Overview

For a general description of this program, see the relevant section under "College of Liberal Arts."

Admission Requirements

The Master of Arts program in Liberal Arts (MLA) is open to any qualified person holding a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited institution and having an overall grade point average of 3.00 (B) or better in the last two years of undergraduate study. In view of the broad nature of the program, no specific undergraduate major is required.

For regular admission the applicant for the MLA program is required to write a statement of purpose that outlines the prospective student's educational goals and the ways in which the program meets these goals. The statement of purpose is read by a faculty admissions committee and is thus an important step in the admissions process. The student must also schedule an interview with the MLA Director to discuss the suitability of the degree to the applicant's needs and strengths. The applicant is required to submit official transcripts of all post-secondary education. A student who has not gained regular status after two semesters may be placed in non-matriculated status. An applicant may be granted provisional admission to the degree program and pursue work toward the degree prior to the receipt of all transcripts. However, the transcripts must be filed before the end of the initial semester of enrollment in order for the student to continue to enroll.

Provisional admission may also be granted to an applicant whose upper-division grade point average (last two years) was less than 3.00 (B). Such a student is admitted on the condition that the student attain a 3.0 or better in the first six hours of course work. Failure to achieve this minimum requirement can result in the student's being dropped from the program. An applicant with an average of less than 3.00 who holds a graduate or professional degree or who has demonstrated success in business, professional, or community work may be admitted as a provisional student but placed on probation. Such a student may be considered for regular status on the completion of 6 credits with a 3.00 or higher average in the program.

The regular admission of any applicant to the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts degree program requires the recommendation of the MLA Director, the College of Liberal Arts, and the approval of the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs.

Course Requirements

As a full member of the Association of Graduate Liberal Studies Programs (AGLSP) LSU in Shreveport adheres to AGLSP curricula guidelines. The Master of Arts in Liberal Arts offers the mature student a graduate program that is interdisciplinary in nature and nonprofessional in intent.

The program of 33 semester hours is composed of 9 semester hours in core seminar requirements, at least 18 hours in a minimum of two different liberal arts disciplines that will develop a theme consistent with the interdisciplinary goals of the program, and 6 semester hours of thesis or project credit. The degree plan is designed by the student in consultation with the director. While the courses for the 18 hour portion may be drawn from a variety of disciplines, the group of courses should reflect coherence and movement toward a goal upon which the student and the director have agreed.

At least one half of the total required credit must be in courses limited to graduate students only (700 level). Graduate credit earned more than eight years before the completion of the degree is not accepted. Up to 9 hours of graduate credit earned while the student was classified as non-degree may be used to satisfy degree requirements if approved by the Dean of the College. If appropriate to the student's degree plan, as many as 6 semester hours may be taken outside the College of Liberal Arts. The student may be expected to demonstrate a foreign language competency depending upon the nature of the plan.

Note: Only grades earned in courses applicable to the MLA may be used to determine continuation in the program or removal from probation.

Thesis or Equivalent Final Project

The thesis or equivalent final project should demonstrate capacity for research, creative thought, and facility in organizing materials. It is designed to enhance the student's ability to integrate knowledge from several fields of study. After consultation with his or her thesis director, the student must secure the agreement of two additional members of the graduate faculty in Liberal Arts to serve as members of the thesis or project committee. These names are submitted to the MLA Director and forwarded to the Dean of the College.

Upon the completion of nine hours of core courses, the student may file the prospectus for the thesis or equivalent final project. The written prospectus must be approved by the student's committee before the student begins intensive work on the project itself and must be filed with the director. The committee must have ample opportunity to guide the thesis or equivalent final project as the student's work progresses. At least two of the members of the committee must approve the completed thesis or final project.

Instructions on the preparation and submission of the thesis or equivalent final project may be obtained from the College office or the MLA Director. Manuals are available in the University Bookstore.

Comprehensive Examination

For the Master of Arts degree in Liberal Arts, an oral comprehensive examination must be successfully completed. It will emphasize the thesis or equivalent project. The examination is normally taken in the semester or summer term in which the candidate expects to receive the degree. The examination is administered by the three graduate faculty members in the College of Liberal Arts who serve as the student's thesis or equivalent final project committee. If the degree candidate does not successfully complete the examination with a two-thirds vote, the examination committee may require the candidate to complete additional requirements prior to repeating the oral examination. A graduate student on academic probation may not sit for the comprehensive examination until that probation is removed.