Personal Thoughts

 
 

 

 

Student Interviews

 

 

Marci

"I chose the MLA program because it offered me the flexibility to choose from a variety of careers upon graduation, unlike other programs that would have limited my career choices. Because I had the option of taking classes in social sciences and communications areas, I have been able to produce assignments and analyses for a wider audience thus making me more marketable to potential employers. My current career is as an English as a Second Language Instructor at the Intensive English Program on campus. This career utilizes all aspects of my degreethe social sciences part and the communications part. I feel confident that if I were to put myself back in the job market that I would have no problem finding work in a variety of fields. I could not make this statement if I had chosen a more "traditional" degree program."

Marci Buhajla
Danielle

"As my career moved forward, I wanted to gain more education to help expand my horizons and increase my content knowledge. Therefore, I began to research different graduate programs that would encompass the wide variety of subjects that I teach. I chose the Master of Liberal Arts degree with an emphasis in Communication and English. This program allowed me to take several different humanities classes that related to my teaching. The curriculum provided in Dr. Wilson's classes expanded not only my educational view, but also changed my vision of the world. Under the direction and trusted guidance of Dr. Gemme, I completed my thesis on teaching foreign language within a changing demographic, and I was awarded a master's degree, with a 4.0 GPA, in 2009. This thesis appears in the Tech library. I used the research from my thesis to influence the decisions I make while planning lessons for my students. It has greatly impacted my students' engagement

Danielle Stewart

"I began my education at ATU pursuing a Bachelors degree in Vocal Music Education. After graduating in Spring 2013 I began my search for a graduate program that fit my needs. I want to focus on working in the museum setting with an emphasis in the fine arts. With this in mind I choose the University of Arkansas to begin my graduate career studying Music History. While I was there I found that the curriculum did not suit my needs to work in the museum world and I needed to find a program better suited. As I began to study new programs I came across the MLA website at my alma mater (Tech). What really caught my eye were the flexibility of the program and the availability of classes that focused directly on what I needed to move forward in my career. I have been able to build my own program from the ground up so to speak and I have taken classes in American Folk Music, Screenwriting, Visual Studies, and Museum Studies. With my choice of curriculum in my control it has opened opportunities to me in the job market that I never thought I would be interested in. I will graduate with my MLA degree in December of 2014 but have already made plans to attend the University of Tulsa for my PHD in Archeology (Anthropology). The MLA program has a wide variety of paths available for the modern graduate student and I will always be excited to recommend the program to anyone interested in a wide field of studies."

Ellen Watts

"Earning a Masters in Liberal Arts (MLA) has let me focus on what I really want to study--issues and topics involving gender, sexuality, and so much more. Arkansas Tech University has provided excellent opportunities with their options for classes. The professors are personable and are willing to work with you outside of class. The Master's Project really lets a student research and write about what they really want to know."

Casey Terry

"Arkansas Tech University's MLA Program is challenging and fun. It allows those who love communication, literature, or the fine arts to explore their options past a Bachelor's Degree. The classes are widely varied--from your basic Graduate Studies to classes about Lovers and Beloveds--and always worth the effort. Plus, the Program allows a student to identify with what they most enjoy, and pursue that particular path for the semesters to come."

Charles Tyrone

"A Masters of Liberal Arts (MLA) is a broad-based degree that acts as a link between all of the art fields. The assets of this degree are that it is a communicative degree that focuses on understanding social waves and how they can affect education, even down to a personal work level. In education, the MLA program is an inter-disciplinary field which allows for the study of multiple subjects to further the understanding of how these subjects relate, such as for example, Economics to Fine Arts. Large companies employ MLA students in positions that need to have the ability to communicate between departments, such as Graphic Arts, Accounting, and Marketing and Sales. Personally-owned businesses and larger companies benefit from the understanding of how social waves affect sales of products. These could include, for example, a political statement regarding how cut-backs on oil production can raise the price of shipping abroad. The Master of Liberal Arts degree is the most well rounded degree available to students who will be in positions where they are required to know how different fields inter-connect and what the effects of world events have on them."

Wade Tise