Master of Liberal Arts

The mission of the Master of Liberal Arts (MLA) is to provide a broad and balanced spectrum of graduate courses that are interdisciplinary in nature and focused on the moral, aesthetic, and intellectual values of the liberal arts.

The Master of Liberal Arts program at HBU is dedicated to training students in the classical model of education, preparing them to serve in a variety of professions and vocations. The degree is designed for students desiring a broad and deep course of study in the liberal arts with an emphasis on the Great Books of the Western Tradition.

While the MLA at HBU is flexible enough to satisfy the particular interests of each student, we do not subscribe to the common “grab bag” approach to liberal arts. Instead, we provide a core of six courses in the Western Tradition that is both chronologically progressive and cohesive to enable students to grasp the flow and development of ideas that have shaped the modern world. Other elective courses are focused on essential figures (i.e. St. Augustine), periods (i.e. Tudor England), and topics (i.e. democracy, logic, church/state relations). Also, the MLA encourages students to craft their degree around one of three optional areas of emphasis (Classical Learning, Research, and General Liberal Arts).

Houston Baptist University offers an intimate college environment in the heart of one of the most vibrant and diverse cities in the United States: Houston, Texas. Coming to HBU as a student is about more than books, tests, and lectures. It is about stepping into a community where each person is recognized as a distinct individual. HBU strives to not only develop each student academically but spiritually, physically, and relationally as well. With an average class size of 25, the more than 3,000 students of HBU get the personal attention they want and need.

The beautiful 100-acre campus is located just minutes from the city’s thriving downtown district, and the opportunities for jobs, internships, and fun surround it. The University has a very diverse student body, with an ethnic composition similar to that of America’s fourth-largest city. Although HBU is a Christian institution, a number of other world religions are represented within the student body, adding to the institution’s diversity.