What is a Master in Liberal Studies good for?

I am thinking about picking up a Master in Liberal Studies just to have one, but I have been told that the liberal studies degrees can be thought of as to generic now days. A friend of mine told me that if I plan on getting a masters degree “ It better be related to any future job plans I might have” cause other wise a master degree is useless if it does not help, you advance on your job. I understand her concern but here is my question “Why is there plenty of people still able to find jobs that have masters degrees totally unrelated to their job skill?” and also “What is wrong with having a Master in Liberal Studies?” if I do choose this route with a concentration in history “How will it differ from those who have a Masters in History?

 

Some of those programs are fairly flexable, and would allow you to persue enough of an emphisis in one area to persue a doctorate. CSU Dominguez Hills M.A. in Humanities allows you to have a concentration in music, philosophy, history, art, or literature. I have heard of at least one person, John Bear's wife, who created a philosophy degree out of it, and was accepted into a doctorate program.

 

If you're in (or might get) a job that carries along a salary increase with a master's, or a job that requires a master's, or you're looking to get promoted, or plan to teach at a community college, or in a K-12 classroom, or would like to earn a doctorate one day (and don't mind taking bridge coursework if it's in a different field), or plan to write, or may enter the ministry one day, or would like to do some freelance consulting, or would like to give seminars, et. al., then a master's--regardless of what it's in, or what kind it is--can be a very nice thing to have. (Example: My master's--an M.A. in humanities, not that different from an M.L.A.--would entitle me to AA-level public school teacher certification rather than basic A-level, so I'd get a higher salary if I ever decided to teach in a classroom. My master's qualifies me to write reference books and edit university press anthologies. My master's satisfies two-thirds of the elective credit requirements for Unitarian Universalist ministry ordination. I have been told that my master's would qualify me to teach courses as an adjunct with at least three local colleges. et. al.)

If you're planning on specializing in a single area of study, and intend to teach it at the university level, then a specialized master's may be more useful than a general one.

In either case, I can't see any harm to earning a master's degree. If it looks like fun and you can justify the time/expense, go for it!

Good luck.


Cheers,

 

My advice is not to take anyone's advice. Kidding...


If it's your personal goal to simply have a master's degree, by all means, go for it. Quite a few MLA degrees I've looked at mention that this type of degree often appeals to those who are simply seeking personal enrichment.

In my case, I have a BA in Liberal Studies from TESC. Fortunately, I was able to kill several birds with one stone. First, I fullfilled my goal of getting a degree (yes, any degree). This was extremely important since numerous Chicago Public School teachers made it their business to tell me I would only be a bum. Secondly, the BA made me instantly more promotable since my employer is not picky as long as I do have some kind of 4-year degree. Lastly, my BA allowed me to enroll in an MBA program once I got a little more focused. I'm working on that right now.

So just like my BA, I bet your MLA will serve you much better than you or your friend might predict.

 

Actually the MLA or MLS can have some practical value. The University of Oklahoma has one. It is very flexible and allows you to take courses to your advantage. A particularly interestng option is the MLS in museum management. They also have majors in history and social sciences. It is a well respected degree. People have used it to pursue doctoral education, teach in community colleges, and advance in their jobs. I know a couple of individuals who do consulting and felt like it increased their credibility.

 

Oh, Master of Liberal Studies degrees are fun to do (but you wouldn't want your friends to catch you).