Master of Liberal Studies (MLS) - Degree Requirements
The Master of Liberal Studies program consists of 30-36 credit hours.
A. Core Courses (Thesis Option: minimum 9 credits; Non-Thesis Option: 12):
AMC 501: The Mind of America
AMC 502: American Institutions
AMC 503: The American Character
AMC 504: The United States in Comparative Perspective
B. Research Courses (6-9 credits depending on option)
1. Thesis Option: (6-9 credits)
AMC 500: Research Foundations (required)
AMC 590: Directed Research (optional)
AMC 591: Thesis (required)
2. Non-Thesis Option: (6 credits)
AMC 500: Research Foundations
AMC 590: Directed Research
C. Additional approved electives to equal a total of 30 credits for thesis option, 36 credits for non-thesis option. Specific guidelines for each concentration follow.
American Culture – students select any courses from the list of approved MLS electives.
Theatre and Community – students select additional theatre electives, from the following sections:
Required Core (9 Credits)
THE 508: Advanced Directing Methods
THE 521: Devising Theatre I
THE 522: Devising Theatre II
THE 523: Drama and Social Theory
Electives I (3 credits for the Thesis Option, 6 for the Creative Project Option)
AMC 598: Selected Topics (preferably a theatre topic)
ENG: 531/532: The American Novel I & II
THE 505: American Contribution to Drama
THE/ENG 534: American Drama
Electives II (3 credits from the following)
AFA 534: History of Ethnic and Racial Minorities
ANT 570: American Ethnic and Cultural Diversity
ENG 535/536: American Film I & II
HIS 531: American Urban History
POL 501: American Political Thought
POL 541: Comparative Social Policy
PUB 518: Budgeting in Public and Nonprofit Organizations
SOC 545: Ethnicity in American Society
SOC/WGS 574: Gender and Society
SOC 571: Social Movements in America
THE549/EDU535: Folklore and Storytelling
These departmental courses are approved for MLS credit:
AFA 534: History of Ethnic and Racial Minorities
AMC 501: The Mind of America
AMC 502: American Institutions
AMC 503: The American Character
AMC 504: The United States in Comparative Perspective
AMC 590: Directed Research
AMC 598: Selected Topics
AMC 599: Anthropological Interpretation
of American Socio-Cultural Systems
ANT 555: Folklore and Storytelling (3)
ANT 570: American Ethnic and Cultural Diversity
ART 509: History of American Art, 1875-1920
ECN 521: American Economic History
ECN 524: Labor Economics
EDU/THE 549: Folklore and Storytelling
ENG 509: American English
ENG 532: The American Novel
ENG 533: American Poetry
ENG/THE 534: American Dramatic
ENG 535: American Film I
ENG 536: American Film II
HIS 510: The Birth of the American Republic
HIS 511: Age of Jefferson and Jackson
HIS 519: History of Sport in the United States
HIS 530: American Indian History
HIS 531: American Urban History
HIS 538: Jazz, Rock & Cinema: A Social History of the 20th Century United States
MUS 522: Jazz in American Culture
MUS 555: American Music
PHL 543: American Philosophy
POL 501: American Political Thought
POL 537: Problems in American Foreign Policy
POL 541: Comparative Social Policy
PUB 518: Budgeting in Public and Nonprofit Organizations
SOC 545: Ethnicity in American Society
SOC 558: Religion in American Society
SOC 562: Work in American Society
SOC/EDU 569: Sociology of Education
SOC 570: Social Stratification
SOC 571: Social Movements in America
SOC/WGS 574: Gender and Society
THE 505: America’s Contribution to Theatre
THE 508: Advanced Directing Methods
THE 521: Devising Theatre I
THE 522: Devising Theatre II
THE 523: Drama and Social Theory
Additional courses may be added. Consult the MLS Program Director regarding any course additions.
Transfer of Credit
Up to six (6) credit hours of graduate credit completed at an accredited institution may be accepted for transfer. Transfers of credit are subject to the approval of the program director. Transfers are made in accordance with the policies of the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies.