Academic Program Review Self-Study
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Reporting School/College:
St. John’s College
Program Reviewed:
Liberal Studies MA Q
Date Submitted to Department/Division Chair: 4/01/10
Overview: (Suggested limit 1 page)
This section will focus the review for your reader. Please summarize your program’s
mission and its relationship to the mission of St. John’s University, your Department and
School/College Strategic Plan, and the University’s 2008-2013 Strategic Plan. Identify
similar programs regionally and nationally and distinguish your program from them.
Also summarize your findings as they relate to (1) market growth potential, (2) program
quality, and (3) student learning. And, summarize any significant changes, achievements
(by faculty and students and the program itself), and plans for the future.
Program Description & Mission
Inaugurated in 1996 and originally housed in Metropolitan College, the Master of
Arts in Liberal Studies is an interdisciplinary program now housed in the
Graduate Division of St. John’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. It provides
students with opportunities to take graduate courses in Economics, History,
English, Government & Politics, Languages and Literatures, Psychology,
Sociology and Anthropology, Asian Studies, and Theology and Religious Studies.
There are several tracks within the program: Humanities, Social Sciences,
Cultural Studies, and Innovative Research. In this 33 credit program, all students
are required to complete an introductory seminar (MLS 100) and an integrating
capstone seminar (MLS 200, the focus of which is the capstone seminar. Except
for the Concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies (in which students take 9
courses [27 credits] from the courses approved for that Concentration), students
take 5 courses (15 credits) in a particular discipline, and 12 credits in cognate
disciplines.
Designed especially for working professionals from a variety of backgrounds, this
program underlines the intersections among a variety of academic disciplines as
these converge to consider crucial dimensions of foundational and current issues.
The program encourages the development of critical and creative thinking. It is
not a “generalist” degree, but a deliberately interdisciplinary degree program with
significant student-centered flexibility and careful advisement. Because this
program focuses on persons who are employed full-time, most are part-time
students.
According to the web site of the Association of Graduate Liberal Studies
Programs (AGLSP),
Education for careers is indispensable in our society, but it often is
not enough to satisfy the passions of “great and generous minds.”
For them, satisfaction comes only with explorations through the
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wide realm of ideas. Because intellectual curiosity does not cease
upon completion of the baccalaureate degree or advanced
specialized degrees, an increasing number of universities and
colleges are offering graduate degree programs in liberal studies,
which respond to the passion for learning of part-time, adult
learners.
Graduate Liberal Studies Programs offer challenging
interdisciplinary study to adults who work toward a master’s
degree while maintaining their careers. GLS students come from a
wide range of education backgrounds and professions. Whatever
their occupation, they share an intense love of learning, an active
curiosity, and a desire for continued intellectual growth and
challenge. (http://www.aglsp.org/)
Similar Programs at Other Colleges & Universities:
The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) program at St. John’s University is
one of more than 130 such programs in colleges and universities across the United
States.
In addition to St. John’s University, colleges and universities with M.A. programs
in Liberal Studies include the following:
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CUNY College of Staten Island
(http://www.csi.cuny.edu/catalog/graduate/liberal.php3)
CUNY Graduate Center (http://web.gc.cuny.edu/Liberalstudies/)
Columbia University
(http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsas/pages/academics/main/lib-stud-prglist/index.html)
Dowling College (http://www.dowling.edu/academics/malib.shtml)
Kean University
(http://www.kean.edu/~keangrad/CVPA/MALS/MA_in_Liberal_Studies_About_
the_Program.html)
New School for Social Research (http://www.newschool.edu/nssr/liberalstudies/)
New York University (John W. Draper Interdisciplinary Master’s Program in
Humanities and Social Thought: http://draper.fas.nyu.edu/page/home)
Ramapo College of New Jersey (http://www.ramapo.edu/mals/)
Rutgers University (http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/dept-pages/liberal/)
Stony Brook University (http://www.stonybrook.edu/spd/graduate/mals.html)
Thomas Edison State College (http://www.tesc.edu/1839.php)
At the national level, the most extensive program in Liberal Studies is offered by
Georgetown University, housed within Georgetown’s School of Continuing
Studies (http://scs.georgetown.edu/departments/9/master-of-arts-in-liberalstudies). The program is staffed by two administrators and two staff members. In
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addition to the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, Georgetown offers the Doctor of
Liberal Studies degree, the only university in the United States to offer such a
program. The Georgetown M.A. in Liberal Studies offers 14 different programs
(American Studies, Catholic Studies, Classical Civilizations, Ethics and the
Professions, Humanities, Individualized Study, International Affairs, Islam and
Muslim-Christian Relations, Literature and Society, Medieval and Early Modern
European Studies, Religious Studies, Social and Public Policy, The Theory and
Practice of American Democracy, and Visual Culture).
St. John’s is one of two Vincentian Universities in the United States with a
graduate Liberal Studies Program. De Paul University also has a Master of Arts in
Liberal Studies (http://las.depaul.edu/mals/).
The Columbia University program (with eight separate programs of study
[American Studies, East Asian Studies, Human Rights Studies, Islamic Studies,
Jewish Studies, Medieval Studies, Modern European Studies, and South Asian
Studies]) is among the most extensive of our competitors in the New York
metropolitan area and in the nation. Likewise, the John W. Draper
Interdisciplinary Master’s Program in Humanities and Social Thought at New
York University is, as its own web site notes, “one of the largest and best-known
interdisciplinary graduate programs in the country”
(http://draper.fas.nyu.edu/page/home). The New York University program
includes six areas of inquiry (Art Worlds, Gender Politics, Global Histories,
Literary Cultures, Science Cultures, and the City), and the program is extensively
staffed (three administrators, one support staff member, six program faculty and
five master teachers).
In comparison with the extensive Liberal Studies programs at Columbia and New
York University, the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies at Dowling College is
significantly more modest in scale and size than the M.A. in Liberal Studies at St.
John’s. The program at Dowling College includes course offerings in Aesthetic
Studies, Contemporary Issues and Policy Studies, History of Ideas, and Literature.
The M. A. in Liberal Studies at De Paul University, a “sister program” of De
Paul’s M.A. / M.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies (staffed by a director, an associate
director, a program assistant and an intern), resembles the M.A. in Liberal Studies
at St. John’s University inasmuch as it draws from courses offered in other De
Paul University graduate programs. However, the M.A. in Liberal Studies at De
Paul also includes seven core courses (Visions of the Self, Perceptions of Reality,
the American Experience, the City, Representations of the Body, Exploring Other
Cultures, and Environment and Society). Like St. John’s, the M.A. in Liberal
Studies at De Paul also includes a Concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies.
While a number of religious studies courses are applicable to the De Paul
program, that program does not integrate Vincentian values in the explicit way
that the St. John’s program does.
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While the requirements for the M.A. in Liberal Studies are comparable with those
at other institutions that offer this degree (number of credits, capstone project,
etc.), and while Liberal Studies share a common emphasis on interdisciplinary
studies, the program at St. John’s is distinctive in terms of its explicit orientation
toward Vincentian values (social justice in particular), and in terms of its low
overall cost to the university. The relatively small size of the graduate program
offerings in Liberal Studies disciplines in St. John’s College of Liberal Arts &
Sciences limits the number of course offerings that are available to M.A.L.S
studies.
The Concentration in Global Development in Social Justice, originally housed
within the M.A. in Liberal Studies (until the end of academic year 2008-2009),
constituted an especially high-profile distinction for St. John’s. It represented an
innovative application of distance learning technologies to graduate education for
students from around the world, an innovative partnership with stakeholders such
as Caritas of the Diocese of Rome, and a unique contribution to the University’s
implementation of its mission as a Catholic, Vincentian, Metropolitan, and Global
University.
Significant changes in the program since its inception have included:
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The significant reduction of graduate course offerings in philosophy. When the
M.A. in Liberal Studies program was launched in 1996, it included a significant
number of graduate courses in philosophy. This took place in view of the plans at
that time to reinstate the M.A. program in philosophy. Because that reinstatement
did not take place, graduate course offerings in philosophy were reduced to one
(PHI 268: Feminist Philosophy), now offered as part of the Concentration in
Women’s and Gender Studies.
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The Summer 2006 launch of the Concentration in Global Development and Social
Justice, which operated under the aegis of the M.A. in Liberal Studies until the
end of the 2008-2009 academic year, with the graduation of the second cohort of
entering students and the approval of a new Master of Arts in Global
Development now housed in the university’s Center for Global Development.
This launch represented an innovative approach to distance learning, reaching out
to students from countries around the world (including Bosnia-Herzegovina, the
Philippines, Haiti, Thailand, Nigeria, Russia, Colombia, Cameroon, Palestine,
Italy, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, and Brazil).
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The Fall 2007 launch of a Concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies, as part
of the Cultural Studies track. This concentration was inaugurated as a direct result
of student interest. The launch of this program resulted in a significant increase in
program enrollment (from 13 students in Fall 2005 to 23 students in Fall 2009)
The future of the program at St. John’s University includes plans to:
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Implement a concentration in ethnic studies (and a concentration in urban
studies), developed in consultation with the President’s Multicultural Advisory
Committee. This will leverage existing graduate course offerings with an ethnic
studies focus, to serve the needs of an increasingly diverse student population in
ways that have their basis in the university’s metropolitan and global character.
This development, like the Concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies, will
leverage existing graduate course offerings that focus on ethnic and urban studies
(analogous to the recently inaugurated undergraduate minor in New York
Studies).
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Develop of a B.A./M.A. in Liberal Studies. Georgetown University also has a
B.A. in Liberal Studies, housed in the same administrative unit as the M.A. and
the doctorate in Liberal Studies (Georgetown’s School of Continuing Studies).
The development of a B.A. / M.A in Liberal Studies would constitute a distinctive
feature of the program at St. John’s.
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Heighten the visibility of the M.A. in Liberal Studies on the St. John’s University
web site and through other electronic marketing venues to assist in cost-effective
recruitment.
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Apply for (associate, and then active) membership in the Association of Graduate
Liberal Studies Programs (http://www.aglsp.org/, an organization with more than
120 member institutions), with a view toward networking and cooperating on
standards and best practices. This will also heighten the visibility of the program.
Standard 1. The purpose of the program reflects and supports the strategic vision
and mission of St. John’s University and of its School/College. (When responding to
this standard, please see Items for Reflection under this Standard.)
1a.
Narrative: (Suggested limit 1 page)
