Dartmouth College. Master of Arts in Liberal Studies Program
Biography
The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies is a graduate degree program instituted by Dartmouth in 1970. The concept of a Masters degree program in liberal arts was approved by the Board of Trustees and Faculty of Arts and Sciences in 1964, and the specific design for the MALS program was endorsed by the Executive Committee of the Faculty in 1970. The program began that summer. Its first steering committee was comprised of Divisional Coordinators Professor Neal Oxenhandler (Humanities), Professor Laurence Radway (Social Sciences), Professor Thomas Roos (Sciences), Director John Ragle, and Administrative Assistant Britta McNemar. As originally intended, the program emphasized continuing education for experienced adult teachers, but has since diversified its student body to include professionals from a variety of sectors and recent college graduates. As a program dedicated to liberal arts education, students were expected to deepen knowledge in a specific subject area but also broaden their backgrounds by exloring new academic fields. Other components of the original program were a unique emphasis on interdisciplinary learning through courses team-taught by professors from different departments and participation in annual themed summer colloquia, seminars, final projects, and counseling to create individual plans. Although at first offered as a program to be completed over four summers, MALS students can now opt to pursue a degree as part-time or full-time students year-round.
Found in 1 Collection or Record:
Dartmouth College, Master of Arts in Liberal Studies Program records May Be Restricted
The records of the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) program include student files (photos, transcripts, essays, applications, etc.) as well as general program files. The latter materials include documentation of administrative operations of the program and of courses taught.