Master of Arts in Liberal Studies

Optional areas of specialization:

• American Studies
• History
• Religious and Ethical Studies
• Individualized Plan of Study

The MALS evening program affords students the opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary studies at Northwestern University. Students may choose to focus their coursework in the following specializations: American studies, history, religious and ethical studies, or they may devise an independent plan of study. The graduate program accommodates the often-hectic schedules of part-time graduate students while providing a rigorous academic experience. This interdisciplinary degree program offers courses year-round on both the Evanston and Chicago campuses of Northwestern University.

Each course is multidisciplinary in scope, bringing many perspectives and schools of thought to bear on a topic that might otherwise be taught from a single point of view. Each course also encourages students to develop their analytical, writing, and research skills. The faculty is drawn from a wide range of academic areas including: art history, classics, comparative literary studies, English, history, philosophy, political science, religion, sociology, and theater. Every faculty member shares a commitment to teaching and research and has experience working with non-traditional students. By offering intensive discussions on diverse subjects, the MALS program gives its students the skills to explore questions of time-proven concern and contemporary relevance.

The program attracts a diverse student population, from accountants to entrepreneurs, from teachers to business managers. Since the program emphasizes critical thinking skills in a variety of contexts, the MALS degree is a valuable credential for any profession. Some students pursue the degree program to advance their careers, others to explore the humanities in greater depth, and still others to go on to advanced graduate study. For those whose interests extend beyond a narrowly focused degree, the MALS program provides a solid foundation for a career - or a calling.

Please be sure to review the important dates pertaining to this program.

Curriculum

The MALS program requires the completion of nine courses and allows each student to design his or her own curriculum. Students have great flexibility in their course selection. The program is framed at the beginning by two required MALS seminars and at the end by the capstone project. Students design a program that focuses on their individual interests or that completes one of the optional concentrations in liberal studies.

Optional Specializations

Students who wish to lend more structure to their MALS experience may complete a specialization in

• American Studies
• History
• Religious and Ethical Studies
• Individualized plan of study created from available courses

A specialization may be especially beneficial to educators, students who are thinking of going on to a PhD program, or anyone who wants to combine interdisciplinary methods with specific subjects.

Students complete four thematically linked courses in order to create a specialization. Please see course descriptions for more information.

MALS Seminars (minimum 2 courses)

These seminars introduce the methods and tools of scholarly inquiry - especially the modern research library - through a particular topic explored under the guidance of the seminar leader. MALS students often begin the program in the fall quarter with IPLS 401 and then enroll in either 402 in the winter or 403 in the spring. However, students may take any combination of these seminars. Topics change yearly. Examples of recent seminar topics include

• IPLS 401 Pursuit of Community in American Life
• IPLS 402 Chicago Neighborhoods and Ethnic Communities
• IPLS 403 A Perfect Place, A Lively Experiment: Utopia in American Culture

Electives

• 400-Level Elective Courses

Electives offer students the opportunity to apply interdisciplinary methods to particular fields and contexts — for example, philosophy, history, art history, or literature.

• 300-Level Courses (up to 3 courses)

Students are allowed to enroll in up to three 300-level courses approved by The Graduate School. They often take such courses during Summer Session.

Capstone Project (1 course)

Students sign up for the final course in the program during the term in which they start their master's essay. The capstone project for the MALS program is a thesis (45-75 double-spaced pages) written under the supervision of a graduate faculty member. The capstone project presents an opportunity to research and explore a topic thoroughly. Students often elect to expand a seminar paper from a previous course. With the approval of the program director, students can create an interdisciplinary project rather than writing a traditional thesis.