Master of Arts (M.A.) Requirements
(as of Fall 2008)
I. Degree Requirements
Thirty-two credits are required for the M.A. in American Studies, including a minimum of seven seminars.
Note regarding Independent Studies and Directed Readings: We encourage you to fulfill your credit requirement primarily through taking graduate seminars. As you approach the completion of your degree, it may be appropriate for you to register for independent studies or directed readings courses with your major professor or another professor with expertise in your area(s) of interest. To register for such a course, you must complete an Independent Study form, which is in essence a contract between you and the professor in which you establish a reading list, a list of written assignments, a method of evaluation, and deadlines. This form must be signed by both you and the professor. Click here to obtain the Graduate Independent Study form (in Microsoft Word format).
II. Application to Candidacy
Normally you should expect to file an Application to Candidacy during or after your third semester of full-time enrollment or when you have completed your required course work. If you plan to graduate in the spring, you should submit the form, complete with the signature of your major professor, to the Director of Graduate Studies by October. Copies of the form are available from the Graduate School’s website:
Note: Your ATC must be accompanied by Independent Study forms, as described above, for each independent study or directed readings course on your ATC.
III. Final Project
To complete your degree, you must work with an advisory committee consisting of two professors with expertise in your field of inquiry. You must complete one of the two following major projects:
A. A traditional thesis of 60-80 pages (15,000 to 20,000 words) based on original research and analysis. Your thesis must include a full bibliography of works cited. The thesis must be presented in a consistent scholarly format, such as the MLA Handbook or The Chicago Manual of Style. For further guidelines, please read a booklet entitled Guidelines for Graduation and Thesis and Dissertation Preparation, available on the Graduate School’s website at: http://www.grad.buffalo.edu
B. A final project involving fieldwork, non-written media (e.g., documentary film, oral interviews, art exhibition, photography, power-point multimedia presentation, or multimedia website), and/or a new form subject to approval by the Graduate Committee and/or the Director of Graduate Studies. This project must include an extensive essay (25-50 pages) in which you contextualize, analyze, reflect on, and interpret the project, incorporating additional research and literature as appropriate to this end. The project must include a full bibliography of works cited and must be presented in accordance with consistent format, such as the MLA Handbook or the Chicago Manual of Style.
III. Thesis or Project Defense
When approaching the completion of your thesis or project, you are required to schedule a thesis or project defense in consultation with your committee. This oral defense must be attended by your major professor and other committee member(s). It must be announced to the public. Other faculty, students, staff, friends, and family are welcome to attend.
IV. Final Required Forms
In order to graduate, the following must be on file in the Graduate School:
* an approved Application to Candidacy (with all the necessary attachments, including original transcripts)
* two bound copies of the thesis, if you have chosen Option A
* an M-Form
The M-Form (available from the American Studies office) is submitted to the Graduate School by the department to certify that ALL academic requirements for the degree have been satisfied. This form must be signed by your major professor and the director of graduate studies.
Additional rules to remember:
1. You must maintain continuous registration until the degree is conferred.
2. You must complete all of your master’s work within four years from your first date of registration in American Studies graduate courses as a matriculated M.A. student.
Academic Review / Probation
The Graduate School’s policy on academic review and probation states that any graduate student who:
1. receives a grade of “U”, “F”, or “D” in any course required for completion of a degree program (e.g., seminar or research course, practicum, student teaching course, internships, field course, or similar application course of thesis), or
2. falls below the minimum academic requirements stated above [earlier in the Graduate School Policies and Procedures Manual], or
3. indicates a lack of ability as determined by the program faculty
will receive an immediate academic review by his or her graduate program faculty. Upon completion of the academic review, the graduate program faculty may place the student on academic probation.
In accordance with this policy, the American Studies Graduate Studies Steering Committee will review each graduate student’s transcripts at the beginning of each semester. Any student whose work falls into the categories above, who has two or more outstanding incompletes, and/or who is failing to make demonstrable progress toward the degree will be reviewed. If the committee determines that we have serious cause for concern about the student’s record, that student will be placed on academic probation. Notice of probation will be made in writing and will indicate the terms of the probation and its removal. If the terms are not met, the student may be terminated from our graduate program.
For a complete list of Graduate School Policies and Procedures, visit the Graduate School’s website: http://www.grad.buffalo.edu