Liberal Studies (M.A.L.S.)

The master of arts in liberal studies (M.A.L.S.) is an innovative, interdisciplinary graduate program, intended to promote broad intellectual comprehension and enrichment rather than vocational or professional training within a single field or discipline. Housed within the College of Liberal Arts but drawing its courses and instructors from across the University, the program makes available a diverse spectrum of offerings and a wealth of faculty expertise and resources. The program addresses the particular interests of students who seek to deepen their knowledge by designing their own challenging but flexible program of cross-disciplinary learning.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the master of arts in liberal studies is selective. A bachelor's degree is required for admission. Students will be asked to provide relevant transcripts of their educational experience, a resume, and letters of recommendation. They will also be asked to submit a brief essay describing why they are particularly interested in this program and indicating the sort of interdisciplinary focus or area of learning in which they might like to concentrate their study. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required but is helpful.

Degree Requirements

The program consists of 30 credits divided into two parts: a concentration made up of at least six elective courses chosen from various disciplines across the liberal arts that centers on an interdisciplinary theme or topic,¹ and a 6 credit master's thesis LS 899 or a 6 credit project LS 898, which is intended to act as an integrating capstone experience for liberal studies students.²

¹

Students will work with the director of the program and a concentration and thesis adviser to develop an interdisciplinary concentration program of study, which focuses on a significant topic, issue, perspective, or cultural development, and is made up of at least six graduate-level elective courses offered in various departments throughout the college and University. A concentration should constitute a sustained thematic exploration and may be selected from a menu of suggested concentrations or may be self-designed by each student with the help of his or her adviser. The six courses are to be selected from 700-90­0-level courses regularly offered within departments and colleges across the University, including up to three independent study courses carried out as a tutorial with particular faculty members (with permission). It is expected that a student's concentration will culminate in a concluding final project or thesis.

The following are typical examples of cross-disciplinary concentration programs of study: American studies, the humanities, ecology and values, justice studies, disability studies, labor studies, religious studies, urban studies, and women's studies.

²

With the support of their concentration and thesis adviser, students prepare a final project consistent with their concentration and interests. A capstone experience, the project can be a scholarly thesis or equivalent creative endeavor, which integrates the student's learning in a particular concentration. Students will work with a committee of three faculty members and are encouraged to schedule a formal defense of their work with their committee.

• Demonstrate the ability to carry out graduate work in different disciplines in the College of Liberal Arts and possibly in other Colleges.
• Develop a concentration by pursuing a significant question across disciplinary lines.
• Develop an interdisciplinary M.A. Thesis (a scholarly thesis) or M.A. Project (a creative or applied project) that grows out of this concentration.
• Working with a committee of three faculty members from different disciplines, research, complete, and defend this capstone thesis or project.

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Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

• Fall: July 1
• Spring: December 1
• Summer: April 1
• Special: N/A

Application fee: $65

Campus: Durham

New England Regional: CT MA VT

Accelerated Masters Eligible: No

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission, or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

• Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
• Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Applicants should submit a brief essay describing why they are particularly interested in this program and indicating the sort of interdisciplinary focus or area of learning in which they might like to concentrate their study.

Statements must be included with your submitted application.

Resume

A current resume is required with your submitted application.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.