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The MALS Program at Dartmouth College offers an intensive and immersive master's degree in liberal studies. The MALS degree is one of many graduate degrees awarded within the Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies.

The Guarini School supports more than 1,000 graduate students, doctoral candidates, and postdoctoral scholars in 35 programs at Dartmouth. These include all Dartmouth graduate students except for those who study at the Tuck or Geisel Schools at Dartmouth.

About MALS

Our students pursue comprehensive, interdisciplinary, graduate-level study at one of the world's top liberal arts colleges.

MALS at Dartmouth grants a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies degree. Students may choose one of four concentrations:

  • Cultural Studies
  • Creative Writing
  • Globalization Studies
  • General Liberal Studies

The program offers access to Dartmouth's world-renowned faculty and all of Dartmouth's graduate and undergraduate schools. Students can attend on a full- or part-time basis.

Program Structure

Students engaged in full-time study complete the program, on average, in approximately two years. The first year is devoted entirely to courses, while the second year is primarily devoted to thesis research. For students engaged in part-time study, the program must be completed in six years.

The academic year is divided into four terms (also known as the quarter system) and each term is ten weeks in length.

To view the Key Dates on Dartmouth's Academic Calendar, visit 2023-2024 Key Dates Academic Calendar (dartmouth.edu), or, for a more detailed breakdown, visit: 2023-2024 Term Calendar (dartmouth.edu)