Welcome to the Masters of Liberal Studies
IUN College of Arts and Sciences
General Information
The Master of Liberal Studies (M.L.S.) program is unique. It does not provide a rigid schedule of courses or focus on one particular specialty. It is inherently interdisciplinary. It is designed for students who love to learn new ideas and discuss them with others. It is designed for students who are curious about the world – about art, literature, science, politics, human nature and history. It is for people who want to explore new worlds and who enjoy meeting others who want to join the expedition. It is designed for students who wish to combine several academic areas into one tailored degree program. Students select a sequence of graduate level courses to create their own path of study. It allows students to explore questions of enduring concern and contemporary urgency in the arts, humanities, behavioral sciences, social sciences, life sciences, and physical sciences. In doing so, the program provides students with opportunities to engage their curiosity in an intellectual exploration of the world of ideas. The rewards of the pursuit of knowledge go beyond intellectual satisfaction. Students will gain fresh perspectives and will hone the creative, critical thinking, decision making, analytical, and communication skills that are so valued in today’s workplace. Uniquely among graduate programs, the M.L.S. helps students understand the broader context of their ideas, path of study, and fields of work, learn to analyze problems from a variety of perspectives, will stimulate students to find connections between their studies and their personal and professional lives, and encourages a lifelong commitment to learning, free inquiry and the life of the mind.Academic Regulations
Students must have their programs of study approved by the M.L.S. program director.Courses at the 300 or 400 level that are available to be taken for graduate credit as a D500 level seminar will include additional assignments beyond those required for undergraduate credit. Enrollment in such courses requires the approval of the instructor and of the M.L.S. program director. It is sometimes possible for a student to take a graduate level course at IUN or elsewhere that can count as an elective in the M.L.S. program; permission for this must be given by the program director before the student registers. Students who have graduate course credits before they enroll in the M.L.S. program may have some credits transferred into the program, but such transfers of credits will not be considered until the student has demonstrated satisfactory progress in the M.L.S. program. Courses used for another degree or certificate cannot also be used for M.L.S. credits.
An average grade of B (3.0) is required for graduation, and no course with a grade lower than B– (2.7) will be counted toward the degree. Students are required to retain good academic standing, i.e., to maintain a GPA of at least 2.7. Failure to maintain good standing may result in dismissal from the program. Students whose GPA falls below 3.0 are considered to be on probation; they must earn at least a B- in each of their next two classes with a 3.0 GPA in those two classes in order to continue in the program. Other academic regulations and policies are established by the Graduate Liberal Studies Committee of the College of Arts and Sciences. Students should consult the M.L.S. program director for further information.
Creating Courses
As IUN begins this new program, the selection of courses will seem limited. None of the four required courses will be offered in the Fall of 2010, but we will begin offering two in the Spring semester, and more in the Fall of 2011. In the meantime we are creating graduate classes by student request. Most of the 300 and 400 level classes in the IUN Schedule of classes can be made available to M.L.S. students as LIBS D511, D512, or D513 electives. Simply choose 300/400 level courses from that schedule of classes and the Program Director will arrange to create graduate courses for you.The conditions to be met are these:
A. The instructor must agree to add graduate students to the course, including assigning additional coursework
B. The student must have met the prerequisites for the 300 or 400 level course (the only option here is to first take the prerequisites, which sometimes means taking a 100 or 200 level course that does not carry graduate credit)
C. The course cannot be one that the student has previously received credit for as an undergraduate or graduate student
Courses
D501 Humanities Seminar (3 cr.) An interdisciplinary graduate seminar in the humanities. Topics vary from semester to semester. May be repeated twice for credit.D502 Social Science Seminar (3 cr.) An interdisciplinary graduate seminar in the social sciences. Topics vary from semester to semester. May be repeated twice for credit.
D503 Science Seminar (3 cr.) An interdisciplinary graduate seminar in the sciences. Topics vary from semester to semester. May be repeated twice for credit.
D510 Introduction to Graduate Liberal Studies (3 cr.) A comprehensive introduction to graduate liberal studies. Explores the cultures of the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Investigates interdisciplinary methodologies. Offers strategies for graduate-level reading, research, and writing for other publics.
D511 M.L.S. Humanities Elective (1-4 cr.) P: D510. An M.L.S. graduate elective course in the humanities. Topics vary. May be repeated for credit.
D512 M.L.S. Social Science Elective (1-4 cr.) P: D510. An M.L.S. graduate elective course in the social sciences. Topics vary. May be repeated for credit.
D513 M.L.S. Science Elective (1-4 cr.) P: D510. An M.L.S. graduate elective course in the sciences. Topics vary. May be repeated for credit.
D514 Graduate Liberal Overseas Study (3-6 cr.) P: D510. This course will enable M.L.S. students to participate in overseas studies. In some cases there may be a language prerequisite.
D594 Liberal Studies Directed Readings (1-3 cr.) P: LBST-D501, D502, and D503, and prior consent of the instructor. Independent study involving systematic schedule of readings sponsored and supervised by a faculty member. May be repeated up to a maximum of 6 credit hours.
D596 Liberal Studies Independent Research (1-3 cr.) P: D501, D502, D503 and prior consent of instructor. An independent research project formulated and conducted in consultation with a faculty member and culminating in a final analytical paper. May be repeated up to a maximum of 6 credit hours.
D600 Public Intellectual Practicum (3 cr.) P: Completion of all M.L.S. course work. A capstone seminar for the M.L.S. public intellectual option. Students will study the history of public intellectuals, explore the variety of ways in which public intellectuals carry out their work, and create a portfolio of their own
public intellectual work.
D601 M.L.S. Project Proposal Seminar (3 cr.) P: Approval of director. A capstone seminar for the independent research/creative activity option in which students choose a topic or creative activity for their project, complete the initial research to determine its feasibility, write a formal proposal with an extensive bibliography identifying sources and/or resources necessary to complete the project, and defend it before a faculty committee.
D602 Graduate Project (3-6 cr.) P: D601. Independent project work conducted in consultation with a faculty director.
