Master of Arts in Liberal Studies
On-Campus Course Schedule for Spring 2025

DLS Directed Reading

DLS Directed Reading

DLS Directed Reading

DLS Directed Reading

DLS Directed Reading

DLS Directed Reading

DLS Foundational 2

This seminar examines cross-cultural thinking about the nature of knowledge. In Western philosophical terminology, this is a matter of epistemology, which determines the methods and criteria for attaining reliable knowing. In turn, epistemology is significantly determined by ontological assumptions or the determination of what actually exists when one gets beyond mere appearances to view the world correctly. A comparative examination reveals very different ways cultures have approached the nature of knowledge, revealing that there are different ways of defining it. We will explore these different ways of framing knowledge through Western and East Asian Daoist and Buddhist sources. The first half of the course lays out fundamental differences between them, particularly as applied to the realms of social theory, aesthetics, and theories of personhood. The second half of the course looks at how these comparative epistemological traditions play out in the contemporary debate about religion and science, and whether or not they are compatible. This examination triangulates between the voices of Christian theology, contemporary Western philosophy, and Buddhism. ,br> The examination of two different cultural approaches does not presume a neat division between them. Rather, comparison brings out innate tensions within Western tradition itself, which the perspective of a different cultural system helps to highlight. For that reason, comparative study enables greater understanding of one’s home tradition, in addition to expanding one’s knowledge base.

DLS Foundational 4

Understanding the philosophical basis and ethical responsibilities of research are critical to developing an appreciation for the tenor, methods and conduct of scholarly investigation. What is a hypothesis? What is a thesis? What is a theory, and how do we know that theories are valid? What evidence can we bring to bear to support or refute them? What are possible alternate explanations for the phenomena we observe? And fundamentally how is research engaged in ways that are technically right and morally “good”? This course will introduce students to the basic philosophy of research as a scientific endeavor, and will ground the methods and conduct of such enterprise to an understanding of its apt effort as a human “good”. Concepts of inquiry, investigation and formal analyses will be discussed. Constructs of validity, reliability and value will be addressed. Obligate elements of responsible conduct of research will be detailed, and key ethico-legal issues and problems – and their avoidance and resolution will be provided.

DLS Qualifying Exam

This section of DLS Qualifying Exam Prep is intended for students who have enrolled in the program primarily on a part-time basis (3-6 credits per semester) and who intend to complete their DLS Qualifying Exam at a similar pace. This section counts as Half-Time Status. Notes: DLS students only. 36 hrs completed. Student provides exam checklist to Asst. Dean by Sept. 15th. Course certifies half-time status Repeatable course Fall and Spring terms with DLS Director approval

DLS Thesis Proposal

After completing the DLS Qualifying Exams (LSHV 990), students are required to register for DLS Thesis Proposal (LSHV 995) before moving on to DLS Thesis Writing (LSHV 996) the following semester.

DLS Thesis Writing

The Doctor of Liberal Studies thesis is expected to demonstrate a level of competence and academic rigor in the field of interdisciplinary studies comparable to, though distinct from, the equivalent level of competence and rigor expected in a Ph.D. thesis in a disciplinary field. Topics are limited to the liberal arts and social sciences and must be approved by the DLS Director. The Doctoral Thesis represents the creative synthesis of primary sources and secondary materials. Students must follow the Graduate Liberal Studies Guidelines for Thesis Writers provided each student upon successful completion of the Qualifying Examination for steps and procedures in the preparation and defense of the Thesis Proposal as well as the submission, defense, and approval of the DLS thesis. The Guidelines are also online, liberalstudies.georgetown.edu/DLS students/resources/thesis. Additionally, the student must follow the “rules” of manuscript preparation according to the methods provided in A Manual for Writers, 8th edition, Kate Turabian, in particular, the choice of one of the two suggested styles for citations.

Epic Poetry: Greek/Roman Trad

The purpose of this course is threefold. Our first goal is to enjoy three of the more sublime works in the Western literary canon: the two surviving Greek epic poems that illuminate aspects of the Trojan War—the Iliad and the Odyssey—and the primary Roman epic poem, the Aeneid, that is modeled in large part on a combination of these Greek models. Our second goal will be to use these three poems as a stepping-off point for a consideration of some of the differences between Greek and Roman culture and thought: what sorts of issues, ideas, and qualities distinguished these two worlds from each other, and which features were endemic to them both? Our third goal will be to place the three poems in the larger context of epic (and lyric) poetry in the Western tradition with a brief exploration and discussion of other works that precede the Iliad and Odyssey, follow these poems but precede the Aeneid and follow the Aeneid—down to our own time.

Intersect of Sci, Phil, Theo

This course highlights the dynamic evolution of scientific thought, its philosophical foundations, and the crucial interplay with theological perspectives. The relationship between science and the Catholic Church throughout history is a complex tapestry woven with conflict, coexistence, and collaboration. This course will focus mostly on relevant developments and events in Western Europe (where modern science began) and will trace this evolving relationship, revealing how each period’s scientific advancements and philosophical insights interacted with theological doctrines. The intricate tapestry of the relationship between science and the Catholic Church is woven with periods of conflict, coexistence, and collaboration, reflecting the evolving dynamics of human understanding. This course delves into how philosophical insights and scientific advancements have historically interacted with theological doctrines, influencing and shaping each other from antiquity through the modern era.

Note: MALS and DLS students only.

MALS Continuous Reg. (HT)

Note: Must be taken by MALS candidates who have an "Incomplete" in Thesis Writing. No scheduled classes.

