Master of Liberal Arts (MLA)

Enhance Your Career, Prepare for a Ph.D Program, or Enrich Your World.

The Master of Liberal Arts program is a unique interdisciplinary graduate program at the University of Pennsylvania’s College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS) [2]. The flexible MLA program offers depth and breadth of study in the liberal arts in Penn’s School of Arts and Sciences.

Penn's MLA allows you the opportunity to design your own individualized curriculum [3] of nine courses centered on an intellectual theme of interest to you. As an MLA student, you’ll learn multiple approaches and techniques for exploring a specific area of interest while developing your skills and knowledge to help you think independently and move to the next intellectual level. The small seminar format will allow you to work closely with faculty and other like-minded students. You can choose to attend full time, or design a part-time master’s degree program to fit within your schedule without ever interrupting your career. Tell us what you’d like to achieve, and we will help you set your path to meet your desired individual goals.

Apply [4] to the MLA program if you are seeking to:

• Broaden your knowledge of the liberal arts in an integrated graduate-level course of studies
• Take courses in a field of interest for your own personal enrichment
• Prepare for studies at the doctoral level
• Increase your professional expertise
• Explore a new career field

As a Master of Liberal Arts student, you’ll experience an individual, innovative education amongst a diverse community of students [5] with wide-ranging interests and eclectic academic, personal, and professional backgrounds but who share your intellectual curiosity. You’ll find a wealth of University of Pennsylvania resources right at your fingertips: a world-class research library, a vast array of student services, and a thriving academic community all are available to enrich your Ivy League learning experience, and to open doors to a world of knowledge and that goes far beyond the classroom. 

Supplementing a professional degree with Penn’s Master of Liberal Arts is a rewarding combination that you won’t find anywhere else. Come study alongside fascinating students, learn from outstanding faculty, and enjoy the prestige, opportunity, and connections that go hand in hand with an MLA degree from Penn.

Get Started

Take a look at the Master of Liberal Arts Information Session Video [6] to discover more about the program, pathways and curriculum. Review the LPS course guide [7] for listings of the courses available to you. As a student in the Master of Liberal Arts program, you’ll have access to courses across the entire School of Arts and Sciences [8]—you’re not limited to courses rostered as MLA. In addition, you may choose to take up to two courses in other schools throughout the university.

Apply online [4] to the MLA program, call us at 215-898-7326, or stop by during our Walk-In Wednesdays [9] to speak face-to-face with a Recruitment Specialist. Then, schedule an appointment to meet with the Master of Liberal Arts Program Director [10] in Penn’s College of Liberal and Professional Studies.

Learn More About:

• Featured Courses [11] – Discover the interesting range of courses offered for Summer 2013 [12] and Fall 2013 [13].
• Certificate Programs [14] - Explore the concentrations around which you may opt to develop your coursework.  [14]
• Capstone Project [15] – Think ahead toward your Capstone Project [15] – the culmination of your work in your Master of Liberal Arts program.
• Alumni [16] - A Penn MLA degree has value that serves to open doors to boundless possibilities for its graduates. 
• Application [17] - How do you apply to the MLA program?