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History of the Military at GS

Military and the School of General Studies:
A Brief History

The School of General Studies traces its origins back to the early 19th century when at the time it was called Extension Teaching. Extension Teaching enrolled part-time students, professionals, and the general public in a "Literary and Scientific Course" offered in the evenings. Eventually renamed University Extension, the school began granting Bachelor of Science degrees in 1921.

In 1947, to meet the needs of thousands of military personnel returning from World War II, University Extension was restructured and designated the School of General Studies. The new college's mission was to educate adults who, in addition to having an average of 5 to 10 years of life experience, had career demands and/or family responsibilities while pursuing their educations.

The college began awarding Bachelor of Arts degrees in 1969. Today, GS serves top-quality, degree-seeking undergraduates who have had a break of one year or more in their educations.