Interdepartmental Program — It is probably fair to say that there are as many types and kinds of BGS programs as there are students who have chosen this academic option. However, the program has been traditionally popular with students wishing to pursue and develop a wide variety of interdepartmental/interdisciplinary and pre-professional programs. Some typical examples of BGS programs which emphasize an interdepartmental approach to undergraduate education include urban studies with courses elected from the departments of sociology, political science, history, anthropology, and economics, and comparative European literature with courses in English, Greek, Latin, German, Romance, and Slavic languages and literatures. Other interdepartmental programs in area studies, as for example Latin American studies, various fields of the health sciences, international relations, and ecology have also been developed by BGS students.

Interdisciplinary Programs — Students with interests in course work from University of Michigan units other than LS&A often choose the BGS degree program. For example, a student wishing to develop a program emphasizing ecological planning might elect natural science, geography, and environmental studies courses in LS&A and appropriate courses (up to a maximum of 20 credits) from the School of Natural Resources and Environment. A student specializing in art history might benefit from course work elected in the School of Art and Design.

Teaching Certificate —  It is possible to obtain a secondary teaching certificate with a BGS degree. Three sets of requirements must be considered: (1) the School of Education requirements for the teaching certificate; (2) the requirements for a teaching major and minor; and (3) the BGS requirement that no more than 20 credits from any one department may count toward the 60 upper-level credits required for the BGS degree.

Pre-Business — Many students interested in an entry level position in business, an MBA program, or a Master in Accounting program choose the BGS degree. It allows them to elect 20 credits from the School of Business Administration which, when combined with LS&A courses in economics, political science, English, psychology, communications, statistics, and computer science, provides a solid business-oriented program.

Pre-Law  and Pre-Medicine —  Pre-law students can put together a very successful BGS program combining courses which contribute to their understanding and use of language, their ability to reason logically, their ability to express themselves clearly and persuasively, and their awareness and understanding of contemporary political and social developments. Pre-medical students sometimes find it difficult to complete both the lower-level science requirements for medical school and the 60 credits of upper-level work required for the BGS degree. However, with careful planning, a pre-medical student can integrate a basic science program with upper-level courses to produce a meaningful BGS program.