Compare 13 Master of Art Programs in General Studies

The MLA in Liberal Studies offers two “build-your-own” tracks.

In the Focused Studies track, students explore a particular subject from within the larger perspective of the liberal arts, earning 18 of the 33 required hours in a specific discipline. As part of their core requirements, students may take courses in pedagogy and education, theory, or research methods, which would enable them to teach at the community college level (with the 18hrs), continue on for the Ph.D., or work in areas related to their chosen field of study.

In the Interdisciplinary Studies track, students build their own unique degree from various disciplines (e.g., culture and the environment, ethics and the workplace, social justice and engagement, etc.) and related core requirements, preparing them for future study or professional careers in related areas, including work for non-profits and other businesses.... [-]

The Liberal Arts (Latin liberalis, free, and ars, art or principled practice) can claim to be the oldest programme of higher education in Western history. In medieval culture, this became formalised as the trivium, with the quadrivium of arithmetic, geometry, music and astronomy. Essentially, these seven subjects laid out the uniform laws of what could be known and achieved in the natural universe. These broad areas of enquiry are better known now as philosophy, the humanities, social science, natural science, and the fine arts.

This programme offers the possibility to explore ideas across the wide range of these intellectual areas. Students decide the content of their studies through discussion with tutor(s) working within the broad range of intellectual areas which constitute Modern Liberal Arts.... [-]

The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program is designed for adults who seek interdisciplinary paths to knowledge, who wish to explore the values inherent in the liberal arts, who want to continue and deepen the life of the mind. This program is not intended to train students for a specialized vocation; the program has particular significance for students who wish to increase the range and depth of their knowledge in the liberal disciplines. With advisement by the coordi­nator, students plan a program that has concentration and diversity.

To learn more about the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program, visit http://grad.kean.edu/masters-programs/liberal-studies.

Philosophy and science don't mix. Or do they? What we nowadays call "science" used to be part of "philosophy." It is not without reason that Isaac Newton called his physical masterpiece "The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy." And today, the two are still closely connected. Our current worldview is strongly shaped by scientific thought. We look to science for both answers to our theoretical questions and solutions to our practical problems. The Master's programme in Philosophy and Science analyses the relation of philosophy and science in terms of their historical development, as well as the current situation. How did the scientific worldview come from? What are its ingredients? What have models for the relationship between philosophical and scientific thinking been proposed?... [-]

Our course represents the finest Scottish liberal arts tradition of extensive inquiry over a wide range of subjects and disciplines, challenging you to find creative solutions to problems through active learning.

We give you freedom throughout your entire degree to study several different subjects without the requirement to specialize in only one or two. However, you also have the freedom to focus on one subject (a major) if you want to, while also gaining insights from a wide range of other subjects all the way through your course.

Unlike many similar courses in the UK, there is no requirement to take core or compulsory modules for this course, ensuring that you have the maximum flexibility to tailor your degree to your needs.... [-]

The New School is a progressive university in New York City where scholars, artists, and designers come together to challenge convention and create positive change. Founded in 1919, the university consists of Parsons School of Design, Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, the College of Performing Arts, The New School for Social Research, and numerous renowned graduate programs. The New School’s rigorous, multidimensional approach to education gives students the academic freedom to shape their unique, individual paths of study for a complex and rapidly changing world.

The program's core courses will ground you in the history of ideas and in the practice of sustained writing, while you develop an intellectual peer community. From there, you can branch out, taking advantage of the rich offerings and distinguished faculty of The New School. Work with both a faculty advisor and a student advisor to create a robust pathway tailored to your individual needs and academic ambitions. We offer a rich selection of courses with world-class professors who can extend your command of critical theory, the history of ideas, aesthetics, philosophy, politics, anthropology, media theory - wherever your curiosity takes you. Courses are available in both the daytime and the evening to fit into even the busiest schedule.... [-]

In the vast geopolitical realm that stretches from the British Isles to Siberia and from the Nordic regions to the Mediterranean, powerful forces are pushing for political, social, and economic change. EU member states and their neighbors confront a host of domestic challenges ranging from economic reform and social diversity to terrorism and separatism. Russia and other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States stand at different points along the path of transition from communism to new political institutions.

