The MALS Program

The Dartmouth Master of Arts in Liberal studies (M.A.L.S.) Program was designed for individuals who want to engage in self-directed study in the liberal arts at the graduate level. Dartmouth has offered a Master's Degree Program for adults in Liberal Studies since 1970.

The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies Program at Dartmouth College is designed for students who want to engage in both directed and independent work on subjects that are not bound by the curricula of traditional disciplines. The directed study is generally interdisciplinary, where two professors from different disciplines team-teach a course. Imagine taking a course on democracy team-taught by a professor from the philosophy department and a professor of government, or a course on ancient poetry taught by a classicist and a poet. The independent study component offers students the opportunity to take the initiative in identifying topics of interest and studying them on a one-to-one basis with an independent study advisor who is an expert in the field.

In most graduate programs, students are expected to conform their academic work to the demands of a particular department or profession. In the M.A.L.S. program at Dartmouth, students have the opportunity to select from an internationally acclaimed faculty who are prepared to help them design a plan of study (within program guidelines) suited to their intellectual, personal and professional goals. Since a fundamental principle of Liberal Studies is the examination of accepted premises in traditional disciplines, students are encouraged to combine disparate disciplines in order to forge new areas of scholarly inquiry.

As members of an academic community with ongoing intellectual exchange, MALS students are expected to properly cite the sources used in their work. More information about citing sources can be found in the above link  to a guide published by the Committee on Sources.

Requirements for the Degree

• A minimum of eight courses, total, including:
• At least four Liberal Studies graduate courses, three of which must be Inter-disciplinary courses.
• One Independent Study course.
• The remaining courses may be Dartmouth courses or Liberal Studies courses.
• Two Symposium Seminars, or one symposium and an approved substitute.
• Final thesis.
• A minimum of ONE summer in residence.

Students must enroll within the academic year of their admission, and all degree requirements must be satisfied within six years of program entry.