Graduate Studies

Liberal Arts and Sciences

“The MLAS program at Western is simply amazing! The program allows you to pick and formulate a degree plan based upon the offerings under the Liberal Arts and Sciences umbrella. The program is rewarding in that you can choose areas of study that expand your insights and allow for personal growth. The diversity of the students and professors lead to meaningful classroom discussions and learning opportunities. It is these kinds of experiences that form lasting impressions.” – Shannon Reed, MLAS alumna

Program Overview

The Master of Liberal Arts and Sciences (MLAS) is for students who need or desire advanced education but do not require a specific specialized content area. This multidisciplinary degree stresses critical thinking, comparative analysis, and connections across disciplines rather than specialization in a fairly small content area. The LAS Program is designed especially for students seeking a Master’s degree as an occupational qualification and for those who wish to have a more in-depth inquiry into the liberal arts and sciences. The LAS Program promotes an advanced level of critique, analysis, and comparison. Students also explore the broad questions faced by human beings, as well as the specific means by which individual disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics have addressed these questions.

The LAS Program also offers three integrated bachelor’s/master’s program options for students currently enrolled in the following undergraduate programs at Western: Anthropology, Foreign Languages and Cultures, and Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Why Liberal Arts and Sciences at WIU?

The Master of Liberal Arts and Sciences Program at WIU proactively addresses the needs of students seeking to advance in their chosen careers or expand their career options in our rapidly changing global economy. Students have the option of incorporating one of four Post-Baccalaureate Certificates into their degree program (Community Development, English, Environmental GIS), or customizing their degree plan by selecting from a variety of graduate courses across the College of Arts and Sciences. Post-Baccalaureate Certificates offer an additional occupational qualification to that of a Master’s Degree—a qualification that a student can earn prior to completing all the requirements for a Master’s Degree. Students can choose among three exit options (thesis, internship, or applied project) to complete their Master’s degree, depending on their professional and personal goals.

Our Faculty

Faculty teaching in the Master of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) are full or associate members of the graduate faculty from departments in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and, subject to LAS director approval, full or associate members of the graduate faculty from other departments at WIU.

Quick View

Degrees Available

  • MLAS
  • Integrated Bachelor's/Master's

Locations:

  • Macomb

Required GPA:

  • Cumulative: 2.75 or
  • Last 2 years: 3.0

Admission Requirements:

  • 3 Letters of Recommendation
  • Transcripts
  • Goals Statement
  • Writing Sample

Interesting Facts: Fall 2023

  • Currently enrolled: 4
  • International: 0
  • Minority: 0
  • Students with Assistantships: 0

Department Contact Information:

Morgan Hall 232
309/298-2214
Grad-LAS@wiu.edu