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Master of
Liberal Arts
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Follow these five steps for success in the MLA degree program
Step 1: apply for admission to the program
Admissions are handled by the graduate studies office, which is presently in
the Administration building, room 200 (968-0398). The graduate dean is Dr.
Eldon Clary.
Once you've been admitted to the program, a copy of your admission form is
forwarded to me to be kept on file. At that point, I know of your existence for
the first time and add you to our MLA database files. You will then receive,
toward the end of each semester, a mailing from my office that describes all
the eligible graduate courses to be offered the following semester. Be aware
that not all graduate courses can be counted toward the MLA degree. For
example, we do not accept education, technical or professional courses. If you
have questions about a course, call me BEFORE you sign up for it.
Note: On your admission form, you
choose an area of concentration, either communication, social sciences, or fine
arts. Please be aware that you are NOT majoring in a specific field such as
history or English, but rather are "concentrating" your study within
a broadly defined area. That means that geography, political science, and
history are all within the same area.
Step 2: enroll in LA 6013, Intro. to the Liberal Arts
This course has always been offered in the fall semester only. Students
should take the course as soon as possible after entering the program, since
part of the purpose of the course is to teach the skills you'll need for your
other courses as well as your final project. That means that this course should
improve your reading, writing, analytical and research skills. The content
varies, but the focus on those skills remains the heart of the course.
Step 3: apply for admission to candidacy
Once you have completed 12 graduate hours, you should fill out an admission
to candidacy form, available from my office or the graduate studies office.
This form requires that you list all completed coursework and go on to predict
what courses you will take, and when, in completing your degree. This is an
excellent opportunity to make sure that you are taking the proper courses at
the proper level. You must, for instance, take a minimum of 20 hours at the
6000-level, and you must take at least 6 hours outside your area of
concentration. This form helps us to ensure that you are fulfilling the
requirements for the degree and will prevent your discovering at what you
thought was the end that you took the wrong courses and are not, in fact,
finished. The candidacy form is to be turned in to me.
Step 4: enroll in LA 6713, Liberal Arts Project
During this semester, you write the project under the direction of your
project director. Upon completion of the project, after it has been approved by
your director, you submit 3 copies to me for approval. Two members of the MLA
Executive Committee (currently Dr. Georgena Duncan, Mr. Bob Taylor, Dr. Carl
Brucker, and Dr. Deborah Wilson) will read it, along with an outside reader
(appointed by me, although I will consider your recommendations) whose area of
specialization is relevant to your topic. If all three readers approve the
project, you will receive your degree. If one or more readers reject the
project, the readers meet with me and your director for discussion. If the
rejection stands, you will receive an explanation of the reasons and of what
revisions are required for acceptance. You may then revise and resubmit the
project the following semester.
See Liberal Arts Project for more information.
Step 5: give your oral presentation
Once your project is approved, you present a 10-15 minute description of
your project to an audience of faculty, students, and anyone you wish to
invite. All graduating MLA students will present together on the Tuesday
evening of final exam week. This is not a defense but rather an opportunity for
others to hear about your work and ask questions about what you've done.