In describing the metropolitan character of St. John’s University, the University
Mission Statement makes the following commitment: “We pledge to foster those
qualities required for anticipating and responding to the educational, ethical,
cultural, social, professional, and religious needs of a dynamic world.” By
offering an interdisciplinary program of study that is academically rigorous, and
student-centered, the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies recognizes that fulfilling
the commitment articulated in the University Mission Statement involves
transcending disciplinary boundaries in order to adequately assess, anticipate, and
respond to our dynamic world in ways that are adequate to the complexity of that
world.
The St. John’s University Vision Statement also resonates strongly with the
purpose and the direction of the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies: “St. John’s
University will empower diverse learners with quality education for life. Through
innovative teaching, research and service we will foster rational, spirited inquiry
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and intelligent reflection. Our student-centered approach will be shaped by a
caring, energized, nimble culture.” The diversity of the learners who come to the
Master of Arts in Liberal Studies—many of them highly motivated professionals
returning for graduate education bringing significant experience—calls for a
program that is responsive to their needs. It likewise calls for marshalling the
academic resources of a variety of academic departments and disciplines so that
students can approach complex issues from a variety of approaches and
perspectives, bringing to bear a significant range of intellectual resources on real
world issues and foundational concerns.
Beginning with an Introductory Seminar that frames the program explicitly in
terms of the University’s Mission-centered focus on Vincentian expressions of
Catholic Social Teaching (with its values of human dignity, solidarity, and
concern for the common good), the program culminates with each student’s
capstone project. In that capstone project, each student demonstrates the ability to
articulate a thoughtful synthesis of what each has learned in five courses in the
area of specialization and other courses in cognate disciplines. This synthesis is
articulated in a sustained consideration of a key question or concern, and in many
cases these capstone topics themselves focus on pressing social concerns (for
example, “Poverty and the Divide of Wealth,” “The Social Meaning of a
Disability and the Development of Self,” “Mexican Immigration and New York
City”). Capstone projects have also focused attention on issues of significant
global resonance (for example, “The Social and Political Role of Cinema in
Contemporary Argentina,” and “Looking for God in Ghana: Traditional Religion
Versus Christianity”). With attentive and regular advisement by the Program
Director, as well as individualized attention from faculty members who teach
courses applicable to the program, students in the M.A. in Liberal Studies “color
outside the lines.” While recognizing the theoretical integrity and the internal
consistency of the academic disciplines they study, they also become aware that
real-world issues are richer and more complex than a single disciplinary paradigm
can comprehend. The value and versatility of an interdisciplinary approach are
underscored by the success of the Concentration in Global Development and
Social Justice (inaugurated under the auspices of the M.A. in Liberal Studies), and
of the Concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies, developed as a result of
expressed student interest. The efficient design and implementation of both of
these initiatives attests to the ways in which this program embraces the University
Vision Statement’s imperative that out “student-centered approach will be shaped
by a caring, energized, nimble culture.”
1b.
What activities provide evidence that the program furthers the Catholic identity of
St. John’s University? (Suggested limit 1/3 page)
During the time period when the Concentration in Global Development and
Social Justice was housed under the auspices of the M.A. in Liberal Studies, the
program operated in direct support of the university’s emphasis on Catholic
Social Teaching, doing so with the direct sponsorship of Caritas of the Diocese of
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Rome and with a steering committee that included representatives from St. John’s
University, from Caritas of the Diocese of Rome, and from other sponsoring
agencies (the Idente Foundation and the Istituto S. M. in Aquiro). Currently, the
program’s Concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies includes a strong social
justice component, including two courses in theology (THE 430: Women and the
Christian Tradition; and THE 431: Women, Children and Justice). The thematic
focus of the MLS 100, the Introductory Seminar in Liberal Studies (required of all
students in the program) has consistently focused on social justice concerns, with
student seminar presentations and projects on a variety of topics with a social
justice emphasis nourished explicitly by Catholic Social Teaching.
1c.
What activities has the program undertaken to provide evidence of support for the
Vincentian tradition and values? (Suggested limit 1/3 page)
The focus of MLS 100, the Introductory Seminar in Liberal Studies on social
justice concerns is fully in support of the Vincentian tradition and values. Because
this seminar is the gateway to the program that is required of all students no
matter their track or area of concentration, this emphasis launches students on a
trajectory through the program that keeps Vincentian values and traditions
directly and indirectly in mind as they map their progress through the program.
Their selection of seminar project topics consistently reflects this, as does their
selection of courses throughout the program, as well as the focus of their capstone
projects (see the information in 1d).
During the years that the Concentration in Global Development and Social Justice
was housed under the auspices of the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, the
emphasis on Vincentian tradition and values was especially insistent, inasmuch as
this concentration sought to prepare students for careers as development
professionals in a variety of agencies across the globe.
The Concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies (with courses that include
SOC 117: Family Violence; SOC 224: Women and the City; THE 431: Women,
Children and Justice) is organized in ways that affirm the Vincentian values that
found expression, for example, in the remarks made on behalf of the Holy See’s
Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations by Dr. Marilyn Martone, St.
John’s University Associate Professor of Theology & Religious Studies,
“Catholic Social Thought: The Human Person, Common Good, Dependency and
Caregiving” (Presented March 11, 2009:
http://www.holyseemission.org/11Mar2009%20Martone.html). Dr. Martone
originally developed the syllabus for THE 431 for the Concentration in Global
Development and Social Justice for delivery in distance learning format. The
course is now also offered for students in the Concentration in Women’s &
Gender Studies.
1d.
What activities provide evidence that the program promotes the metropolitan
character of the University? (Suggested limit 1/3 page)
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In his 2006 book, Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers, a book that is
required reading in MLS 100: Introductory Seminar in Liberal Studies, Princeton
University professor of philosophy writes that
There are two strands that intertwine in the notion of
cosmopolitanism. One is the idea that we have obligations to
others, obligations that stretch beyond those to whom we are
related by ties of kith and kind, or even the more formal ties of a
shared citizenship. The other is that we take seriously the value not
just of human life but of particular human lives, which means
taking an interest in the practices and beliefs that lend them
significance. People are different, the cosmopolitan knows, and
there is much to learn from our differences (Cosmopolitanism:
Ethics in a World of Strangers [New York: W.W. Norton, 2006]
xv).
The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies embraces this rich understanding of
cosmopolitanism as an imperative for students who live and work in an
increasingly globalized society. As an explicitly interdisciplinary program, the
Master of Arts in Liberal Studies draws on a variety of academic resources from
departments in St. John’s College. Students are encouraged to choose a track and
an area of concentration that suits their backgrounds and interests, and that
expands their horizons in ways that are in step with the metropolitan and global
character of St. John’s University. This is especially clear from the titles of a
number of recent capstone projects:
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“Poverty and the Divide of Wealth”
“Looking for God in Ghana: Traditional Religion Versus Christianity”
“Negotiation of the Strong Black Woman Stereotype”
“Female Genital Mutilation-A Cultural Perspective”
“Examining Process and Outcome in the REBT (Rational Emotive
Behavior Therapy) Treatment of an Adolescent Male”
“The Role of Italian and Jewish Immigrant Women in the United States
1880-1920”
“The Social Meaning of a Disability and the Development of Self”
“Mexican Immigration and New York City”
“The Impact of Same Sex Education on Students, Families and Society”
“The Social and Political Role of Cinema in Contemporary Argentina”
Standard 2. The program engages in ongoing, systematic planning that is
reflective of the University and School/College strategic direction and priorities.
(When responding to this Standard, please see Items for Reflection under this Standard.)
2a.
Narrative: (Suggested limit 1 page)
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Engagement in ongoing, systematic planning in the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies
has been a consistent feature of this program, made especially necessary by the
interdisciplinary character of the program and its reliance on faculty and course
offerings from a number of different departments and programs. With regard to the
coherence of this planning process with the university’s institutional focus there is
clearly directed intentionally “to transform the institutional culture to one in which
the quality of how we serve our students both in and out of the classroom is
exceptional.”
For the purposes of this program review, it is necessary to distinguish between the
ongoing, systematic planning that was crucial to the development and implementation
of the Concentration in Global Development and Social Justice (housed under the
auspices of the M.A. in Liberal Studies from its launch in Summer 2006 until the end
of academic year 2008-2009 when it was approved as a Master of Arts in Global
Development and Social Justice housed in the Center for Global Studies), and the
ongoing systematic planning that is essential to the other tracks and concentrations
within the continuing M.A. in Liberal Studies. This review will begin by addressing
the planning process that characterized the Concentration in Global Development and
Social Justice. Both of these foci in the ongoing, systematic planning process
emphasize the university’s mission as a Catholic, Vincentian, and metropolitan /
global institution. Both planning foci likewise emphasize attention to student-centered
engagement, working with students inside and beyond the classroom to maximize
their personal and professional success.
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Concentration in Global Development and Social Justice
St. John’s University was approached by Caritas of Rome during the 2005-2006
academic year in connection with the expressed interest of that agency to partner
with a major Catholic university to offer a graduate program that would train
professionals and aspiring professionals in development (e.g., social workers,
migration specialists, health care providers, educators, employees of international
organizations such as the United Nations, and employees of NGO’s) with a strong
foundation in Catholic Social Teaching. The Vincentian mission orientation of St.
John’s, together with the university’s significant investment in effective distance
learning pedagogy, made St. John’s a fitting partner for this project.
A steering committee that included representatives from St. John’s University and
from the Italian partner organizations (Caritas of Rome, the Idente Foundation,
and the Istituti S. M. in Aquiro) was formed to establish program goals and
objectives, to work with St. John’s faculty and other experts to design the
curriculum (see the details of the curriculum in 4d below), and to provide overall
oversight for the program. The committee met twice yearly, with responsibilities
that grew to include student recruitment and admissions decisions, faculty
development, and ongoing monitoring of the program. The steering committee
was chaired by the Director of the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, who was the
primary point of contact between St. John’s University and our Italian partners
