The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) program involves a total of 30 credits and requires the following:
- Introduction to Graduate Liberal Studies (3 credits) (not required for students enrolled prior to Fall 2026)
- Eight regular classes (24 credits)
- Capstone Tutorial (0 credits)
- Capstone Research (3 credits)
In addition, MALS students are required to satisfy the following subject area requirements:
- At least two courses (6 credits) in humanities (H)
- At least two courses (6 credits) in social sciences (S)
- At least one course (3 credits) in either non-western cultures or issues pertaining to gender and/or minority diversity (X)
Students who wish to complete an optional Academic Concentration must include also the following:
- At least four courses from the above within their area of concentration
- A Capstone related to their area of concentration
A note about online courses
If you have never taken an online course before, it is important to understand that they are run differently from face-to face classes. Online MALS classes do not meet at a specific time when everyone is online together. So you are able to be fully involved in the class no matter what your schedule is. Online MALS classes try to capture what goes on in a traditional graduate seminar, in which the professor’s role focuses more on facilitating discussion among the students than on giving lectures.
The typical online MALS class has a similar structure each week:
- At the beginning of each week (which day exactly varies by course), students log into the course Canvas website to find out the assignments for the week. (They can also read ahead to see the schedule for the whole semester).
- They then engage with the materials for that week, which typically include readings and a video from the instructor, but could also include images, clips of documentaries, powerpoints, and the like.
- Students then take part in an asynchronous online discussion in reply to a prompt from the instructor. This discussion often involves one post replying to the prompt and two posts responding to other students’ replies to the prompt. Some courses include additional informal opportunities for further discussion with the instructor and other students.
The goal in all MALS classes is for you to develop skills in clear thinking and articulate, well-organized writing about academic topics and issues. A term project is almost always assigned to help you practice these skills.
Online courses are not easier than regular courses and most students report that they require about the same amount of time and effort as regular classes.
Additional guidelines for students in the Camden Campus program
There are three types of courses that you are able to register for as a Camden Campus (as opposed to fully Online) student:
1. Online MALS classes. These online courses are the only classes that are offered specifically for MALS students. You will meet other MALS students in these classes from around the country, and even a few international students. You can complete your degree taking only these courses.
2. Graduate classes offered by other departments on campus. As a campus MALS student you have the opportunity to take any graduate courses offered by a program in the School of Arts and Sciences at Camden. MALS students often enroll in classes from English, history, childhood studies, psychology, criminal justice and other graduate programs. In order to register for one of these classes you must first do two things:
- Check with the instructor of the course, or the chair of the department offering the course, to see if they are willing to admit you to the class. In many cases, you will need to get a special permission number.
- Check with the MALS program director to make sure that the course will count for MALS credit. Courses that are primarily based on teaching professional skills (e.g. teaching, accounting, etc.) are NOT eligible for MALS credit.
3. Advanced undergraduate courses. There are a number of campus departments that do not offer graduate courses. These include Philosophy and Religion, Political Science, Sociology, Art and Art History, and Anthropology. You may register for certain advanced undergraduate courses and receive graduate credit subject to these rules:
- You may take no more than two (2) undergraduate classes for graduate credit as part of your MALS program.
- You must contact the instructor and explain that you are a graduate MALS student. The instructor will discuss additional work for you to complete in the course to receive graduate credit. This additional work must be described in writing and submitted to the MALS program director for approval.
- You must complete the form requesting “G” (graduate) credit for the course. Please use this form.