Students must successfully complete 10
classes (30 credit hours) from the following required seminars (12
credit hours), electives (12 credit hours), and capstone project
seminars (6 credit hours).
A minimum grade point average of 3.0 is
required for graduation.
Students may track their progress using the
Graduation Checksheet (click to
download PDF).
Required Humanities Interdisciplinary Seminars:
MLA 500: Seminar
on the Human Condition (3 credit hours)
Explores the historical evolution of concepts central to
the development of civilization and of the human personality, including
freedom and authority, aesthetic sensibility, a sense of self and of social
relationships, and mastery over the physical environment. Required of all
MLA students; must be taken at the first opportunity. May not be repeated
for elective credit.
MLA 520: Seminar
in the Humanities (3 credit hours)
Interdisciplinary seminars on questions of human nature and human values
raised in the humanities, but drawing on insights from the natural and
social sciences as well. Topics vary. Required of all MLA students. May be
repeated for elective credit.
MLA 540: Seminar
on Globalization Past and Present (3 credit hours)
Interdisciplinary seminars on questions of human nature and human values
raised in the social sciences, but drawing on insights from the humanities
and natural sciences as well. Topics vary. Required of all MLA students.
May be repeated for elective credit.
MLA 560: Seminar
on Science and Human Values (3 credit hours)
Interdisciplinary seminars on questions of human nature and human values
raised by the natural sciences, but drawing on insights from the humanities
and social sciences as well. Topics vary. Required of all MLA students. May
be repeated for elective credit.
MLA 600: Contemporary Issues (3 credit hours)
*Only required of students who matriculated
before August 2008
The different perspectives developed
through each student's program will be brought to bear on assessing the
human condition in contemporary America. Such issues as the impact
of science and technology, professional ethics, the environment,
changing values, and international interdependence will be discussed.
Prerequisite: 18 hours of MLA coursework.
Required Capstone Project
Seminars:
Capstone Project Guidelines
MLA 670: Scholarly
Inquiry Seminar (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: 21
MLA credit hours
This seminar provides a forum for
students to develop their individual scholarly interests into a capstone
MLA project. Includes survey of techniques of inquiry in the arts,
humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, as well as practical
issues from finding a topic, to final presentation and defense.
Students will define a topic for the project seminar and begin
preliminary research. Project proposals must be approved by the
project advisor, the project seminar instructor, and the MLA Program
Director. Grading S/U. Spring
semester only.
MLA 680: Project
Seminar (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: Successful completion of MLA 670
& 24 credit hours
Seminar dedicated to the completion of
a capstone scholarly research project under the direction of a project
advisor and project seminar instructor. Typically the project
takes the form of a major research paper (40-50 pages), but
alternatives, including creative projects in the arts or literature are
permitted with the concurrence of the advisor and project seminar
instructor. Drafts are presented and defended in the seminar, and
final projects are due before the end of the semester.
The final paper/project is approved by the
instructor of 680, the project advisor, and the MLA Program Director. (Grading S/U).
Fall
semester only.
Electives
12 credit
hours from MLA 520,
MLA
540,
MLA 560 as
topics change. Students may
chose a focus area from Humanities (520), Globalization
(540), or
Science
and Human Values (560) and repeat the course as the topics change each
semester. Students may opt to take
Tutorials (see below) for up to 6 elective
credit hours. Special Topics
courses (see below for description) may also be used for elective credit. Additionally, students may
transfer up to 6 credit
hours for elective
credit; see below for requirements for transferring credit.
MLA 610: Tutorial (1-3 credit hours)
Students may take up to 6 credit hours of tutorials for elective credit.
Individual
study supervised by a faculty member. Topics are chosen after
consultation between student, graduate advisor, and faculty member.
Course may be repeated as subject matter changes for a total of 6 hours
of credit. Requires permission of program director- please submit a
Tutorial Request Form. Tutorials may only be used for Elective credit
and will appear on the academic transcript as MLA 610.
MLA 571-3, 671-3: Special Topics in
Master of Liberal Arts (1-3 credit hours)
Courses not otherwise included in the
catalog listing but for which there may be special needs. May be
repeated for credit as subject matter changes. Elective credit
only. See program director.
Transfer Credit
Students may transfer up to six credit hours from other accredited
graduate programs, provided that the work is relevant to the individual
student’s particular focus area and the student earned a grade of B- or
better in each course.
Transfer credit will be awarded for elective courses only. Supporting
materials (transcript, syllabus, and a petition describing the relevance of
the course to the MLA Program) must be submitted to the Graduate Council,
which will review requests at monthly meetings.
Continuing students considering a course
through another institution are encouraged to discuss the course with
the Program Director before enrolling if the aim is to earn credit
towards the MLA degree.
Course Descriptions & Schedule
Fall 2009
Summer 2009
Previous Schedules
Degree Requirements
Capstone Project Guidelines
Progress Check Form
Transferring
Credit
How to Transfer Courses
