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UCF GRADUATE STUDIES

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Liberal Studies



	Description

	Degrees Offered

	Admission

	Master of Arts in Liberal Studies

		Accelerated Graduate Program in Liberal Studies Track

		Maya Studies Track

	Master of Science in Liberal Studies

	Contact Info

Description

Liberal Studies offers interdisciplinary master's degrees with more than thirty concentrations and certificate affiliations available for constructing a program of study. Liberal Studies undergraduate students may be eligible for the accelerated undergraduate and graduate program in Liberal Studies. Liberal Studies also offers a specialized Maya Studies Track in combination with the Maya Studies Certificate.

Degrees Offered

Accelerated Graduate Program in Liberal Studies Track
Maya Studies Track

Master of Science in Liberal Studies

Admission

For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions and Registration section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. Please be sure to submit all requested material by the established deadline(s).

Additional Admissions Information

Applicants should note the following minimal requirements for admission to the program:

GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for the last 60 attempted semester hours of undergraduate study earned toward the baccalaureate, or
A score of 1000 on the verbal-quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). (Note that a GRE score must be submitted with the application whether the 3.0 GPA threshold is met or not.)
A written statement describing student's goals and objectives in seeking a Liberal Studies graduate degree, including preliminary ideas about which concentration might be chosen
Three letters of recommendation, at least one from an academic office
For applicants from countries where English is not the official language, or for an applicant whose bachelor's degree is not from an accredited US institution, an official score of at least 220 (computer-based test; or equivalent score on the paper-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required
Interview with a Liberal Studies Graduate adviser

The Master of Arts and Master of Science in Liberal Studies programs award interdisciplinary degrees that incorporate three core courses as a common basis of study. The core courses bring together knowledge from various fields, traditions, and cultures, enhancing and extending the educational experience. The programs are intended to develop research abilities, substantive knowledge, critical thinking, and advanced skills, through the diverse concentrations of study. Individualized advising, carefully selected classes and program construction, and a commitment to the student are central to these programs.

Application Due Dates

All students applying for fellowships or assistantships must apply by the Fall Priority deadline date.

U.S. Applicants

Program(s) Fall Priority Fall Spring Summer

Master of Arts in Liberal Studies Feb 1 Jun 30 Nov 15 Mar 30

Accelerated Graduate Program in Liberal Studies Track Feb 1 Jun 30 Nov 15 Mar 30

Maya Studies Track Feb 1 Jun 30 Nov 15 Mar 30

Master of Science in Liberal Studies Feb 1 Jul 15 Nov 15 Mar 30

International Applicants

Program(s) Fall Priority Fall Spring Summer

Master of Arts in Liberal Studies Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

Accelerated Graduate Program in Liberal Studies Track Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

Maya Studies Track Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

Master of Science in Liberal Studies Jan 15 Jan 15 Jul 1

International Transfer Applicants

Program(s) Fall Priority Fall Spring Summer

Master of Arts in Liberal Studies Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Accelerated Graduate Program in Liberal Studies Track Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Maya Studies Track Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Master of Science in Liberal Studies Feb 1 Mar 1 Sep 1

Master of Arts in Liberal Studies

Degree-seeking students in the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program and in the Master of Science in Liberal Studies may elect to follow either a thesis or a non-thesis course of study. The degree of Master of Arts or Master of Science is conferred when the student has fulfilled the requirements of either the thesis or non-thesis option. Students pursuing the Maya Studies Track must take the thesis option. Students must earn course grades of "B-" or better to get credit toward the masters degree.

Requirements for M.A.—33 Credit Hours Minimum

Required Courses—9 Credit Hours

IDS 6308 Ways of Knowing (3 credit hours)
IDS 6669 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Research (3 credit hours)
IDS 6351 Critical Thinking and Writing (3 credit hours)

Concentration—18 Credit Hours

A minimum of 18 semester hours of course work must be completed. Course selection is done in consultation and with approval of the program director.

Thesis Option—6 Credit Hours

Completion of an approved elective or directed research, and a minimum of 3 semester hours of thesis credit, and a successful completion of a thesis are required.

Non-Thesis Option—6 Credit Hours

Six semester hours of approved graduate electives and passing a comprehensive written examination are required.

Concentrations

These concentrations include formally identified courses of study, certificate programs, and individualized courses of study.

American History
American Studies
Art and Culture in Society
Business and Government Writing
Communication
Comparative Cultural Studies: The Hispanic World
Education
English
English for Speakers of Other Languages
History
The Human Condition
Humanities
International Studies
Issues of Social Concern
Leadership Studies
Political Science
Psychology
Public Administration
Public Policy Analysis
Race, Ethnicity, and Class
Sociology

Graduate Certificate Programs

Aging Studies
Arts Management
Computer Forensics
Conservation Biology
Contemporary Humanities
Crime Analysis
Domestic Violence
Gender Studies
Maya Studies
Nonprofit Management
Professional Writing
Public Administration
SAS Data Mining
Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Theoretical and Applied Ethics

NOTE: Students pursuing the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies degree program must take a majority of the 33 required credit hours be earned in traditional liberal arts courses. Students pursuing the Master of Science in Liberal Studies must take at least fifteen credits in their concentration in work that is traditionally from Master of Science courses.

