BGS课程最适合21岁以上的成年学生，他们希望完成本科学位，同时仍然履行就业和家庭责任。每个学生都遵循个人学习计划（ILP）。该计划是由学生和BGS顾问编写的书面摘要，其中包括ETSU通识教育核心，以前的大学水平工作和选修学分，以满足毕业要求和学生的个人或专业目标。认识到学习通常是在非学术环境中进行的，因此，继续学习与学术拓展学院鼓励其BGS专业的学生为大学水平的先前学习争取学分。学生可以通过诸如大学水平考试计划（CLEP），部门挑战考试或提交由ETSU老师评估的先前学习档案之类的计划来获得学分。由于BG
The School of Continuing Studies and Academic Outreach offers the Bachelor of General Studies (B.G.S.) to provide students an alternative to traditional degree programs. A learner-centered program, the BGS allows students to develop an individualized program of study specifically tailored to their learning needs. The BGS program allows students the freedom to pursue a program of study across disciplinary boundaries that suits their academic, professional, and personal interests. Each student develops an Individual Learning Plan in consultation with the academic advisor, this program of study includes ETSU General Education requirements, thematically related elective credits, and previous college-level work to meet ETSU graduation requirements. The BGS program is well-suited for students who can work independently and whose work-life situations require more flexible program requirements and the availability of online, evening, and hybrid-format courses, especially those who have earned significant amounts of college credit in the past and often from multiple institutions. BGS students are encouraged to apply for college credit from non-traditional sources such as prior work experience or military training through means such as CLEP, departmental challenge examinations, or a prior-learning credit portfolio for course-equivalency credit. Students enrolled in the BGS program may not double-major at ETSU.