Master of Arts in Liberal Studies - MALS
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About the Program
North Carolina State University’s Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program offers the student an opportunity to undertake a broad, interdisciplinary program of graduate study that integrates and expands awareness and is geared to the student's personal interests. As part of the application process, each student proposes an individual program of study around an interdisciplinary theme or topic. This program is distinct from the usual master's degree program in that it is not specialized study in a single discipline, nor is it a vocational or professional degree, though it could be quite relevant to a student's professional field and interests. It is designed for adult students who have significant life experience and want to study with the outstanding teachers at North Carolina State University, learning more about themselves and the world in which they live.
The rich resources of NCSU in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and technology are made available to MALS students as they explore their interests through the offerings of various departments and also through special interdisciplinary seminars designed exclusively for MALS students.
The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies degree has become increasingly popular and is now offered by more than 100 universities (e.g., Johns Hopkins, Dartmouth, LSU, and Duke). It was first offered in the early 1950s by Wesleyan University in Connecticut and is now established at seven universities in North Carolina alone. This new concept in graduate education, which actually rests squarely in the venerable tradition of liberal education, has proven itself to be an exciting, popular, and useful form of graduate education. The MALS program at NCSU is a member of the Association of Graduate Liberal Studies Programs, a consortium of universities throughout the United States who offer this degree.
The MALS degree program at North Carolina State University is designed especially for adult, part-time students, many of whom will be working while they are in the program. MALS students have diverse educational backgrounds, diverse educational objectives in pursuing a MALS degree, and may be coming back to school after a considerable break in their education The MALS student might be a middle-level manager seeking a better understanding of community and organizational dynamics, or an engineer wanting to study the interplay between science, technology, and society, or a teacher who would like to explore the literary and historical foundations of the American experience, or a retiree who has always wanted to learn more about national and international issues and the decision-making process. The program is designed to be flexible and accommodating to the needs of the adult student. Students can begin the program in the fall, spring, or summer semester and by taking one course each fall and spring semester can finish the program in five years. The special MALS seminars are offered in the late afternoon or evening, thus accommodating the schedules of working students and alleviating parking problems for everyone.
The MALS degree program at North Carolina State University is designed especially for adult, part-time students, many of whom will be working while they are in the program. MALS students have diverse educational backgrounds, diverse educational objectives in pursuing a MALS degree, and may be coming back to school after a considerable break in their education The MALS student might be a middle-level manager seeking a better understanding of community and organizational dynamics, or an engineer wanting to study the interplay between science, technology, and society, or a teacher who would like to explore the literary and historical foundations of the American experience, or a retiree who has always wanted to learn more about national and international issues and the decision-making process. The program is designed to be flexible and accommodating to the needs of the adult student. Students can begin the program in the fall, spring, or summer semester and by taking one course each fall and spring semester can finish the program in five years. The special MALS seminars are offered in the late afternoon or evening, thus accommodating the schedules of working students and alleviating parking problems for everyone.
