Program News

Visit this page regularly for news about the MALPS program: program changes, schedule revisions, student achievements, site updates, special campus events, and more. MALPS students who would like to post a notice to this page should contact Dr. Kraft at John.Kraft@armstrong.edu.

Spring Graduation - May 2009
Congratulations to Suzanne Welch and Sally Lopez for completing all the requirements for their MALPS degrees. Well done!

Suzanne Welch completed the Leadership Studies track. Her work culminated in a comprehensive project entitled "Recommendations for the Improvement of the Armstrong Atlantic State University Graduate Student Coordinating Council" Dr. Alice Adams mentored Suzanne as she analyzed the organizational structure of the GSCC, surveyed the relevant stakeholders, and created suggestions to improve organizational function.

Sally Lopez completed the International Studies track. Her comprehensive project was entitled "The Global Goliath: A Global View on Globalization". Dr. William Duagherty advised Sally as she conducted an international survey study on attitudess abotu globalization.

24 December 2008
Dr. John Kraft, the new coordinator of the MALPS program, may be reached by phone at (912) 344 3100 or by email at John.Kraft@armstrong.edu.

12 November 2008
An updated version of the MALPS program of study (including course options in the new communication track) has been posted.

11 November 2008
MALPS CLASS SCHEDULES FOR SPRING 2009. The tentative schedule for MALPS classes to be offered in spring 2009 has been posted. Please get in touch with either me (Dr. Nordquist, at nordqudi@mail.armstrong.edu) or Peggy Williams (williape@mail.armstrong.edu) if you have any questions.

1 July 2008
NEW LIBERAL STUDIES OFFICE PHONE NUMBER: (912) 344 2613

17 June 2008
NEW COMMUNICATION STUDIES TRACK in MALPS.
This new track (announced below, on March 31) has been approved by the full faculty and will begin serving students this fall. By the end of this month, a new MALPS curriculum sheet (including course requirements for Communication Studies) will be posted. In the meantime, if you have questions about the track, please stop by to meet with me or Peggy Williams.

7 April 2008
Graduate Registration Snafus. A message from Jill Bell in the Graduate Office:
It has come to our attention that many graduate students are having issues with their registration--specifically their registration "time ticket" saying they can not register until April 19th. After speaking with Larry Wester, Interim Registrar, it seems that there is some sort of "glitch" in the registration process--newly admitted graduate students were placed into the incorrect Registration group when Larry ran one of his registration processes. He is researching to see what happened.
In the meantime, we have a list of possible students that may have this problem. We are checking these 253 names as quickly as possible. If you have a graduate student that says this is what their time ticket says, please tell them to try to register again later this afternoon. I hope to have the list complete by that time. (Also, this may have impacted Fall registration as well.
If you experience any problems when you try to register, please notify me or Peggy (921 5991)--or notify Jill Bell directly (921 5377).

2 April 2008
--MALPS CLASS SCHEDULES FOR SUMMER & FALL 2008. Tentative schedules for MALPS classes to be offered in summer 2008 and fall 2008 have been posted. Please get in touch with either me (Dr. Nordquist, at nordqudi@mail.armstrong.edu) or Peggy Williams (williape@mail.armstrong.edu) if you have any questions or concerns.

31 March 2008
--MALPS CLASS SCHEDULES FOR SUMMER/FALL 2008. While waiting for approval of the new Communication Studies track in MALPS (see below), we have delayed publication of the summer and fall 2008 schedule of MALPS classes. Now that the track has received committee approval, we're making some adjustments to the schedule. By Wednesday evening, April 2, a pdf of the schedule will be posted to this site and hard copies will be available in Solms 211.
--NEW COMMUNICATION STUDIES TRACK in MALPS.
On March 26, AASU's Graduate Curriculum Committee approved our proposal for a fourth track in the MALPS program: Communication Studies. For the past two years, Dr. Colas, Dr.   Cato, Dr. Kraft, Dean Wheeler, and I have been working with a select group of MALPS graduates on developing this proposal (and on developing new courses to fit it), and we're enthusiastic about the opportunities it will create for both current and prospective MALPS students.

We still have to wait until the end of April for official approval by the Graduate Council and until the start of the fall 2008 semester to officially offer the Communication Studies track. However, we foresee no problems, and so we're already at work on (1) making adjustments to the summer and fall schedules to accommodate the new track; (2) making last-minute updates to the MALPS marketing campaign that will begin in late April; and (3) revising all program brochures and information sheets to reflect the addition of the new track.

We'll have more information ready for you shortly, but in the meantime I want to assure all currently enrolled MALPS students that the addition of the new track will create more course opportunities for all MALPS students. 

