Master’s-level programs at Sarah Lawrence offer an individualized, liberal arts education defined as much by its depth and rigor as by its emphasis on creativity. Here, students and faculty alike share a fascination with ideas and a passion for inquiry. Rather than emphasizing highly specialized, research-oriented doctoral study, the graduate programs facilitate individual student development and applied thinking within and between disciplines.

At the heart of the enterprise is intensive work with faculty members. Through small seminars and one-on-one conferences, faculty help students draw on their life experiences, explore their interests in depth and shape their own education.

The programs balance the theoretical (usually discussed in seminars and conferences) with the practical (in the form of fieldwork, practicums, research or creative work). This experiential work is most often conducted not in isolation, but in the midst of a community. Interdisciplinary work and ideas are encouraged, as is an ethic of social responsibility.

The graduate programs draw about 340 students with a range of personal experiences, ages, accomplishments and interests. They come from across the country and throughout the world, joining the 1,000 undergraduate students here to form a community of curious and imaginative scholars.

Sarah Lawrence College Graduate Programs

• The Art of Teaching

  The Art of Teaching program, which leads to the Master of Science in Education, gives students a solid philosophical framework and a strong background in current thinking about educational theory and practice, as well as extensive opportunities for classroom research and practice.

• Child Development

  The Master of Arts program in Child Development explores the life of the child as the interaction of intellectual, emotional, social, and imaginative streams. It combines in-depth study of primary theoretical perspectives with practical fieldwork.

• Dance

  The Master of Fine Arts program in Dance is a two-year program designed to integrate creative and technical studies. Students develop skills in performance, choreography, teaching, and writing in order to pursue a professional career in dance.

• Health Advocacy

  The Master of Arts program in Health Advocacy—usually completed over four semesters and one summer—teaches the theory and practice of advocacy itself and includes coursework in physiology, history, law, economics, health policy and ethics, and understanding the experience of illness.

• Human Genetics

  The Master of Science degree program in Human Genetics gives students a comprehensive understanding of the medical, scientific, and counseling aspects of the field, placing emphasis on medical genetics and psychological approaches to working with patients.

• Theatre

  The two-year Master of Fine Arts program in Theatre integrates classical, modern, and original texts in focused courses, and students create and take part in numerous plays, staged readings, and performances at the College’s four theatre spaces.

• Women's History

  The Women’s History program serves as a catalyst for multicultural women’s studies events at Sarah Lawrence. Students are introduced to the rapidly expanding literature in women’s history, feminist theory, and gender studies. Graduates work in a range of fields, including research, journalism, public history, teaching, and social advocacy.

• Writing

  In Sarah Lawrence’s graduate Writing program, students pursue the Master of Fine Arts in close collaboration with faculty members who are active, successful writers. The program focuses on the art and craft of writing, rather than on the study of literature.