Your Concentration

Concentration Overview

The General Studies Bachelor's Degree at Charter Oak requires you to complete a concentration. A concentration is similar to a major, but if offers far more flexibility by allowing you to work with the credits you already earned to plan a degree program that meets your career and personal goals.

A concentration consists of a minimum of 36 credits in one or more fields of study. Concentrations can be in specific subject areas like Business Administration, Child Studies, Psychology or Health Care Administration, or they may be multidisciplinary if you have a background or interest in related subject areas. In thinking about which concentration will work best for you, consider your career goals, personal interests, when you want to complete your degree, and which credits you have already completed. For a list of the many concentration areas, please visit the Concentration / Fields of Study page.

Concentration Plan of Study (CPS)

If you have enrolled with more than 60 credits, you should immediately discuss your degree goals with your Academic Counselor. You and your Counselor will determine which of your previously earned credits are appropriate for inclusion in your concentration and which credits you will earn to support your goals. You will use this information in completing the Concentration Plan of Study (CPS). The CPS is composed of three parts:

1. A list of concentration credits,
2. Your resume, and
3. Your responses to several questions asking you to define your goals and explain the focus of your concentration.

The CPS offers the opportunity to ask faculty any questions that you may have concerning your field of study. Members of the faculty are happy to communicate with you about these issues and will give you their best advice concerning your goals and academic preparation. Most importantly, this will ensure that you are taking the right credits to reach those goals and to meet degree requirements. You will be able to submit revisions to your CPS, as needed, as you work toward completion of your concentration.

Please visit the Concentration Guides & Resources page for more information on how to effectively complete your CPS. To access CPS forms, please visit the Concentration Forms page.