St. John's University

What you'll study

The programme combines courses across humanities disciplines—literature, history, philosophy, cultural studies, and the arts—with methodological training in critical theory, research methods and interdisciplinary inquiry. Students follow a core curriculum that emphasises analytical writing, research design and ethical scholarship, then choose elective seminars to build specialisms such as digital humanities, comparative literature, public humanities, or contemporary cultural theory.

• Core modules: interdisciplinary methods, graduate-level academic writing and research design, theory of the humanities.
• Typical electives: modern and contemporary literature, intellectual history, philosophy of culture, film and media studies, art history, digital humanities tools, historiography, gender and sexuality studies.
• Capstone options: a supervised research thesis, a professional project or a portfolio demonstrating applied humanities work; students may also undertake an internship in a cultural institution or public-facing organisation.
• Teaching and learning: seminar discussions, close reading and critical analysis, research projects, presentations and supervised independent study. Class sizes are generally small to support close faculty mentoring.

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally expected to hold a recognised bachelor's degree in any discipline with a satisfactory academic record. Relevant professional experience, a strong statement of purpose, and academic writing samples may strengthen an application for candidates from non-traditional backgrounds. The programme welcomes applicants who want to shift fields or broaden their humanities grounding.

• Official undergraduate transcript from a recognised institution.
• A personal statement describing academic interests, proposed focus areas and career intentions.
• One or two academic or professional references.
• An academic writing sample or portfolio, where requested.
• Evidence of English language proficiency for applicants whose first language is not English (tests such as IELTS or TOEFL are typically accepted; refer to the university for approved tests and scores).
• Mature or experienced applicants without a conventional degree may be considered on an individual basis if they demonstrate readiness for graduate study.

Career prospects

Graduates of the MA in Liberal Arts and Sciences enter a wide range of careers that value advanced communication, research and critical thinking. The programme supports both academic and professional pathways.

• Academic and research: progression to doctoral study or roles in research support and higher education administration.
• Culture and public sector: positions in museums, libraries, archives, cultural policy, public humanities programming and non‑profit management.
• Media and communications: writing, editing, content strategy, publication, and digital media roles.
• Policy, advocacy and consultancy: analysis, programme development and stakeholder engagement in NGOs, government agencies and think tanks.
• Business and professional services: roles in human resources, corporate communications, marketing, and organisations seeking employees with strong analytical and interpretive abilities.

Why study at St. John's University

St. John's offers the humanities resources of a metropolitan university combined with a campus culture rooted in the university's Catholic and Vincentian mission, emphasising service, ethical inquiry and community engagement. Students benefit from small seminar teaching, access to faculty across humanities disciplines and opportunities to pursue internships and cultural partnerships in New York City.

• Interdisciplinary faculty with active research and engagement in public humanities.
• Opportunities for internships and collaborations with museums, libraries and cultural organisations in the city.
• Support services including research librarianship, career services and writing support geared to graduate students.
• Flexible programme structure that accommodates full-time and part-time study and allows tailored specialisms or professional projects.