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Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS)

College of Arts and Sciences

Department of Philosophy

Program Director : Dr. Paul Draper

Department’s Phone Number : (305) 348-3516
Department’s FAX Number : (305) 348-1799

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Brief Description of the Program:

  • Do you possess a strong desire for intellectual growth and challenge?
  • Do your interests cut across traditional academic boundaries?
  • Do you seek a program that can be tailored to your interests?
  • Do you want to discuss great ideas in small seminars with talented faculty?
       If your answer to these questions is "yes," then welcome to FIU's Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) program.

         The program is designed for students who want to expand their intellectual horizons without being limited by traditional academic boundaries. MALS students choose the theme that will unify their course of study, and they take courses related to that theme in at least three distinct disciplines. They study the "great ideas" that have shaped the disciplines, and they do this in small seminars taught by professors (from the Department of Philosophy) who in recent years have won nine awards for teaching. Finally, they write a master's thesis or capstone essay in which they integrate methods or information from distinct disciplines.


       The MALS program is designed for students of various ages and occupations whose intellectual curiosity and passion for learning did not cease upon completion of the baccalaureate degree or advanced specialized degree. Because many MALS students already have full-time careers, the program is also designed to address the needs of part-time students. No particular undergraduate degree is required for admission. Indeed, mixing together students with a wide variety of disciplinary perspectives is an important part of the recipe for a successful MALS program.

       Because interdisciplinary concentrations must span at least three disciplines, MALS students will have the opportunity to be taught by a wide variety of FIU faculty members. Unlike many graduate programs in Liberal Studies, however, which have no departmental "home," the MALS program at FIU is housed in the Department of Philosophy, whose members have responsibility for coordinating the program, teaching and arranging guest lectures for the Great Ideas Seminars, helping students develop their Interdisciplinary Concentrations, ensuring that Capstone Projects are supervised by appropriate experts, and planning colloquia and other enriching events.

       This arrangement ensures continuity and provides a core group of faculty members committed to the program. It also enables students to enjoy the freedom of interdisciplinary study without completely sacrificing the sense of community that enhances traditional graduate study. Most importantly, the Philosophy Department is a natural home for the program since philosophy is by definition concerned with the synthesis of knowledge from different disciplines. The resulting emphasis on a philosophical integration of the disciplines is one of the features that distinguishes FIU's program from all other MALS programs in Florida.

Application Requirements:

  • Hold a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
  • Have a 3.0 GPA in upper-level work and a combined score (verbal and quantitative) of 1000 or higher on the Graduate Record Exam.
  • Submit a substantial writing sample that is judged by the admissions committee to be of satisfactory quality.


Additional Requirements for International Students:

  • Foreign graduate applicants are accepted subject to space and fiscal limitations
  • Must be academically eligible for further study in their own country
  • Have obtained a score of 550 or higher in the TOEFL (213 for the computer based version of the test) if the applicant is not a native speaker of English or has completed his/her undergraduate studies outside the United States
  • Applicants who hold an undergraduate degree from an institution within the United States or other English speaking countries are not required to submit TOEFL
 
Copyright © 2003, All rights reserved.
Graduate Admissions Office,
University Graduate School, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199

Disclaimer: All information on this web page and web site is subject to change without advanced notice. Please contact the department or the program advisor for current admission requirements, program of study and other important information.
     FIU and Florida International University are registered marks. Florida International University believes in equal opportunity practices which conform to all laws against discrimination and is committed to nondiscrimination with respect to race, color, creed, age, handicap, sex, marital status, or national origin. Additionally, the University is committed to the principle of taking the positive steps necessary to achieve the equalization of educational and employment opportunities.
Note: The programs, policies, requirements and regulations are continually subject to review in order to serve the needs of the University's various publics and to respond to the mandates of the Florida Board of Education and the Florida Legislature. Changes in programs, policies, requirements and regulations may be made without advanced notice. The ultimate responsibility for knowing degree requirements rests with students.

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