Students begin first MLS capstone projects
-- Randi Johnson
Published February 2010
For the past two years, a small handful of Metropolitan State University students have been studying courses with titles as various as “Gender, Sport and Culture,” “The Chapbook Workshop,” and “Art and War,” taught by an interdisciplinary team of instructors. This semester, these students will be the first to complete their capstone project in the new Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (M.L.S.) program at Metropolitan State and to graduate in May.
The M.L.S. program technically began in August 2006, when it was approved by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board. However, Professor Lawrence Moe, director of the program, has been working on it since 2000. After being reviewed by three professionals outside of Metropolitan State, the program was found to have a solid academic design, and courses began in the fall of 2007.
The M.L.S. program differs from other graduate programs mainly by using the perspectives of more than one discipline. According to the M.L.S. Handbook for 2009-10, the program is by definition generalist and interdisciplinary and does not seek to establish a credential for any specific profession. Rather, M.L.S. graduates will gain enhanced, graduate-level skills in locating information, critical thinking and analysis, writing, presentation and discussion. Like an M.B.A., the M.L.S. program offers skills necessary for successful management but is centered in the liberal arts.
The first capstone students began their degree by taking an introductory seminar, which refined their educational objectives. Each student then selected at least three exploration topics that encouraged interdisciplinary inquiry, such as a course combining history, literature and the visual arts. These students also selected 12 credits of electives at the 500G or higher level, including independent studies and internships. M.L.S. electives were expected to be clearly relevant to each student’s program and intended to build skills and knowledge in disciplines related to the development of the student’s master’s thesis.
After at least 24 credits were completed in the M.L.S. program, the students submitted an approved capstone project proposal. These self-directed capstone projects will include research papers, projects, artwork or performances that include a reflective written component. The capstone projects will be evaluated both by team teachers and a faculty consultant from a discipline related to the project.
While an M.L.S. is relevant to the workplace, it does not directly focus on job skills. It is not possible to study one discipline exclusively in the M.L.S. program, nor is it possible to study topics that rely heavily on disciplines outside of the liberal arts. Through critical analysis of questions and topics from multiple disciplinary perspectives, the program builds skills relevant to successful management, leadership and creative work.
The M.L.S. requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.00 and significant course work in liberal arts disciplines. To meet the first spring application deadline for fall semester of 2010, the application packet needs to be postmarked by March 11, 2010. The second deadline is on April 15.
Students interested in pursuing an M.L.S. degree should contact the director of the program, Professor Moe, at Lawrence.Moe@metrostate.edu for an application packet or for further information.
The Metropolitan will be covering and introducing the first capstone projects in upcoming issues.