Other Information Information About this Department Degree Requirements Apply Online Visit the Program's Website

Associate Dean for M.A. Programs: Darice Birge;
109A Low Memorial Library;
212-854-5972

For requirements specific to:

American Studies

East Asian Studies

Human Rights Studies

Islamic Studies

Jewish Studies

Medieval Studies

Modern European Studies

South Asian Studies

General Degree Requirements for All

Each of the Liberal Studies Master’s programs is designed to offer a cross-departmental approach to the area or period of study using specifically required courses plus distribution and/or concentration requirements chosen from offerings in several participating departments. The set of course offerings for each Liberal Studies M.A. program is compiled from courses at the 4000 level and higher, selected from the University’s departments in the humanities, social sciences, and arts for their relevance to specific Liberal Studies M.A. programs. A checklist of course requirements is available for each program, and students should use it to keep track of their progress term by term. Substitution of courses is subject to the approval of the Program Coordinator or Associate Dean; students are expected to consult them for advice regarding course offerings and progress toward the degree. Students who wish to take a course below or above the 4000 level must receive approval to do so from the program coordinator.

The L.S.M.A. degree requires 36 points (30 points for Human Rights Studies), of which at least 30 (27 for Human Rights Studies) must be at the 4000 level or above.

There is no language requirement for the degree. Students are encouraged to study a language appropriate to their interests, but credit toward the degree is not given for courses that aim to teach skill in the speaking, writing or reading of a language. Up to six credits in courses that examine texts in an appropriate language may be counted toward the degree.

Full-time students take 12 points (normally four courses) of course work per term. Part-time students take from three points (one course) to 11 points per term. Part-time students, especially those who have been away from the academic environment for some time, may prefer to begin with one course in their first semester and increase the amount of course work per term when they have become acclimated to graduate-level study. Students may request leaves of absence, but all students must complete the degree requirements within five years of entering the program.

Courses: Students are encouraged to take any specifically required courses early in the course of study.

The Liberal Studies program offers the following extra-departmental non-required courses.

Research G4001 (Research in the Humanities: Scholarly Research and Writing) introduces Liberal Studies Master’s students to theoretical approaches and resources in print and electronic formats that are fundamental to advanced humanities research. The course also reviews academic writing skills necessary to produce scholarly papers. Class meetings include weekly writing tutorials and lectures by the library staff on reference tools and services. Participation is strongly recommended for students who wish to renew or increase their familiarity with the conventions of academic research and writing or who may wish to pursue a doctoral degree in the future.

Research G4990 (Research Seminar) is designed for Liberal Studies students writing their final essay. The seminar provides a structured opportunity to do research and write in stages, to review and discuss one’s work, and to receive constructive advice on writing. Students must have submitted the proposal for their final essay before registering for this course.

Final Essay

All Liberal Studies Master’s programs require a final essay, a work of substance and length requiring research that draws together ideas developed in the course of interdisciplinary study. Students should start exploring their topic early in the program, keeping in mind that further course and research work will develop, improve, and probably alter the original concept. The final essay may be written as a supervised tutorial or while enrolled in RSRH G4990 (see above).

The policy for students who were enrolled prior to the fall of 2003:

The student submits a written proposal to two faculty members from different departments who must approve the topic and agree to serve as readers before the project can begin. The proposal—about 1,000 words long—should contain a statement of the problem, the nature of the resources to be used, plans for analysis, a bibliography, and a timetable for the project’s completion. Proposals may be altered as required during the process. Guidelines for the proposal are available from the Liberal Studies M.A. Office. Once the final essay is completed and approved by the two readers, a copy is deposited in the office. Students wishing to complete the final essay in the autumn term must submit approved proposals to the office by August 15; those wishing to complete the essay in the spring term must submit the proposal by November 15.

The policy for students who were enrolled after the fall of 2003:

The student submits a written proposal to a single faculty member who must approve the topic and agree to serve as reader before the project can begin. The proposal—about 1,000 words long—should contain a statement of the problem, the nature of the resources to be used, plans for analysis, a bibliography, and a timetable for the project’s completion. Proposals may be altered as required during the process. Guidelines for the proposal are available from the Liberal Studies M.A. Office. Once the final essay is completed and approved by the reader, a copy is deposited in the office. Students wishing to complete the final essay in the autumn term must submit approved proposals to the office by August 15; those wishing to complete the essay in the spring term must submit the proposal by November 15.

Changes in Programs of Study

A student who wishes to drop courses or to make other changes in his or her program of study must obtain the written approval of the program coordinator on a special form issued by the Registrar. Failure to attend classes or unofficial notification to the instructor does not constitute dropping a course and results in a failing grade in the course. For courses dropped after the last day of change of program, no adjustment of tuition is made.

Academic Standards

With the exception of RSRH G4001, all courses must be taken for a letter grade in order to count toward the degree requirements. No courses taken for R credit or Pass/Fail, with the exception of Research G4001, may be used to fulfill degree requirements. Academic progress is determined by the successful completion of courses. L.S.M.A. candidates must maintain an average of B (3.00) or better to remain in good academic standing. Academic records are reviewed each term to determine whether candidates are making satisfactory progress. Those who do not maintain a satisfactory average may be asked to discontinue their studies.

Students must avoid cheating on examinations, plagiarism, and improper citation and paraphrasing; they cannot purchase papers from or post papers on online term-paper sites; nor should they submit the same paper to more than one class. Failure to observe these rules of conduct can result in dismissal. See the Rules and Regulations—Additional University and GSAS Policies and Resources—Academic Honesty in section IX.

Financial Aid

There are a limited number of partial scholarships available for Liberal Studies M.A. students. These scholarships offer one point of tuition credit and are awarded annually on the basis of need and merit. Full-time contracted primary or secondary school teachers in active service should apply for fifty-percent tuition reduction. Application forms for both the one-point scholarships and tuition reduction may be obtained at the Liberal Studies office and are due by July 15. Recipients are notified of their awards before September 15.