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with regard to administrative matters, student inquiries, and direct interaction with
program faculty members. The steering committee met twice annually, in addition
to regular meetings during the concentration’s July summer session in Rome, to
engage in ongoing planning, evaluation and assessment. Regular student input and
an annual survey instrument were crucial dimensions of this planning process.
The steering committee reviewed the feedback receive through the annual survey
in order to provide continuous improvement.
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M.A. in Liberal Studies: Other Tracks and Concentrations (Humanities, Social
Sciences, Culture Studies, and the Concentration in Women’s and Gender
Studies)
The Program Director is in regular contact with the chairs and program directors
in the various departments of St. John’s College who have oversight of their
respective graduate programs. These regular consultations and updates serve to
keep current the course offerings made available to Liberal Studies students in the
various departments’ graduate program offerings. This academic planning process
is vital to the success of the M.A. in Liberal Studies program, which draws on the
strengths of the graduate course offerings of the departments in St. John’s
College. At the same time, M.A. in Liberal Studies helps to support and sustain
other graduate programs in St. John’s College by enrolling its students in courses
that are relevant to their own Liberal Studies tracks and concentrations.
With more specific regard to the Concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies,
this concentration was launched in Fall 200 as a result of significant and sustained
expressions of student and potential student interest in establishing this
concentration. The planning process included consultation among chairs and
directors of departments and programs that might contribute courses to the new
concentration. In two cases resulted in the development of new courses specific to
this concentration: PHI 268: Feminist Philosophy, and the Introduction to
Women’s and Gender Studies (HIS / SOC 101). The latter (Women’s and Gender
Studies) is offered alternately through the Department of History and the
Department of Sociology and Anthropology as a result of consultation with the
chairs of those departments. In addition, THE 431: Women, Children, and Justice,
originally developed as a distance learning course for the Concentration in Global
Development and Social Justice as a distance learning course, is now also
available as a classroom course for students in the Concentration in Women’s and
Gender Studies. The Concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies provided the
first opportunity for graduate courses in theology & religious studies to be
available for students in the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, with THE 430:
Women and the Christian Tradition also available.
With reference to semester-by-semester planning and review, every effort is made
to provide students with a strong selection of courses in their area of
concentration, with appropriate courses in the cognate disciplines. Likewise every
effort is made to provide students with the opportunity to be active participants in
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the design of their program of study, balancing this with careful attention to the
disciplinary standards of the fields in which these courses are offered. Student
advisement is therefore an essential part of the planning process.
2b.
How does your program's strategic goals/objectives link to your School/College
plan and the University’s 2008-2013 Strategic Plan, specifically related to Mission,
Student Engagement, and Globalization. (Suggested limit 1 page)
The M.A. in Liberal Studies Program Goals and Learning Outcomes are the
following:
This program prepares its graduates to
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Identify and think critically about key foundational and critically about
key foundational and current issues in their area of concentration
(humanities, social science, or culture studies [including women’s and
gender studies]) with an emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches.
o Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of foundational questions,
issues, and concerns in the discipline(s) of their concentration
o Identify and analyze current questions and concerns in their
disciplines
o Think creatively and critically about the ways in which their
discipline(s) are in dialogue with other perspectives and
approaches
Employ the theory, tools, methods and scholarly literature of the
discipline(s) in their area of concentration, with an understanding of how
these relate to other disciplines
o Demonstrate understanding of the scholarly literature relevant to
the discipline(s) in their area of concentration (humanities, social
science, or culture studies)
o Engage in critical thinking informed by the relevant theory of their
discipline(s)
o Select and employ the appropriate and relevant tools and methods
of their disciplines
Conduct original research, drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives and
using a wide variety of scholarly resources
o Gather, organize, and present information using appropriate
academic style
o Formulate research hypotheses and design appropriate strategies to
test these hypotheses and investigate relevant evidence
o Identify and critically evaluate relevant resources in a variety of
formats
o Write essays, reviews, and research papers that focus on key
foundational and / or current issues from an interdisciplinary
perspective.
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The program’s goals link very deliberately to the 2008-2013 Strategic Plan’s
emphases on student engagement and globalization, emphases that are
undergirded by the focus on mission. The Brand Positioning Statement cited in
the Strategic Plan notes:
At St. John’s our passion for education is guided by a simple
truth—that higher education is not just about career preparation,
it’s about learning to make a difference in the world….Our
community, one of the most comfortably diverse in the nation,
reflects this commitment to shared experience where people from
all walks of life can come together in an atmosphere of respect and
common purpose. We believe that the world is, indeed, getting
smaller and that society needs leaders with a broad, informed view.
With our community stretching from New York to Rome, and with
an exceptionally diverse student population, we are committed to
higher education which will provide access, expand horizons,
foster understanding, inspire leadership and service, and
demonstrate how to truly make a difference in the world.
The diverse community of learners who are students in the M.A. in Liberal
Studies program are encouraged to participate actively in the shaping of their own
program of study. Beginning with an Introductory Seminar in which they are
provided with an overview of what it means to engage in interdisciplinary study,
and in which they become proficient in using the university’s considerable
information technology and library resources, they work—in consultation with the
Program Director—to choose an area of concentration. As they develop expertise
in their areas of concentration, they are also exposed to the different approaches
and methods of cognate disciplines.
The capstone project, developed by each student in regular consultation with the
Program Director and a faculty mentor in the student’s area of concentration,
offers each student the opportunity to engage in significant research that is
informed by an explicitly interdisciplinary orientation. Topics of student capstone
projects (listed in this program review under 1d) clearly indicate highly
developed understanding of globalization in its local and intercontinental and
intercultural implications. These likewise demonstrate the clear influence of the
mission-centered orientation of the program, with a strong emphasis on a
Vincentian understanding of social justice. With respect to the focus of the
Strategic Plan on Mission, the goals of the M.A. in Liberal Studies aim to “to
provide our students with the skills to become leaders in the quest to foster global
harmony and peace and to mitigate poverty and social injustice in the world
community.”
2c.
How does your program’s strategic goals/objectives link to the University’s
institutional focus to “transform the institutional culture to one in which the quality of
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how we serve our students both in and out of the classroom is exceptional.” (Suggested
limit ½ page)
Among the most significant ways in which the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies
works to “transform the institutional culture to one in which the quality of how we
serve our students both in and out the classroom is exceptional” is by offering a
truly interdisciplinary curriculum that encourages active collaboration and
integration across traditional academic disciplines. Students find that the
individual attention they receive from the Program Director in planning their
course of study, as well as the individual attention they receive from the faculty
members who mentor them in the preparation of their capstone projects results in
very satisfying outcomes. One student’s observation is especially telling with
regard to this program’s exceptional service to students: “As an adult student, it is
a wonderful feeling to know that you are in charge of your own future.”
The following are examples of recent student feedback that testify to the high
quality of service provided to students in the M.A. in Liberal Studies:
Student A: I would like to inform you at this time how wonderful The St. John’s
College’s, Women and Gender Studies has been for me. I started with the
program in the Fall of 2007 and will complete my Master’s in December of 2010.
I was a little reluctant to attend the graduate program but when I was told about
the new Women and Gender’s program and what it would offer I couldn’t pass up
the opportunity. I had the pleasure of working with some great faculty members
who provided me with information that I was not exposed to in the undergraduate
program. As an older student and working fulltime it took quite a while to finish
my undergraduate degree and now the master’s program but the faculty
conducting these classes are very informative and willing to guide you every step
of the way. What they provided me in this program is how women do have an
impact on society and have always been influential but not always in the spotlight.
Some of the important programs offered were Sociology of Gender, Family,
Religion, and Deviance, Women in American History, Liberal Studies and
Feminist Philosophy.
Student B: The MALS program was the perfect graduate program for me. As an
adult student who had already experienced success in the corporate world…I felt
the need to further my education and expand my knowledge base. Taking courses
in sociology, psychology and history allowed me to do just that. As an Academic
Advisor these courses helped me to build stronger relationships with my students
and as a result provide them with a higher level of customer service. The
members of the faculty in Arts and Science were always a wealth of knowledge
and their individual experiences endless. I feel that I am a better person as a
result of having acquired the MALS. I like to the versatility it allowed me to take
courses like Russian History and Sociology of the Community, which are courses
that I could never have combined otherwise. This is a program that affords an
individual the ability to grow without being forced to choose one area and what
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you learn transcends into any and every facet of both your professional and
personal life.
Student C: The completion of the MALS program has been extremely rewarding
and the culmination of a personal goal. The variety of topics that were covered in
the curriculum provided an opportunity for me to expand my knowledge and
thinking to include many areas that I might not have had the occasion to delve
into if it were not for the Liberal Study program. Of particular interest were the
Gender Studies courses that revealed the scope of injustice that exists and affects
a very large segment of our population. There is a wide-ranging variety of
courses available that concentrate on women’s issues and bring to the fore the
actions that need to be endorsed in order for these injustices to be addressed and
reversed. I would encourage anyone to consider the MALS program who wanted
to gain a well balanced graduate degree that will provide a broad scope of study
and also allows for concentration in a particular field.
Student D: I am writing to offer you feedback on my experience as a St. John’s
graduate Student in the MALS program. In retrospect my time in the Master’s of
Liberal Studies program has been a tremendous benefit to my academic and
professional career. Through your careful mentorship and counseling I was able
to excel in the program and make an effective transition from mere student to
scholar. The curriculum exposed me to a variety of subjects which were
imperative to my academic interests and through the interdisciplinary freedom of
my tract it guided my decision making for future scholastic pursuits. Not only
was the knowledge I gained during the experience useful to me for my own
individual application but the degree itself and the work I described in the process
of earning it were, I am certain, absolute critical factors to my successful
admission to my current PhD program at the University of Southern California. I
am grateful to you and all of the staff and faculty at St. John’s with whom I
worked for all of your assistance in helping me to fulfill my personal goals and
advance my professional ambitions by being a part of this department; an
experience that for me shall remain a crucial landmark on the long road to
success.
Student E: The MALS program is a wonderful program for anyone that isn’t
really sure what the next step is, in regards to their education. I was able to take
different classes in different concentrations to find what I was most interested.
This program also made me want to participate in the classroom. As an
undergraduate I rarely participated or spoke because I didn’t feel confident
enough. My role in the classroom has completely changed since entering this
program. I wanted to participate, I wanted to learn and it allowed me to be a free
thinker, I enjoyed each class I took and I enjoyed each assignment, it was
overwhelming at times but I actually felt like learning was fun as cliché as that
sounds. I think this degree has and while help me in my career in development
along with any other field I decide to go into, I feel more confident to participate
in meetings and presentations and I think the tools from the classes I took opened
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my mind to different relationships and behaviors within the workforce and
departments I work in. I feel that I have a better understanding and the tools to
succeed. I could not be any happier with my decision to enroll in this program…
Student F: The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program was perfect for
someone like me. I’ve never been concerned in getting a degree to get a job. I go
to school to learn, jobs will come. The MALS program offered a wide range of
topics and allowed me the flexibility to choose classes that challenged and
appealed to me. My classes covered everything from cosmopolitanism, social
theory and jazz in literature. When I was ready to select a track I did so with great
guidance and based on my interests. I have no regrets about not selecting a more
“traditional” program. The MALS program opened my eyes to the way in which
several disciplines are connected and why understanding those connections are
important. As the world becomes more connected it is vital to understand
different cultures in order to not only coexist but to thrive. I graduated with a
Master of Arts in Liberal Studies trained to think, to analyze, to coexist and not
just trained for one job.
Student G: Completing the MALS Program was beneficial to me in many ways.
The journey itself was very rewarding due to the positive interaction with my
various professors and fellow students. Having completed my Bachelor of
Science in 2005, I felt extremely accomplished and satisfied especially since I had
returned to complete my education late in life. I did not expect to further my
education, but I am happy that I did achieve my Masters Degree and the decision
to undertake graduate study was a good one.
Student H: The MALS program was a wonderful experience for me. It allowed
me to broad my knowledge on a variety of subjects and gain a much more wellrounded education…I also work at Adelphi University as an adjunct professor in
the Library. By obtaining my MALS degree also provided me with a raise in pay
in that position. The benefits of degree have been multiple—a broader knowledge
base and an increase in my economic standing. Thus it was a winning situation
all around.
Student I: My thesis project (“The Social Meaning of a Disability and the
Meaning of Self”) was driven by my desire to understand how two women who
were part of my life managed to overcome significant physical disabilities and
have successful careers. Reading Stigma by Erving Goffman and works by Simi
Linton, a disability rights activist, led me to investigate the impact stigma plays in
everyday life. A Masters of the Arts degree for a business person is challenging—
it is a very different construct. However, it offers a person the opportunity to see
things as though it was their very first time. I am grateful to the professors who
enriched my life and to St. John’s for giving me this opportunity.
Student J: The Liberal Studies program gave me an opportunity to pursue an
interdisciplinary Master’s Degree that offered a variety of options in the social
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sciences. Even though I concentrated in the Women’s Studies area and needed to
complete the requirements for that concentration, I was able to design my own
program and pick my own courses, with the help of my advisor. As an adult
student, it is a wonderful feeling to know that you are in charge of your own
future. Because of the interdisciplinary aspect of Liberal Studies, some of these
courses included Women and Gender, Sociology, History, and Women in
Education, all areas that I found particularly interesting and fascinating. Trying to
pursue a Masters Degree while working full time and fulfilling my obligations at
home was particularly difficult. However, it was by far one of the most rewarding
experiences of my life. Receiving this degree has changed my way of thinking,
my way of reading, my way of writing and my way of communicating with
people. I was not bound to one particular subject and it gave me depth of
knowledge that I never knew I was capable of.
Student K: The MALS program at St. John’s University was an integral part of
my educational development. When starting this program, all students must take
MLS 100, which is a seminar on what “liberal studies” is and the different subject
matters one can study. This seminar truly opened my eyes and I was enthralled
by Father Ruiz. His teaching methods are truly inspiring and I really loved going
to class! The texts were interesting and everyone in my class participated. Father
Ruiz has a way of making research appealing and exciting to talk about. After
taking the seminar course I was eager to start my own research. I took what I had
learned in the seminar and applied it to my master’s thesis.
Student L: The MALS program was a challenging and rewarding experience. The
program allowed me to gain a greater understanding of a specific subject,
economics, while I expanded my knowledge base in other areas. I definitely
enjoyed the lively conversations with my classmates sparked by subject matter
covered in class. The diversity of opinions and breadth of experiences enhanced
the dialogue. I would recommend the program to others.
Student M: As a result of the MALS program, I've had the opportunity to enhance
my knowledge of both domestic and world issues by drawing from a variety of
academic disciplines. During my time in the program, I took courses in Spanish,
Sociology, Government and a seminar in Liberal Studies. These areas of study
are not only fascinating and important, but from what I have discovered, are truly
connected. I feel as if I understand sociology better as a result of my government
courses and vice versa. In my Spanish classes I was able to apply that knowledge
to my studies of the social and political issues in Latin America. In addition to the
MA program in Liberal Studies, I am finishing up the advanced certificate
program in Latin American and Caribbean Studies, which is also interdisciplinary.
It was great to do the certificate program in conjunction with this MA because I
was able to take courses that counted toward both the MA and the certificate
when I focused my research on a topic relating to Latin America. The Liberal
Studies seminar was helpful in that the philosophical ideas we read about and
discussed provided an important backdrop for the topics we covered in our other
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classes. Overall, I had a positive experience and I am grateful for having the
opportunity to draw from a variety of disciplines for my graduate studies. In life
it is essential to know about a number of them, not just one, to better understand
the complex issues of our society and our world.
Student N: The MALS program has had a major impact on me. I think this
program is perfect for the working and or mid career professional. This program
offers them a variety of courses to expand their professional career or take them in
a new direction like it did me. I love the flexibility of the program and the
curriculum. When I started this program I thought I knew which direction and
courses I wanted to take. However, life and things change that forced me to
reconsider the direction I wanted to initially take. The MALS program allowed
me the flexibility to adapt with and to the changes that were going on outside of
school. The MALS program has definitely enhanced my professional career and
given me more options than if I had chosen a single discipline program. I think
and believe that this program will make me more marketable in the job market.
Also the biggest impact of this program is that I was not just taking course to
complete / get a degree. I actually learned and have grown as a person and
professional.
Student O: The MALS Program has impacted me greatly. This program has
allowed me to become more educated in my concentration of Sociology. The
structure of the program allows the Graduate School experience to be one of
comfort. One may be nervous from the transition of Undergraduate to the
Graduate stage, but the MALS Program lets you know that you are among your
peers, and that everyone is working to help you better yourself as you complete
the courses given. Everyone involved in the program does an excellent job on
advising students with any issues they are having, and everyone is so friendly and
professional. I have recommended many people that have had thoughts of
entering Grad School to look into the MALS Program, as I feel that it is one of the
premier programs at the University.
Student P: The MALS Program has been very rewarding for me. I went to St.
Johns after Nassau Community at the age of fifty. I completed by undergraduate
in legal studies and wanted to continue my education. This program enabled me to
do that. I could not afford to go to Law School; however I wanted to obtain a
Masters Degree. This program will allow me to do that. I am enrolled in the
Women’s Studies discipline, which is perfect for me. I have completed all the
courses and I am now writing my thesis for the completion of my degree. This
program offers many different disciplines so that is why it is attractive to a
diversity of students. When I have completed the program and get my Masters
Degree, my employer has told me that it will mean that I will have a greater
opportunity to raise my salary and expand my current position.
2d.
Describe the process for implementing program goals/objectives. (Suggested limit
½ page)
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The implementation of program goals and objectives begins with MLS 100, the
Introductory Seminar in Liberal Studies, in which students are introduced to the
goals and objectives of the M.A. in Liberal Studies. The Introductory Seminar is
taught by the Program Director (with the exception of the Concentration in Global
Development and Social Justice, for which the Introductory Seminar was taught
in Rome by an adjunct faculty member recommended by Caritas of Rome).
Together with regular advisement of students (with regard to course selection and
progress in completing the program), this makes it possible for the Program
Director to work on a one-to-one basis with students from the beginning of their
studies in the program to monitor their progress toward achieving the goals and
objectives in the program.
The Program Director regularly consults with department chairs and program
directors of departments with graduate programs that offer courses available for
students in the M.A. in Liberal Studies. This consultation includes updating of
current and future course offerings available for students in the M.A. in Liberal
Studies. The program director is also in regular contact with faculty members who
agree to serve as mentors for students’ capstone projects, to ascertain whether
students are making adequate and timely progress toward the completion of their
capstone projects.
With regard to the Concentration in Global Development and Social justice (while
it was housed under the M.A. in Liberal Studies), implementation of the program
goals and objectives was among the responsibilities of the steering committee
(jointly composed of representatives of St. John’s University and of the Italian
partner organizations—Caritas of the Diocese of Rome, the Idente Foundation,
and the Istituti S. M. in Aquiro).
2e.
What activities undertaken by the program provide evidence of monitoring the
external and internal environment, specifically, what are the strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats facing this program? How were these identified? What actions
have been taken in response to these findings? What characteristics of the program
suggest a competitive edge against other programs regionally and nationally? (Suggested
limit ½ page)
Strengths:

One key strength of the M.A. in Liberal Studies is its deliberately
interdisciplinary focus. That interdisciplinarity allows for a significant degree
of flexibility. That flexibility made it possible to develop the Concentration in
Global Development and Social Justice, which drew faculty members from
several departments in St. John’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, and also
from the College of Professional Studies, the School of Education, and the
Tobin College of Business. More recently, that flexibility made it possible to
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develop the Concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies, developed in
direct response to student interest.

The relatively small size of the program puts premium value on individual
attention to each student, frequent and attentive advisement, and monitoring of
progress toward the completion of the degree. Student feedback (see examples
presented under 2d) attests to the effectiveness of this dimension of the
program.

An additional key strength of the program is its minimal cost to the university.
Weaknesses:

Given the current economic climate, and the university’s decision to respond
to these adverse circumstances in ways that include reductions in the number
of graduate course offerings, the M. A. in Liberal Studies is adversely affected
by its reliance on graduate course offerings by the departments in St. John’s
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The range of courses available to
students in the M.A. in Liberal Studies is reduced, particularly since
departments offering graduate programs will have to plan their offerings with
a specific focus on the needs of their own students.

The visibility of the program on the current St. John’s University web site is
less than optimal. Greater visibility on the St. John’s University web site
would heighten awareness of the program for potential applicants in a cost
efficient way.
Opportunities:

The strong Vincentian social justice orientation of St. John’s is a distinctive
feature of the university and of the M.A. in Liberal Studies program.
Combined with the flexibility of the program, as well as the individualized
program planning that is offered, the program is increasingly attractive to
students interested in public service.

Despite the adverse effects of the current economic and employment situation,
the current climate is prompting adult learners in the work force to return to
higher education. The M.A. in Liberal Studies provides an attractive option
for such adult learners, with its proven track record and a demonstrated level
of high student satisfaction (see examples presented under 2d).
Threats:

The key external threat is the high visibility of high budget, prominent Liberal
Studies programs at Columbia University and at New York University. The
significant resources available for graduate studies at both of those institutions
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make it challenging for St. John’s to compete, due to comparatively small size
of our program (especially in terms of budget and program offerings) and
because of the impact of the economic crisis on planning at St. John’s.
2f.
What is the market growth potential for the program? What internal and/or
external sources support your response? (Suggested limit ½ page)
The market potential for the M.A. in Liberal Studies is very promising. This
potential will be tapped by means of the following strategies:

Continued marketing to adult learners who are either considering career
changes, or who wish to pursue their passions and interests by returning to
graduate higher education. This population continues to constitute the largest
group of potential applicants to graduate programs in Liberal Studies.

The development of a B.A. / M.A. in Liberal Studies. This would be a
distinctive sequence not typically found in other institutions with graduate
liberal studies programs. Entering students could pursue the M.A. in Liberal
Studies with a major in any of the disciplines that offer courses applicable to
the M.A. (e.g., English, History, Government & Politics, Sociology &
Anthropology)

The development of new theme-focused concentrations (including ethnic
studies and urban studies) that tap into the specific strengths and resources of
the University’s diverse metropolitan context. The development of a
concentration in ethnic studies will follow up on significant student interest
expressed before the President’s Multicultural Advisory Committee.

Application for (associate, and then active) membership in the Association of
Graduate Liberal Studies Programs. This membership will provide significant
networking opportunities and will heighten the visibility of the program.