A web of political, economic, security and societal connections increasingly links various parts of Europe and Eurasia with one another, as well as with the wider global community. In view of these dynamic interactions, it is essential to study Europe and Eurasia in conjunction with each other. The Elliott School’s Master of Arts in European and Eurasian Studies (EES) provides students with an interdisciplinary approach that is vital for a deep understanding of these important regions. The EES curriculum combines required courses with a variety of electives that allow students to pursue individual professional goals and intellectual interests. This multifaceted program encompasses academic approaches to European and Eurasian affairs and develops practical analytical skills that are essential in the professional world of international affairs.... [-]

Steps from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, the Elliott School engages the Washington and global policy communities in meaningful discussions of development policy. The Elliott School M.A. program in International Development Studies (IDS) prepares students for careers in international development through interdisciplinary coursework that includes economics, research methods, policy analysis, and management. This program trains the next generation of development practitioners, exposing them to the latest research, best practices from the field, and experiential learning opportunities.

Is this program for you?

The IDS program fosters its students to be engaged, morally intelligent, and committed to improving the human condition. IDS students are taught to think critically but creatively about development and are intensely engaged with today’s cutting-edge developmental issues. Most IDS students have some development experience, or at least experience in the developing world, and are seeking career advancement. The program also attracts some exceptional students who are new to development studies. The interdisciplinary curriculum combines foundation and elective courses selected to the student’s individual professional goals and intellectual interests. The program is structured as a cohort, where students take special courses exclusively offered to IDS students. Most classes meet in the evening to accommodate the busy schedules of working professionals, or to encourage students to pursue daytime internships and employment in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area.... [-]

Scientific and technological advances are critical to international competitiveness, improvements in the quality of life around the world, and national growth. In today’s global economy, few fields of policy studies are more pivotal to the world of international affairs than that of science and technology policy. Most universities place their science and technology policy programs within schools of public policy or engineering.

At the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs, we offer a Master of Arts in International Science and Technology Policy that is one of the most prominent programs of its kind in the world. Our students receive more than just a classroom education in policy analysis, research methods, and issues in science and technology; they also learn about the global impacts of these policies and put them to practice in the Washington, DC, science, and technology community.... [-]

As the global economy becomes increasingly interconnected, the international rules governing trade, finance, business, and development are becoming more important. The Elliott School’s Master of Arts in International Economic Policy is an interdisciplinary program that provides students with the appropriate foundations to study the issues at the heart of the global economic system. Students combine core coursework in economics, political science, and quantitative analysis with courses in the fields of international economic policy, finance, international business, or economic development, as well as foreign-language proficiency. With this solid background, students find careers in a wide variety of corporations, financial institutions, government agencies, consulting companies, and NGOs.... [-]

Despite impressive democratization and economic growth within much of Latin America and the Caribbean in recent decades, serious problems such as poverty, inequality, ethnic cleavage, crime, political violence, and illicit drug flows persist; while new issues, including those linked to climate change, resource competition, and natural disasters have emerged. The Elliott School’s Master of Arts in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (LAHS) is an interdisciplinary program that helps students develop innovative approaches to the enduring problems and emerging challenges of the hemisphere. The program’s design and location facilitate employment at a broad spectrum of organizations based in Washington, DC, as well as elsewhere in the Western Hemisphere.... [-]

The program focuses on logic and its applications in the philosophy of science, particularly in the foundations of mathematics, physics, linguistics, and the social sciences. Beyond a few core courses and a joint four-semester seminar series providing a common background to all students, we offer the following four thematic groups of courses: Logic and the Philosophy of Mathematics, Foundations of Physics, Logic in Linguistics, and Models in the Social Sciences – the student has to choose 7 of these.

In general, the program is research-oriented, aiming to prepare students for a Ph.D. program. The program aims at developing the research abilities of the students. Its central part is the Logic and its Applications Seminar at the Department of Logic, where students and staff members together discuss their work in progress. The most often occurring topics of the seminar are set theory and model theory in their philosophical connections, philosophy of mathematics in general, formalization of physical theories, such as special and general relativity within different logical frameworks. Students get acquainted with the research works of the staff of the department and its partner and join a research program in order to write their own thesis. They are required to give two presentations of their work during the two years.... [-]

The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) program offers an interdisciplinary approach to learning the humanities and theory-based graduate level classes. It is a non-traditional graduate program that allows the returning student to take classes in their own individualized course of study in the College of Arts and Sciences.

The MALS program is designed for the student who seeks to delve into deep inner questions that confront an inquiring mind and expand critical thinking that marks a truly educated person. The program gives students the opportunity for intellectual and personal growth, as well as an opportunity for sharing their experiences with others in a community of learning.... [-]