Liberal Studies - L.S.M. Download to print

Information about the Master of Liberal Studies is available on the program website, and also in 107 Satterfield Hall on the Kent campus. Unlike most graduate programs that emphasize specialization, the Master of Liberal Studies (L.S.M.) encourages a broad educational perspective and interdisciplinary study. It allows students to take courses from several different departments.

Official transcript(s), goal statement and three letters of recommendation. For more information about graduate admissions, please visit the Graduate Studies website.

The degree requires a total of 33 credit hours, 30 hours of coursework plus the Liberal Studies Essay, which students write near the end of their time in the program and for which they receive 3 credit hours of graduate credit under the rubric AS 61098. The one required course, AS 61000 Introduction to Liberal Studies, an online course that introduces students to interdisciplinary study, carries 2 hours of graduate credit and must be completed during the student's first year in the program. If students feel they need to develop their research paper skills, they can take AS 61001 Liberal Studies Research Paper in conjunction with AS 61000. Except for these, no other specific courses are required for the L.S.M. degree. For the remaining 27-28 hours of course credit, students take 12 to 15 hours in a single department and 12 to 15 hours spread across two or three other departments. Courses may be taken in any college or school in the university.

Candidates for the L.S.M. degree must complete a minimum 33 semester hours of graduate work. 15 hours (which include AS 61000, AS 61001 and AS 61098) must be at the 60000-level. It should be understood that some graduate courses may require prerequisites.

Students will complete a program of study document in which they will develop a theme (title) and choose coursework in the major and minor areas. In developing programs of study, Liberal Studies students must adhere to several fundamental principles:

• The program of study must be integrated,
• Since the L.S.M. degree focuses on the values of liberal arts education, the program of study must include at least 12 hours of coursework in the College of Arts and Sciences,
• The program of study must emphasize interdisciplinary perspectives to learning.

In order to graduate students must have a minimum GPA of 3.000 in their approved program of study.

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Bring together the different fields in which they have been working
2. See the advantages of doing so.
3. Continue to pursue the knowledge they entered the program to acquire.