Improvement of the M.A. in Liberal Studies page on the St. John’s University
web site will focus on increasing the number of interested applicants to the
program.
Standard 3. The program provides a high quality curriculum that emphasizes and
assesses student learning and engagement. (When responding to this Standard, please
see Items for Reflection under this Standard.)
3a.
Please indicate how the program curriculum is in alignment with the following
three items: (Suggested limit 1 page)
1.
Disciplinary standards
2.
The 2008-2013 Strategic Plan areas of focus (Mission, Engagement,
Globalization)
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3.
The University Core competencies
The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies emphasizes serious study across traditional
disciplinary boundaries. The intentionally interdisciplinary nature of the program
makes it possible for students to address significant and complex issues that are
investigated by a broad range of humanities and social science disciplines.
The curriculum for the Concentration in Global Development and Social Justice,
(which was organized and operated under the M. A. in Liberal Studies from its
launch in Summer / Fall 2006 until it became an independent M.A. in Global
Development and Social Justice at the end of the 2008-2009 academic year) was
deliberately planned by the Steering Committee and by St. John’s University
faculty members teaching in the program, to adhere to the highest disciplinary
standards and to the university’s mission as a Catholic, Vincentian and
metropolitan university, with especially deliberate attention to Catholic Social
Teaching.
With respect to the curriculum of the current M.A. in Liberal Studies tracks in
Humanities, Social Sciences, Cultural Studies (including Women’s and Gender
Studies), and Innovative Research, the program is in alignment with the
disciplinary diversity and interdisciplinary emphases of other competitive
graduate programs in Liberal Studies. Graduate courses offered by departments in
St. John’s College that are available to students in the M.A. in Liberal Studies
conform to the standards in their respective disciplines and are taught by faculty
members whose research and teaching expertise qualify them to teach graduate
courses.
Mission: Each program track provides students with the opportunity to consider
key principles of Catholic Social Teaching (including the dignity of the human
person, the common good, solidarity, care for creation) directly and indirectly. In
this respect, the curriculum is likewise in conformity with the University Mission
Statement’s affirmation that we seek to prepare our students so that they acquire
“an ability to analyze and articulate clearly what is, but also to develop the ethical
and aesthetic values to imagine and help realize what might be.” Each track
contributes both directly and indirectly to realizing the University Mission
Statement’s intention that “Wherever possible, we devote our intellectual and
physical resources to search out the causes of poverty and social injustice and to
encourage solutions which are adaptable, effective, and concrete.” This is
especially clear, for example, in the Concentration in Women’s and Gender
Studies, inaugurated in Fall 2007.
Engagement: Students in the M.A. in Liberal Studies take an active role in the
overall planning of their course of study. Under the guidance of the Program
Director, students are provided with the resources they need to choose the track
and concentration in which they wish to specialize. Available course offerings
offered in graduate programs of St. John’s College are reviewed regularly in
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consultation with department chairs and graduate program directors. Through
regular advisement with the Program Director, they come to recognize and
articulate the interdisciplinary convergences and intersections that are a hallmark
of a Liberal Studies degree. By means of the Introductory Seminar they are
equipped with the academic tools, skills, and resources to succeed in their
subsequent courses, and they are oriented toward the capstone project that is the
culmination of the M.A. program. The explicit connections made by students
between what takes place in the classroom and what takes place beyond the
classroom are especially clear in the topics that recent students have chosen for
their capstone projects (see a selection of titles listed under item 1d).
Globalization: With a deliberate emphasis on the values of solidarity and
cosmopolitanism that are key foci of the required Introductory Seminar in Liberal
Studies (MLS 100), students begin the program with the global emphasis of the
university’s priorities clearly in mind. This introductory overview foregrounds the
global dimension of the Strategic Plan’s focus as student plan their progress
through the program, guiding their selection of courses in discipline that is their
area of concentration and in the courses they take in cognate disciplines. As one
recent student noted in feedback about the M.A. in Liberal Studies program, “As
the world becomes more connected it is vital to understand different cultures in
order to not only coexist but to thrive.”
3b.
Please describe the comprehensive assessment model currently implemented for
the 2009-2010 academic year for the program through WeaveOnline. Be sure to include
how many objectives have been indicated for each program, the number of objectives
being measured with findings and action plans for this assessment cycle, and the time it
will take in this model to complete assessment of all objectives. (Suggested limit ¾ page)
Goals:
1. Identify and think critically about key foundational and current issues in
their area of concentration (Humanities, Social Science, or Culture Studies
[including Women’s and Gender Studies]) with an emphasis on
interdisciplinary approaches
2. Employ the theory, tools, methods and scholarly literature of the
discipline(s) in their area of concentration, with an understanding of how
these relate to other disciplines
3. Conduct original research, drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives
and using a wide variety of scholarly resources.
Student Learning Outcomes, with Associations and Related Measures:
Objective / Outcome 1:
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Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of foundational questions, issues
and concerns in the discipline(s) of their concentration
Objective / Outcome 2:
Identify and analyze current questions and concerns in their disciplines
Objective / Outcome 3:
Think creatively and critically about the ways in which their discipline(s)
are in dialogue with other perspectives and approaches
Related Measures:
Measure: Capstone MLS 200 Seminar Project
3. Conduct original research, drawing on interdisciplinary
perspectives and using a wide variety of scholarly resources. 3.1.
Gather, organize, and present information using appropriate
academic style (e.g., APA, MLA) 3.2. Formulate research
hypotheses and design appropriate strategies to test these
hypotheses and investigate relevant evidence 3.3. Identify and
critically evaluate relevant resources in a variety of formats 3.4.
Write essays, reviews, and research papers that focus on key
foundational and/or current issues from an interdisciplinary
perspective
Source of Evidence: Capstone project measuring mastery
Objective / Outcome 4:
Demonstrate understanding of the scholarly literature relevant to the
discipline(s) in their area of concentration (humanities, social science, or
culture studies)
Objective / Outcome 5:
Engage in critical thinking informed by the relevant theory of their
discipline(s)
Related Measures:
Measure: Capstone MLS 200 Seminar Project
3. Conduct original research, drawing on interdisciplinary
perspectives and using a wide variety of scholarly resources. 3.1.
Gather, organize, and present information using appropriate
academic style (e.g., APA, MLA) 3.2. Formulate research
hypotheses and design appropriate strategies to test these
hypotheses and investigate relevant evidence 3.3. Identify and
critically evaluate relevant resources in a variety of formats 3.4.
Write essays, reviews, and research papers that focus on key
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foundational and/or current issues from an interdisciplinary
perspective
Source of Evidence: Capstone project measuring mastery
Objective / Outcome 6:
Select and employ the appropriate and relevant tools and methods of their
disciplines
Related Measures:
Measure: Capstone MLS 200 Seminar Project
3. Conduct original research, drawing on interdisciplinary
perspectives and using a wide variety of scholarly resources. 3.1.
Gather, organize, and present information using appropriate
academic style (e.g., APA, MLA) 3.2. Formulate research
hypotheses and design appropriate strategies to test these
hypotheses and investigate relevant evidence 3.3. Identify and
critically evaluate relevant resources in a variety of formats 3.4.
Write essays, reviews, and research papers that focus on key
foundational and/or current issues from an interdisciplinary
perspective
Source of Evidence: Capstone project measuring mastery
Objective / Outcome 7:
Gather, organize, and present information using appropriate academic
style (e.g., APA, MLA)
Objective / Outcome 8: Formulate and test research hypotheses
Formulate research hypotheses and design appropriate strategies to test
these hypotheses and investigate relevant evidence
Related Measures:
Measure: Capstone MLS 200 Seminar Project
3. Conduct original research, drawing on interdisciplinary
perspectives and using a wide variety of scholarly resources. 3.1.
Gather, organize, and present information using appropriate
academic style (e.g., APA, MLA) 3.2. Formulate research
hypotheses and design appropriate strategies to test these
hypotheses and investigate relevant evidence 3.3. Identify and
critically evaluate relevant resources in a variety of formats 3.4.
Write essays, reviews, and research papers that focus on key
foundational and/or current issues from an interdisciplinary
perspective
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Source of Evidence: Capstone project measuring mastery
Objective / Outcome 9: Identify & critically evaluate relevant resources
Identify and critically evaluate relevant resources in a variety of formats
Objective / Outcome 10: Write essays, reviews, and research papers
Write essays, reviews, and research papers that focus on key foundational
and/or current issues from an interdisciplinary perspective
It is estimate that three academic years will be needed to complete assessment of
all goals & objectives. While the capstone project will continue to be the key
measure, assessment will begin with MLS 100, the Introductory Seminar.
3c.
From the 2008-2009 Assessment Plan (WeaveOnline) indicate what action plans
the program has implemented to meet indicated targets. (Suggested limit ½ page)
Findings (2008-2009):

Achievement Targets: Met
Related Action Plans:


Monitor Current Practices
Emphasize research & writing skills more intensively during MLS
100, the Introductory Seminar, with more input from Library Faculty.
Assessment showed the successful integration of learning objectives
into course curricula by program faculty. The Program Director
Program faculty will continue to review and refine the integration of
learning objectives into course curricula in order to maintain and
increased levels of student success.
Standard 4. The program has the faculty resources required to meet its mission
and goals. (When responding to this Standard, please see Items for Reflection under this
Standard and complete the following chart(s).)
4a.
Narrative: (Suggested limit 1 page)
Faculty members who teach courses that can be applied to the Master of Arts in
Liberal Studies are drawn principally from departments in St. John’s College of
Liberal Arts and Sciences that have their own graduate programs (including Asian
Studies, English, Government and Politics, History, Languages and Literatures,
Sociology and Anthropology, and Theology and Religious Studies). In addition to
teaching students who are enrolled in the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, these
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faculty members make themselves available to mentor students who are preparing
their MLS 200 Capstone Projects.
With the development of the Concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies in
the M.A. in Liberal Studies, the Departments of History and of Sociology and
Anthropology worked together with the Director of the M.A. in Liberal Studies to
develop a new course, Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies, taught either
by a faculty member in the History Department or in the Department of Sociology
and Anthropology.
4b.
What is the student to full-time faculty ratio based on number of majors and
minors in the program and the number of full-time faculty assigned to the program? For
full-time faculty assigned to the program, please provide the most recent year and
previous years if available.
The number of majors and minors can be found below.
Full-time faculty by program is only available through departmental records.
Please complete the table below and provide additional information in 4e if that may help
to explain the pattern of this ratio.
# Majors/
FT
Faculty
Majors
Minors
Majors
& Minors
Combined
# of FTE
Students
(Majors
&
Minors)
# of FTE
Faculty
assigned
to the
program
FTE
Student/
FTE
Faculty
Ratio
Fall 2005
FT
81
52
PT
0
1
133
1
133.00
0.33
Fall 2006
Fall 2007
Fall 2008
Fall 2009
Total
81
53
FT
86
44
PT
1
Total
87
44
FT
88
28
PT
0
1
Total
88
29
FT
84
20
PT
2
Total
86
20
FT
112
42
PT
2
1
Total
114
43
134
130
1
131
116
1
117
104
2
106
154
3
157
133.33
130.00
0.33
130.33
116.00
0.33
116.33
104.00
0.67
104.67
154.00
1.00
155.00
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
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Fall 2010
Fall 2011
Fall 2012
Fall 2013
# of FTE faculty assigned to
the program
FTE Student/FTE Faculty
Ration
Fall 2010
Fall 2011
Fall 2013
F
P
Total
F
P
Total
F
P
Total
F
P
Total
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
MAJORS
3
11
14
2
10
Fall 2010
Total
Fall 2012
FTE MAJORS
12
4
Fall 2011
10
14
1
Fall 2012
16
17
Fall 2013
F
P
Total
F
P
Total
F
P
Total
F
P
Total
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
3
3.667 6.667
2
3.333 5.333
4
3.333 7.333
1
5.333 6.333
Important Notes:
FTE Students = Number of FT Students + (number of PT Students/3)
FTE Faculty = Number of FT Faculty + (number of PT Faculty/3)
This methodology is used by STJ for all external reporting.
If your department provides service instruction to support the core curriculum, please
explain in the context of student credit hours taught, 4c, and courses taught, 4d, and 4e
below.
4c.
How many credit hours has the department delivered by full-time faculty? How
many credit hours has the department delivered by part-time faculty (including
administrators)? What percent of the total credit hours consumed were by non-majors?
The M.A. in Liberal Studies program has no full-time or part-time faculty of its
own. Except for MLS 100 and MLS 200, courses applicable to the Master of Arts
in Liberal Studies are drawn from the graduate program offerings of other
departments (including Asian Studies, English, Government & Politics, History,
Psychology, Sociology & Anthropology, and Theology). The Liberal Studies
Program Director (a full-time faculty member in the Department of Theology &
Religious Studies) teaches MLS 100: Introductory Seminar (3 credits) once each
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academic year. MLS 200 is taught as an independent study course, with the
Program Director as the faculty member of record.
4d.
How many courses has the department delivered by full-time faculty? How many
courses has the department delivered by part-time faculty (including administrators)?
The Master of Arts Program currently offers only two of its own courses (MLS
100: Introductory Seminar in Liberal Studies; and MLS 200: Integrating Seminar
in Liberal Studies). Both are the responsibility of the Program Director.
When the Concentration in Global Development and Social Justice was offered
under the auspices of the M.A. in Liberal Studies, course teaching assignments
were the following:











