The Department no longer accepts candidates for the Master’s degree only, although this degree is still granted to qualified students already enrolled
A. Course Requirements
Master’s candidates must take and complete at least 24 credit hours (six courses) with passing grades.
B. The Master’s Thesis
Each candidate chooses a major adviser and a second faculty member to help define a suitable subject for the Master’s Thesis, which is defined as an essay of 50-100 pages representing a substantial piece of independent work based on a wide and intensive study of a single author or topic. The two advisers will help direct research and must approve the thesis.
A Master’s candidate must be registered during the semester in which he or she anticipates receiving the degree. The processes of filing for the degree, submitting a clearance form, and preparing the thesis itself are the same as for the Ph.D. Check very early with the graduate coordinator for help with these requirements and for important deadlines and instructions.
C. M.A. Degrees for Continuing Students
A Ph.D. student who has not previously earned a Master’s degree in English may apply for one after being formally admitted to Ph.D. Candidacy. Check with the graduate coordinator for the procedures; the same deadlines for degree application and clearance form apply as with a regular Master’s degree. This is the only instance when the Graduate School confers the Master’s degree without a thesis. When Ph.D. students who have not yet been admitted to candidacy or received the M.A. apply for positions at local colleges, they are often asked to supply proof of an M.A. In such cases the DGS will write a letter stating that the job applicant has completed the equivalent of an M.A. and explaining the Department’s procedures for awarding the degree.
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The English Department's Graduate Handbook
