Take advantage of self-directed study led by award-winning faculty
The Program
The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies enables adult, working students to expand your knowledge and enrich workplace credentials with graduate study tailored to meet individual needs. You’ll develop skills in analysis, writing, and public presentation, while gaining hands-on experience in research, creative arts, and community engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How flexible is the MALS curriculum?
You’ll work closely with our nationally-recognized faculty of published scholars and award-winning artists to create a degree plan that suits your needs. By choosing your thematic or creative Area of Study, you’ll explore interdisciplinary approaches to knowledge and the arts. You’ll have the freedom to select courses based on your own interests and career goals.
What is the curriculum like?
You’ll take an interdisciplinary core seminar, then choose from a range of elective courses across disciplines, concluding with a capstone experience. As part of your 30 credits, you may choose as a capstone either a master’s thesis or an internship with one of Old Westbury’s dozens of partners in health, government, community, business and not-for-profit venues.
How quickly may I complete the MALS degree?
Completion can be paced to meet your individual needs. The 30-credit degree can be completed within three semesters of full-time study; students attending part-time may take up to five years to complete their requirements.
Can I use the MALS degree for Teacher Certification?
Teachers who possess initial certification at the Bachelor’s level in English, History (Social Studies), Modern Language (Spanish), or Visual Arts, may use the MALS degree to achieve a master’s degree required for professional certification in New York State by selecting their Area of Study in their initial field. Elementary Education teachers may also pursue the MALS degree for professional certification if they possess initial certification in their field.
What do MALS graduates do with their degrees?
Our diverse alumni teach students, from elementary age to college level. Many leverage their skills to enter workplaces as historical guides, political advocates, non-profit directors, and mental health professionals. Some build on their MALS credentials to enter doctoral and professional programs in more specialized fields.
Who can apply for the MALS degree?
Old Westbury MALS students come from many paths. Recent graduates seek to refine their career goals or polish skills for advancement into professional programs such as law or education. Teachers enroll in Old Westbury's MALS program to retain certification or bolster their salaries. Other MALS students are working adults changing careers, or working adults and retirees who seek more sophisticated knowledge in their own areas of interest.
What do I need to apply to the MALS program?
Students are admitted to the M.A. in Liberal Studies Program on a rolling basis. To be considered for admission to the program, you must:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university (with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or equivalent in the highest earned degree)
- Submit two letters of recommendation (at least one from an academic source), and
- Submit an admission essay.
If you’ve been out of college for some years, or if you do not meet the GPA minimum, you may be advised to take a class on a non-matriculated basis, and roll over your application for one semester. If accepted to the program subsequently, a successful completion of a non-matriculated class with a grade of B or higher may be applied to your MALS course requirements.