College Catalog: 2015-2016
SSHGS: Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS)
Website: Master of Arts in Liberal Studies
(MALS faculty come from the following schools: SSHGS, CA, SSHS, and TAS)
Program Director:
Faculty:
Faculty:
- Hassan M. Nejad
- Stephen Rice
- Ellen Ross
- Bernard Roy
- Edward I. Saiff
- Edward Shannon
- Ira Spar
- Jeremy Teigen
- Current as of September 2015
Resources:
Socrates suggested over two thousand years ago that we need more than specialized learning or mastery of a particular skill to function in our world. MALS is shaped by the traditions and heritage of Ramapo College, New Jersey’s official liberal arts college. The MALS program:
- Enhances the ability of its graduates to analyze, synthesize and present information
- Develops research, writing and critical thinking skills
- Searches for the unifying elements in the complexities of modern life
- Fosters an understanding of the multicultural and interdisciplinary nature of today’s world
- Encourages originality and decision-making in an ethical context
MALS is a graduate program in the Salameno School of Humanities and Global Studies offering seminar classes in many different fields, including literature, history, psychology, philosophy, history of science, sociology and the arts.
MALS is a 30 credit program of 3 core courses, 5 elective courses and a 6-credit thesis or creative project and process paper, divided into a research semester and a writing semester. Students take 3 required core courses (generally team-taught) followed by five electives which build upon themes introduced by the core. Courses meet once weekly, in the evening, for 2 ½ hours in the Fall and Spring semesters. Summer courses may meet day and evening, or evening only. In a selected number of instances, Saturday classes will be held during the academic year or during the summer. A Credential of Concentration is awarded to students who devote 40% of their study to a specific area approved by the Director.
Requirements for admission appear on the MALS Website: https://www.ramapo.edu/mals/
The director of the program is Dr. Anthony T. Padovano, a founder of the College and a distinguished professor of literature and philosophy.
Goal 1: Students learn to relate course material in all MALS courses to the consequences for: The Self, The Other, The Global Community.
Outcome 1: Students define American culture in its relationship to world cultures.
Outcome 2: Students compare the diverse ways at least two different disciplines address the same issue.
Outcome 3: Students analyze pivotal texts by which cultures express their values.
Outcome 4: Students utilize the accepted rules for academic writing and professional research in their papers.
- Students may transfer or earn Graduate Learning Experience credits (GPLA) for a maximum of 6 credits.
- GPLA credits cannot be done until 9 credits have been completed in the program.
- To remain in good academic standing, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0.
- Subject & Course # – Title and Course Description
- REQUIRED CORE COURSES:
- LIBS 602 - THE CONQUEST OF CALIBAN
- LIBS 603 - THE SEARCH FOR MEANING
- SELECT ONE:
- LIBS 601 - AMERICA AS A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY (will not double-count)
- LIBS 604 - U.S. IN A CHANGING WORLD
- ELECTIVES: SELECT FIVE
- LIBS 600 - INDEPENDENT STUDY: LIBERAL STUDIES
- LIBS 601 - AMERICA AS A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY (will not double-count)
- LIBS 627 - SHAKESPEARE'S STRANGERS
- LIBS 629 - DEATH AND DYING: A CROSS-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE
- LIBS 634 - DOES RACE MATTER?
- LIBS 637 - SCIENCE AS MYTH, METAPHOR, AND HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
- LIBS 639 - WORK, CLASS AND CULTURE IN INDUSTRIALIZING AMERICA
- LIBS 640 - A SENSE OF PLACE
- LIBS 641 - MARRIAGE AND RELATIONSHIPS IN MODERN LITERATURE
- LIBS 643 - PARADIGMS OF GENOCIDE
- LIBS 644 - ASSESSING THE MATRIX: ART AND CULTURE (online)
- LIBS 645 - AMERICAN GOTHIC: LITERARY TRADITION
- LIBS 646 - SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT OF HEALING
- LIBS 647 - WORLD WOMEN'S LITERATURE
- LIBS 648 - ISLAM,THE MIDDLE EAST & WESTERN CIVILIZATION
- LIBS 651 - SEXUALITY SOCIETY FEMINISM
- LIBS 653 - EUROPEAN CINEMA AND LITERARY ADAPTATION
- LIBS 655 - DARWIN AND DIVINITY
- LIBS 656 - AMERICAN "FOLK": CONSTRUCTING THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE IN AMERICAN LITERATURE AND CULTURE
- LIBS 657 - JEALOUSY, ENVY, REVENGE AND FORGIVENESS
- LIBS 658 - FILM AS HISTORY/FILM AS MYTH
- LIBS 659 - SOCIAL ETHICS: JUSTICE & CARE
- LIBS 661 - REDEFINING GENDER RELATIONSHIPS: JOAN OF ARC
- LIBS 663 - THE HUDSON RIVER AND MODERNIZATION OF AMERICA
- LIBS 690 - TOPICS:
- REQUIRED THESIS COURSE:
- LIBS 710 - THESIS RESEARCH TUTORIAL
- LIBS 711 - THESIS WRITING TUTORIAL
- LIBS 712 - THESIS CONTINUATION (only if needed)