About

The MLS Program is designed for adults who wish to pursue a broad, interdisciplinary course of study.   The program aims to help individuals develop the intellectual tools to engage in contemporary debates, to find connections among different areas of human thought, to conduct original research; and, most of all, to pursue a life of ideas.

The underlying premise of the Master of Liberal Studies is that interdisciplinary study leads to intellectual independence and satisfaction not always found in discipline-based programs of study. As a result, we encourage our students to explore a broad range of subjects throughout the curriculum, rather than to focus narrowly on a single topic. The culmination of study for each student is the summative master’s project—an opportunity for students to work closely with a faculty advisor and committee of MLS faculty, chosen by the student, to apply interdisciplinary research frameworks to a subject of intense personal interest.

Candidates for the MLS degree complete a minimum of 27 units of coursework, which includes an introductory core seminar, at least seven MLS program electives, and a summative master’s project.