MLS 100: Introductory Seminar: taught by an adjunct recommended by
Caritas of Rome
MLS 110: Anthropology of Development: taught by an adjunct
recommended by Caritas of Rome (a Japanese anthropologist on the
faculty of Waseda University)
MLS 120: Information Resources for Development Professionals: taught
by a full-time faculty member from the Division of Library and
Information Sciences
MLS 130: Catholic Social Teaching: taught by a full-time faculty member
from the Department of Theology & Religious Studies in St. John’s
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
MLS 140: Ethics & Economics of Development: Perspectives from
Catholic Social Thought: taught by a full-time faculty member from the
Tobin College of Business
MLS 150: Geographical Information Systems: Applications for Global
Development and Social Justice: taught by a full-time faculty member
from the Department of Sociology & Anthropology in St. John’s College
of Liberal Arts & Sciences
MLS 160: Women, Children, and Justice: taught by a full-time faculty
member from the Department of Theology & Religious Studies in St.
John’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
MLS 170: Health Care Issues in Global Development: taught by an
adjunct faculty member (a medical doctor from Peru currently working in
Japan) recommended by Caritas of Rome
MLS 180: Education and Global Development: taught by a full-time
faculty member from the School of Education
MLS 190: Global Development and Communication: taught by a full-time
faculty member from the College of Professional Studies
MLS 200: Integrating Seminar: taught by an adjunct faculty member (the
Secretary General of Caritas of Rome)
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7 Full-time faculty members taught one course (3 credits) each in this
concentration, and 4 adjunct faculty members taught one course (3 credits) each.
4e.
Narrative: Provide any additional information about the student (majors &
minors)/full-time faculty ratio, credit hours delivered and courses taught by full-time and
part-time faulty that may be helpful to understand the noted trends above. (Suggested
limit ½ page).
4f.
Explain the representative nature of faculty in terms of demographics, tenure and
diversity? (See departmental information on next page)
The M.A. in Liberal Studies relies on full-time faculty teaching graduate courses
from academic departments in St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
The program has no full or part-time faculty of its own. The Program Director is a
faculty member in the Department of Theology & Religious Studies.
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Departmental Data
N/A (The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies has no full-time or adjunct faculty of its own)
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4g.
What evidence exists that the program’s faculty have engaged in research and
scholarship on teaching or learning in the program’s field of study? (Suggested limit ½
page)
Faculty members who teach in courses applicable to the program are associated
with academic departments in their own disciplines and meet the criteria for
eligibility to teach graduate courses in their own home departments and programs.
The program has no full-time faculty of its own.
4h.
What initiatives has the program initiated in the past five years to promote faculty
development? (Suggested limit ½ page)
Faculty members associated with the Concentration in Global Development and
Social Justice met regularly with members of the Steering Committee (composed of
representatives from St. John’s University and from partners at Caritas or Rome and
the Idente Foundation) for faculty development with regard to distance learning and
Catholic Social Teaching. St. John’s faculty members associated with the program
traveled to Rome annually to meet with students and members of partner
organizations. While in Rome, faculty members participated in conferences focused
on the themes of the program, with guest speakers who are recognized authorities in
global development and social justice.
Faculty members teaching in the Concentration in Global Development and Social
Justice were required to complete the Distance Learning Pedagogy 1 course to
qualify for teaching the asynchronous distance learning courses that are the majority
of the Global Development and Social Justice course offerings (24 of the 33 credits
in the program). Most faculty members associated with this concentration have also
completed the Distance Learning Pedagogy 2 course to enhance their distance
learning teaching proficiency.
4i.
The table below shows the amount of external funding received by the department.
External
Funding
$ Amount
Program
04/05
05/06
Fiscal Year
06/07
07/08
08/09
$ Amount
Department
If available, please provide the dollar amount of externally funded research for full-time
faculty supporting the program under review. (Program dollar amounts are only available
through departmental records.)
Comments (Suggested limit ½ page)
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N/A (the M.A. in Liberal Studies has no full-time or part-time faculty of its own.
Faculty are associated with departments in their own disciplines)
Standard 5: The program attracts, retains, and graduates high quality students.
(When responding to this Standard, please see Items for Reflection under this Standard.)
5a.
Narrative: (Suggested limit 1 page)
Students attracted to the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies are often persons in the
work force, adult learners returning to higher education for personal enrichment and
/ or for professional advancement (e.g., salary increments connected to earning a
graduate degree). Applicants to the program are expected to have an overall GPA of
3.0 in their undergraduate studies. In exceptional cases, applicants who do not meet
this standard are accepted as nonmatriculated students for a maximum of 12 credits.
Upon completion of 12 credits, nonmatriculated students who have earned a 3.0 or
better GPA in their graduate courses may apply for matriculated stated and may
request that the courses completed with a grade of B or better be applied to their
degree program.
The flexibility of the program attracts students whose interests are at the
intersection of several academic disciplines. For example, students can earn the
M.A. in Liberal Studies and also earn the Certificate in Caribbean and Latin
American Studies.
The Concentration in Global Development and Social Justice, which was housed
under the auspices of the M.A. in Liberal Studies until the end of the 2008-2009
academic year (when it received NYSED approval as a Master of Arts in Global
Development and Social Justice) attracted highly qualified applicants from around
the world. Each year, fifteen international applicants received scholarships through
St. John’s University (a 60% tuition reduction) and through our partners at Caritas
of the Diocese of Rome, the Idente Foundation, and the Istituto S. M. in Aquiro.
Five other applicants were accepted into each cohort from the United States, one of
whom was awarded a graduate assistantship, and four of whom were tuition-paying
students. Admission to this concentration was highly selective. Students admitted
into this concentration included engineers, social workers, attorneys, nurses,
journalists, missionary priests and sisters, political scientists, school faculty
members and administrators.
The Fall 2007 inauguration of the Concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies
resulted in a significant increase in enrollment in the program, a shift from 13 in
Fall 2005 to 23 in Fall 2009.
While the M.A. in Liberal Studies is not ordinarily a degree program that draws
students who are interested in pursuing the Ph.D., one recent alumnus of the
program was awarded a highly prestigious Provost’s Fellowship in the University of
Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism,
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funding his Ph.D. studies there. According to the University of Southern California
web site, “The Provost's Ph.D. Fellowship Program funds annually 100 outstanding
Ph.D. students. Provost's Ph.D. Fellows are selected from an application pool
containing some of the most highly recruited students in the world. Fellows are
recognized for their potential to lead their disciplines into new worlds of
knowledge.”
5b.
Undergraduate SAT and High School Average
N/A (this is a graduate program)
5c.
Undergraduate 1st Year Retention Rates
N/A (this is a graduate program)
5d.
Undergraduate 6 Year Graduation Rate
N/A (this is a graduate program)
5e.
Graduate Standardized Test Scores
N/A (the GRE is not an entrance requirement for this program)
2005
2006
Fall
2007
2008
2009
Program
School/College
Average Rate
Regional
Comparison
National
Comparison
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New Graduate Students GRE Verbal
Mean Scores
Fall 2010
Fall 2011
Fall 2012
Fall 2013
Ir Grev Score Ir Grev Score Ir Grev Score Ir Grev Score
Graduate School Arts old
& Sci
491
500
new
497
532
154
153
New Graduate Students GRE Quantitative
Mean Scores
Fall 2010
Fall 2011
Fall 2012
Fall 2013
Ir Greq Score Ir Greq Score Ir Greq Score Ir Greq Score
Graduate School Arts old
& Sci
new
585
566
593
604
149
150
As of August 1, 2011, ETS revised the GRE General Test with a new scoring scale. Prior to 8/1/11 on a scale of 200-800(old) and after 8/1/11 on a scale of 130170(new)
General test percentage distribution of scores within intended graduate major field that is
based on the performance of seniors and non-enrolled college graduates who were tested on
the verbal and quantitative examination.
GRE
Intended Graduate Major
TestMean Score
Mean Score
Takers
(Verbal)
(Quantitative)
Arts and Humanities*
31,657
157
150
* For further information, please visit http://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/gre_guide.pdf.
5f.
Narrative: Please describe how your program compares with your peer and
aspirational institutions. (Suggested limit ½ page)
As is the case with peer and aspirational institutions, students in the M.A. in Liberal
Studies at St. John’s are mostly working professionals from a wide variety of backgrounds
(gender, ethnicity, undergraduate major). Students in the Concentration in Global
Development and Social Justice (while this was a concentration in the M.A. in Liberal
Studies) were highly qualified, given the highly competitive nature of that concentration
and the availability of scholarship funding (60% discounted tuition from St. John’s
University, the balance paid in scholarship by our partners at Caritas of Rome, the Idente
Foundation, and the Istituti S. M. in Aquiro.
5g.
If applicable, describe your program’s student performance over the past 5 years on
licensure or professional certifications exams relative to regional and national standards.
(Suggested limit ¼ page)
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N/A (there are no licensure or professional certification examinations relevant to the
program)
5h.
Number of majors and minors enrolled over the past five years? Please complete
the table below.
Fall
Number of Students
Majors
Minors
Total
MAJORS
2005
2006
12
0
12
LST
2007
29
0
29
2008
59
0
59
2009
55
0
55
21
0
21
Fall 2010
Fall 2011
Fall 2012
Fall 2013
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
MA
14
12
14
17
5i.
Number of degrees granted during the past five years. Please complete the table
below.
Degrees
Granted
MA
04/05
3
05/06
1
Academic Year
06/07
2
07/08
5
10/11
08/09
15
11/12
Degrees
12/13
Degrees Conferred Degrees Conferred
Conferred
SJC-GR
LST
Liberal Studies
MA
6
2
3
5i (1). Below is comparison degrees conferred data for local and national institutions based
on data retrieved from the IPEDS website. This is based on the Classification of
Instructional Program (CIP) Code of 24-Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and
Humanities.
20092010
20102011
20112012
Master’s
Local
518
442
National
46,953
46,727
46,925
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1
Local institution include: Adelphi University, Columbia University, CUNY
Queens College, Fordham University, Hofstra University, Iona College, C.W. Post
University, Manhattan College, New York University, Pace University, Seton Hall
University, Stony Brook University, and Wagner College.
5j.
Narrative: How do these trends compare to institutional, regional and national
patterns? (Suggested limit ¼ page)
Records made available by the Office of the Dean in St. John’s College indicate the
following enrollment trends:









