Fort Hays State University

I was just checking out the Fort Hays page about their Master of Liberal Studies degree. Many concentrations are available 100% online.

The listing of concentrations now also lists what the transcript notation will state. While I appreciate the honesty of FHSU, I have to say that some of the notations would not thrill me if I were a potential student.

For instance, I've considered doing their M.L.S. with a History concentration. I really wouldn't care what the transcript says, since I would only do it out of my personal interest in History. The transcript notation would read "Liberal Studies (Social Sciences)". That's not something good for someone who wants to teach History.

I really, really like FHSU's DL offerings, in content, cost, and flexibility. However, I'm starting to think that they're trying too hard to differentiate their DL programs from their regular, campus-based programs.

 

bruce, you around right now?

 

Yes, I am.

 

i'm gonna send you a PM

 

Maybe it's just too early and I haven't had enough coffee yet, but I can't find anything on the FHSU site that talks about how the concentration will appear on the transcript. Do you have the link?

Pug

 

It is on the page that pops up on the link listed above. Here is the abridged version of the school's DL options.

Assistive Technology
Transcript notation: Liberal Studies (Assistive Technology)

Criminal Justice
Transcript notation: Liberal Studies (Criminal Justice)

English
Transcript notation: Liberal Studies (Humanities)

Gerontology
Transcript notation: Liberal Studies (Health Sciences)

Health and Human Performance
Transcript notation: Liberal Studies (Health Sciences)

History
Transcript notation: Liberal Studies (Social Sciences)

Human Resource Management
Transcript notation: Liberal Studies (Human Resource Management)

Information Networking and Telecommunications
Transcript notation: Liberal Studies (Information Networking and Telecommunications)

Instructional Technology
Transcript notation: Liberal Studies (Instructional Sciences)

Organizational Leadership
Transcript notation: Liberal Studies (Organizational Leadership)

Public Administration
Transcript notation: Liberal Studies (Social Sciences)

Social Science Education
Transcript notation: Liberal Studies (Instructional Sciences)

 

This is an aside to Bruce's comment. I'm graduating from California State University, Dominguez Hills, Humanities External Degree program this summer. For the past several years I've associated with a number of people who already completed that program. The feedback I've gotten is that the interdisciplinary approach of that degree has been helpful in getting a community college teaching position --provided you meet the concentration in one subject. I wonder why FHSU's program would be viewed differently? Personally, I think liberal studies is making a comeback. Ternahan

 

The CSU-DH program awards the good old Master of Arts degree, which I think is looked upon more favorably than the Master of Liberal Studies (which could be confused with the Master of Library Science when abbreviated).

 

Check with your local state on how an MA vs. MLS is viewed, here in SC, MA's are more favored but as far as SACS goes a concentration of at least 18 in your subject area of teaching is required and it is judged not by concentration listing on a transcript but by the course title prefix and simply adding up the hours.
For example: (As someone from the registrars office explained it to me) Lets say you had a Masters in Social work, but you wanted to teach Psychology classes, as long as 18 hours of your degree is in Psychology, your're eligible. All of this of course is on the Jr. college, tech school or adjunct faculty level.

I for one am seriously considering jumping ship on a local MA program and joining FHSU for the MLS. Although I gnash my teeth over the 10 of so hours of interdisciplinary requirements. I go from 840.00 a class to about half of that, a faster time completion too! The professors at the current school I attend are wanting to avoid teaching evening classes while the program is beginning to slant heavily towards day classes, leaving me with the ability to earn about 6 hours of credit a year; frustrating me and other students, some who have also earned a Masters previously from the same institution! I guess they are more worried about prestige of a traditional campus than realizing we're not in the 1950's anymore!
Best of luck,
Gavin

 

<<I for one am seriously considering jumping ship on a local MA program and joining FHSU for the MLS.>>

How many hours have you already earned? I'm not sure how many hours FHSU will allow in transfer. I'm guessing no more than 6, but at half the cost of your current program it would still be less expensive and more flexible.

Pug

 

Pug,
I have 9 hours, 6 in history and 3 in political science (civil rights era course) it was cross listed with a History class, so it will have a POL prefix, so I might end up losing that one! I initially had the bright idea of grabbing 18/18 in history/political science for a dual concentration.
Best,
Gavin

 

I agree with this. When I see the "M.L.S." designation, I invariably think that the person involved is a librarian.

 

Who cares about their horoscope?

 

Interestingly, Excelsior seems to have acknowledged this degree name problem. As far as I can tell poring through their literature and website, their designation *used* to be Master of Liberal Studies (i.e., MLS in abbreviation) and now is Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (which they abbreviate "MA, Liberal Studies" rather than "MALS," which you find at, for example, Dartmouth).

In principle I am a fan of this sort of higher-level humanities degree, no matter what letters come with it. Nonetheless, it probably is not held in very high regard by universities when it comes to their hiring. Too generalized for them, even though its generalized study is, in my opinion, its strength. I believe it started out about 30 years ago in the US as an invented degree used by public school teachers to get raises.

Peter

 

I also interested in FHSU, yet, its Psychology degree cannot be delivered by DL.

 

<<I also interested in FHSU, yet, its Psychology degree cannot be delivered by DL.>>

Shirley, from another thread you recently posted to, I think you are interested in the BA. Yes, FHSU does not offer a psychology degree through DL. But, if it will work for your needs, you can earn the Bachelor of General Studies with a concentration in Psychology. You will need to take 4 or 5 of the psychology courses elsewhere, maybe from LSU (they offer a good selection), and then transfer them into the FHSU program. My wife is doing this exact thing. The psychology concentration is not listed on their website, but if you call FHSU and talk to Joleen Briggs, she will confirm this.

Pug

 

Thanks for your info.

Indeed, I need a Master degree in Psychology by pure DL

 

I was not aware of the number of schools offering the Masters of Liberal Studies until I did a web search. One site did indicate that it wasn't appropriate as a precursor for doctoral work.

 

see:

http://www.uidaho.edu/eo/newhtml/progps.htm

and/or

http://www.pgsp.edu/distance.htm

The Pacific Graduate School of Psychology is a new program (DL) to me, but it sounds very interesting, also the the PhD

 

Hi Shirley,
The University of West Alabama http://www.uwe.edu
has a masters in counseling & psychology that is great and the price is right.