Master of Liberal Arts

Liberal Arts

The MLA degree is suited to the student who is interested in graduate study in the liberal arts, but is less interested in a research degree in a specific arts discipline or in a graduate degree in a technical area. The MLA is useful for  English, speech, theatre, journalism, and social studies teachers at any level who want to deepen their knowledge of the areas they teach. Other professionals who have specialized educational backgrounds, but who have an interest in the liberal arts, will also find the MLA attractive.  This program grants students a great deal of educational and creative freedom, allowing them to tailor their education to their specific interests and career goals.

The MLA degree has three areas of concentration: Communications for those interested in English, journalism, language, linguistics, literature, and speech; The Fine Arts for those interested in music, theatre, and art appreciation; and Social Sciences for those interested in American studies, geography, history, philosophy, political science, psychology, and sociology. The goals of the Liberal Arts program include the ability to:

  1. Generate writing that demonstrates an advanced ability to analyze and synthesize.
  2. Conduct original research.
  3. Demonstrate familiarity with interdisciplinary study.

Unconditional Admission

Students are eligible to apply for unconditional admission to the Master of Liberal Arts degree program if they meet the admission requirements for the Graduate College.

Conditional Admission

Applicants who fail to meet the grade point requirement specified for unconditional admission may be admitted conditionally to enroll for a maximum of twelve (12) semester hours. If a student was admitted conditionally based on grade point average, the condition will be met if upon completion of twelve (12) semester hours, a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or better is achieved.

Academic Advisors

The MLA Director will serve as faculty advisor to each student admitted conditionally or unconditionally to the MLA degree program. The advisor will assist the student in the design of a curriculum of study that leads to the fulfillment of degree requirements. Subsequently, the academic advisor and the Graduate College monitor the student's progress through the program. It remains, however, the student's responsibility to understand and to satisfy all degree requirements.

Degree Requirements for MLA with Project Option

  1. The completion of at least 30 semester hours of graduate course work, at least 15 of which must be at the 6000 level.
  2. The satisfactory completion of LA 6013 Introduction to the Liberal Arts1 and LA 6711-3 Liberal Arts Project2 as part of the 30 semester hour requirement.
  3. The completion of a 12 to 18 semester hour major concentration of course work in one of three areas:
    • Communications
    • The Fine Arts
    • Social Sciences
    The Completion of 6 to 12 hours in a related area of study.
  4. A cumulative grade point average of a 3.00 or better must be achieved in all graduate work attempted at Arkansas Tech University, with a maximum of six (6) hours of "C" grades. A student receiving more than six (6) hours of "C" or grades lower than "C" should refer to the section of the catalog on Academic Probation and Dismissal.
  5. A minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate course work completed in residence at Arkansas Tech University. (Full time residence is not required.)
  6. Completion of all degree requirements within six (6) years of admission to the program.

1LA 6013 must be taken before the completion of twelve semester hours of graduate course work.
2The requirements for this course include a scholarly research paper. With the approval of the Graduate College Dean and the MLA Director, a significant creative project may be substituted for a scholarly research paper.

Degree Requirements for MLA with Exam Option

  1. The completion of at least 30 semester hours of graduate course work, at least 15 of which must be at the 6000 level.
  2. The satisfactory completion of LA 6013 Introduction to the Liberal Arts1 as part of the 30 semester hour requirement.
  3. The completion of a 15 to 21 semester hour major concentration of course work in one of three areas:
    • Communications
    • The Fine Arts
    • Social Sciences
    The completion of 6 to 12 hours in a related area of study.
  4. The satisfactory completion of a comprehensive exam based on course work.2
  5. A cumulative grade point average of a 3.00 or better must be achieved in all graduate work attempted at Arkansas Tech University, with a maximum of six (6) hours of "C" grades. A student receiving more than six (6) hours of "C" or grades lower than "C" should refer to the section of the catalog on Academic Probation and Dismissal. (Full-time residence is not required.)
  6. Completion of all degree requirements within six (6) years of admission to the program.

1LA 6013 must be taken before the completion of twelve semester hours of graduate course work.
2This comprehensive exam is comprised of two sections, each focusing on information covered in one of the courses completed as part of the degree program. Students who choose the exam option should complete and return the following form to the program director no later than two weeks before the scheduled examination: Application for MLA Examinations.

Candidacy

Graduate students admitted unconditionally must apply for candidacy to the selected degree program upon completion of twelve (12) graduate credit hours. Students admitted conditionally cannot apply for candidacy until all conditions assigned at the time of admission to graduate study have been removed.

Upon the completion of twelve (12) graduate hours, a hold will be placed on the students' record until a candidacy form has been approved by the Graduate Dean. Failure to apply for candidacy will result in the hold remaining on the students' record, and an inability to register for subsequent coursework. 

Students who have filed a candidacy form but do not enroll or receive graduate credit for one (1) academic year must submit a new candidacy form upon being readmitted into the same graduate program.  If admitted into a different academic program, students are not required to submit a new candidacy form until twelve (12) graduate credits have been accumulated within the new program.

Application for Graduation

In addition to satisfying all degree requirements, a candidate for a degree must file an Application for Graduation online or at the Registrar's Office. Students must apply for graduation upon completion of twelve (12) graduate credit hours.

Special Conditions of Graduate Credit

Graduate Credit Taken Prior to Admission to Arkansas Tech University

A maximum of six (6) semester hours of graduate credit with a grade point average of "B" or better may be transferred from an accredited graduate school if deemed appropriate to the graduate program by the director of the MLA program and the Graduate College Dean. Students must send a written request to the director of the MLA program to petition an acceptance of the transfer credit prior to requesting admission to candidacy to the graduate program. Graduate credit earned six (6) years prior to the completion date of all degree requirements may not be applied toward the degree without the approval of the director of the MLA program and the Graduate College Dean. Credits earned by correspondence courses or for remedial purposes will not apply toward the graduate degree. No undergraduate course may be repeated for graduate credit.

Graduate Credit Taken After Admission to Arkansas Tech University

If after admission to graduate study, a student wishes to take a course at another institution to count toward degree requirements at Arkansas Tech University, the student must (in advance of enrollment) obtain written approval from the director of the MLA program and the Graduate College Dean.

Liberal Arts Project

Students choosing the MLA with Project Option must complete LA 6711-3, Liberal Arts Project. The requirements for this course include a scholarly research paper. With the approval of the Graduate College Dean and the MLA Director, a significant creative project may be substituted for a scholarly research paper.