MLAS Course Roster
Spring 2010 Courses
- MLAS 270 36: The United States and the World Economy
- MLAS 260 83: Competing Conceptions of Justice: The Israeli- Palestinian Conflict
- MLAS 260 38: The Poetry of Robert Frost
- MLAS 290 04: Caribbean History
- MLAS 260 84: History of French Film
- MLAS 280 04 Theories of the Universe
» Detailed information for these classes.
Class Size
Each course in the MLAS Program follows a seminar format, with lively discussion, analysis and critique of the course material being motivated by both the professor and the students. Enrollment minimum is eight students--and the average enrollment is 15-18. And the maximum is derived by the professor's enrollment preference and the constraints of the seminar room or studio they prefer to use. For example, a seminar room may only accommodate 12 students, so the course scheduled for that room will have that limit.
Course Registration and Pre-View Open House
In advance of a new semester, a MLAS Pre-View Open House is held, a combination social event and information session. Prospective and returning students are invited to hear faculty presentations about their upcoming courses. The motivation for the Open House is to allow MLAS students to gain a first-hand glimpse into the following semester's courses. Following the Open House, course registrations will begin.
Although students may submit their course requests, there is no guarantee that the student will be enrolled in their first choice. If a student has declared a "certificate" program preference, then we try our best to accommodate that request. A student's seniority in the program is also factored in. Both of these practices mirror the university’s "bump & balance" policy; that is, students may be bumped--using their major and class status-- from a course in order to not exceed the course's enrollment maximum.
Last spring semester we had capacity for approximately 100 students and over 80 enrolled, with most able to take their first choice, and we were able to maintain the seminar format for each course.
Our goal each semester is to offer a set of courses that are attractive for a number of reasons to all our students. We often hear comments like "I'd like to take them all" or "Can I sign up for more than one this semester." Another goal is to reach out to as many people in our community as we sensibly can. In this way, Vanderbilt’s MLAS program is the graduate program for Nashville’s adult learners.
