The curriculum in the University of Chicago online Master of Liberal Arts includes three electives and a thesis or special project, giving you the opportunity to delve into the areas of inquiry that are most relevant to your goals. You can pursue a general course of study by selecting classes in various disciplines or pursue one of the following concentrations by focusing your three electives in a common area of study in addition to completing your thesis on a related topic:
Take an interdisciplinary look at leaders and leadership strategies across a variety of contexts. Examine works of literature, philosophy, history, politics, and more to interrogate the ethical implications of the choices we make. Apply a creative approach to discover insights into your own leadership style or the leadership at your organization.
In this concentration, you’ll develop leadership frameworks to identify the right course of action and refresh how you think about concepts as wide-ranging as corporate responsibility, team morale, and achieving results. Along the way, you’ll not only learn from the assigned texts and your professor, but also benefit from the knowledge of classmates who hold leadership positions.
This concentration is ideally suited to:
Current executives seeking to reflect on and grow in their practices.
Rising professionals seeking to explore varied leadership styles.
Example Ethics and Leadership Courses
MLAP 34860
Human Rights and the Meaning of Work
This interdisciplinary course explores work — free and unfree — and the experience of working people from the vantage point of human rights.
MLAP 36400
Digital Ethics
The course pairs classic debates in applied ethics with case studies from recent developments in digital technology.
Deep learning in leadership and ethics through the liberal arts lens is a dream come true for me as a student. The UChicago MLA program allows me to transfer my real-world experience in scaling startups to the realm of academic thought and beyond, all while being a part of an exciting learning community that challenges my current notions and helps me grow as an individual and executive.
Explore a wide selection of literary works, becoming conversant in the major structures and methods of literary analysis. You will read some of the best writing that humanity has produced and learn from faculty members who approach literature from a wide range of disciplinary standpoints.
In this concentration, you’ll be exposed to new ways of looking at literature, write at length about your thoughts, and receive extensive feedback. These courses are a powerful means to discover or reignite a passion for great writing.
The Literary Studies concentration may be right for you if you’re:
Seeking to hone your writing skills. You’ll read examples of literature in many different modes, genres, and styles and then discuss what makes these works stand out. By responding to the assigned reading in your own writing, you’ll grow as an effective communicator and a more rigorous thinker.
Looking for personal enrichment. This is the ideal concentration for students who already love literature and want a structured environment to read and discuss with a group of highly engaged peers.
Example Literary Studies Courses
MLAP 37000
The Pivotal Decade: 1970s Literature & The Rise of Inequality
This course explored the relation of postmodernism and works by major American fiction writers, including Toni Morrison, Maxine Hong Kingston, Tom Wolfe, William Gaddis, to the broader political and economic shifts of the 1970s and the rise of economic inequality in the US.
MLAP 36400
Colonial Fictions: Novels of Adventure, Exoticisms, and East and West
This course examined what Empire was in the case of British India and the Dutch East Indies by reading English and Dutch novels together with the work of Asian writers to develop an idea of how literature was reacted to colonialism, how different cultures wrote about each other, and how the writing of that era has shaped our modern world.
School has always been a happy place for me, and I had desperately wanted to study literature. The MLA program has made that possible and opened me up to a broader skill set. I have formed connections with students from all over the world, including Columbia, India, Australia, and China. I look forward to my class each week and can’t wait to discuss the readings with my professor and peers.
This interdisciplinary concentration provides scholarly and applied frameworks for thinking through the societal implications raised by technological advancements. You’ll explore the benefits and risks that emerge from societies’ influence on technological development, as well as technology’s effects on culture.
As analytics and artificial intelligence increasingly become everyday parts our lives, it’s clear that the value of data depends on the quality of the questions you ask. This concentration will equip you to formulate the right types of questions. Rather than just considering how to complete a project, you’ll consider how your efforts affect the big picture and the reasons why we pursue technical breakthroughs and industry disruptions.
This concentration is ideal for students who:
Work in tech and have the career-oriented skills to succeed, but want to probe the overarching questions raised in their professional lives.
Work in tech-adjacent fields or executive roles that are being disrupted or accelerated by new technology, such as consultants and leaders in the finance, automotive, and energy industries.
In Tech and Society courses, we raise questions like:
What are the ethical responsibilities for organizations that collect and use personal data?
How is technology transforming politics, and what will be the effects for democracy around the world?
What should tech leaders do to address the spread of online misinformation?
Example Tech and Society Courses
MLAP 30660
Culture and Technology
This class looked at the interplay between technology and culture with a particular focus on the ways in which technological advancements impact cultural production in literature, the arts, and media.
MLAP 36400
Technology, Science, and Self
Theories about technology and its relationship to society and self are everywhere, even if we don’t always recognize them or articulate them.
The Tech & Society concentration has inspired me to take in a deeper consideration for how AI will be transforming society—and, it has renewed my excitement for connecting thought with practice.
Dylan Moller
Founder & Managing Director at Gregers, LLC
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have questions about our master’s degree in liberal arts that aren’t answered here? Find answers on our FAQ page
Do I have to pursue a concentration to complete the MLA?
No. Concentrations are optional. Some students choose one of the three concentrations, while others prefer to pursue a general course of study that draws from multiple disciplines. Many students prefer the flexible general pathway if they want breadth rather than a single thematic focus.
Do I need to declare my concentration when I start the program?
No. Students have time to decide which concentration is right for them. Most MLA students begin by taking courses from the core curriculum while they consider whether to pursue the general course of study or focus on a specific concentration.
How many courses do I need to complete a concentration?
Each concentration requires students take three courses in its theme area, in addition to completing their thesis on a related topic. All MLA students complete nine courses total, including the thesis or special project.
What kinds of careers or goals do concentrations support?
Concentrations help students tailor the MLA to specific professional or intellectual goals:
Ethics & Leadership: Ideal for professionals managing teams, shaping policy, or preparing for leadership roles.
Literary Studies: Supports careers in writing, communications, humanities teaching, editing, and publishing work as well as anyone wanting to explore great works of literature.
Tech & Society: Suited for tech professionals, analysts, policy thinkers, educators, and anyone exploring the social and ethical implications of technology.
Will my concentration appear on my diploma?
The courses students take as a part of their concentration will appear on your transcript but not on the diploma itself. The transcript serves as an academic record of a student’s chosen focus area.
What if my interests span more than one concentration?
Many MLA students take courses across multiple concentrations. These students typically pursue the general course of study so they can explore a variety of courses across concentration tracks.
How does the thesis relate to my concentration?
Your thesis or special project will also be rooted in your chosen concentration. You’ll work with a writing advisor and faculty supervisor to shape a project aligned with your goals.
Are there prerequisite skills required for any of the concentrations?
There are no formal prerequisites outside of being admitted to the MLA program. All concentrations are designed for motivated adult learners from varied backgrounds.
How can I find out which concentration is right for me?
You can speak directly with an enrollment counselor who can help map your background and interests to the concentration that best fits your goals.
Cara Brennan AllamanoChief People Officer, Lattice
