Master of Arts in Liberal Studies

The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) program at Reed College offers an interdisciplinary graduate experience distinct from traditional, specialized programs. Students engage with diverse ideas across arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences, choosing courses to build a broad academic base. The program culminates in a thesis, allowing students to investigate a topic in depth.

Graduates may pursue further academic study, including PhD programs, or enter roles such as museum curators or high school teachers.

Admission requires a bachelor's or higher degree. Applicants begin the program by completing at least two courses at Reed, including a liberal studies core course, after which they submit an application for formal candidacy.

On-campus, with courses offered in the evenings and during the summer. The institution admits about 27% of applicants.

Reed's liberal arts tradition has grown around broad study, close faculty mentorship, and sustained inquiry. Students share Humanities 110, a signature program examining how people in different historical contexts have addressed fundamental questions about existence, then study deeply in a major. Research begins early: undergraduates collaborate with faculty, work in labs, participate in archaeological fieldwork, conduct canopy research, or volunteer in the nuclear reactor. Summer fellowships and grants can support campus projects, travel, and research abroad. In the final year, every student undertakes a senior thesis, working with a faculty adviser on experiments, primary-source research, or another major-based project that remains in Reed's Thesis Tower.

The Portland campus combines green open space with places for study and community. Reed Canyon is a 28-acre watershed with a lake, trees, and the Blue Bridge, while lawns and Old Dorm Block sit against views of the Portland skyline. Downtown Portland is a short bike ride away, and students can plan trips to the college's ski cabin on Mount Hood. International applicants apply as a specific applicant type through the Common Application or Coalition for College Application and complete a Reed writing supplement. Reed does not use SAT or ACT results in admission review. TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo is strongly encouraged for applicants who do not speak English at home or whose school teaches in another language; international interviews are by invitation only. Admitted international students receive financial aid meeting 100 percent of demonstrated need for all four years.