Department
of Liberal Studies
103 Macy Building
704-547-4312
Coordinator
Dr. Dale Grote
Degree
M.A.
MASTER OF ARTS IN LIBERAL STUDIES
The Master of Arts degree program in Liberal Studies is designed primarily for adults seeking to enhance their general education in the liberal arts at the graduate level. It provides a flexible, multidisciplinary framework to accommodate the varied undergraduate backgrounds and personal interests that students bring to the program. The curriculum draws upon the full range of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. The emphasis is on liberal arts education rather than on specialized study or professional training.
For recent recipients of the baccalaureate degree, the Liberal Studies program may provide the insight needed to make an informed career choice, or it may enhance opportunities in a career already launched. For returning students, graduate liberal studies may renew ties with university life or lead to a change of career. For persons with significant work experience, the program offers a chance to integrate the life of the mind with that of the workplace. Just as students come to the Liberal Studies program from a variety of fields, so they pursue a variety of careers after graduation. The most widely represented are in business, education, government, law, and social services.
Although the Liberal Studies program is not exclusively an evening program, the majority of courses are offered at times convenient for working adults. It is possible to earn the degree in a timely fashion through evening courses only.
Additional
Admission Requirements
In addition to the general requirements for admission to the
1) A GPA of at least 2.75 on academic work beyond high school and 3.0 for courses prerequisite to the area of proposed graduate study.
2) Satisfactory scores on the Miller Analogies Test or the Verbal and Analytical portions of the Graduate Record Examination.
3) A two-page essay describing the applicant's objectives in undertaking graduate work in Liberal Studies.
4) A resume of employment history or volunteer experience (for applicants who have been out of school for at least five years or whose baccalaureate degree was delayed).
5) Acceptance into the program is contingent on an interview with members of the Liberal Studies Faculty Advisory Committee.
Degree
Requirements
The master's program in Liberal Studies requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate work with grades of A or B, including at least 15 semester hours in courses open only to graduate students. A course in which a student receives a grade of ‘C’ is not allowable as part of the 30 required hours.
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
Core Courses
LBST6101 The Liberal Arts Tradition (3)
LBST6102 Ideas Across the Disciplines (3)
Program
Emphasis
Four related courses focusing on a theme developed by the student and faculty advisor (12 hours).
Liberal Studies Elective 3 hours
General Electives 6 hours
Concluding Seminar
LBST6600 Liberal Studies Seminar (3)
No more than 6 hours of independent study may be applied to the degree. Students requesting independent study must have successfully completed at least 12 semester hours in the program, including LBST 6101 and 6102. A form for such requests is available in the Coordinator’s office and must be completed and the study approved in advance of registration.
Comprehensive
Examination
Each candidate concludes the program with a comprehensive examination taken during the final semester of course work. The examination is a part of the concluding seminar and is individually designed, based on each student's program. It allows the student to integrate material from a variety of disciplines and to demonstrate understanding of the scope of Liberal Studies.
Assistantships
A limited number of graduate assistantships are available
each year. In order to be fully competitive, applications must be received by
March 15. Application forms are available through the
Prizes
A Spring Prize of $250 is awarded annually for an outstanding paper or project completed for a LBST course. Only students admitted to the Liberal Studies program by the submission deadline for the prize are eligible.
Courses In Liberal Studies
LBST 6000. Topics in Liberal Studies. (3) Selected topics approached from interdisciplinary perspectives in the liberal arts. May be repeated for credit as topics change. Examples include interrelated courses forming program emphases on Language and Culture and on Religious Ideas in Physical Forms. (Fall, Spring)
LBST 6101. The Liberal Arts Tradition. (3) The concept of a liberal education and its relationship to human understanding as reflected in representative historical traditions, literature, art, and intellectual works. Examination of selected classics of the Western tradition and critiques through the use of works from other traditions and perspectives. (Fall, Spring)
LBST 6102. Ideas Across the Disciplines. (3) Enduring ideas and their impact on history, society and culture. Each semester a single idea is examined through a variety of writings spanning the liberal arts disciplines. Examples include the idea of nature, the idea of human nature, the idea of the democracy and the idea of citizen. (Fall, Spring)
LBST 6600. Liberal Studies Seminar. (3) An integration of the course work previously taken by each of the seminar members and the completion of a final essay or project. (Yearly)