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Master of Liberal Arts (MLA)
Master of Liberal Arts Program Overview
The JHU Master of Liberal Arts program thrives on your curiosity, passion, and diverse world experience. The first program of its kind in the country, this educational experience allows you to pursue a graduate degree tailored to your interests, whether you’re looking for an advanced credential for career mobility or simply want to enrich your personal and professional life.
Build a Program Around Your Interests
You’ll have access to a diverse and creative selection of interdisciplinary courses each semester, with topic-driven offerings that draw from disciplines like history, film, art, music, literature, sociology, politics, world cultures, bioethics, psychology, ecology, and archaeology.
While the Master of Liberal Arts program is not designed with a specific career pathway in mind, MLA students and alumni represent every sector of the workforce and every stage of their professional lives. Many of our students seek this degree to deepen their knowledge of the world and its intellectual history, to expand their understanding of the human experience across time and cultures, and to sharpen their analytical and communication skills. Listed below are examples of careers our MLA students and alumni occupy; it is not an exhaustive list. It is important to note that the MLA degree usually is not the specialized degree required to gain access to these fields, but the MLA has been known to contribute to the professional success of our alumni.
What It’s Like to Study Liberal Arts at AAP
In-Depth Article
What is a Master of Liberal Arts, and How is It Useful?
A Master of Liberal Arts is a graduate degree earned through an interdisciplinary course of study that immerses students in topics like literature, history, art, science, philosophy, and culture.
Lisa Serice 2019 Graduate of the MLA programThe depth, breadth, and diversity of courses pushed me to become a more well-rounded human being, a more divergent thinker, and a better citizen of humanity. Pursuing the Hopkins MLA was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Why to Pursue a Master of Liberal Arts at Hopkins
Flexible Course Selection
Given the breadth and flexibility of our program and course offerings, the MLA is able to meet a range of different goals and expectations among our students. Our students represent the full range of working professions and are at all stages of their careers.
Deepen Analytical Skills and Broaden Your Perspectives
Our interdisciplinary courses strengthen your critical thinking and communication skills, improve your ethical reasoning, boost your capacity for creativity and innovation, and raise your social and cultural awareness.
Knowledgeable, Diverse Faculty
The liberal arts faculty has a range of research interests and professional backgrounds, including: jazz musicians, cultural historians, philosophers, art historians, photographers, religious scholars, sociologists, and literary critics.
Capstone Experience
Your program will culminate with a capstone project that is selected from a range of different options. Students choose from a reflective portfolio, a research-driven graduate project, a research-based creative project, and an internship option.
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Take the Next Step
Let your intellectual curiosity be your guide as you complete your Master of Liberal Arts online or on campus from Johns Hopkins University.
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Master of Liberal Arts FAQs
Johns Hopkins University’s Master of Liberal Arts program is a 10-course, 30 credit intentionally interdisciplinary master’s degree program – often completed within 18-24 months, though students have up to five years for degree completion. Courses are offered 100 percent online.
The admissions criteria for the Master of Liberal Arts program includes a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university, or an equivalent international credential, with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. The application can be completed online and requires supporting materials, including resume, transcripts, and more.
Tuition and fees for the Master of Liberal Arts program currently range from $38,150 – $39,150 USD. The cost per course is $3,815. Students may be eligible to access federal loans, employer tuition assistance, military and veterans benefits, or partner-organization benefits to offset the cost of the degree. Learn more about financial aid options.
This program’s customizable curriculum allows students to align courses with their personal interests in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Students can select from a diverse catalog of courses in history, film, art, music, literature, sociology, politics, world cultures, bioethics, psychology, ecology, and archaeology.
Beyond intellectual enrichment, completing the JHU Master of Liberal Arts program strengthens students’ critical thinking, analytical, and communication skills, improves ethical reasoning, heightens social awareness, and serves diverse personal and professional goals.