Question: What are the application procedures and deadlines?
All applications to UD degree programs are online. The graduate admissions form and accompanying information may be found at http://www.udel.edu/gradoffice/apply/index.html
MALS has a rolling admission process, which means that applications will be considered as they arrive. For the best choice of courses for the upcoming semester, however, it is a good idea to apply by mid-April for the following fall and by mid-November for the following spring.
Because MALS is a nontraditional graduate program, there are special instructions for (1) the essay/personal statement and (2) the letters of recommendation.
(1) Essay/Personal Statement: When you click on the url given above you will see a list of items that make up the application. One of the items is "Essay/Personal Statement." After you click on that item, just scroll down to "Liberal Studies" to see the instructions for the essay/personal statement for MALS. After you submit the online graduate application, you will be given the option to upload you personal statement/essay.
(2) Letter of Recommendation: Instead of using the recommendation form provided on the graduate admissions website, MALS applicants are asked to secure hard-copy letters of recommendation from three people who are familiar with those aspects of your life that bear upon your suitability for graduate study. Such letters typically come from people you have worked with in your profession or in volunteer activities, as well as from present or former supervisors or professors. Letters from family members or close personal friends are discouraged. Among the pertinent topics are your intellectual interests, motivation for graduate study, time management skills, enjoyment of intense small-group discussions, and degree of comfort with significant amounts of reading and writing.
Note: As you fill out the online admission form, you'll be prompted to type in the name, title, organization (if any), and contact information for each recommender. Because you won't be using the university's regular recommendation form, you will not be able to type in the email addresses of your recommenders.
If you have questions about the admissions process, you're welcome to call the MALS office at 831-6075.
Question: How many courses does the MALS program require?
The MALS program requires a total of 30 credits: 24 credits of coursework and 6 credits of work on a thesis or project.
Question: What are the specific course requirements?
All MALS students must take an introductory experience made up of three one-credit courses taken back-to-back in the same semester: MALS601, 602, and 603. Students also choose two MALS core courses. The other five courses may be selected from anything MALS offers, including elective courses as well as any additional core courses the student may wish to take. At the end of the program, students take six credits of MALS869 (thesis) or MALS879 (project). Click here for information about the thesis or project.
Question: How long does it take to complete a MALS degree?
Time to completion depends on two factors: how many courses the student takes each fall and spring semester, and whether the student takes courses in UD's "special sessions" in winter and summer. For information on courses offered during winter and summer sessions, go to http://www.udel.edu/specialsessions/
If a student goes to school full-time, taking four courses in the fall, two in the winter session, and two in the spring, he or she could start the thesis in the spring and finish it over the summer. The program would thus take one calendar year. In reality, almost all MALS students go to school part-time. Many take only one course a semester, and very few take more than two courses a semester. The thesis usually takes at least two full semesters, and many MALS students prefer to allow three semesters, or two semesters and a winter or summer, for this purpose.
UD encourages all master's degree candidates to finish their programs in no more than five years, which can easily be done in MALS. Even if a student takes only one course each fall and spring and does not attend class in winter or summer sessions, the coursework takes four years to complete, leaving the final year for the thesis or project.
Question: Is it possible to transfer in graduate credits earned before enrolling in MALS?
MALS students may transfer in up to nine credits of appropriate graduate coursework taken before enrolling in the program either at UD or elsewhere. Decisions about whether a specific course applies to the degree are made by the MALS admissions committee. Ordinarily, courses taken more than seven years before applying for admission MALS are not transferred in. Courses taken as an auditor cannot be transferred in. No more than six credits of coursework taken outside of MALS counts toward the degree unless the MALS Advisory Committee approves an exception. Exceptions are automatically approved to allow incoming students to transfer in nine credits upon admission.
Question: Is it possible to take courses in other UD programs or in other institutions and count them toward the MALS degree?
Students enrolled in the MALS program may take graduate courses in other UD departments or at other institutions with the approval of the MALS director and the instructor of the course. Students who wish to count more than six credits taken outside the program toward the MALS degree must seek approval from the MALS Advisory Committee.
Question: When and where are MALS courses typically offered?
The university's three campuses host MALS courses. In the regular semesters (fall and spring), MALS typically offers two courses in Wilmington, two courses in Newark, and one course in Georgetown. Most courses are offered one night a week from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., but MALS is experimenting with a few daytime courses. In summer, MALS usually offers one to three courses, depending upon student demand.
Question: How much do MALS courses cost?
Current graduate tuition rates at UD may be found at http://www.udel.edu/bill_coll/fees.html Tuition is waived for Delaware residents over the age of 60 who are matriculated in a degree program; see http://www.pcs.udel.edu/credit/over60.html for details. Participants in the UD Osher Institute's Academy of Lifelong Learning are welcome in MALS courses. Information about the A.L.L. benefit for taking regular UD courses may be found at http://www.pcs.udel.edu/credit/courses.html.
Question: Is financial aid available?
MALS applicants are encouraged to explore generally available funding options for UD graduate students. For information, click here and then scroll down to "Tuition and Finances" at the bottom of the left hand column.