Bachelor's · Education
Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies
Prepare to teach K–8 or to enter graduate study in education.
Download the program brochure (PDF)At a glance
What is the online Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies at APU Global?
This program is a 120-credit, 100% online bachelor's from APU Global, a WSCUC-accredited nonprofit Christian university. Tuition is $535 per credit and courses run in eight-week sessions with six starts a year. There is no application fee, and up to 90 credits of prior credit transfer in. Next session begins September 8, 2026.
Credits to graduate
120
Per credit
$535
Next start
September 8, 2026
Format
Online
Overview
Designed for working adults: a bachelor's that moves at your pace.
The Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies (LIBS) program is an innovative alternative degree program designed to provide subject matter preparation for prospective elementary school and special education teachers. The program offers a major in liberal studies. It accommodates experienced adult students, many of whom are working in classrooms as para-educators, and draws upon their rich experiences in school settings.
Many adult students have developed skills or expertise at the workplace, at home, or in other venues. Some of those experiences may translate into prior learning credit (PLA). A maximum of 30 credits may be earned through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA).
What you'll learn
Outcomes
- Build content fluency across K–8 subject areas
- Apply learning science in real classrooms
- Understand assessment and differentiated instruction
- Work with families and diverse communities
- Prepare for the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) and credentialing exams
- Build a pathway to a Multiple Subject Credential
Why APU Global
Why earn your degree at APU Global?
A degree from APU Global doesn't just check a credential box. It's shaped by a distinctly Christian mission, taught by scholar-practitioners, and built around the realities of working adult life.
The APU Global difference
At APU Global, your program is built to prepare teachers and school leaders who see each learner as bearing inherent dignity, pairing California-aligned pedagogy with a formation-minded approach to the classroom.
Christ-centered, God First
Faith isn't bolted on. Coursework engages ethics and vocation directly, and the university's beliefs are published rather than implied, so you know the tradition you're studying in.
Taught by working practitioners
Your instructors are executives, clinicians, educators, and leaders in the field, not graduate assistants. You'll leave with mentors, not just credits.
Regionally accredited, nonprofit
APU Global is WSCUC-accredited and a mission-driven nonprofit. Your degree carries the credibility of a Christian university heritage dating back to 1899, and your tuition funds your education, not shareholders.
One team, start to finish
Three named people stay with you: an enrollment counselor through admission, a success coach through course planning and graduation, and a student accounts specialist for aid and billing. Free 24/7 tutoring and writing support through Tutor.com is included.
Curriculum
Coursework and credit breakdown
This program takes 120 credits to graduate, including 42 credits of major coursework. The worksheet below mirrors the Academic Catalog category by category with verbatim course titles and credit values.
Where your credits land
Transfer-credit worksheet
Core11 courses31 credits
The APU Global Core comprises the General Education requirements and the APU Global Distinctives. General Education requirements may be met by transfer work. Some Core courses also satisfy program requisite or major requirements, so the Core credits counted toward this degree may be fewer than the sum of the courses listed here.
General Education: English Communication
General Education: Arts and Humanities
General Education: Humanities
General Education: Quantitative Reasoning
General Education: Behavioral Sciences
General Education: Social Sciences
General Education: Physical and Biological Sciences
APU Global Distinctives
Major Requirements14 courses42 credits
Courses you take at APU Global for this program.
Electives47 credits
Students may choose from any course in the catalog. If students wish to complete a concentration, they may complete a maximum of two concentrations. Students may also earn up to 30 credits of electives via Prior Learning Assessment (PLA).
The Academic Catalog page for this program is the official source for degree requirements.
Career outcomes
Where Education graduates go to work
Median salary
$63,680
Range $46,000 – $103,000
10-year job growth
+1%
U.S. BLS, Kindergarten & Elementary School Teachers, 2024–34 projection
Top industries
- · Elementary education
- · Early childhood & preschool
- · Tutoring & learning services
- · Camp & youth ministry
Common job titles
- Elementary School Teacher (after credential)$63,680
- Instructional Aide / Paraeducator$35,550
- Preschool Director$54,290
- Youth Program Coordinator$55,000
Types of employers hiring for these roles
Salary and job growth figures are national data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook (2024). Employer categories reflect where these roles are commonly posted, not a list of APU Global hiring partners. Outcomes vary by region, experience, and program of study.
Student voices
Why graduates chose this program
Verified quotes from APU Global students and alumni who balanced work, family, and faith while earning their degree online.
“APU Global enabled me to complete my academic goals and led me into a teaching pathway. The online format enables students to accomplish their academic goals and meets them where they're at.”
“I chose APU Global because it offered the flexibility I needed while working full time in special education. My success coach always made me feel like I wasn't alone in this process, and APU Global helped me find my confidence again.”
Quotes shared with permission by APU Global students and alumni. Individual outcomes vary.
Tuition & aid
Tuition, transfer credit, and financial aid
Our 2025–26 tuition rate is $535 per credit. Every figure below is calculated from that rate, so what you see here is what you pay.
- Cost per credit
- $535 (2025–26 undergraduate rate)
- Estimated cost
- About $22,470 for the 42 credits of major coursework, before aid. Your total depends on how much credit transfers in.
- With transfer credit
- Up to 90 credits transfer into a bachelor's. At the maximum, 30 credits remain, about $16,050 in tuition. Transfer evaluation is free and happens before you enroll.
- Financial aid
- FAFSA-eligible. Federal loans, Pell Grant, Yellow Ribbon, employer billing and deferred payment, and institutional scholarships.
- Military
- Active-duty and veteran service members and their spouses receive a 10% tuition discount, on top of GI Bill® and Yellow Ribbon benefits.
- Fees
- No application fee, no technology fee, no graduation fee.
Run your own numbers with the tuition calculator, see the full tuition and aid breakdown, or review how transfer credit is evaluated.
Admissions
What you'll need
- Completed online application (no fee)
- High school diploma or GED
- Official transcripts from any prior college
Request info
Get the program info packet
An enrollment counselor responds within one business day with a personalized cost estimate, a transfer-credit review, and your fastest path to graduation.
- Next start: September 8, 2026
- Application deadline: August 22, 2026
- No application fee
FAQ
Common questions
Format, cost, transfer credit, and start dates for this program, answered before you apply.
Yes. This program is delivered 100% online with no required campus visits or live class meetings. Coursework is asynchronous with weekly deadlines, and everything you need, including the digital library and 24/7 Tutor.com support, is reachable from the Digital Campus.
Courses run in eight-week sessions with six start dates a year, so you move through the 120 credits required to graduate one session at a time. Full-time students take more courses per session and part-time students take fewer, and approved transfer credit reduces the credits you have left.
Tuition is $535 per credit, about $22,470 for the full 42 credits before aid. There are no technology or graduation fees, employers can be billed directly, and service members, veterans, and their spouses receive a 10% tuition discount.
Yes. APU Global is separately accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), reaffirmed in 2024, and is a nonprofit institution sharing a Christ-centered mission and a heritage dating back to 1899 with Azusa Pacific University. That accreditation is what makes federal financial aid and credit transfer possible.
There is no application fee. No SAT or ACT scores are required; admission is based on a high school diploma or GED and official transcripts from any prior college. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis against each session's deadline rather than a single annual cutoff.
Up to 90 credits. Military training is evaluated from your Joint Services Transcript, and up to 30 credits can come from Prior Learning Assessment. The evaluation is free and results come back before you enroll.
From the blog
Deeper reading on this program
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