The request to revise the M.A. in Liberal Studies

Date: April 29, 2016
To: College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
From: Office of Academic Affairs
Approved On: April 12, 2016
Approved by: Graduate Council
Implementation Date: Spring 2017

Note: Deletions are strikethroughs. Insertions are underlined.

Catalog Copy

Degree Requirements

The master’s program in Liberal Studies requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate work, including at least 15 credit hours in courses open only to graduate students. A student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in courses in their degree plan of study in order to graduate. Please consult the Graduate School’s grading policies under “Degree Requirements and Academic Policies.”

Students must take four core MALS courses for a total of 12 credit hours. The remaining six classes (18 credit hours) may be taken in any department(s), with the instructor’s permission and approval. They must be chosen in consultation with the MALS Director. This flexibility allows students to customize the MALS curriculum to their individual needs and interests, working in concert with the MALS Director and their professors.

The requirements are outlined below:

The program begins with two core courses that give students some common grounding in the issues of liberal arts education. Each student then chooses a program emphasis by completing at least four courses that focus on a common theme. Degree requirements also include a Liberal Studies elective course and two elective courses that can be taken in any department in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. The requirements are outlined below:

Core Courses (6 12 credit hours)

MALS 6101 – The Liberal Arts Tradition (3)

MALS 6102 – Ideas Across the Disciplines (3)

Program Emphasis Courses (12 credit hours)

Select four related courses focusing on a theme developed by the student and faculty advisor.

Restricted Elective Course (3 credit hours)

Select one Liberal Studies course.

Unrestricted Elective Courses (6 credit hours)

Select two elective courses.

Concluding Seminar Course (3 credit hours)

MALS 6000 – Topics in Liberal Studies (3)

MALS 6600 – Liberal Studies Seminar (3)

Elective Courses (18 credit hours)

Six additional classes may be taken in any department(s), but must be selected in consultation with the MALS Director.

Note:

No more than 6 credit hours of directed reading/research or independent study may be applied to the degree. Students requesting a directed reading/research or independent study must have successfully completed at least 12 credit hours in the program, including MALS 6101 and MALS 6102. A form for such requestsa MALS Directed Reading/Research (MALS 6890) is available in the Director’s office and must be completed and the directed reading/research or study approved in advance of registration.