Admission and Degree Requirements

"Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago.  To tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this planet.  Let us dedicate ourselves to that."
                                                                                                           Bobby Kennedy

Okay, if you're still with me, you're maybe wondering about admission and degree requirements, so, first things first, what about admission requirements?

MALS applicants are required to submit the following to the Graduate School:

•   an application for graduate admission
• official transcripts of all college work (undergraduate and graduate)
•   three recommendations that address the student's chances of success in a graduate program
•   writing sample in the form of an essay explaining how the graduate liberal arts degree can assist the candidate in meeting his or her personal goals

Students seeking admission to the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in this country or its equivalent in a foreign institution based on a four-year program.

The admission procedure also includes an interview with director of the program and a representative from the advisory committee.

Unlike other graduate degree programs at UNCW, the MALS program does not require the GRE (Graduate Record Examination).

Moreover, unlike other graduate degree programs at UNCW, MALS application and admission deadlines are flexible.

Degree Requirements

So okay, what about degree requirements?

The MALS program at UNCW models the most typical Graduate Liberal Studies (GLS) program structure.

• Each student in the UNCW MALS degree program will complete a thirty-hour, individually designed, interdisciplinary course of study under the guidance of his or her graduate advisor and committee.
• MALS students begin the program in a specially designed seminar, "Contemporary Issues in Liberal Studies," that introduces GLS interdisciplinary concepts.
• Students then select subsequent coursework from interdisciplinary MALS courses specifically designed for graduate liberal studies and from graduate courses in such traditional disciplines as history, English, and psychology, though generally no more than three such courses (nine hours) are allowed outside the MALS curriculum.  MALS electives are chosen from three fields of concentration: 1) Social Concerns and Cultural Systems; 2) Environment, Science and Culture; and 3) Arts and Literature and Society.   The three thematic areas of UNCW's MALS seminars reflect issues and concerns of our region, the research and expertise of our faculty, and the important value issues reflected in graduate liberal studies programs nationwide.
• A final project of three credit hours is required of all students who have successfully completed 27 hours of course work.  The project provides students with the opportunity to explore particular areas of study in greater depth under the close supervision of a faculty member.  The final project may take the form of scholarly research or a creative work, but in all cases a written analysis is required to meet the degree requirements.  Students will present their project to a forum of faculty and students. 
• Students must maintain a "B" average in all graduate courses taken and are further expected to complete all course work within five years after enrollment.
• Students wishing to withdraw from the MALS program prior to the completion of thirty hours who have completed a minimum of fifteen hours in residence towards the MALS degree may be eligible for a Certificate of Study in Liberal Studies.  Typically, MALS students take one course a semester, though a number of students are currently taking two courses.

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