Master of Arts in Humanities (MAH)

Graduate Humanities Program Coordinator: Dr. Claudia M. Champagne

Beginning in Fall 2019, the Humanities Department is offering the Master of Arts in Humanities (MAH), the University’s first interdisciplinary graduate-level program, focused initially on English and Philosophy as concentrations. The MAH is a 36-hour, two-year curriculum, including a Master’s thesis that is interdisciplinary in nature and instruction. Students take required core curriculum courses in each discipline, team-taught courses in the two disciplines, and electives in the concentration of their choice. Additionally, students selecting English as their concentration may focus on either Literary Studies or Creative Writing. Students are directed in writing their thesis by faculty in their concentration. Courses are primarily seminars and workshops that emphasize discussion, student presentations, and guest lectures.

The MAH degree reflects the Mission of the University of Holy Cross to provide a quality, well- rounded liberal education to the community. The program serves the community, both traditional and non-traditional students, by providing a means to professional advancement in a variety of fields from Education to Law. Interdisciplinary studies are a unique way to fulfill the University’s Mission to educate the minds as well as the hearts of its students. Specifically, the discipline of Philosophy is directed toward critical thinking that is key to the pursuit of truth and goodness, and the discipline of English promotes creativity and appreciation of artistic beauty, as well as clear and logical verbal and written communication.

An additional benefit of this curriculum is that students complete more than 18 hours of graduate credits in either English or Philosophy, which will qualify them to teach courses in their discipline at the college level.

Program Goals

The overarching program goals for the MAH program are to enhance the students’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes in the Humanities and to prepare them to accept professional responsibilities. The objectives for effective teaching and advising are

to recruit, maintain, and matriculate culturally diverse students who demonstrate the potential to contribute to their chosen profession;
to monitor students individually throughout their graduate academic careers in order to promote both personal and professional development;
to prepare students to be skillful researchers and to apply appropriate methodology in further pursuits through adequate resources and faculty mentoring;
to encourage the presentation and publication of research findings; and
to prepare students to become professionals capable of applying their studies in a professional setting by sponsoring or encouraging students to attend seminars, workshops, and institutes in order to promote their continuing education in the Humanities in New Orleans and beyond.

Student Learning Outcomes and Assessments

Student Learning Outcomes	Assessment	Benchmarks
Students will demonstrate proficiency in critical thinking, as evidenced by sustained, independent inquiry and analysis.	Two written essays per 500 and 600-level course, scored via rubrics with cell levels 1-4, with 4 being the highest.	75% of students will achieve the average score of 2.5 in 500-level courses and 3.5 in 600- level courses.
Students will demonstrate mastery of writing skills respective to literary analysis or creative writing or philosophical argumentation and the use of research tools.	A Master’s thesis (including oral presentation) written in the style appropriate to the discipline, 50- 100 pages in length, reviewed by a team of at least three faculty members, scored via rubrics with cell levels 1-4, with 4 being the highest.	80% of students will achieve a mastery score of 3.5.
Students will demonstrate thorough understanding of literature within the disciplines of English and philosophy.	Written examinations with essay questions and participation in graduate seminars.	80% of students will demonstrate mastery (80%) proficiency on examinations, 80% on graduate seminar participation checklists.
Students will demonstrate effective communication skills with regard to topics within the disciplines of English and philosophy.	Two oral presentations per 500 and 600-level course, scored via rubrics with cell levels 1-4, with 4 being the highest.	75% of students will achieve the average score of 2.5 in 500-level courses and 3.5 in 600- level courses.

Admissions for Master of Arts in Humanities (MAH)

Graduate Admissions

In accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Master of Arts in Humanities Program accepts applications for admission from students without regard to ethnicity, race, color, sex, age, disability status, or national origin.

Applications are accepted by the following deadlines:

July 1 for the Fall semester,
November 1 for the Spring semester,
February 15 for Scholarship consideration for the following academic year; and
May 1 for the Summer semester.

Applicants are be admitted to the Master of Arts in Humanities (MAH) Program by the submitting the following:

To the Office of Admissions

a completed online application form;
application fee; and
a record of or waiver for immunizations.

To the Graduate Program Coordinator (Chair of the Humanities Department)**

a personal written essay (see below);
a Curriculum Vitae;
at least three letters of recommendation written by people qualified to evaluate the applicant’s academic potential as well as personal and professional promise; and
at least 6 hours of undergraduate or graduate credit in one foreign language recorded on the applicant’s transcript; applicants who do not have these credits on their transcript must take 6 hours of a foreign language at University of Holy Cross.

**N.B. Applicants (especially those who intend to do doctoral work) may be asked for aptitude scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). If these are requested by the Graduate Humanities Coordinator, the scores must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions. Individuals who have completed another Master’s degree or have sufficient graduate hours from an accredited institution are exempt from the GRE or MAT.

Admission Essay Requirements

The applicant’s personal statement must be a part of the application. This statement should be between 1500-2000 words and address the following:

What has motivated the applicant to apply for the MAH? The applicant should include a brief narrative of his or her educational background and interests, including undergraduate major, graduate work completed, and any other relevant professional and/or internship experience;
What are the applicant’s educational and career goals? How would a graduate degree in Humanities help the applicant fulfill those goals?
What are the applicant’s principal strengths for graduate studies in Humanities, as well as areas of needed development?

