Liberal Studies M.A. Program: South Asian Studies
Degree Programs:
Full-Time/Part-Time: Free-Standing M.A.
Associate Dean for M.A. Programs: Darice Birge
109A Low Memorial
Library
212-854-5972
Program Coordinator: Kristin Balicki
109A Low Memorial Library
212-854-4932
Degree Requirements
South Asian Studies students must complete 36 credit points,
including the thesis, to graduate. Of
the 36 points, 30 must be at the graduate level (4000 or higher). Students are required to take one
introductory level course and courses in the designated areas of history and
art history, literature, religion and philosophy, and the social sciences.
Specific degree
requirements are:
• An introductory-level course selected from the
list of pre-approved courses (three points)
• Three courses (nine points) in one of the
following four areas: history (including art history); literature; religion and
thought; or social science (anthropology, economics, political science,
sociology)
• Two courses (six points) in an area not selected
above: history (including art history);
literature; religion and thought; or social science (anthropology, economics,
political science, sociology)
• Five elective courses (15 points) in subjects related to South Asia
• The thesis (three points) to be
completed in the final term
Foreign Language
There is no language requirement, but up to six points of
courses at the 3000 level or higher in Hindi, Urdu, Sanskrit, or Tamil may
apply toward the degree.
General Degree Requirements
and Regulations for All L.S.M.A. Students
The LSMA program consists of eight separate programs of study administered
directly by the Dean's office of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
These programs are interdisciplinary and cross-departmental. Students approach the particular culture,
geographical region, or historical period that is the subject of their program
by drawing on all three of the traditional liberal arts-the humanities, social
sciences, and arts. Students take
specific required courses in addition to requirements chosen for their
concentration (if applicable) from course offerings in several participating
departments of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences as well as, to a lesser
extent, the Law School, School of International and Public Affairs, and
Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation. Within the requirements of each program,
students are encouraged to define their own territory of intellectual inquiry.
Each term students choose courses in consultation with the
LSMA Program Coordinator from the pre-approved course list created by the LSMA
office and from the university-wide Directory of Classes.
The Liberal Studies program offers RSRH G4001 Scholarly Research and Writing for students who have
been away from academia for an extended amount of time and students who wish to
hone their academic research and writing skills in preparation for study at the
PhD level. This course is not required,
but many students find it useful at the beginning of their course of study. It introduces
Liberal Studies Master's students to theoretical approaches and to 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.
Full-time and
Part-time Study
Full-time students take 12 credit points (normally four
courses) or more in the spring and fall terms.
Part-time students may 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. All students have five years to
complete the degree, but most full-time students complete the degree in two
years or less.
Transfer Credit
No credit is given for "life experience" or for
correspondence courses. A maximum of 12
points in courses taken at Columbia in the School of Continuing Education may be accepted as
transfer credit toward the degree, provided the courses are at the graduate
level and are appropriate to the specific LSMA program. All transfer credit must be approved by the
Program Coordinator or Associate Dean.
Once a student is admitted into the Liberal Studies program,
he or she must complete all course work at Columbia.
Thesis
At the end of their program of study, students complete a
final thesis. The thesis is a scholarly
work of length and substance-40 to 80 pages excluding the
bibliography-requiring research that draws together the ideas developed in the
course of a student's interdisciplinary studies.
Students write their thesis either as an independent study
course under the supervision of a faculty member or as part of RSRH G4990 Liberal Studies Research Seminar,
in which case the thesis is written as part of a structured research and
writing course.
Additional information and regulations pertaining to the
thesis can be found on the website of the LSMA program.
RSRH G4990 Liberal
Studies Research Seminar
This course is designed for Liberal Studies students writing
their thesis. 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 submit the proposal for their
final thesis to the LSMA office prior to the start of the semester in order to
be registered in the course. The course
meets only in the spring.
Academic Standards
Liberal Studies students must maintain an
average of B (GPA: 3.0) or better to remain in good academic standing. All courses must be taken for a letter grade,
except RSRH G4001, which is taken pass/fail. Courses taken for R credit do not count
toward the degree. 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.
Financial Aid
There are a limited number of partial scholarships available
for LSMA students.
One Point Scholarship
All admitted LSMA students are eligible for this scholarship
worth one point of tuition credit. This
scholarship is awarded annually on the basis of need and merit. The application is submitted to the LSMA
office; the deadline is July 15.
Fifty-Percent Tuition
Reduction Scholarship (Primary and Secondary School Teachers)
This scholarship is available to enrolled LSMA students who
are full-time contracted primary or secondary school teachers in active
service. It is worth 50% of a student's
total tuition for the year or semester in which it is awarded. The application is submitted to the LSMA
office; the deadline is July 15 for
the fall term or full academic year and January
15 for the spring term.
For more information on grants and
loans, please contact the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Financial Aid
Office at 212-854-3808.
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