Director:
Linda Benson, Professor of History
411 Varner Hall
Telephone: (248) 370-3531
benson@oakland.edu
Executive Committee:
Eric LaRock, Associate Professor of Philosophy
Debra McGinnis, Associate Professor of Psychology
Aldona Pobutsky, Associate Professor of Spanish
Alberto Rojo, Associate Professor of Physics
Program description
The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies is an innovative and rigorous interdisciplinary approach to graduate education designed for adult post-baccalaureate students wishing to explore new subjects, develop their intellectual resources, and extend their range of knowledge. The objectives of this program are in harmony with the goals of a liberal education: that is, to cultivate the individual’s ability to integrate diverse fields of human knowledge and activity.
The program is not specifically vocational or professional but is valued by employers in a wide range of professions because it fosters intellectual development, hones and expands critical thinking skills, encourages personal creativity and intellectual flexibility, and provides broad-based knowledge across traditional academic disciplines.
Admission terms and application deadlines
Before an applicant’s file can be reviewed for full program admission, all application documents must be received in Graduate Admissions by the semester deadlines listed below.
- November 15, 2011 for the Winter 2012 semester
- March 15, 2012 for the Summer 2012 semester
- July 15, 2012 for the Fall 2012 semester
- November 15, 2012 for the Winter 2013 semester
- March 15, 2013 for the Summer 2013 semester
- July 15, 2013 for the Fall 2013 semester
International applicants: International applications are reviewed for fall and winter admission only. To ensure adequate time for review, international applications must be completed at least six months before the desired date of intended enrollment to the University. All international application materials must be submitted by May 1 for fall admission and by September 1 for winter admission.
Special Graduate classification: Applicants who are seeking a graduate degree or graduate certificate, but are unable to meet the deadline for filing all required application materials or credentials for graduate admission, may contact the department and request Special Graduate temporary admission. The applicant must submit an Application for Admission to Graduate Study, plus a copy of a transcript providing evidence of a bachelor’s degree awarded and any specific evidence concerning their qualifications for graduate study as required by the department. Up to 12 credits may be earned in the Special Graduate classification. Admission as a special graduate student in no way assures subsequent admission to a degree or graduate certificate program.
Application requirements
To be considered for graduate admission, applicants must submit all of the following university and program application documents by the published application deadlines.
University graduate application requirements
- Application for Admission to Graduate Study
- Official transcripts providing evidence of an earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited U.S. institution, OR a degree equivalent to a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree from a college or university of government-recognized standing.
- Official transcripts for all post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned a degree (beginning with the first baccalaureate) and for all enrollment in graduate-level coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree. International university transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation service.
- As part of the admission requirements, graduate programs may require official transcripts from post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned an associate’s degree and all enrollment in coursework both pre- and post-bachelor’s degree.
- Two official and original Recommendation for Graduate Admission forms.
- Proof of English language proficiency
- International supplemental application and supporting documentation must be submitted before international applicants can be issued the Certification of Eligibility (I-20). This certificate is required to apply for a student visa from the U.S. embassy or consulate.
Program application requirements
- Personal goal statement summarizing academic and/or professional background as well as objectives for entering the program
- A minimum of a 3.0 grade-point on a 4.0 scale in undergraduate study. Students who do not meet the grade-point minimum and/or other requirements may be admitted on a provisional basis with the approval of the director and the executive committee. All conditions placed on such an admission must be met before full admission to the program will be granted.
- Strong letters of recommendation that directly address the applicant’s intellectual interests as well as academic background and potential for success in a graduate program. Students applying within two years of university graduation must have letters from two of their professors assessing the quality of their undergraduate record.
Admission review and assessment
Admission to graduate study at Oakland University is selective. In making admission recommendations to Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning, each department assesses the potential of applicants for success in the program by examining their undergraduate records, goal statement, letters of recommendation, prerequisite courses and any other admission requirements established by the academic department.
Transfer credit
Up to 8 graduate credits completed in residence at another institution may be applied toward the 36-credit minimum degree requirement. Transfer credits must be approved by the program’s executive committee and are subject to the conditions indicated in Oakland University’s “Transfer Credit Policy” in the graduate catalog. Up to 8 graduate credits may be applied from another Oakland University school, subject to the approval of the program’s executive committee.