Master of Liberal Arts

Master of Liberal Arts

mla.jhu.edu

Established in 1962, the Johns Hopkins Master of Liberal Arts (MLA) Program has gained national recognition for the quality of its teaching and for its rigorous interdisciplinary liberal arts education. The program is designed to serve independent thinkers from a variety of academic, professional, and personal backgrounds. Our program thrives on the curiosity, passion, and diversity of its students. The MLA is a unique non-traditional graduate degree. Whereas most graduate programs ask you to become more and more specialized, the MLA expects you to both broaden and deepen your educational experience. MLA students interact with professors and one another in a stimulating learning environment, both on the ground at the Homewood campus and online in an asynchronous format compatible with all work schedules and time zones.

In consultation with their academic advisor, candidates for the Master of Liberal Arts degree enroll in topic-based interdisciplinary courses that draw from a wide range of subjects, including history, philosophy, religion, literature, music, art history, African-American studies, environmental studies, digital humanities, critical theory, psychology, and sociology. Given the breadth and flexibility of our program, the MLA is able to meet the different goals and expectations of our students. Our students represent the full range of working professions and are at all stages of their careers.

Admissions Criteria for all Advanced Academic Programs 

The Admissions Committee reserves the right to request additional information from applicants to assess their candidacy for admission.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Core Courses
Choose one of the following:
AS.450.600	MLA Core: Interdisciplinary Graduate Research Methods
AS.450.627	MLA Core: Critical Theory
AS.450.638	MLA Core: What is History?
AS.450.738	MLA Core: Why Read the Classics?
AS.450.772	MLA Core: Ways of Knowing: Historical and Epistemological Foundations of the Liberal Arts
Capstone
Choose one of the following:
AS.450.082	MLA Capstone: Portfolio
AS.450.830	MLA Capstone: Graduate Project
AS.450.850	MLA Capstone: Internship

10 three-credit-hour courses, including:

• One core course within the first three courses, plus either:
  • Eight electives and a three-credit Graduate Project or Internship for the Capstone
  • Nine electives and a zero-credit Portfolio for the Capstone

Learning Outcomes

Graduates will be able to:

• Evaluate different methods of inquiry within the liberal arts, building upon a foundation in the history of ideas and enduring humanistic questions.

• Analyze complex problems from interdisciplinary perspectives, utilizing various fields of study, sources, and methodologies.

• ​Design and conduct research that critically analyzes the chosen subject matter in well-informed, nuanced, and original ways and that engages scholarship across several fields of study.

• ​Create work that expresses fluency in critical theory, considers ethical responses to contemporary global challenges, and incorporates the voices and experiences of marginalized persons.

• ​Formulate and present research and ideas utilizing advanced communication skills that are suitable for diverse academic, professional, and cultural contexts.