The University of Oklahoma
College of Liberal Studies
1610 Asp Ave Ste 108, Norman, OK 73072
Phone: 405-325-1061/800-522-4389 Fax: 405-325-7132
Prospecitve Students
About CLS
The College of Liberal Studies (CLS) was founded in 1960 by University of Oklahoma faculty members who perceived the need for degree-granting programs that could accommodate adult learners. With support from the Center for the Study of Liberal Education for Adults and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Bachelor of Liberal Studies program was among the first in the United States designed specifically for adult, part-time students. The first undergraduate students were enrolled in 1961 and completed their degrees through a combination of concentrated on-site and independent study courses. In 1967, the Master of Liberal Studies was created to meet a growing need for graduate degrees of high quality geared towards non-traditional students.
Today, over 1500 CLS students worldwide are able to complete their degree 100% online, on-site, or through self-paced independent study. As part of OU Outreach, one of the top five continuing education organizations in the United States, the College of Liberal Studies helps provide services to more than 200,000 non-traditional learners in Oklahoma and in locations all over the world.