Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) Program in Community Leadership

Master of Arts in Liberal Studies 33 credits (27 credits plus 6 credit capstone)
Focus: Community Leadership

Required Interdisciplinary Courses (6 credits):
COR 510 Moral Leadership
COR 600 Organizational and Professional Ethics (taken within the final 12 credits)

Required Entry Level Courses (6 Credits):
LAS 508: Leadership for Sustainable Communities
LAS 537: Introduction to Research Methods

Note: LAS 508: Leadership for Sustainable Communities and LAS 537: Introduction to Research Methods courses should be taken as early as possible in every MALS student’s schedule.

MALS Course Rotation (up to 15 credits from the following courses):
LAS 542: Cultural Studies & Heritage Conservation
LAS 555: Policy & Policy Analysis
LAS 590: Special Topics
LAS 603: Culture, Ecology, & Religion
LAS 613: Social Justice & Ethics
LAS 620: Cross-Cultural Conflicts in our Communities
LAS 638: Sustaining Our Environment
LAS 679: Independent Research
LAS 680: Thesis
LAS 690: Special Topics

Required Capstone Course (6 credits):
LAS 670: Seminar with Supervised Field Experience in Community Service

Special Topics Course Policy & Cohort Development
The liberal and interdisciplinary nature of the MALS program requires flexibility. Students may substitute up to nine (9) credits from the LAS course rotation for special topic courses. This option may be useful especially for cohort development in which a grouping of special topic courses could be developed to meet specific community and/or organizational needs. These nine credits would form a modular curricular plan (MCP) for cohorts to focus on one of three areas of sustainability within the program: culture, economics, or environment. The modular curriculum plan (MCP) allows for part-time or full-time study; flexible scheduling and cohort intimacy; course variety and specialized studies; experiential and work-based learning; and regional, national, and international partnerships. Individual special topic courses and MCP proposals must be approved by the Coordinator of the MALS program on the Alvernia College main campus. The proposed course syllabus and the curriculum vitae of the potential faculty member teaching the course must be provided to the MALS Coordinator for approval at least one full semester (approximately 3 months) prior to when the course would be offered.

MALS Internal Transfer Policy
MALS students may take up to nine (9) credits from other Alvernia College master level programs that can be counted toward the MALS course rotation. When taking a graduate course outside the LAS program, students must get approval from the graduate program coordinator in which that course resides. Possible courses already in place at Alvernia include:
MBA 500: Strategic Management
MBA 520: Marketing Services
MBA 535: Crisis Management
MBA 593: Economics and Finance
MBA 610: Legal Environment
MBA 635: Public Relations
MBA 640: Accounting for Government and Not-for-Profit Organizations
MBA 650: Entrepreneurship and Economic Development
MBA 660: Grantsmanship in Non-profit Organizations
MCC 510: Human Development across the Life Span
MCC 530: Multicultural Issues in Counseling
MED 500: Curriculum Innovations
MED 600: Language and Literacy in Cross-Cultural Settings
…and others

MALS External Transfer Policy:
Students may transfer up to six (6) credits from another accredited institution of higher education upon approval of the MALS Coordinator on the Alvernia College main campus. Transferred courses must be related to the MALS program mission and objectives.  

Note: When taking a graduate course outside the LAS program, students must get approval from the graduate program coordinator in which that course resides.

Distance Education:
The MALS in Community Leadership is designed to meet the needs and demanding schedules of adult learners. In addition to course offerings in traditional semester format, courses may be offered periodically in alternative formats including condensed modules, online (electronic), hybrid (part traditional and part electronic), and short-term residencies.