Enrollment in a combined program allows highly qualified, current Empire State University students to work on the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies while completing the bachelor’s degree. Up to 12 credits of designated master’s courses are incorporated into the bachelor’s degree program and will count toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

The Pathways

Qualified SUNY Empire undergraduates may pursue the following combined degree pathways:

• B.A. or B.S. in Historical Studies to M.A. in Liberal Studies
• B.A. or B.S. in Cultural Studies to M.A. in Liberal Studies
• B.A. or B.S. in The Arts to M.A. in Liberal Studies

Admission

Admission into the combined program is highly selective. Matriculated undergraduate students may apply to the combined program and will complete all of the application requirements for the master’s degree program. The admission application process includes a review of all coursework completed and a minimum recalculated GPA of 3.2 (most recent 60 credits earned), one recommendation, and two application essays.

Please see the Graduate Admission section of this catalog for a complete listing of materials required to complete a graduate application. 

Curriculum

The combined pathway requires 142 total credits of which 30 are master's credits leading to the M.A. in Liberal Studies. Students complete 12 credits of graduate coursework as undergraduate students that count toward both the 124 credits required for the B.A./B.S. degree and the 30 credits required for the M.A. degree. Students must meet all college, AOS and relevant concentration guidelines. Once the undergraduate degree has been awarded, the student may begin the remaining 18 credits required for the graduate M.A. in Liberal Studies degree. Students must meet master’s expectations for academic progress and grade point average in their master’s level courses to remain in the combined program.

Combined Pathway Courses

The four graduate courses that will be taken during undergraduate study are listed below. Short 2-3 day virtual residencies are also required during graduate study. The remaining courses required to complete the graduate degree, can be found on the MA in Liberal Studies page of this catalog, under the Program Requirements tab.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
LACS 6005	Foundations of Liberal Studies	3
LACS 6010	Designing your Degree: Interdisciplinary Studies	3
LACS 6015	Exploring your Field: The Academic Literature Review	3
Models of Critical Inquiry (Choose one):		3
LACS 6020	Models of Critical Inquiry: Art Aesthetics & the Body
LACS 6025	Models of Critical Inquiry: Landscapes of Learning
LACS 6027	Models of Critical Inquiry: How We Know
LACS 6030	Models of Critical Inquiry: Relationships to the Past - History & Culture
LACS 6035	Models of Critical Inquiry: Science & Society
Total Credits		12