<p>I just need your opinion about the master of liberal arts program at University of Chicago and can you please compare this program with Northwestern, Dartmouth, Duke and HES…</p>
<p>How reputable is the Master of Liberal Arts program at University of Chicago?
Is it a cash-cow?
Can you please weigh with other universities?
Is the MLA degree a real Chicago degree, or is it a separate Continuing Studies degree?</p>
<p>What is your ranking within these programs?
Dartmouth > Duke > Chicago > Northwestern > HES ?</p>
<hr>
<p>"At the end of each quarter, the University holds a formal Convocation Ceremony. You may apply to graduate in any one of the four quarters. In Spring Quarter, the Convocation Ceremony is held outside in Harper Quadrangle. In the other three quarters, it is held in Rockefeller Chapel. At Convocation, MLA students graduate alongside students from other academic departments and are awarded a Master of Liberal Arts degree from the University of Chicago. More information about the ceremony can be found on the Convocation website, [Convocation</a> | University of Chicago](<a href=“Page Not Found | University of Chicago”>Page Not Found | University of Chicago).</p>
<p>Steps for Graduation</p>
<p>When you have completed seven or more MLA courses and begun working on your thesis or special project, you should also begin thinking about preparing for graduation. You can follow the steps below as preparation for your graduation."</p>
<p>In keeping with University of Chicago tradition, at least nine courses are required to earn a master’s degree. The MLA program distributes the course requirements this way:</p>
<p>1 humanities core course
1 social science core course
1 biological science course
1 physical science course
4 elective courses (must include one non-Western topic)
1 independent study course</p>
<p>What is it that you want out of this? I think all of the programs you list are essentially cash cows, marketing broad, general-interest courses to an older population, including retirees and empty-nesters, who take one or two courses at a time at a convenient location (i.e. sometimes not on the university’s main campus, or via distance learning). If that’s what you are looking for, great. But if that’s what you are looking for, I don’t understand why you are comparing Chicago, Duke, et al.</p>
<p>The University of Chicago has a number of other master’s degree programs that are more focused, more advanced, and that basically serve the function of bolstering the credentials of recent college graduates in their area of interest, or helping them improve their chances for admission to the PhD program of their choice. (The others may well also have programs like that.) That’s not the MLA program, though.</p>
<p>Don’t you think Master of Liberal Arts program at University of Chicago can improve the chance for admission for Ph.D? Just because “students” are older (empty nesters etc) doesnt mean the program does not bolster the credentials… It is a degree granting postsecondary academic program where you write masters thesis…</p>
<p>Compare it to the [Master</a> of Arts Program in the Social Sciences | MAPSS](<a href=“http://mapss.uchicago.edu/]Master”>http://mapss.uchicago.edu/) or the [Master</a> of Arts Program in the Humanities](<a href=“http://maph.uchicago.edu/]Master”>http://maph.uchicago.edu/) program. Those (and some of the more specialized programs, like International Relations or Middle Eastern Studies) are designed to help people whose medium-term goal is admission to a PhD program. </p>
<p>I’m not saying it can’t happen from the Graham School program, but even a cursory glance will tell you what different tones they have. The Graham School courses are basically undergraduate greatest-hits lecture courses, and the thesis requirement is very flexible. The other programs involve real graduate-level courses and a real thesis requirement; they force you to focus. In the MLA program, you are almost forbidden to focus; you can’t take more than 3 of your 8 courses in an area bearing on your thesis. And the Graham School only offers a few electives per quarter. Obviously, notwithstanding all that you could write a terrific thesis in the Graham School program and use it as a calling card for doctoral applications, but the other programs are designed to work that way from the get-go.</p>
<p>JHS is absolutely right. These programs are all similar to one another – they are intended for empty-nesters or others who just seek to broaden their learning, but have a bachelor’s degree already. They are a way for universities to extend their brand footprints in their home territories by reaching beyond the typical 18 - 21 yo population. </p>
<p>The comparison of Dartmouth to Duke to NU to UChicago to Harvard is irrelevant - you take them from whatever college is in your city; you wouldn’t move / switch cities to attend any one of these. Assuming you live in Chicago, you have the choice of NU vs UChicago and frankly making the decision based on whichever campus location is most convenient for you is as good of a decision criterion as any other.</p>
<p>Do you think MLA is a real U of C degree?
Like Dartmouth’s MALS program?
Do you think a MLA graduate can call himself as a u of c graduate?
Just because MLA program lists in Graham School does it discredit the prestigious of the program?
For instance Duke and Dartmouth have incorporated liberal studies degree programs into traditional postgraduate divisions. However MLA graduate at U of C has an authentic diploma, alumni card and reside in the graduation ceremony with other departments.
I have been accepted by U of C and Duke and i can not decide because in the Duke’s program you can not write master’s thesis instead you write capstone project. But the program listed in the traditional postgraduate division. In the U of C, there are “greatest-hit” courses with master thesis but it is listed in Graham School. But they call it Master of Liberal arts at University of Chicago where you get the same diploma, same alumni card, survived the same graduation ceremony. </p>
<p>Duke or Chicago?</p>
<p>I am an international student at the age of 29 come from east-europe. I am not sensitive to location.</p>
<p>gloomy, the MLA is a real Chicago degree, and the MALS is a real Dartmouth degree, but if what you are hoping for is a boost into a funded PhD program it’s a big stretch to get there from either program, I fear. I don’t think there’s any difference between the Chicago independent study project and the Duke capstone project; neither is actually a master’s thesis (although if you write something that’s master’s-thesis quality, it won’t matter that much).</p>
<p>If you get an MLA from Chicago, you get to put that on your resume, and you get to go to Chicago alumni events or whatever, but graduate admissions committees at other universities will absolutely know the difference between that degree and the more substantive master’s degrees offered by the university.</p>
<p>I don’t want you to be gypped, and to spend a lot of money foolishly. If you are trying to get into a PhD program, you should NOT be taking a master’s program that has you taking one survey course in each of the humanities, the social sciences, biology, and physical science. That’s not going to be a productive use of your time or your money, unless you have lots of both to burn. The only way I can see doing something like this is if you can’t qualify for a substantive master’s program now, and maybe you can use this to bridge into one. Even then, though, I would choose one that permits a lot more focus than the Chicago program. You have to know enough about your interests to know not to take courses in every core subject area. </p>
<p>If you can, you should call (skype) and have an honest conversation with the people at Chicago and Duke. I don’t think they will mislead you intentionally. If they can really help you get where you want to go, they will tell you that, but they will also (I hope) explain the limits on their programs and the other kinds of options for people like you. I think in the end you will conclude that you applied to the wrong programs, and shouldn’t go to any of them. The good news, however, is that you still have time to explore other options for master’s programs next year.</p>
<p>I know of many students who used the MAPSS program to enhance their acceptance to more advanced degree programs; I know of none who used the MLA for this purpose.</p>