Overview

Our program offers a Maine Studies (MES) track within the Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS), a degree offered by the University of Maine Graduate School through the Division of Lifelong Learning (DLL). This degree allows students the opportunity to design an individualized program with classes drawn from MES as well as other departments and programs, including English, Anthropology, History, Education, and others.

Students can explore many Maine topics, including local and regional history, environmental and economic issues, politics and public policy, education, immigrant history and culture, Wabanaki experiences, women’s lives, folk art, folklore, and oral history, to name a few. The program can sharpen students’ research and writing skills while deepening their understanding of Maine. The degree can also enhance students’ careers in areas such as teaching, library services, government, business, historic preservation, tourism, and social services.

For more information on the MAIS degree and the Maine Studies track, see below or check out the program description on the UMaineOnline website. For those thinking of applying, here is more information about that process from the UMaine Graduate School. We also recommend contacting the DLL Advising Center, who can answer many questions of a general nature and help you with the application process.

Degree Requirements

General requirements for the MAIS degree can be found on the Graduate School’s MAIS website. The following requirements apply specifically to the Maine Studies track.

  1. Students in the Maine Studies track complete 30 graduate credit hours, including two required seminars:
    – MES 501  Maine Studies: An Interdisciplinary Approach
    – MES 601  A Sense of Place: Maine and Regional Identity (formerly MES 520)
  2. Students complete 15-21 hours of graduate-level electives, which can include MES courses as well as classes from other departments.* At least 15 credit hours must be Maine-related. Up to two classes may be at the 400 level, and up to three classes may be taken in a single discipline (e.g., History). A sample list of MES graduate courses and courses from other departments that may be used can be found HERE.
  3. With the support of an advisor and their committee, students design an individual Program of Study, which includes a listing of all their completed or planned courses and other information.
  4. Students complete 3-6 hours of IDS 699, Master Project in Interdisciplinary Studies, near the end of their academic program. The master project connects their coursework with an independent project on some aspect of Maine. Projects can involve a written paper or other project approved by the student’s advisory committee. Examples of prior projects can be found in the student resources section, or by clicking here.

*Students may be able to apply graduate credits from other institutions to the MAIS degree, or take classes at other institutions while completing the MAIS (with prior program and Graduate School approval). More information about this can be found on the MAIS website, or by contacting the Maine Studies Coordinator.

 

MES 598 – Directed Study

Master’s Project

Graduation Steps