Maya Studies Track

Maya Studies Track—33 Credit Hours Minimum

Core Courses—9 Credit Hours

IDS 6308 Ways of Knowing (3 credit hours)
IDS 6669 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Research (3 credit hours)
IDS 6351 Critical Thinking and Writing (3 credit hours)

Concentration—18 Credit Hours*

Required—6 Credit Hours

ANG 6168 The Ancient Maya (3 credit hours)
ANG 6324 Contemporary Maya (3 credit hours)

Elective Courses—12 Credit Hours

ANG 5166 Problems in Maya Studies (3 credit hours)
ANG 5167 Maya Hieroglyphs (3 credit hours)
ANG 5228 Maya Iconography (3 credit hours)
ANT 5165 Field Research in Maya Studies (3 credit hours)
CPO 5334 Contemporary Politics of the Maya Region (3 credit hours)
ANG 5110 Archaeological Theory and Method (3 credit hours)

Thesis—6 Credit Hours

Students must complete an approved elective or directed research, a minimum of 3 credit hours of thesis, and a thesis.

* To receive the Graduate Certificate in Maya Studies, an application to the Maya Studies certificate program is required.

Accelerated Undergraduate and Graduate Program in Liberal Studies

Web address: www.cas.ucf.edu/liberal_studies/

The accelerated undergraduate and graduate program in Liberal Studies allows a student to earn a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree and a master of arts degree in as few as five years including summer sessions. Students can earn nine hours of graduate credit toward the master’s degree while still an undergraduate, and then an additional twenty-four credits after earning the bachelor’s degree.

Students majoring in Liberal Studies who have compiled a superior record can apply for the program. This unique course of study requires close advising with program advisors and approval by the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program.

Admission Requirements

Acceptance to the university does not constitute admission to the combined bachelor’s/master’s program. An additional application to the program must be submitted and the student accepted. Contact the Liberal Studies Program or visit the website for application information. All applicants must meet the following criteria:

A student must have a grade point average of 3.25 or higher at UCF in their last 30 semester hours before applying in the second semester of their junior year.
The student must have earned at least 75 semester hours by the time of application and 30 upper level credit hours by the end of the application semester. Decision about admission to the program will depend partially on the grades earned in the application semester if the 30 upper level (and 75 overall) credits were not earned previously.
A Graduate Record Examination score of 1050 or above (usually taken at the latest in the second semester of the junior year).

Degree Requirements

The combined bachelor’s/master’s program involves a minimum of 144 credit hours for completion of both the B.A./B.S. and M.A. degrees. Students must earn course grades of "B-" or better to get credit toward the masters degree.

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Degree

The Liberal Studies undergraduate program offers several tracks in the degree program. Details about the program and the official requirements are detailed in the Undergraduate Catalog. Nine hours of graduate courses must be integrated inot the undergraduate program with the assistance of the program advisors.

Liberal Studies Graduate Degree

Core Courses—9 Credit Hours

IDS 6308 Ways of Knowing (3 credit hours)
IDS 6669 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Research (3 credit hours)
IDS 6351 Critical Thinking and Writing (3 credit hours)

Concentration—18 Credit Hours

Choose one from the many concentrations and certificate affiliation programs that are part of the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies Program.

Elective—3 Credit Hours

Thesis Option—6 Credit Hours

Successful completion of an approved elective or directed research, a minimum of 3 credit hours of thesis credit, and successful completion of a thesis are required.

Non-Thesis Option—6 Credit Hours

Six credit hours of approved graduate electives and passing a comprehensive written examination are required.

Master of Science in Liberal Studies

The Master of Science in Liberal Studies degree is designed for students interested in the interdisciplinary experience of Liberal Studies who complete their concentration through courses traditionally associated with M.S. degrees. Students completing their concentration through certificates in Computer Forensics, Conservation Biology, Nonprofit Management, and others normally would be eligible for the M.S. degree. The overall credit-hour requirements are the same as for the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. These requirements are detailed in the prior section.

Financial Support

Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see Financing Grad School, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.

Key points about financial support:

If you’re interested in financial assistance, you’re strongly encouraged to apply for admission early. A complete application for admission, including all supporting documents, must be received by the priority date listed for your program under "Admissions."
You must be admitted to a graduate program before the university can consider awarding financial assistance to you.
If you want to be considered for loans and other need-based financial assistance, review the UCF Student Financial Assistance website at http://finaid.ucf.edu and complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form, which is available online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. Apply early and allow up to six weeks for the FAFSA form to be processed.
UCF Graduate Studies awards university graduate fellowships, with most decisions based on nominations from the colleges and programs. All admitted graduate students are automatically considered in this nomination process. To be eligible for a fellowship, students must be accepted as a graduate student in a degree program and be enrolled full-time. University graduate fellowships are not affected by FAFSA determination of need.
Please note that select fellowships do require students to fill out a fellowship application (either a university fellowship application, an external fellowship application, or a college or school fellowship application). For university fellowship applications, see Financing Grad School.
For information on assistantships (including teaching, research, and general graduate assistantships) or tuition support, contact the graduate program director of your major.

Contact Info