Comprehensive Exam:
All degree-seeking students must take Comprehensive Exams to demonstrate their knowledge
in specific subject areas as defined by the MA Comprehensive Exam Reading List. Non-thesis students choose four subject areas in which to be examined; upon approval,
non-thesis students may choose to be examined in one special topic area not covered
by the reading list—e.g., Appalachian Literature—as a substitute for one subject area
exam. Thesis students choose two subject areas in which to be examined. Thesis students
are not allowed to create a special topic area, nor may they be examined in a subject
area that includes the subject of their thesis. Comprehensive Exams typically are
taken during the students’ final semester in the MA program. Students who plan to
take the Comprehensive Exams should notify the Department of Literature and Language’s
Assistant Chair for Graduate Studies at the beginning of the semester in which they
wish to be examined; subject areas should also be selected at this time. Exams take
place in the department’s Computer Lab, over the course of a five-hour block on a
Saturday afternoon. Students are not allowed to use notes or other materials. Students
who fail one subject area of the exam may retest in that area by means of an oral
reexamination, which must take place within ten days after receiving results of the
written examination. Students who fail two or more sections of the written exam—or
fail both the written and oral examinations in one area—must retake the failed portion
of the exam—or a newly selected portion—the following semester. Students may attempt
the Comprehensive Exams only twice. Failure to pass both attempts will result in dismissal
from the program.
For more information regarding the comprehensive exam, including sample questions and grading criteria, see the Comprehensive Exam Overview.
Thesis:
Students wishing to complete a thesis as part of the MA in English program will write
a formal
proposal of 1,250-1,800 words (4-6 pages) early in the semester preceding that in
which they
intend to enroll for thesis credit. Each student will submit this proposal to a potential
committee
chair by 1 October for a thesis to be written in spring semester and by 1 March for
a thesis to be
written in fall semester.
The potential committee chair may accept the proposal, decline it, or ask
for revisions. If revisions are required, the revised proposal must be approved by
1 November for
a thesis to be written in spring semester and by 1 April for a thesis to be written
in fall semester.
Once a thesis chair has approved a proposal, the student must e-mail the approved proposal to the graduate studies coordinator so that thesis credits may be generated.
Students with approved proposals will set further deadlines in consultation with their
respective committee chairs (see below for a full timeline) and in agreement with
deadlines preset by the School of Graduate
Studies. Graduate school deadlines for the thesis may be found on the Academic Calendar (helpfully colored green).
We currently do not offer a creative thesis option.
The formal extent of a thesis written for the Master of Arts in English degree in
the Department
of Literature and Language is normally not less than 12,500 words and not more than
25,000,
excluding Works Cited/Bibliography and index (if present). Variations to these word
counts are
to be determined and approved by the student’s thesis committee chair.
Thesis Forms:
All forms related to the thesis process may be found on the graduate school forms page. Forms are organized according to forms intitiated by students and forms initiated by faculty. The relevant forms include:
Initiated by students:
- Committee Appointment Form
- Manuscript Review Form
Initiated by Faculty (thesis chair):
- Notification of Thesis Defense
- Results of Thesis Defense
Full Thesis Timeline:
October 1 (spring thesis) |
Submit the proposal to a potential committee chair. The committee chair may accept
the |
November 1 (spring thesis) |
The committee chair will submit the At this point you may fill out the committee appointment form. |
By friday of finals week |
Submit to thesis committee chair and members an abstract with |
January 28 (spring thesis) |
Submit introduction and/or first chapter to committee chair. |
February 15 (spring thesis) |
Submit second chapter (or equivalent) to committee chair. |
March 7 (spring thesis) |
Submit complete thesis draft to committee chair. Your oral defense should already be scheduled at this point, and the appropriate form submitted to the graduate school. |
March 15 (spring thesis) |
Submit complete draft of thesis to full committee; this second “complete draft” should
be |
After your defense and final revisions. |
Fill out the Manuscript Review (three signatures) form. |
Further notes regarding thesis/non-thesis tracks:
- Non-thesis students will be tested in four areas of the comprehensive exams (with
graduation contingent upon passing in all four testing areas). - Non-thesis students must receive “distinction” in three out of four examination areas in
order to be designated as passing their exams with “distinction.” - Non-thesis students may petition to take one special topics section as part of their
comprehensive exams; this section must be broad in focus and will be approved only
when the topic in question does not already fall under the umbrella of an established
section of the exam reading list.
- Thesis students are allowed to test in only two areas of the comprehensive exams (with
graduation contingent upon passing in both testing areas and successfully completing and
defending the thesis). - Thesis students testing in only two areas must receive a score of “distinction” in both
areas in order to be designated as passing their exams with “distinction.” - Thesis students may not select to be examined in an area that includes the subject of
their thesis without approval of the Department of Literature and Language’s Assistant
Chair for Graduate Studies. - Thesis students do not have the option of sitting a “special topic” section as one of their
two examination areas.