Midwest Graduate Liberal Studies Conference

Annual Midwest Graduate Liberal Studies Conference at IPFW

Key Info

• 2nd Annual Midwest Graduate Liberal Studies Conference
• “Taking it to the Streets: Scholarship and the Public Audience”
• Saturday, March 31, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Science Building, Room 168
• Keynote by Prof. Larry Kuznar

Larry Kuznar, IPFW professor of anthropologyPrint-quality image

FORT WAYNE, Ind.—“Taking it to the Streets: Scholarship and the Public Audience” is the theme of the Second Annual Midwest Graduate Liberal Studies Conference, which will be held at Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), Saturday, March 31. Michael Kaufmann, director of IPFW’s Liberal Studies program, said, “Last year, the directors of the Liberal Studies programs at IPFW, IU-South Bend, IU-Kokomo, IU-Southeast, and IU-Northwest decided to create a forum for Liberal Studies graduate students in Indiana and adjacent states to share their interdisciplinary work with each other and the public.” This year, all five IU programs plus Northern Kentucky and Kent State universities will participate in the conference.

“One important goal shared by graduate liberal studies programs is that of helping students to comprehend knowledge from various academic fields and translate it for dissemination to a wider public audience. This conference focuses on ways in which our own scholarship, no matter how specialized or technical, can be reframed in order to speak directly to public concerns,” said Kaufmann. Presentations will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will be followed by lunch and the keynote presentation by IPFW Professor of Anthropology Larry Kuznar, “The Nexus of the Academy, Industry, and National Security.” “America’s brain trust largely resides in its academic institutions. Industry is poised to generate products and services, and government is charged with preserving national security. This lecture focuses on examples of how the academy, industry, and government have, together, advanced the social sciences, supported industry, and enhanced national security,” said Kuznar. Afternoon session will follow the keynote address.

Topics for the sessions are:

• Platforms for Influencing the Public
• Connecting with an Audience
• Tradition as a Source of Power Today?
• Arguments for the Future
• New People, New Stories
• Literary Challenges to the Modern Self

The conference sessions and the keynote are free and open to the public. All sessions take place in the Science Building,

Summer 2011 Graduate Courses

Summer 2011, as with most summers, no Liberal Studies seminars are available.

However, there are graduate courses available in English, Film, and History.

Additionally, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology have upper-division undergraduate courses (300 and above) that may be suitable for a graduate section, depending on instructor approval.   If you find an upper-division course in Arts and Sciences that you are interested in, let me know and we'll see if it will work.

Fall 2011 Liberal Studies Seminars

14310  LBST D501  East West Influences    Mon. 4:30-7:15pm     Prof. Lidan Lin

Many 20^th-century Western authors developed a keen interest in the wisdom of Eastern cultures and innovatively made use of it in their literary works.  These authors’ encounters with Eastern wisdom have resulted in a group of mystic heroes and heroines whose quest reflects his/her appreciation of Eastern traditions.   Specifically, the course will focus on exploring the manners in which these authors came to engage Eastern wisdom and the manners in which such wisdom influences their creation of mystic characters. 

13211  LBST D700  Art, Science And Early Modern   Tues 6-8:45pm   Prof. Rodney Farnsworth                                             

Course consider developments in scientific theory and their influence on twentieth-century artistic and literary works.

14309   LBST D501  Theory and Art of Interpretation MW 3:00-4:15pm   Prof. Clark Butler

 Discussion of interpretation as formulated in continental philosophy.

Spring 2011 Liberal Studies Seminars

Here are our Spring offerings. Call Holly (481-6019) if you're interested in signing up for the courses (you won't be able to sign up for them otherwise).

23949 LBST-D502-01 Lang And Culture South Asia T 4:30-7:15pm LA 232 Simon, B
A look at the Film, Literature, and Language of South Asia, especially Tibet and India
(Department Permission Required)


22917 LBST-D503-01 Breakthroughs In Science  W 6:00-8:45pm LA 148 McKinney, William
Explores philosophy of science and development of scientific method through consideration of historical scientific discoveries (Galvani, Galileo, Priestly, etc.)
(Department Permission Required)

IPFW Liberal Studies Exit Assessment

If you'll be graduating soon, please take some time to help us maintain and improve the Liberal Studies program. Your thoughtful response is greatly appreciated.

Click this link to take the Liberal Studies Exit Survey.

Planning to Graduate Soon?

If you plan on graduating during this academic year, let me know.   

Here’s a checklist of things you’ll need to do:

1. Complete the four required Liberal Studies courses

   LBST D501, LBST D502, LBST D503, LBST D700 (or LBST D500)

  And Six more elective graduate courses in Arts and Sciences.

--Fine Arts track will have Three core Liberal Studies seminars (LBST D501, etc.), Two Graduate Studio art courses, 6 hours of LBST D500 (instead of LBST D700), and four elective Arts and Sciences courses.

2. Fill out the application for graduation

  (If you plan to participate in the graduation ceremony--and I strongly encourage you do--here is another important link.)

3. Assessment—For assessment purposes, we need two seminar essays from every graduate.  Please remove your name from the papers before turning them in. 

A. Click here  to upload the two papers for the program assessment (one from an earlier seminar and one from a later one).

B. Finally (for those graduating this semester):  Take the following exit survey.  It won't take but a few minutes of your time and will provide much needed information.

What Departments/Courses are in the College of Arts and Sciences?

You know by know that the Master of Liberal Studies degree requires that your electives be graduate courses from the College of Arts and Sciences (and, for those with a focus in the Fine Arts, some in Fine Arts).  However, some of you may be uncertain about which departments the College of Arts and Sciences contains.  The short answer is most of the departments on campus.  A more detailed answer lies in the list below:  

• Department of Anthropology
• Department of Biology
• Department of Chemistry
• Department of Communication
• Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
• Department of English and Linguistics
• Department of Geosciences
• Department of History
• Department of International Language and Culture Studies
• Department of Mathematical Sciences
• Department of Philosophy
• Department of Physics
• Department of Political Science
• Department of Psychology
• Department of Sociology
• Ethnic and Cultural Studies Program
• Film Studies Program
• Gerontology Program
• International Studies Program
• Journalism Program
• Liberal Studies Program
• Native American Studies Program
• Peace and Conflict Studies Program
• Women's Studies Program