General
Candidates for the degree must complete
thirty credits. Seven credits are required in each of the first two fall
semesters. Twelve credits are taken in
elective courses. The program requires two core seminars
(taken in the first two fall semesters), three symposia, four electives,
and a final research project. Up to six graduate credits may
be transferred upon admission with the approval of the Director,
and elective courses may be taken in other departments with the
approval of the Director.
Note that the Registrar's online degree progress reports are not accurate for
MALS, because students may take some electives in other
departments and institutions, or take an independent study course
more than once. Before graduation the Director sends the
Registrar a list of electives that are to be counted toward the degree.
Registration Permission
Permission of the Director is required to
register for MALS Core I and Core II, and Symposium I, II and III.
Permission is also required for non-approved electives taken in
other departments (see Electives below).
Required Courses
Students must take either Core I and
Symposium I or Core II and Symposium II in their first fall
semester and should complete this requirement the following fall.
Symposium III
This required course is usually taken after
three or four electives. It consists of a 10-20 page research
paper on a topic related to one of the electives, which does not
duplicate work already completed in that course. The student asks
the instructor of the preferred elective to act as advisor for
this project, and determines a topic with the advisor's approval.
A presentation is not required. Sample
proposal
Electives
Twelve credits of electives are required. Examples of the kinds of electives approved for this purpose may be
found on the Courses page. Permission is
not required to register for the courses on this list. However, permission of the Director is required for all other electives
outside of MALS.
Research Project
Liberal Studies 780X, the final research
project, is typically a thesis (fifty pages or more), but may also
take the form of a documentary film or DVD, multimedia or
dramatic presentation, art exhibition with commentary, etc.
Abstracts of some recent projects
During the semester prior to registering for
780X consult the Graduate
Handbook for Thesis Writing and Research. This describes the
procedures for preparing and submitting a proposal. Arrange with a
faculty member to act as your advisor, and inform the Director.
Within the first two weeks of 780X, obtain the
"Application for Filing Thesis Title" form from the MALS Director. Have your advisor sign it and mail
the form to the Director, who will sign and submit it to the Dean.
As you work on the project, submit drafts to
your advisor, and revise until the advisor determines that it is
satisfactory. Consult the "Instructions
for Preparing and Filing the Master's Thesis," published
by the Office of Graduate Studies and Research, for preparation of
the final copies. That office further requires that this work be
of "publishable quality." Work which contains errors in
English or which is not scholarly will not be accepted.
Upon completion of the project, submit the following to the
Program Director: (1) the "Approval of Thesis" form,
signed by the advisor. This form may be obtained from the
Director. (2) a word processor file of the project in Microsoft Word or
WordPerfect format as an e-mail attachment. If the file is too large to submit in this way,
mail it on a CD or DVD. Do not send a printed copy to the Director or to the Graduate Office
at this time.
Finally, after the Director has received the signed Approval of
Thesis form and has approved the thesis, send him two unbound printed
copies. He will submit one copy
and the Approval Form to the Graduate Dean. The other copy is kept
on file in the MALS office. Approved theses are forwarded by the
Dean to the Library, where they are microfilmed and kept on file
in the Special Collections division.
The thesis is given the grade of SP (satisfactory progress) while
it is in progress, and the grade of P (pass) when it is accepted
by the College.
The Director should receive all materials before December 15
for a February graduation, and before May 1 for a June graduation.
Maintenance of Matriculation
You must be matriculated for the semester in
which you graduate. If you have completed all the course
requirements except the research project, this is done by paying
the maintenance of matriculation fee or registering for Liberal Studies 782X.
Declaring Candidacy for Graduation
Students who anticipate graduation within
the coming year should (1) Complete the "Diploma Information
Form," available in the Office of the Registrar. Return the
form to the Registrar by October 15 for graduation in February,
and January 15 for graduation in June. (2) Notify the Director
in advance that the form will be submitted. The Director will then
report the approved electives to the Office of Student Records.
Disclaimer
The City University of New York reserves the
right, because of changing conditions, to make modifications of
any nature in the academic programs and requirements of the
university and its constituent colleges without advance notice.
The City University regrets any inconvenience this may cause.
Students are advised to consult regularly with college and
department counselors concerning their programs of study. |
