Liberal Studies, D.L.S.

Curriculum

D.L.S. students must complete 36 credit hours of coursework, 24 credits of which are required core courses and 12 credits of which are chosen based on the student’s declared focal area of study. During and following the coursework, students must complete comprehensive exams, a dissertation (totaling a minimum of 9 credit hours), and an oral defense of the dissertation. Completion of the 45-credit-hour program can be completed in three years with a maximum of seven years. A full-time track is available for international students or those wishing to pursue their studies at an accelerated pace. Students enroll in the required courses listed below for the fall and spring terms of each of their first two years of study.

D.L.S. courses are taught in lecture and seminar format and are in some cases available for enrollment to both D.L.S. and M.L.S. students. D.L.S. students enrolled in M.L.S. courses are given additional reading and writing assignments and a leadership component. Students are allowed to engage in as many as nine credit hours of directed reading/tutorial study.

Up to six hours of transfer credit or advanced standing may be awarded, as determined by the executive director and faculty/program chair. Such credits must derive from graduate-level academic work earned at SMU or another accredited university.

Admission Requirements

Students enroll in cohort groups that begin in the fall only. Applications submitted by March 1 receive priority review; applications received after March 1 are reviewed on a rolling basis until the fall cohort is full. To maintain the high degree of individualized attention expected in doctoral programs, admission is limited to approximately 12-15 students per cohort. Applications must be submitted online at www.smu.edu/dls. Applications are accepted for Fall Term cohorts only. Admission requirements include the following:

• Master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education.
• SMU online application.
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher and a graduate GPA of 3.5 or higher is preferred.
• Personal statement - A three-page well-structured essay discussing your curricular area of focus and how this program will support your life, work, and society. Discuss reasons for choosing this program and how the curriculum will support your academic interests and goals.
• Academic writing sample - Please submit a recent (preferably within the past five years) research-based academic writing sample, 10-15 pages. Other writing samples of comparable length may be substituted.
• Three letters of recommendation from a professor if available and from a supervisor in your profession, philanthropy, community organizations, etc.
• Resume or curriculum vitae.
• Interview with admissions faculty.
• Application fee.
• International applicants for admission decision: Translated foreign transcripts and proof of English proficiency. If accepted: documentation required to receive student visa (https://www.smu.edu/EnrollmentServices/international/For-Scholars/New-Scholar-Information).

Note: The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required but applicants may submit their scores if would like them considered with their application.

Degree Requirements

Students must enroll in a minimum of six credit hours of coursework per term for the first four terms to complete the foundational seminars (24 credit hours). Specialized courses may be taken concurrently with, or subsequently to, foundational coursework (remaining 12 hours). Students must enroll in at least three credit hours per term through the remainder of the program. Maintenance of good standing requires a 3.000 average GPA. Degree requirements include the following:

• A total of 36 credit hours of traditional graduate coursework (up to six hours may be transferred).
• Comprehensive exams.
• A minimum of an additional nine credit hours of doctoral dissertation research and writing; the dissertation requires an oral defense at the proposal and final stages.
• The D.L.S. doctoral dissertation is expected to demonstrate a level of mastery and academic rigor in interdisciplinary studies comparable to, though distinct from, the equivalent level of mastery and rigor expected of a Ph.D. dissertation in a disciplinary field.