MALS FND: Social Sciences

This is one of four required foundational courses (humanities, social sciences, science & society, and norms & ethics) offered by the LSP to facilitate graduate-level interdisciplinary study and research throughout the MALS curriculum. They aim to improve your analytical, research, and writing skills so you can realize the full potential of your learning experience throughout the program. They provide a solid intellectual foundation for your elective courses; enhance your ability to conduct research on important issues treated in your other courses; and prepare you for success in your capstone thesis project. This Social Sciences course will first, through assigned and self-selected readings and projects, provide a solid understanding of, and practical experience in, interdisciplinary studies and research methodologies, including qualitative and quantitative. It will examine the relationships between and among the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, with regard to both their subject matter and underlying theories. Focusing directly on anthropology, history, economics, psychology, sociology, and political science/international relations, it will explore their distinctive concepts and theories, and how their scholarly practitioners advance interdisciplinary theory and research. Finally, throughout the course we will reflect on how the humanities/social sciences/natural sciences implicate and engage issues of values, norms and ethics.

Note: This course is required for all MALS students. MALS students only.

MALS Thesis Proposal

During the MALS Thesis Proposal course, students work directly with the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies faculty director to produce an annotated bibliography (including the state of the question and the 20 most important works on the topic) and thesis statement, which prepare students for thesis writing in the subsequent semester. Students are expected to attend all class sessions, meetings with the University librarians for research consultations and any additional meetings determined by the faculty director.

Note: This course is required for all MALS students and counts for half-time status. MALS students must complete this course before registering for MALS Thesis Writing.

MALS Thesis Writing

The MALS Thesis Writing course must be taken upon completion of the MALS Thesis Proposal course (LSHV 800) in the subsequent fall or spring semester and is the final curricular requirement for the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies degree. In the MALS Thesis Writing course, students will work directly with their appointed thesis mentor to produce a master’s thesis and participate in a thesis defense. Students are expected to work directly with their thesis mentor and library representatives to actively write and produce the thesis argument. At the commencement of the thesis writing semester, students will develop milestones in consultation with the thesis mentor to ensure consistent progress.

Note: This course is required for and is restricted to MALS students. Only students who completed MALS Thesis Proposal with a grade of "B" or better are eligible to register.

Political Realism & Int'l Rela

The Doctor of Liberal Studies thesis is expected to demonstrate a level of competence and academic rigor in the field of interdisciplinary studies comparable to, though distinct from, the equivalent level of competence and rigor expected in a Ph.D. thesis in a disciplinary field. Topics are limited to the liberal arts and social sciences and must be approved by the DLS Director. The Doctoral Thesis represents the creative synthesis of primary sources and secondary materials. Students must follow the Graduate Liberal Studies Guidelines for Thesis Writers provided each student upon successful completion of the Qualifying Examination for steps and procedures in the preparation and defense of the Thesis Proposal as well as the submission, defense, and approval of the DLS thesis. The Guidelines are also online, liberalstudies.georgetown.edu/DLS students/resources/thesis. Additionally, the student must follow the “rules” of manuscript preparation according to the methods provided in A Manual for Writers, 8th edition, Kate Turabian, in particular, the choice of one of the two suggested styles for citations.

Theory, Culture & Society

In this course, we will examine significant theoretical texts which focus on subjects of nationalism, orientalism, colonialism, globalization, democracy, liberalism, identity, ideology, race, class, and gender. Spanning across historical moments as well as geographic spaces, we will look at how these topics have been shaped and reshaped in time and in different contexts. Using an interdisciplinary lens, we will begin by reading excerpts from seminal texts by Enlightenment and nineteenth-century thinkers such as Kant, Descartes, Voltaire, Locke, Adam Smith, Rousseau, Marx and Engels. We will then examine selected writings by Foucault, Said, Benedict Anderson, Fanon, and Césaire along with other major 20th- and 21st-century cultural theorists and writers, in particular from the Global South, who have fashioned the way we think about power, culture, politics, and society. We will also ask and answer the all-important question, “Why theory?” by applying what we read to a diverse and varied range of cultural and political (con)texts.

Tutorial: Liberal Studies

White Nationalism

Although the Unite the Right rally on August 11 and 12, 2017, in Charlottesville, Virginia lies in the past, its repercussions continue to divide the nation. Cries of White Nationalism continue to abound with little agreement on what it actually means, why it erupted when it did, and why it continues to attract such a large following. White Nationalism is not a recent phenomenon. Although the phrase was not commonly used until the early 1950s, its roots lie far deeper in the nation’s past. This course begins by examining the financial, social, and cultural conditions commonly associated with the movement today. But it then delves into its roots in such topics as American exceptionalism; what it means to be a nation founded on an idea, versus “blood lines”; the nation’s often contradictory responses to being seen as a nation of immigrants; its “scientific” defense in the eugenics movement in the early decades of the twentieth century; Americans’ persistent insistence on identifying the “other,” which has served to inform the very definition of what it is to be an American; and a comparative study of White Nationalism as it exists in other parts of the world. White Nationalism has been defined as a type of nationalism, which seeks to develop, or to maintain, a white racial and national identity. However, what white racial and national identity means has never been entirely clear. White Nationalists generally avoid the term “white supremacy,” as they believe it too narrowly focuses their agenda, which includes a range of groups and ideologies. As a result, to best understand White Nationalism the word “white” needs to be addressed literally and figuratively and, at times, even as a metaphor. It includes white supremacy, but although there is considerable overlap, they are not the same. As this course will show, there is much more to the story.