Liberal and Professional Studies

Below are helpful resources for BLPS students.

CLEP Exam Credits

CLEP and Portfolio Credit Request

Students will begin the BLPS program with a minimum of 18 previously earned college credits but can transfer up to 75 credits of completed coursework from an accredited college or university. Upon admission into the program, the Dean’s Office will review each student’s submitted transcripts and schedule an advising meeting to notify them about the number of credits that will successfully transfer toward the BLPS degree.

All credits within a student’s major must be less than 10 years old and have been taken at Fairfield University. Major courses should be upper-level, but a limited number of 1000-level courses may be counted if they are not introductory courses. Transfer credits outside of a student’s major (electives or core courses) can be over 10 years old.

The University Career Center serves Fairfield University students with comprehensive career support services, programming, and resources.

Learn About Career Preparation

Fairfield supports the scholarly success and intellectual growth of our students by providing various resources on campus including the Science Center, Writing Center, DiMenna-Nyselius Library, and more.

Academic Support at Fairfield

Flexibility in pursuing a program of study that includes a broad-based foundation in Fairfield’s core curriculum and the ability to design a major that aligns with your professional and personal interests. Different from the pre-determined course of study required for most majors, the BLPS degree lets you plan a major course of study that makes sense for you. Taking into account previously earned college credits at Fairfield University and/or other institutions, your program advisor can help you transfer up to 75 approved credits and, once you have matriculated into the program, you’ll be on your way to earning a degree from a university recognized as one of the finest liberal arts institutions in the country. You’re also able to complete the BLPS degree on a part-time or full-time basis, stepping in and out as needed with the overall goal of completing your degree within ten years from the date of admission.

Use this Resource Guide.

All full-time undergraduates are eligible to apply for student housing. During the summer intercession, full and part-time students can seek available student housing. Contact residencelife@fairfield.edu.

Students requesting accommodations can contact the Office of Disability Support Services.

Your faculty advisor will contact you during the advising and registration period. All students at the University register during the same time period. You are encouraged to register along with the rest of the student body in order to ensure you can get into the classes you want to take as well as have the option of using a tuition payment plan.

Yes. The Alpha Sigma Lambda (ASL) Honor Society acknowledges those who, while handling life responsibilities, achieve and maintain high scholastic standards as they pursue their degree studies. The Fairfield University Chapter, Gamma Phi, has been in existence since 1982.

• Must be a matriculated student in an undergraduate degree program;
• Are actively enrolled in the semester;
• GPA 3.2 or higher on a scale of 4.0;
• Must complete a minimum of 24 credit hours;
• All 24 credits must be taken through and graded at the matriculating institution and must be included in the student’s cumulative GPA;
• Have at least 12 credits earned in courses in Liberal Arts/Sciences, not including applied Arts/Sciences courses (i.e., studio art and science lab courses cannot be included in the 12 credits earned outside of the student’s major).

As for all Fairfield students, your final 30 credits must be taken at Fairfield University. Before your final 30 credits, please contact the Associate Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences in Canisius 100 to seek approval for outside courses. Keep in mind that all MAJOR courses must be completed at Fairfield University.

When you are nearing degree completion, the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s office will contact you for the final steps to graduation. You will be asked to complete a degree completion card.

Yes, these courses can fulfill your elective, core, and major requirements. In fact, you are encouraged to take courses that speak to your interests, career goals, and advanced degree pursuits. Among our recent graduates, one works in financial wealth management, and another was accepted into Fairfield’s Dolan School of Business to pursue an MBA this coming fall.

Whether you came to the BLPS program by way of life circumstances that had you working full or part-time and seeking flexibility in completing your degree, or you began pursuing your degree at Fairfield or another institution but realized your desire for a program of study better tailored to your particular interests, any employer will be impressed by your credentials as a graduate of Fairfield University. Your advisor will help you determine how to best articulate the choice for a BLPS degree given your specific career and life path.

Yes, so long as you meet the requirements for the BLPS degree and also meet the requirements for a minor in a particular program.

Yes. We recommend that you reflect on your interests and goals and then consider the primary area(s) of study in which your major coursework has been taken (i.e., Sociology; Communication, etc.). Your BLPS advisor will then work with you and the internship coordinator in the department/program where your interest lies to determine how you can qualify to earn college credit for an internship. The University allows students to earn a maximum of 6 internship credits. BLPS majors can apply a maximum of 3 internship credits in fulfillment of their major course requirements. Up to 3 additional internship credits can be used to fulfill elective course credits.

Visit the Career Center to see if the department has specific internship requirements.

If you wish to withdraw from a class after the initial add/drop period, you may do so by the mid-point of the class (e.g., through the end of the seventh week in a traditional semester) provided that the BLPS Program Chair (Dr. Maggie Wills, mwills@fairfield.edu), in consultation with the course instructor, finds withdrawal to be in the student’s best interest. If you’re falling behind in a course and unable to keep up with the assignments for whatever reason, please seek help first from the course professor and then, as needed, consult with your academic advisor as to the best course of action. We encourage you to seek assistance and take action in order to avoid a final grade of “F” for courses in which you failed to complete the work.