, digital media studies and film and media studies.

 

This emphasis is not currently enrolling for Fall 2024, instead please consider our BFA cinema degree.

Students who pursue the BA in liberal arts with an emphasis in filmmaking practices learn foundational production skills; entertainment and media ethics; feature, short and episodic screenwriting; and general film and media industry history and practices.

Course offerings focus on key professional skills such as screenwriting for feature films, television and new media and producing practices, including on-set production and production management; business and legal matters; professional and technical writing; and production for feature films, television and internet content.

Career opportunities:

  • Animator. 
  • Audio-visual technician. 
  • Camera operator. 
  • Casting director. 
  • Executive producer. 
  • Production assistant. 
  • Public relations specialist. 
  • Technical director. 

The BA in liberal arts with an emphasis in fashion studies enable students to work across many segments of the fashion industry. It combines history, business practices and hands-on studio experience to prepare students for a variety of roles in this global industry. 

Gaining proficiency in illustration skills and fluency with materials, traditional techniques and digital technologies, students are prepared for interdisciplinary collaborations through coursework across marketing and merchandising, wearable technology, sustainability, management and leadership, international experience and fashion and culture. 

Career opportunities:

  • Curator. 
  • Fabric designer. 
  • Fashion business analyst. 
  • Fashion designer. 
  • Merchandise display and window designer. 
  • Textile and apparel production manager. 
  • Marketing researcher.

In a world dominated by technology and information, digital media literacy prepares you to become a digital media leader. Students learn how digital media works and explore its impact on our daily lives. This degree also teaches you how to identify misinformation, create digital content and be an effective professional communicator.

Career opportunities:

  • Public relations specialist. 
  • Community specialist. 
  • Production assistant. 
  • News reporter. 
  • Library media specialist. 
  • Educator.

Film and media studies explore the many ways in which film and media shape our understanding of social and cultural life by analyzing media including film and television, video games, social media and streaming services. 

Students build a comprehensive understanding of media and entertainment technologies through historical, theoretical and analytical lenses. 

Career opportunities:

  • Communications specialist. 
  • Writer.
  • TV program director. 
  • Executive producer. 
  • Public relations manager. 
  • Talent agent. 
  • Film editor. 
  • Technical director. 

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