Fall 2005:
Spring 2006:
Fall 2006:
Spring 2007:
Fall 2007:
Spring 2008:
Fall 2008:
Spring 2009:
Fall 2009:
13
14
31 (19 GDSJ / 12 Queens Campus)
33 (19 GDSJ / 14 Queens Campus)
61 (36 GDSJ / 25 Queens Campus)
58 (36 GDSJ / 22 Queens Campus)
56 (34 GDSJ / 23 Queens Campus)
54 (34 GDSJ / 21 Queens Campus)
23 (Queens Campus)
Trends indicate significantly increased enrollment in the M.A. in Liberal Studies as
a result of the Summer / Fall 2006 inauguration of the Concentration in Global
Development and Social Justice (GDSJ), a cohort-based program that was limited
to 20 students per entering cohort based on standards for effective distance learning
pedagogy. In addition to this trend, significantly increased enrollment on the
Queens campus (from 13 in Fall 2005 to 23 in Fall 2009) can be directly attributed
to the Fall 2007 implementation of the Concentration in Women’s and Gender
Studies.
5k.
What mechanisms are in place to monitor students’ progress toward degree? And,
to what extent is there a collaborative effort to provide quality advising and support
services to students. (Suggested limit ¼ page)
Students in the program meet regularly with the Program Director, who provides
advisement with regard to course selection each semester. Because of the
interdisciplinary nature of the program, the Program Director works with each
student as students choose a track in the program (humanities, social science, or
cultural studies), as they determine a specific concentration (e.g., women’s and
gender studies), and as they select courses each semester. Because the Program
Director teaches the Introductory Seminar (MLS 100), he becomes personally
acquainted with each student’s academic ability and is able to direct students to
appropriate support services (University Libraries, Writing Center). The Program
Director is in regular contact with faculty members who mentor student capstone
projects to monitor progress toward completion, and meets regularly with students
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who are writing their capstone projects. Together with the faculty mentor, the
program director works with each student to develop the capstone project proposal,
and is responsible for approving the project proposal and the completed capstone
project. Faculty mentors of the capstone projects provide feedback to the Program
Director on student progress.
Standard 6. The program has adequate resources to meet its goals and objectives.
(When responding to this Standard, please see Items for Reflection under this Standard.)
Although financial data is not available at the program level, departmental information is
provided below for your reference.
Department Information - Earned Income/Direct Instruction Expense Ratio
(FY 2009 data not yet available)
FY 2004
FY 2005
FY 2006
FY 2007
FY 2008
$ From
Grants
Earned
Income from
Instruction
(by student
credit hours
taught)
General Fees
(includes lab
fees)
Direct
Instructional
Cost
(Departmental
Budget)
Earned
Income/Direct
Instructional
Expense
Ratio
6a.
Narrative: (Suggested limit 1 page)
For all but two courses (MLS 100 and MLS 200), the program relies on other
departments in St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for its course
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offerings. The strength of the M.A. in Liberal Studies therefore depends on the
strength of each department’s graduate program offerings. The more graduate
course offerings are available, the more course options are available to students.
With regard to staffing, the Program Director has been assisted by a staff member
from the Department of Theology & Religious Studies. This staff member has
provided significant support with regard to direct student contact (in person, by
telephone, by e-mail), communication with potential applicants requesting
information, assistance with student questions, registration issues, office
management, correspondence, clerical duties, record-keeping, and tracking of
student progress toward degree completion. The staff member who has been
providing this support has accepted the voluntary separation offer. The Program
Director will continue to need significant staff support. It is anticipated that some of
this support will continue to be provided by a remaining staff member in the
Department of Theology & Religious Studies, but it is hoped that additional support
can also be provided (graduate assistant and/or undergraduate student worker).
Operating costs for the program are very low. They are limited to a modest Program
Director stipend.
6b.
To what extent has the University funded major capital projects, e.g., renovations,
which are linked directly to the program during the past five years? (Bulleted list.)
No capital projects have been linked to the M.A. in Liberal Studies
Standard 7. The program has taken effective actions based on the findings of the last
program review. (When responding to this Standard, please see Items for Reflection under
this Standard.)
7a.
Narrative: (Suggested limit 1 page)
The recommendation made at the last program review was “maintain & monitor.” Since
then, two especially significant initiatives were undertaken to expand the M.A. in
Liberal Studies. Both have been successful, resulting in significantly increased
enrollment. These were:

Summer 2006 inauguration of the Concentration in Global Development and
Social Justice, securing significant visibility and external funding for the
program through partnership with Caritas of Rome, the Idente Foundation, and
the Istituti S. M. in Aquiro. In so doing, the program implemented innovating
Distance Learning with the participation of faculty from St. John’s College of
Liberal Arts & Sciences, the College of Professional Studies, the Tobin College
of Business, and the School of Education. As that concentration progressed, it
succeeded so clearly and matured so rapidly that it has now become a Master of
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Arts in Global Development under the aegis of the university’s Center for
Global Development. While it is no longer a concentration in the M.A. in
Liberal Studies, it builds on the momentum of the interdisciplinary approach
with which it began, to consistently attract each year a cohort of 20 very highly
qualified students from around the world.

Fall 2007 launch of a Concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies.
Developed as a result of student input and expressed interest, this concentration
became the first on-campus concentration in this program to include courses in
Theology & Religious Studies (THE 430: Women and the Christian Tradition;
and THE 431: Women, Children, and Justice, the latter originally developed as
part of the Concentration in Global Development and Social Justice, and was
then a distance learning course). This concentration was also the catalyst for the
development of a new course, cross-listed by the Department of History and the
Department of Sociology & Anthropology (Introduction to Women’s and
Gender Studies).
Course offerings in philosophy have been significantly reduced since the last
program review, more accurately reflecting graduate program offerings in St.
John’s College that are available for students in the M.A. in Liberal Studies.
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