What areas of concentration
are included in the Individualized Liberal and Professional Studies
Program?
Students in this program earn a master
of arts degree in a variety of concentrations in the social sciences,
arts, writing, humanities, management, and a variety of interdisciplinary
fields. If you are unsure about how to articulate what you wish to study,
contact a member of the Enrollment Services team (937) 769-1818.
What does individualized really
mean? Can I study anything I want, when I want, and how I want?
Individualized means that the faculty
advisor and your degree committee members will work with you to design
a degree that is both credible and meets your individual educational goals.
It takes into consideration your learning style, prior experience, and
academic goals.
Your curriculum design must be grounded
in theory and meet the academic and professional standards for your field
of study. Although there is a tremendous amount of flexibility within
the ILPS program, there is also a corresponding structure and process
for completing the degree.
When implementing the curriculum plan,
you will have latitude in terms of when courses begin and end. However,
there are satisfactory academic progress benchmarks which must be met
every step of the way. Learning activities and assessment encompass a
wide variety of options. These options are covered in the curriculum design
course with your faculty advisor.
I read that I will be able to
study with experts in the field that I select. How does this work? How
do I find these experts? And how do I get them to work with me?
A major advantage of the ILPS program
design is that the student has an opportunity to recruit two degree committee
members, and other instructors for the independent study courses. This
allows the student to collaborate with faculty with whom they share academic
interests.
The following factors should be considered in selecting committee members and
instructors.
- Academic Credentials. Academic
credentials (usually a terminal degree) and competence in the
students field are required.
- Geographic Proximity. Geographic
proximity facilitates communication throughout the program.
Geographic proximity is not an absolute requirement.
Many students have found the ILPS program to be a means of
overcoming the obstacle of geographic isolation in the pursuit
of graduate education.
Possible sources for degree
committee members and instructors
Students find their degree committee members by networking
in the student's local area (universities, professional organizations)
and field of study. If
the student starts with one potential resource individual, that individual
can usually refer the student to other potential sources of committee members
and instructors in the area and across the country. Individuals with whom the
student has a significant relationship, such as family members, close friends,
psychotherapists, or supervisors, are not eligible to serve as degree committee
members or instructors. Given Antioch’s emphasis on theory and practice,
we encourage students to study with academics and practitioners.
Specific sources for degree committee
members include the following:
Academics in the field. Students
already active in their chosen field of study will know academics with
appropriate credentials who can serve as committee members and instructors.
Professional directories.
Students are advised to consult professional directories available through
associations to find the names of potential members and instructors.
Local educational institutions. Catalogs
and websites of academic institutions in the student’s community
can also provide leads.
The faculty advisor. The
faculty advisor can serve as a valuable resource for recruiting
a degree committee. For instance, the faculty advisor may know
current students
and alumni who are working with academics and professionals in
the student’s
community. The faculty advisor will also be familiar with recruitment
strategies that have proven effective for a particular discipline.
In some cases, Midwest faculty in other programs may be suitable
choices for degree committee membership.
I have never taken an online or
a distance learning type course before.
I am wondering if this degree is accredited
and will it be viewed as a credible degree
when I graduate?
At Antioch University we have been highly
selective about the types of programs we offer at a distance and have
ensured that the same academic principles are applied to this program
as are applied to our on-campus classroom offerings.
Antioch University is accredited by:
Higher
Learning Commission
of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
30 North LaSalle Street
Suite 2400
Chicago, IL 60602-2504
(800) 621-7440
(312) 263-0456
Fax: (312) 263-7462
www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org
I work full time and am wondering
how this program will work for me. (I also have two small
children). Is this really doable?
This program
was designed specifically for adult learners 25 years ago.
Part of what goes into developing a quality
graduate program is a good understanding of the needs of adult
learners. We feel that we have such an understanding. At Antioch
McGregor, we recognize
that you have multiple responsibilities to your work, your family,
and your community. We’ve developed this program with working adults’ lifestyles
in mind.
- With
two short residencies, online courses, and independent study
courses, you will be
able to maximize your learning time. The online courses are “asynchronous” – meaning
that you are not required to be online at the same time as
your classmates and professors. The independent study courses
are designed by you and your committee taking into account
your learning style, learning goals, and start and end dates.
This affords you the flexibility to work when you are at your
best: early mornings before heading off to work, evenings after
the kids are in bed, or weekends when you can carve out some
time to study.
- You,
your faculty advisor and degree committee will design the
coursework to relate to
what you experience at work or hope to do in your field. So,
you’ll be applying what you learn in your courses to
your practice, and, hopefully, making your practice more effective
and rewarding.
- If you will be attending
professional conferences as part of your work responsibilities,
you may be able to apply what you learn at the conferences
to your coursework.
- Most ILPS students
are employed full-time and also have multiple demands on their
time. To address these challenges, we have built 3 levels of
support in this program:
- You will initially
be part of a cohort going through the first two required
classes with your faculty advisor.
- You will be working
with your Antioch faculty advisor, a core faculty member
in the ILPS department, throughout your degree implementation
process.
- You will find support
from the Program Administrator and the Assistant to the
Director in the ILPS program office. Both will assist
you with administrative details and processing of your
completed coursework.
Our goal is
to help students graduate--we all share in everyone’s success.
To answer
you directly, "Yes!
It is definitely doable."
My budget is tight. How can
I pay for this program, and how much does it cost?
Ask your Human Resources Department
about tuition reimbursement and other employee educational benefits. Many
employers have programs that reimburse employees for at least a portion
of their tuition costs.
There is also the option of tuition
assistance in the form of federal subsidized and unsubsidized
student loans. Current rates are the lowest in history
at 2.77% (effective until 6/30/05) while in school. Please
take a moment to visit the
Financial Aid
Information area of our website. There is a lot
of information in there to help you with financing your
education.
Please see the following link
for tuition and fees.
