Introduction

Our complex 21st-century world demands that we have wide and interdisciplinary expertise in globalization, religion and philosophy, international development, gender and diversity, language, and history. The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies at Delta State University—the only one of its kind in Mississippi, and one of the few in the South--responds to this need by providing a high-quality, interdisciplinary graduate degree program to a broad range of students. Our program targets non-traditional students returning to academe for personal growth as well as professional advancement, recent undergraduates seeking interdisciplinary knowledge and further academic preparation prior to a professional degree or doctorate, and professionals already in the workforce, such as teachers, seeking a broader and deeper knowledge base applicable to their fields.

The MALS degree encourages studies across the humanities and social sciences while maintaining a structured approach. It provides interpretative reading, writing and research skills, with options for travel courses and service-learning. It provides the Mississippi Delta, and the state and region as a whole, with more people educated at the Masters level who are prepared to tackle multiple, interlocking issues in communities, government, education, the corporate world, journalism, and health. Mississippi, mirroring the Unites States in general, desperately needs more citizens with the cognitive skills to listen thoughtfully and to discuss issues across differences of opinion: these are necessary ingredients for a civil, democratic society. This degree provides them those skills.

In the MALS core, you will become familiar with the nature of interdisciplinarity; you will then specialize in one of six tracks: Mississippi Delta Studies, Religious Studies, Globalization Studies, Gender and Diversity Studies, Philosophy, and Evolving Human Voices: Studies of the Written Word. It is also possible to receive 18 hours in disciplines such as geography, sociology, history, English, and philosophy.

Faculty in the MALS include the supervisors of the six tracks as well as the rest of the faculty in the divisions of Language & Literature and Social Sciences & History. With advisor approval, students can take relevant graduate-level courses from within these two divisions as well as in other disciplines, to complete the 36 required hours.

The MALS core faculty, all PhDs, are scholars as well as teachers, recognized in their fields of expertise. Qualified Masters candidates are encouraged to undertake the option of the research-based thesis under their supervision, and thereby contribute to the production of new concepts and knowledge in the subject areas that intrigue them.

Objectives

To help further the mission of Delta State University, the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program:

a) Expands educational opportunities at the graduate level for residents of the Delta and beyond;
b) Offers courses and program tracks that enhance the university’s status as the educational and cultural center for the Mississippi Delta;
c) Provides expanded opportunities for service and research throughout the Delta;
d) Creates a vibrant community of scholars by encouraging the exchange of ideas across various liberal arts disciplines in courses, research, and service;
e) Enhances the university's commitment to diversity;
f) Promotes intellectual, cultural, ethical, and social development to create more well-rounded citizens of our region, state, nation, and world;
g) Strengthens students’ critical thinking and communication skills so as to increase their effectiveness in work and public service;
h) Underscores Delta State University’s commitment to becoming the best regional university in the U.S.

Program Description

The MALS at DSU is a 36-hour degree program, consisting of a required 3-hour core seminar (GLS 600) and 33 hours within one of six tracks. The 33 hours that are track-specific contain one or more required core classes for that track and various electives both within and, in some cases, outside the two core MALS divisions. As per university rules, at least half of all total classes taken for the degree must be at the 600-level, meaning classes limited to graduate students (500-level classes are often cross-listed with 400-level undergraduate classes).

The Thesis option is available in all tracks, but is not required. International study and foreign language ability (reading/writing/speaking) are encouraged but not required. Practicums are available in Gender and Diversity Studies and in Globalization Studies. Both online, hybrid, and traditional courses are available; some tracks offer more options in online and hybrid courses than other tracks, and undecided incoming candidates will be advised according to their needs, geographic location, work schedules, and other variables. This is particularly important because the MALS program is sensitive to the needs of non-traditional students.

The recommended Fall and Spring students course loads are nine hours each. 12 additional hours may be available during Summer I and Summer II combined. Graduate classes are also commonly taught during Winter (Dec.-Jan.) and Spring (May) Intersessions. Thus, a full-time student can complete between 18 and 36 hours in a calendar year, though expected time to completion is two years, and three years is not unusual, particularly given the fact that many students also hold full-time jobs.

The research thesis option is available in each track, and may necessitate a longer completion time for the degree. Advisors will help students determine whether they wish to pursue the six-hour Thesis option, based on their interests, abilities, and future career goals. Thesis students will be required to complete and successfully defend a written research proposal prior to undertaking research, and will have an oral public defense of the completed thesis in lieu of the comprehensive exam. Thesis advisors may be the track supervisors or any of the other graduate faculty in the two core divisions.

All students who do not opt for the thesis must successfully complete the comprehensive exam in their final full semester, and as a requirement for graduation.
In all cases, students must choose one of the track supervisors and work closely with him/her to choose classes and on all other degree-related matters. This choice may be made at time of acceptance into the program, or the student may wait until the end of their first full semester, to benefit from having been exposed to all the tracks and disciplines via the core seminar, GLS 600.

Concentrations: It is possible for any MA-LS candidate to complete 18 hours of study in any of the following disciplines: GEO (via Globalization Studies track); SOC (via Gender and Diversity Studies track); HIS (via Mississippi Delta Studies track); ENG (via Evolving Human Voices track); or PHI (via Philosophy track). It is not necessary to have 18 hours in one of these to successfully complete the MALS degree; however, the option is important for students wishing to become qualified to teach at the undergraduate level (for example, in community colleges).

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To be considered for admission to the MALS, applicants must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and a grade point average of 3.2 or higher on all undergraduate coursework, have an acceptable score on the Analytical Writing section of the GRE Revised General Test, and submit a graded writing assignment from an upper-level undergraduate class. Your applications should be sent to the Graduate Studies office; it will be forwarded to the MALS coordinating committee. To expedite the process, it is highly recommended that you submit all the materials listed above in your initial application, both to facilitate your potential acceptance and to garner consideration for possible monetary awards such as fellowships.

Applicants may be granted provisional admission status for the first nine (9) hours of graduate coursework; this decision is fully at the discretion of the MALS committee. All admission requirements must be met within these nine hours. Applicants must have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above to be admitted provisionally.

Applicants in their final semester of undergraduate study who have applied to graduate are also encouraged to apply to the MALS, but final acceptance cannot be granted until the undergraduate degree is awarded.