UNC Asheville's Master of Liberal Arts Degree Program will hold an informational open house at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, in UNC Asheville's Laurel Forum, Karpen Hall. The open house will offer prospective students a chance to learn about the program, talk with professors and hear about spring semester classes. The event is free and open to the public.

The MLA Program is an interdisciplinary degree for college graduates interested in broad-based learning at the master's degree level. Small seminars focus on issues of importance in contemporary culture. Concentrations include Humanities and Creative Writing, Globalization Past and Present, and Science and Human Values. Students also may create their own individualized plans.

Seminars are taught in the evening and during the summer by faculty who have published widely in their fields and are committed to teaching excellence. The program offers access to the University's library and academic computing resources, as well as the chance to engage significant cultural, social and theoretical issues, said MLA Program Director William Spellman.

"The MLA Program provides the opportunity for stimulating interactions with an enthusiastic community of working professionals and lifelong learners," Spellman said.

The degree requires 10 courses (30 credit hours), including a capstone project seminar. Course topics change each semester. Seminars set for Spring 2008 include, The Nuclear Dilemma, Fiction and Creative Non-Fiction, The Practice of Local and Global Peace-Building, and The American Documentary Tradition: Where Art and Politics Meet.

For more information, call Spellman at 828/251-6505 or click on www.unca.edu/mla.