The Master of Arts in Humanities responds to a need of many men and women, already trained in a specialized field, for intellectual enrichment. The program attracts both students who seek to deepen their undergraduate study in the humanities and students who are experiencing interest in the humanities after developing careers in other fields.
The graduate curriculum offered by the School of Arts and Sciences permits students to shape interdisciplinary programs that ensure broad education while providing for the pursuit of specialized work. For example, the professional teacher seeking state endorsement in a special area in addition to the master's degree may acquire both. Or an accountant seeking a few technical courses may combine these with the enrichment of the Humanities requirements.
An insight into the interrelationship of ideas from the humanities, the history of the sciences, and the value of the arts serves not only to develop personal intellectual growth, but also sharpens judgment in professional, civic, and interpersonal decision making.
In addition to the University requirements, to be admitted to the master's program in Humanities the applicant must present the following:
Note: Applicants who wish to pursue the secondary teaching licensure track must also submit GRE scores.
A maximum of 6 semester credits of transferred graduate credits may be applied toward the degree, if approved by the School dean and the registrar.
Applicants desiring enrollment for limited coursework may do so as nondegree students. A nondegree student may apply for degree candidacy upon successful completion of one Humanities Seminar or contemporary Focus Course and fulfillment of all admission requirements.
Candidates complete 9 credits in Humanities Seminars, 6 credits in Focus Courses, 3 credits in a Master's Project, and 12 credits of electives. Electives may be graduate courses from the Schools of Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, and Education and Human Services. This is a 30-credit master's degree program.
Humanities Seminars
Each seminar centers upon some extended development in the history of Western ideas and provides a basis for examining those fundamental questions and ideas that have shaped the past and continue in the present. The principal purpose of the seminar requirement is to establish a sense of the historical foundation of the humanities and to introduce the methodology of various disciplines. In addition, the seminars encourage a sharpening of communication skills through discussion of major ideas and written assignments. The scope of a seminar course fits one of three divisions of the history of Western ideas: classical/medieval; 15th century through 18th century; or 19th century through 21st century.
Focus Courses
Focus Courses advance program objectives by strongly emphasizing the interdisciplinary approach to the humanist ideas and stressing the interrelationships of disciplines involved. Focus Courses are distinguished from the seminars in that they may center upon either a limited area of concentration or a particular application of ideas to an interpretation of the world in which we live. Students should refer to graduate courses in English and Politics for additional options.
Master's Project
The Master's Project is an independent interdisciplinary report that demonstrates the student's ability to integrate materials from various disciplines, support independent conclusions, and communicate the results in writing. Unlike the traditional master's thesis, which emphasizes original research and the use of primary sources within a single discipline, the Master's Project must demonstrate an ability to relate material from at least two fields of study. Examples of interdisciplinary projects might be a study of the influence of a technological problem on public policy, drawing on materials in science, sociology, and ethics; or an examination of special problems in the aging process based upon history, psychology, and literature.
An individual advisory committee is responsible for guiding the student through each phase of the Master's Project. This includes the approval of both an initial proposal and the final product. A formal initial proposal must be approved before a student begins work on a project. The proposal must include a statement and discussion of purpose, the methodology to be used, and a projection of the final product.
The Master of Arts in Humanities: Teaching Licensure in Secondary English is available to students who have earned the equivalent of a bachelor's degree in English. The program provides continued intellectual growth in literature and related fields, as well as the professional preparation for licensure and a career in teaching secondary school English.
Contact the department chair for information about additional program requirements.
For students who already hold licensure in Secondary English, an add-on endorsement in ESL may be obtained as well. Contact the department chair for information about additional program requirements.