MLA-MLA - Master of Liberal Arts (MLA)

The MLA does not accept transfer credits.

See Graduate Advising for a statement of university policy on graduate advising.

The MLA Program has an advising program created to respond to student needs and the unique nature of this student group. That is to say, the MLA student group is diverse in age, experience, expectation, and availability. The program has determined that important gateway moments in the program (finishing core courses and entering the seminar track, preparation of the thesis prospectus, and work on the thesis) require cohort advising meetings. Individual academic advising, however, is best accomplished one-on-one, between student and advisor, at a mutually convenient time and place. The advising structure has two stages: Pre-thesis Advising and Thesis Advising. 

Pre-thesis Advising begins just before matriculation and lasts until the student has been assigned a thesis advisor.  

• Specific pre-thesis academic advising sessions occur before students begin the program, after their foundations course year, as they begin to choose their seminars, and as they start to contemplate their thesis topics. The dates for these sessions are published well before the events, and students recognize the importance of attending; when exceptional circumstances keep students away, the program offers make-up sessions in person or by phone or video call.

• Entering students are also assigned a faculty advisor as they enter the program. They are encouraged to meet with the advisor during the first year to establish a relationship with the faculty member. Once they begin to choose seminars and move toward the thesis subject matter, the program encourages students to contact their advisor once a quarter before signing up for a meeting for the following quarter.

Year 1

Incoming students meet individually with the Associate Dean and Director in July before starting the program. This meeting provides an opportunity to talk about student and program expectations, clarify the program’s administrative specifics, and pass on information about the resources available to the student. This meeting also invites students to consult the Associate Dean and Director throughout their time in the program. Before this meeting, students are sent the MLA Student Handbook.

In October of their first year, students are assigned a Stanford faculty advisor from among the MLA Faculty Advisory Committee members. These advisors are familiar with MLA program policies and the MLA curriculum; they also are familiar with the MLA Student Handbook. This advisor works with students throughout Foundations, Core, and Seminar classes until they are assigned a thesis advisor.

In their first year, students should plan to contact their advisor at least once. The meeting (or meetings) during their first year provide an opportunity to get to know the advisor before the students and advisors begin meeting regularly during the second year.

Students meet with the Associate Dean and Director again in June after their first year. This meeting provides an opportunity to review how the year went and discuss concerns or challenges the student has.

Year 2

During autumn quarter, second-year students take their final core course. One session of that course begins an hour early and addresses the students’ move into seminar choice. The Associate Dean and Director and the Chair of the Faculty Advisory Committee conduct the meeting; faculty who will be offering seminars through the rest of the academic year are invited to the session. This meeting takes place just before enrollment opens for winter quarter.

Students are encouraged to consult with their faculty advisor before enrolling in courses autumn, winter, spring, and summer quarters of the second year to keep the advisor informed of their choices and discuss program expectations and upcoming responsibilities. These meetings can be held in person, by phone, or over email. Students are expected to initiate these quarterly meetings.  

Year 3

Students are advised to contact their faculty advisor each quarter as they continue their seminar work.

Early in winter quarter of their third year, students meet as a group with the Associate Dean and Director and the writing instructor. This meeting is an orientation for students as they begin to think about their thesis topic and move into the next stage of the degree program. They receive a substantial binder of policies and advice to consult through their thesis writing.

As students reach the end of their seminars and begin thinking about thesis topics, they form a conversation with the Associate Dean and Director and the Chair of the Faculty Advisory Committee about their thesis direction and potential faculty they should speak with as they are writing their prospectus. Students are introduced to and encouraged to consult individual faculty members whose expertise can guide the students’ building of the prospectus.

Thesis Advising, End of Year 3 and Beyond

The MLA Faculty Advisory Committee responds in writing to each student’s prospectus, approving it, deferring approval, or rejecting it. In each case, the response brings together the committee’s considered advice on the next steps for the student.

Once students have an approved prospectus, the MLA Faculty Advisory Committee assigns them a Stanford faculty advisor.

Students with approved prospectuses (or those close to having their prospectuses approved) attend a day-long thesis workshop held every summer. The MLA writing consultant and instructor directs the workshop; the Chair of the Faculty Advisory Committee, the Faculty Writing Consultant, and the Associate Dean and Director attend, along with representative faculty advisors and recent graduates. The thesis workshop is intended to give provide insight into working with a thesis advisor, to help students take maximum advantage of class and instructor feedback in the weekly thesis workshops, to address the necessary work of researching and then shaping and focusing the thesis, to inform students about the practices and expectations of the weekly Thesis-in-Progress sessions and thesis presentations, and generally to illuminate some of the ups and downs of thesis-writing. (The summer thesis workshop is intended for all students working on their theses, not only those beginning their work.)

As soon as their prospectus is approved, students become a part of the thesis working group, course MLA Thesis in Progress. The thesis-in-progress group meets weekly and includes all MLA students working on their theses; the MLA writing instructor leads it; the MLA faculty writing consultant and the Associate Dean and Director attend most meetings. The meetings provide a time for peer feedback and support and guidance from the writing consultants.