Develop your own path into the study of the human condition
Antioch University’s Master of Arts in Individualized Studies with a focus on Humanities offers a high degree of flexibility in building a program of study that meets your personal and professional needs. Design a degree program to address a particular intellectual interest or study a multidisciplinary issue by combining existing courses from graduate areas of the university.
- Transfer up 15 semester credits
- Small class sizes
- Start in Spring, Summer, or Fall
- Courses are seven-week sessions
- Complete your degree in two years or less
This degree is offered by Antioch University Online
Program Requirements
Choose a broad area of study at the beginning of your journey – Social Sciences or Humanities. Each area of focus represents a broad continent of thought and research for you to explore before diving in to a specific focus. This allows us to offer small seminars that you can use early in your programs to learn about your field as your journey is beginning, and can help you to develop a focus.
Start with three Foundations courses to learn broadly about Humanities. In the third course, you’ll work to create an individualized program that helps you achieve your personal and professional aspirations, and which will be vetted by professional scholars in your chosen fields who serve as your Mentors.
Engage with faculty, staff, and other students during three required Colloquia, which will be offered once each trimester. The Colloquia will be held through video conference using Zoom, and will broadly elaborate upon the program’s three foundations – knowledge of the field, doing research in the field, and constructing an individualized program of study. An important aspect of the Colloquia will focus on community building, and will include various speakers, introduce different faculty members, and discuss various readings in smaller disciplinary groups.
Choose from a Humanities area of focus:
- Creative Writing
- Cultural and Religious Studies
- Art and Letters
To graduate from the program, you’ll complete the following:
- Three Foundations courses (9 credits)
- Foundations of the Humanities (3 CR)
- Humanities Research Methods (3 CR)
- Individualized Study in the Humanities (3 CR)
- Three Colloquia (0 credits)
- Three Field of Study seminars (3 courses; 9 credits total)
- Four or five Individualized courses (four if thesis is chosen, five if capstone) (12-15 credits)
These can be taken from other fields, from other campuses, from the courses offered, or as Independent Studies. - Capstone (3 credits) or Thesis (6-credits)
- Portfolio
Total: 36 credits
Program Learning Outcomes
By the end of the program students will be able to:
- Demonstrate critical thinking, writing, and communication skills by developing a specific point of view and defending it clearly with arguments and evidence.
- Adopt an interdisciplinary, foundational approach to one’s program by synthesizing knowledge, perspectives, and research skills from one’s field of study and applying them to one’s area of focus within one’s field.
- Design and implement a research-oriented program of study that synthesizes information from one’s chosen field of study.
- Apply and demonstrate appropriate mastery of the relevant content in the disciplinary approaches relevant to one’s individualized area of study.
- Advance social, economic, or environmental justice through a culminating project that integrates theory and practice through written work, a work of art, or work in one’s community.
Portfolio
The Masters portfolio is used as a tool to gauge one’s learning over the course of one’s tenure at Antioch, and to use for professional presentations and applications. The portfolio also allows one to reflect on one’s progress while serving as a student at Antioch, and may serve as a useful collection to demonstrate what one has learned to outside agencies or graduate schools. Portfolios are required for graduation. Learn more about portfolio requirements
Portfolio Requirements
There are several outcomes of learning that should be demonstrated in the portfolio by using examples of one’s work that one will submit for review. One will need to select one’s most excellent sample of work that meets the following competencies. Please Note: Students will need to save their work throughout this program!
There are three required components. Student must provide examples of work that demonstrate fulfillment of the following program outcomes:
- Demonstrate critical thinking, writing, and communication skills by developing a specific point of view and defending it clearly with arguments and evidence.
- Adopt an interdisciplinary, foundational approach to one’s program by synthesizing understanding, perspectives, and research skills from one’s field of study and applying them to one’s area of focus within one’s field.
- Design and Implement a research-oriented program of study that synthesizes information from one’s chosen field of study.
- Apply appropriate mastery of the relevant content in the disciplinary approaches brought to bear on one’s individualized area of study.
- Advance social, economic, or environmental justice through a culminating project that integrates theory and practice through written work, a work of art, or work in one’s community.
- Three critical reflection papers related to the three Colloquia attended.
- Final reflection. After collecting and selecting the best samples of their work, students are required to write a 3-5 page reflection on their personal, social, and intellectual journey at Antioch. Reflections should include a description of what students have learned, a discussion of any internal changes they experienced as a learner, and any final thoughts on the program.
Admissions
Application information:
- Complete the Online Application (No Application fee!)
- Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university or an institution recognized by regional accreditation. Official transcripts of all academic work.
- Exceptions may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis using faculty’s professional judgment such as cases of international degree. Antioch Online will accept degrees earned under the terms of the Bologna Declaration.
- Two current professional references, at least one of which is from a University professor whom you have worked with and who has evaluated your academic work
- Admissions Essay:
- Please provide a statement in 500 words or less as to why you would like to do an Individualized program, what you intend to accomplish in the program, and what qualifications you bring to accomplish that
- Please submit a writing sample of no more than 5 pages in length addressing your knowledge or interest in Humanities
- No GMAT or GRE required
- Additional requirement for international students:
- Reading & Writing in English Proficiency Assessment (if applicable) or TOEFL score of 550 “paper-based”, 214 “computer-based”, and 79 “internet-based or higher.
Please submit all materials to:
Antioch University
Admissions Office
900 Dayton Street
Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387
–OR–
[email protected]
All application materials submitted become part of an applicant’s file and cannot be returned.
Technology Requirements
Students in this program participate in online learning activities organized within small- and large-group learning communities. Antioch University Online is a 100% online learning environment, and therefore, in addition to having the traditional learning skills, students are expected to have basic technological skills, compatible computer hardware, operating system, and internet connectivity upon entrance into the program.
Cost
Graduate Degree Tuition
This program costs $676 per semester hour plus a $75/semester student services fee.
ADDITIONAL TUITION & FEES INFO
Financial Aid
Many AU students finance their education through some form of financial aid. You may not be sure which federal, state, public, and private aid packages – such as loans, scholarships, and grants – are right for you. Our staff is here to help you, so you can focus on what’s most important: beginning your academic program at AU.
Upcoming Events
Individualized Studies Program Info Session | AUO
Individualized Studies Program Info Session | AUO
Individualized Studies Program Info Session | AUO
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