Course Selection

M.A. students must take nine for-credit courses, for a total of twenty-seven credits: three required, three elective, and three foreign language courses.

• Required:

• Electives are LITR 500-coded courses. But students can choose to take one 500-coded course from another department with the approval of the M.A. program coordinators.
• Foreign language courses must be in the same language and sequential. But students can be exempt from language courses if they provide certification of proficiency in a third language at B2-level or higher, besides their native language and English for example. Those exempt must take an additional LITR 500-level course. Please contact the program coordinators for details.

Students may take a LITR 300- or 400-coded course, but only as an audit. And they must take several non-credit courses.

Advisor Assignments

Students must assign a thesis advisor, notify the program coordinators, and turn in the advisor appointment form to the GSSSH office by July 1 of their first academic year. They can change their advisor subject to the consent of the new advisor and the program coordinators, and should notify the office as soon as the change takes place.

Thesis Proposal

Students must submit a thesis proposal by September 15 of their second academic year.

Thesis Jury Composition

The thesis jury is composed of three faculty members, and one member must be from another university with at least the title of Assistant Professor. The jury must be approved by both the Department and GSSSH by February 15 of their second year.

Thesis Submission and Defense Date

Students must submit the final draft of their thesis by May 15 of their second year and notify their defense date to the GSSSH office. The defense date must be scheduled for early June, between three to four weeks after the submission.

Leave of Absence

Students may suspend their studies only up to two consecutive semesters with the approval of their advisor, the program coordinators, and the GSSSH office. Stipends and other benefits will be put on hold during the leave.

Teaching Experience

Students are expected to gain teaching experience as part of their studies and will be appointed as teaching assistants, beginning with the spring semester of their first year and continuing in the fall and spring semesters of their second year.

Grievances

All grievances should be first communicated to the program coordinators.