NOTE: As of March 2008, this program is no longer accepting new students.

The Master of Liberal Arts (MLA) is the result of a collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences. It is designed with the adult learner in mind. That learner might be a professional who wishes to add a reflective and/or historical dimension to his/her professional competencies, or who wishes to pursue paths of inquiry or satisfy curiosities that have developed over the unfolding of her/his life. The MLA degree provides the opportunity to achieve the fulfillment that comes only through the mindful pursuit of higher education while allowing students to maintain work and life commitments. The MLA degree is also designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop critical reasoning and creative thinking skills that can be applied to everyday life, as well as any industry or profession within which a student may choose to work.  
 
The MLA degree builds on a common core of foundational courses that lead into four areas of concentration: Applied Humanities; Applied History; Global Studies; Irish Heritages; Science, Technology, and Human Values; and Urban Studies. Students also have room in the program for electives and will complete a synthesizing thesis.