Master of Liberal Arts

Whether your goal is career advancement or personal discovery, or both, our flexible curriculum is designed to fit into your schedule, online or in-person.

Our MLA program is a rare combination of academic rigor and flexibility that reflects the University of Chicago’s relentless commitment to open, rigorous, and intense inquiry. Through reading, reflection, lecture, and lively discussions, our MLA students study the works of great thinkers—in the humanities, social sciences, physical sciences, and biological sciences—and gain the tools to apply interdisciplinary thought to their professional lives. In small classes, all taught by University of Chicago faculty, students engage and wrestle with big ideas as they work towards developing their own ways of thinking, leading, and solving complex problems.

Ask questions, share ideas, and challenge assumptions as part of an extraordinary peer community.

The MLA community includes doctors, entrepreneurs, business leaders, scientists, writers, police officers, lawyers, educators, engineers, tech executives, and a wide variety of other professionals. This variety of perspectives and backgrounds contributes to an engaging and enlightening exchange of views.

The essence of a liberal education is the ability to read deeply, listen closely, think critically, solve creatively, and communicate effectively. It gives you a sense of the big picture and how things relate to one another, enabling you to lead with confidence. “The liberally educated person has a mind that can operate well in all fields,” former University of Chicago President Robert Maynard Hutchins said. 

With a Master of Liberal Arts degree, you can advance your leadership skills, accelerate your professional development, and amplify your impact in your field. That is the power of the UChicago MLA.