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Aug 31, 2024
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2017 Graduate Catalog 1.2 (SUMMER - FALL) [ARCHIVED CATALOG - Consult with Your Academic Advisor for Your Catalog Year]
Liberal Studies (M.S.)
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The Master of Science degree in Liberal Studies offers students an opportunity for intellectual growth and career enhancement through innovative, student-centered interdisciplinary study. It is a flexible alternative to a disciplinary degree that provides students opportunities to design curricula that will be of direct benefit to them in their chosen career. The program is designed to allow students from a variety of academic backgrounds to explore a broad range of subjects. While the program’s content will differ for each student, it will serve to broaden the individual’s perspective and enhance their ability to think critically, clearly, and analytically. All students must choose one of three areas of study: Humanities (includes courses in English, history, humanities, and philosophy), Natural Sciences and Mathematics (includes courses in biology, chemistry, geology, mathematics, and physics), and Social Sciences (includes courses in anthropology, economics, and sociology). The Master of Science degree in Liberal Studies is a fully accredited graduate degree program approved by the New York State Education Department. The program can be used for New York State-certified teachers with initial certification to achieve professional certification. Students may enroll full-time or part-time, spring, summer, and fall. For more information about this program, contact John Rowe, executive director of graduate admissions, at (315) 792-3010, or by e-mail at gradadmissions@utica.edu.
Student Learning Goals
Students will be able to:
- Complete a research topic incorporating more than one academic discipline.
- Think critically about a social issue using perspectives derived from more than one academic discipline.
- Analyze a topic using an interdisciplinary approach.
- Communicate effectively in writing and orally by completing a master’s thesis and defending it effectively.
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Academic Requirements (31-37 Credit Hours)
There are three areas of study within the M.S.L.S. program: Humanities (includes courses in English, history, humanities, and philosophy), Natural Sciences and Mathematics (includes courses in biology, chemistry, geology, mathematics, and physics), and Social Sciences (includes courses in anthropology, economics, and sociology).
All students must:
- Take LST 604 - Graduate Liberal Studies Seminar (3) during the first 15 credit hours.
- Take LST 603 - Introduction to Interdisciplinary Research (3) during the first 15 credit hours.
- Take a minimum of four courses (12 credits) in one of the three areas of study. Students develop an interdisciplinary program of study that must be approved by the major professor in consultation with the thesis committee. Write a thesis or research project or complete a set of comprehensive exams. Students opting to write a thesis or research project must take LST 691 - Research I (3,6) and LST 692 - Research II (3,6) which will help students complete their thesis or research project. Students are encouraged to determine a thesis or research project topic as early as possible in their program. Projects must be approved by the student’s thesis committee.
- Students wishing to take comprehensive exams must submit a request that details why a comprehensive exam is more appropriate to their program of study than a thesis or project. This request must also include the fields of study the student believes are most appropriate to this exam and how the fields interrelate. If the exam option is approved by both the thesis committee and the M.S.L.S. committee, the thesis adviser will write two of the four questions for the exam. Two additional questions will be written by other members of the thesis committee. Once the written portion of the comprehensive exams is passed, students will then undergo an oral examination with their committee members. Students taking comprehensive exams will take LST 691 - Research I (3,6) and one additional course.
Foundational Methods Courses (6 credit hours)
Area of Study Courses (12 Credit Hours)
Select 12 credit hours at the graduate level (500 and above) from a single Area of Study.
Humanities:
500 or higher level courses with the following subject prefixes:
ENG - English
HIS - History
HUM - Humanities
PHI - Philosophy
LIT - Literature
FIA - Fine Arts
THE - Theatre
Natural Sciences and Mathematics:
500 or higher level courses with the following subject prefixes:
BIO - Biology
CHE - Chemistry
GOL - Geology
MAT - Mathematics
PHY - Physics
SCI - Science
Social Sciences:
500 or higher level courses with the following subject prefixes:
ANT - Anthropology
COM - Communications
ECN - Economics
PSY - Psychology
SOC - Sociology
GOV - Government
IST - International Studies
Elective Courses (9 credit hours)
Select three courses from the list above, preferably from other areas of study, or other graduate courses with approval of major professor.
Thesis Research (6 credit hours)
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