Liberal Studies, M.A.

Program Description

The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) degree is a self-directed, interdisciplinary graduate degree designed on the Wesleyan model of graduate liberal arts education. The MALS degree enables adult, working students to::

• enrich workplace credentials with graduate study that is tailored to meet specific areas of need and interest;
• enhance skills in fact-based analysis, in-depth research, critical understanding, ethical decision-making, digital literacy and public presentation to prepare for professional opportunities, further graduate study, or simply for personal development;
• experience internship opportunities in the arts, academia, government, business, non-profit and human service areas;
• access rigorous graduate education that is priced within the means of moderate-income, working residents of Long Island and New York.

The flexible curriculum, delivered by award-winning, full-time faculty, fosters active, analytical and synthetic learning and an ongoing pursuit of knowledge. Through an intensive focus on thematic or creative Area of Study, students gain an understanding of how interdisciplinary approaches to knowledge enhance study in traditional disciplines. Guided by a faculty advisor, students engage in intentional, self-directed learning, structuring their own programs of study, through a combination of courses in the humanities and social sciences, to create an individual degree plan. Core and elective courses in the program develop students’ understanding of the construction of identity, culture, power, and social justice in the U.S. and global context. The range of formal and individually- designed coursework, framed to meet students’ interests and workplace needs in cultural, governmental, business, educational and human service areas, allows students to achieve personal and professional goals.

Course work combines an inter-disciplinary core seminar, a selection of elective courses across disciplines that includes a cluster within a single thematic or disciplinary Area of Study as well as courses from at least three disciplines, and a capstone experience of either a master’s thesis or an internship placement with one of Old Westbury’s partners in health, government, community, business and not-for-profit venues. In both thesis and internship capstones students engage in active, applied learning, namely the direct application of knowledge and skills gained from course work to field placements, creative projects, or guided research. Completion can be paced to meet students’ individual needs. The 30-credit degree can be completed within three semesters of full-time study; students attending part-time may take up to five years to complete their requirements.

Certification for Current Teachers

Teachers who possess initial certification at the Bachelor’s level in English, History (Social Studies), Modern Language (Spanish), or Visual Arts, may use the MALS degree to achieve a master’s degree required for full certification by selecting their Area of Study in their initial field. Students who do not yet possess initial certification may consult degree offerings within Old Westbury’s School of Education.

Combined B.A. in American Studies, M.A. in Liberal Studies Program

The combined B.A. in American Studies, M.A. in Liberal Studies program allows qualified undergraduate students to accelerate their progress toward a master’s degree. This can save time, and cut overall tuition costs.

Applicants will major in American Studies at the undergraduate level, and complete the requirements for that B.A. degree, while beginning a portion of the graduate M.A. in Liberal Studies program in their senior year. See the College’s Undergraduate Catalog for additional details.