Here is the purpose statement that was approved last week for the new Communication Studies track:

Purpose
Building on the core courses already established in MALPS, this track is designed to blend study of communication concepts and theories with opportunities to apply that knowledge to practical work-related problems. The program is intended for persons whose educational background may be unrelated to the field of communication but who presently find themselves (or anticipate finding themselves) in situations where their knowledge of communication determines their success.
The Communication track in MALPS will help students to improve their ability to:

• Identify the key communication variables which affect a person's performance either in an organization where they have worked or one in which they expect to work after their program is completed.
• Develop communication strategies for coping with specific communication problems which exist in the student's job.
• Identify communication variables which influence the relationship between an individual’s  organization and the larger community.
• Demonstrate an ability to apply information from course work to the development of communication strategies.

28 October 2007
--MALPS CLASS SCHEDULE FOR SPRING 2008. Tentative schedule for MALPS classes to be offered in spring 2008 has been posted as a pdf. Please get in touch with either me (Dr. Nordquist at nordqudi@mail.armstrong.edu) or Peggy Williams (williape@mail.armstrong.edu) if you have any questions or concerns.

20 March 2007
--CLASS SCHEDULES FOR SUMMER and FALL 2007. Tentative schedules for MALPS classes to be offered in both the summer term and the fall semester have been posted as a pdf.   Please get in touch with either me (Dr. Nordquist at nordqudi@mail.armstrong.edu) or Peggy Williams (williape@mail.armstrong.edu) if you have any questions or concerns.
--NEW UNDERGRADUATE MAJOR IN GENDER & WOMEN'S STUDIES.   Several events (including a course sampler, student panels, and a keynote address by Cathy Cox) are scheduled for Friday, March 23, to herald the arrival of the new GWST major.  For more information, please get in touch with Dr. Winterhalter in Gamble Hall 210-C.

24 January 2007
--MALPS OPEN HOUSE.  On Wednesday evening, January 31, we're hosting an informal open house for prospective MALPS students in Solms Hall 207 and 209.  All currently enrolled MALPS students are also welcome to join us.

We'll have refreshments and some good company: a number of recent MALPS graduates and several MALPS faculty members will be here.  We'll do our best to explain the program to anyone who is interested and answer any questions.  No reservations are needed, and you're welcome to drop by any time between 5:30 and 7:30.

18 December 2006
--SPRING 2007.  Registration for the spring semester is January 4 and 5, 2007; classes begin on January 8.  Please check the MALPS Spring 2007 Schedule for a complete list of upcoming classes in the MALPS core and in all three tracks.  

Please note that several new courses have been added, including COMM 5000G (Non-Verbal Communication, taught by MALPS professor Dr. Liz Colas) and GWST 5500 (Topics in Women's Leadership, taught by Dr. Karen Hollinger).  Also, Dr. Jacquie Fraser will be returning in the spring to teach two MALPS courses: PUBH 5575G (Human Sexuality) and SOCI 7200 (Critical Thinking and Applied Research).  Note that the core course SOCI 7200 will be held on every other Saturday (from 9:00 to 1:00) in the spring.

Although advisement is not required for registration (in other words, no advisement holds are placed on graduate students), please call either Dr. Nordquist or Peggy at (912) 921 5991 if you have any questions or would simply like to discuss your schedule before the start of the spring term.  

--OFFICE SCHEDULE DURING THE HOLIDAYS.  The Office of Liberal Studies will remain open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. through Thursday, December 21.  We'll be closed from December 22 through January 1.  Normal office hours will resume on January 2, 2007. 

--CONGRATULATIONS TO MALPS GRADUATES Earl Berman, Ayana Eady, Alejandra Garcia, Monica Hardin, Mario Incorvaia, Aretha Jones, Micki Lee, and Sally Way. The first class of MALPS students graduated on December 9, 2006.  These students played a key role in clarifying the mission of the MALPS program and in charting its future: thank you and best wishes to all. We look forward to seeing you at the reunion dinner.  

4 August 2006
--ADMISSIONS STANDARDS.  The Admissions Standards page has been revised to offer prospective students a clearer sense of both the nature of the MALPS program and the expectations of MALPS students.  In addition, more specific guidelines have been provided for the letter of intent.

1 August 2006
--UPGRADE TO LIBERAL STUDIES WEB SITES.  Our new web site is almost ready for prime time (stop back August 7).  If you'd like to take a peek at the new home page, go to www.nt.armstrong.edu/MALPSdraft.htm.
--FALL 2006.  Registration for the fall semester is August 14 and 15.  Although advisement is not required for registration, if you have any questions or would simply like to discuss your schedule, please call us at (912) 921 5991.

25 June 2006
--FALL 2006.  The MALPS class schedule for Fall 2006 has been posted.
--UPGRADE TO LIBERAL STUDIES WEB SITES.  During June and July of 2006, the Liberal Studies web sites are being enhanced and updated.  Once this revision is complete, you should find it easier to locate up-to-date information regarding the three degree programs in our office: the Associate of Arts, the Bachelor of Liberal Studies, and the Master of Liberal & Professional Studies.