The Master of Liberal Arts program provides learners with a unique opportunity to
pursue a highly customized course of graduate-level study, developed according to
their own interests, while building broad analytical and problem solving skills that
reach across the boundaries of academic disciplines. The program is designed for
early- and mid-career students who seek to build both their knowledge base and communication
skills as well as mature learners who seek intellectual stimulation outside of traditional
graduate programs. The MLA degree is based on the philosophy that fundamental human
questions cannot be addressed adequately from any one disciplinary vantage point,
and that exploring multiple perspectives can yield discoveries, insights, and personal
growth in greater measure than can be obtained from any one perspective alone. A
distinctive option within this program is its concentration in Political and Civic
Engagement.
The theme of the program is "The Search for Order," exploring how we bring order to a chaotic world. This exploration is undertaken through core colloquia which explore how humans have searched and continue to search for order in their world through empirical, rational, and intuitive means. Students develop this search through courses in history, literature, political science, psychology, sociology, art history, and other disciplines in the arts, humanities, and sciences. The program culminates in a capstone essay or project in which students reflect on issues basic to human being.
The Winthrop University Master of Liberal Arts program has been a full member of the Association of Graduate Liberal Studies Programs (AGLSP) since 1995. The Master of Liberal Arts program now offers an MLA with a concentration in Political and Civic Engagement.
