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

Degree Requirements

Thirty-six points of courses dealing with the medieval period are required. Of these, up to six points may be allowed in transfer credit from another university (if they have not been used to fulfill a degree) with approval of the faculty committee on admissions. Thirty points must be completed in appropriate schools or colleges of Columbia University, and at least thirty points must be taken at the 4000 level or higher. Degree requirements listed below should be read in conjunction with the general requirements for the Liberal Studies M.A. degree (see above under Liberal Studies: General Degree Requirements).

Specific degree requirements are:

• An introductory-level course selected from the list of approved courses (three points)

• At least one course in each of the following four fields: history; art history and archaeology; literature; and religion or philosophy (12 points)

• Elective courses chosen from the list of approved courses (18 points). Up to six points in language courses at the 3000 level or higher may count toward the degree.

• One graduate seminar in an appropriate subject (three points). The required final paper may be a part of the work of this seminar, or, with approval, students may register for MEDS G4999 (Supervised Individual Research) or Research G4990 (Research Seminar).

General Degree Requirements for All L.S.M.A. Students

Each of the 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. In order to broaden their approach to the subject area, students are encourage to take any specifically required courses early in the course of study. The course offering 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 and approved by the faculty committee of each program as relevant to its Liberal Studies M.A. degree requirements. Students who wish to take a course below or above the 4000 level must receive approval to do so from the program coordinator. 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. Students should consult their program coordinator about current course offerings and their choice of courses in general.

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 graduate level. In some programs, up to six points of course work in an appropriate language may be credited toward the degree. There is no language requirement for the degree. Students are encouraged to study a language appropriate to their interests. Each program has an exit requirement of a final paper. 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. All students are expected to complete the degree requirements within five years of entering the program.

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. Once adjusted to the routine of academic work, they may increase the amount of course work per term.

The following two courses are offered but not required.

Scholarly Research and Writing

Research G4001 (Research in the Humanities: Scholarly Research and Writing) is offered to Liberal Studies students as an introduction to resources in print and electronic formats that are fundamental to advanced humanities research. The course also covers the writing skills necessary to produce scholarly papers. Class meetings include weekly writing tutorials and lectures by the library staff on reference tools and services. The course is not required, but participation is strongly recommended for those who have been out of touch with the conventions of academic research and writing or who might wish to pursue a doctoral degree in the future.

Research Seminar

Research seminar: Research G4990 (Research Seminar) is designed for Liberal Studies students writing their final paper. A proposal for this paper must be completed and approved prior to registration for this course.

Final Paper

All eight L.S.M.A. programs require a final paper, a work of substance and length requiring research that draws together the ideas developed in the course of a candidate's interdisciplinary studies. Students should start exploring their topic early in the program. Further course and research work will develop, improve, and probably alter the original concept by the end of the program. The final paper may be written as a supervised tutorial or as part of a seminar.

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

A written proposal is submitted 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 final paper proposal are available from the Liberal Studies M.A. Office. Once the final paper is completed and approved by the two readers, a copy is deposited in the office. Students wishing to complete the final paper in the autumn term must submit approved proposals to the office by August 15; those wishing to complete the paper in the spring term must submit the proposal by November 15.

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

A written proposal is submitted 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 final paper proposal are available from the Liberal Studies M.A. Office. Once the final paper is completed and approved by the reader a copy is deposited in this office. Students wishing to complete the final paper in the autumn term must submit approved proposals to the office by August 15; those wishing to complete the paper in the spring term must submit the proposal by November 15.

Completion of Requirements

Candidates are expected to complete the requirements for the L.S.M.A. degree within five years of entering the program. Students may request a leave of absence. The leave is counted as part of the time allowed for the completion of requirements. Application for a leave should be made to the program coordinator.

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

Academic progress is determined by the successful completion of courses. L.S.M.A. candidates must maintain an average of B or better to remain in good standing; all courses must be taken for credit. No courses taken for R credit or Pass/Fail, with the exception of Research G4001, may be counted toward completion of the degree requirements. 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 1-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.