Program Overview

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Program Overview

The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) program is an interdisciplinary graduate program administered by the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. This program integrates and expands the student's knowledge and awareness, geared to the student's personal interests. Each student, in consultation with an academic advisor, designs an individual program of study around an interdisciplinary theme or topic.

Master's Degree Requirements

Thirty hours of course work made up of:

1. Three MALS seminars OR two MALS seminars and a research methods course (9 credit hours),
2. Six courses (18 credit hours) representing the student's interdisciplinary concentration plan (no more than two courses from any one discipline) and
3. One (3 credit hour) culminating project or thesis.

Some examples of concentrations that are well supported by graduate courses in the NC State curriculum are:

• Science, Technology and Society
• the American Experience and Leadership
• National and International Issues and Decision Making
• Women's Health Equity & Equality
• Climate Justice

Admissions Requirements

Students entering the Master's program in liberal studies must have an undergraduate degree. In addition to the material required by the Graduate School, students applying are asked to submit a four to five page statement describing their objectives in doing a degree in liberal studies and a resume. GRE scores are not required. All applicants are interviewed.

Applicant Information

• Delivery Method: On-Campus
• Entrance Exam: None
• Interview Required: Yes

Application Deadlines

• Fall: March 15

Degrees

• Liberal Studies (MA)

Faculty

Full Professors

• Kimberly I. Allen
• Carolyn Bird
• Jason Bocarro
• Jonathan D. Bohlmann
• Jeffrey P. Braden
• Marina F. Bykova
• Richard M. Clerkin
• Gary L. Comstock
• Victoria Gallagher
• Michael D. Garval
• Douglas John Gilla
• Nora Haenn
• Mary E. Haskett
• Jessica K. Jameson
• Akram F. Khater
• Sarah D. Kirby
• Lada Kochtcheeva
• Yu-Fai Leung
• Dudley Michael Marchi
• Jorge Mari
• Duarte Morais
• Sylvia Christine Maria Nassar
• Jose Pasten
• Robert P. Patterson
• Jorge Mari
• Adriana de Souza e Silva
• Erik R Thomas
• Kenneth Vincent
• Rodney Waschka
• Yingjiao Xu
• Kenneth S. Zagacki

Associate Professors

• Craig C. Brookins
• Kyle Stephen Bunds
• Jonathan M. Casper
• Katherine Mellen Charron
• Cameron Denson
• Michael B. Edwards
• Stephen Clifford Ferguson
• Shelley E. Garrigan
• Anne Hardison-Moody
• Karey A. Harwood
• Kimberly Ange-Van Heugten
• James Kiwanuka-Tondo
• Whitney Knollenberg
• Mark Nance
• David M. Rieder
• Amanda J. Stewart
• Michael Struett
• Jocelyn DeVance Warren

Assistant Professors

• Kalyca Becktel
• Veljko Dubljevic
• Ayse Ercumen
• Judy Kertesz
• Thath Men Alejandro Gutierrez Li
• Alicia McGill
• Xavier Deonte Pickett
• Kevin A. Richardson

Practice/Research/Teaching Professors

• Alison E. Arnold
• Gary Beckman
• David Michael Berube
• Kimberly Ann Bush
• Dennis M. Daley
• Sarah L. Desmarais
• Amanda Ross Edwards
• Charles Albert Flink
• Jonathan Kramer
• Seth Murray
• Elizabeth Nelson

Lecturers

• Darby Orcutt
• Victoria Ralston

Emeritus Faculty

• Sarah Stein

Courses

• MLS 501: Seminar In Liberal Studies (3 credit hours)
  Intensive study of an interdisciplinary issue or area. Seminars, varying each semester, address such topics as arts studies, history and literature, sociobiology and social sciences, world trade and world conflict, and technology and social change.
  • Prerequisite: Admission to M.A. in liberal studies
  • Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
• MLS 630: Independent Study (1-3 credit hours)
  Advanced independent study of an interdisciplinary topic under supervision of a faculty member.
  • Prerequisite: Admission to M.A. in liberal studies
  • Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
• MLS 676: Independent Project (1-3 credit hours)
  Advanced independent research on an interdisciplinary project under supervision of a faculty member.
  • Prerequisite: Admission to M.A. in liberal studies
  • Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
• MLS 685: Master's Supervised Teaching (1-3 credit hours)
  Teaching experience under the mentorship of faculty who assist the student in planning for the teaching assignment, observe and provide feedback to the student during the teaching assignment, and evaluate the student upon completion of the assignment.
  • Prerequisite: Master's student
  • Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
• MLS 690: Master's Examination (1-9 credit hours)
  For students in non thesis master's programs who have completed all other requirements of the degree except preparing for and taking the final master's exam.
  • Prerequisite: Master's student
  • Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer