Liberal Arts, M.A.

Leah Lyons, Program Director
(615) 898-5778
mala@mtsu.edu

The College of Liberal Arts offers the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts, an interdisciplinary, 30-hour program offering a thesis and non-thesis option.

The Master of Arts in Liberal Arts (MALA), a broadly interdisciplinary program, allows students to construct a personal plan of study from within the Liberal Arts disciplines, which include art, communication studies and organizational communication, English, foreign languages and literatures, global studies and cultural geography, history, music, philosophy, political science and international relations, sociology and anthropology, and theatre and dance. With the guidance of the program director, students build a program of study that will enhance career opportunities, provide preparation for further graduate study, or create opportunities for lifelong learning.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts, applicant must have an earned bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college.

Admission decisions are made after a holistic review of all admission materials and are based on the program's judgment of the applicant's capacity, suitability, and preparation for graduate study. The admissions committee reserves the right to request references and/or an interview.

Application Procedures

All application materials are to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies.

Applicant must

1. submit an application with the appropriate application fee (online at www.mtsu.edu/graduate/apply.php);
2. submit a current resume or vitae;
3. submit a 500-word statement of purpose outlining academic interests and goals;
4. submit two letters of recommendation from professors, supervisors, or others familiar with qualifications to address applicant's potential to successfully complete the M.A. in Liberal Arts program;
5. submit official transcripts of all previous college work.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Arts in Liberal Arts requires completion of 30 hours.

Candidate must

1. complete a minimum of 30 semester hours; no more than 30 percent of the total degree hours dual-listed as undergraduate/graduate hours can be counted toward the degree;
2. successfully complete and defend a thesis or capstone project.

Curriculum: Liberal Arts

Candidate must complete 30 hours in the following course of study:

Core (9 hours)

• MALA 6000 - Foundations of Liberal Arts I  3 credit hours  

  MALA 6000 - Foundations of Liberal Arts I

  3 credit hours

  A study of the traditional disciplines belonging to the liberal arts including art, communication studies, English, foreign languages and literatures, and history. Focuses on the foundations and development of these disciplines with particular emphasis on content, research methods, literature search, and analysis.

• MALA 6010 - Foundations of Liberal Arts II  3 credit hours  

  MALA 6010 - Foundations of Liberal Arts II

  3 credit hours

  A study of the traditional disciplines belonging to the liberal arts including music, philosophy, political science, theatre and dance, and sociology and anthropology. Focuses on the foundations and development of these disciplines with particular emphasis on content, research methods, literature search, and analysis.

• MALA 6020 - Capstone Project  3 credit hours  OR  

  MALA 6020 - Capstone Project

  3 credit hours

  Selection of an interdisciplinary topic, advanced research including the review of applicable literature, and completion of a final product such as a paper; a creative, visual, or digital presentation; or some other format approved by the course instructor.

• MALA 6640 - Thesis Research  1 to 6 credit hours  (3 credit hours)

  MALA 6640 - Thesis Research

  1 to 6 credit hours

  Selection of a research problem, review of pertinent literature, collection and analysis of data, and composition of thesis. Once enrolled, student should register for at least one credit hour of master's research each semester until completion.

Areas (9 hours)

• MALA 6030 - Topics in Culture and Ideas  3 credit hours  

  MALA 6030 - Topics in Culture and Ideas

  3 credit hours

  Focuses on the traditions of the humanities as reflected in literature and languages, art and music, historical and philosophical questions, and religious thought.

• MALA 6040 - Topics in Society and People  3 credit hours  

  MALA 6040 - Topics in Society and People

  3 credit hours

  Focuses on the structural and political entities in societies of the past and present. Reflects people's efforts at making connections, resolving conflict, and creating identity.

• MALA 6050 - Topics in Science and Reason  3 credit hours  

  MALA 6050 - Topics in Science and Reason

  3 credit hours

  Focuses on the contributions of the sciences to liberal arts through interdisciplinary study and changes in ways of thinking about ourselves and the world around us.

Guided Electives (12 hours)

Choose from additional MALA topics courses and electives or courses in other College of Liberal Arts graduate programs as approved by the director. (Student may take up to 9 credit hours of guided electives at the 5000 level.)

Program Notes

Candidate must

1. file a degree plan in the College of Graduate Studies prior to the entry into the program;
2. file a Notice of Intent to Graduate form in the College of Graduate Studies within the first two weeks of the term in which candidate intends to graduate.