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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’s it like to study Liberal Arts at JHU?
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 Study Liberal Arts at JHU
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.
Liberal Arts News
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.