Through the years, a man peoples a space with images of provinces, kingdoms, mountains, bays, ships, islands, fishes, rooms, tools, stars, horses, and people. Shortly before his death, he discovers that the patient labyrinth of lines traces the image of his own face.  

-- Jorge Luis Borges

The Program

The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) is an interdisciplinary graduate degree program at Brooklyn College. Its small, discussion-oriented classes offer multiple perspectives on the theme of human nature as it has been considered during different historical periods and in different cultures. These viewpoints are taken from such diverse disciplines as communications, the humanities, and the social, natural, and computer sciences. In studying these perspectives, students receive a broad background in the liberal arts and sciences, enabling them to understand modern developments in these areas. Students have the option of selecting elective courses to concentrate on an area of study, such as fine arts religion, sociology, literature, history, media, etc.

The Degree

MALS may be used to broaden an undergraduate education which was technical or highly specialized, to continue an interdisciplinary education, or to pursue a career in an area which values a broad liberal arts background, such as law, government, education, communications, philanthropy, publishing, sales, public relations, journalism, museum administration, etc. It is also valuable to men and women who simply wish to learn, to improve their intellectual skills, and to enrich their lives.

Students

The Program welcomes part-time and full-time students. It attracts adult students of all backgrounds who recognize that learning is a lifelong process. They seek intellectual stimulation and independence, personal and professional growth that are not always available in more traditional, discipline-based courses of study. Students have included an engineer, the administrator of a drug rehabilitation program, an associate college registrar, a home-restoration specialist, a lawyer, teachers, a corporate art department director, etc. MALS is ideally suited to students who have daytime responsibilities. All courses meet in the evening.

Outstanding scholars in MALS have been honored to participate in the Graduate Student Colloquium presented by the Office of Graduate Studies and Research, which published abstracts of their presentations on its Web site.

Affiliations

Brooklyn College is a member of the Association of Graduate Liberal Studies Programs, an international organization of Colleges and Universities that oversees the curricula, standards and activities of MALS programs.

The MALS Club hosts social and academic events open to all graduate students, their families and friends, prospective students, and faculty.