Academic Requirements

Admission to the MAH at the University of Holy Cross is based on the evaluation of the applicant’s personal, professional, and academic records by the Graduate Humanities Faculty. The University recruits qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds who display intelligence, character, commitment to learning, and professional promise. At a minimum, applicants are expected to have the following academic qualifications:

a Baccalaureate degree from a university or college approved by a recognized regional accrediting agency in the United States or proof of equivalent training at a foreign institution of higher learning;
a record of undergraduate study that is predictive of success in graduate studies;
satisfactory academic standing at the last university or college attended;
6 hours of undergraduate credits in a foreign language or completion of these credits at University of Holy Cross; and
if deemed necessary, a completion of the GRE or MAT with sufficient scores.

Foreign and ESL Students

A foreign or ESL (English as a Second Language) applicant must present evidence of satisfactory proficiency in the reading, writing, and speaking of English. The applicant may do so by presenting a satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), normally 550. For information about TOEFL, the applicant should write to TOEFL, 1755 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036 or visit www.ets.org/toefl/index.html. A foreign applicant is also required to take the Graduate Record Examination.

Transfer Credits

Normally, nine (9) semester hours may be transferred from an accredited institution for the Master of Arts in Humanities. There may be exceptions for transfer credit in certain cases. Approval of all transfer credits must be obtained from the Humanities Department Chair. These courses must be verified by an official transcript from the institution where the courses were taken.

Letter of Good Standing

Students enrolled in graduate programs at other institutions who wish to register for transfer credit must submit a letter of good standing from the dean of the student’s graduate school.

Stages of Admission

Stage One: Conditional Admission to The University

Students conditionally admitted must hold an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university and may take a maximum of nine hours (9) of graduate credit at the University of Holy Cross. Conditional admission does not guarantee admission to any of the graduate programs and is limited to one semester.

Conditional admission constitutes the following conditions:

a completed online application form has been sent directly to the Office of Admissions;
official transcripts for all prior undergraduate and graduate course work have been received by the Office of Admissions;
application deadlines are met (see above); and
a minimum 3.0 undergraduate Grade Point Average is recommended to take graduate course work.

Once the application is completed, a candidate may take a maximum of nine hours (9) and is limited to one semester:

Conditional admission does not guarantee full admission into the Graduate Program in Humanities.
No candidate may register for the next semester until his or her graduate admission criteria are completed and he or she has been approved by the Master of Arts in Humanities Program faculty for progression in the program.
Those who are not accepted beyond a conditional basis are not allowed to continue in the Master of Arts in Humanities Program at the University of Holy Cross.

Stage Two: Admission to The Graduate Program

In order to be accepted into the Master of Arts in Humanities Program, applicants must meet the following conditions:

All graduate admission criteria must be completed. (Refer to the criteria listed above.)
Once the admission criteria are completed, the candidate will
- be interviewed by the Master of Arts in Humanities Program Faculty and
- submit a writing sample prior to the interview process
Applicants are notified in writing by the Chair of the Humanities Department regarding the results of their admission status. Those who are accepted for admission are allowed to register for the next semester.

Stage Three: Candidacy

Students remain at Stage Two status until they are accepted for Candidacy. Applicants must submit an application for Candidacy and cannot take more than eighteen (18) hours of course work until they have been accepted. Candidacy is primarily determined through academic achievement in graduate classes and demonstration of appropriate dispositions for the study of the Humanities.

Applicants are notified in writing by the Chair of the Humanities Department regarding the results of their admission status. Those who are accepted for Candidacy are allowed to register for the next semester.

Graduation Requirements

Credit Hours: A minimum of thirty-six (36) credit hours will be required to complete the Master of Arts in Humanities degree

Grade Point Average: An overall Grade Point Average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale is required for the maintenance of good standing in the graduate program. A passing grade for graduate students in Humanities will be no lower than a B. A graduate student who attains a C or lower in any course will be automatically placed on probationary status, must repeat the course the next semester it is offered, and must earn a minimum grade of B in that course, or the student will be dropped from the MAH program. Students are allowed to repeat a course only once, and the course must be repeated at UHC. A maximum of two grades of C may be earned during the student’s program of study. If a student receives more than two grades of C, the student will be dropped from the MAH program.

Graduate students whose semester average in course work is below 3.0 will be placed on probationary status and not allowed to register for more than six (6) semester hours during the following semester. To be removed from probationary status, the graduate student must complete six (6) semester hours with an earned grade of not less than B and a cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.0 at the end of those six hours. If the graduate student is on probation for falling below a 3.0 overall GPA and is unable to remedy the deficient overall GPA at the end of six (6) semester hours of the probationary period, the student is dropped from the graduate program.

Course Load: To be classified as a full-time graduate student, a student must register for nine (9) credit hours. An overload of three (3) semester hours may be approved by the Chair of the Humanities department. A student who registers for six (6) or less semester hours is considered part time.

Time Limit: A maximum of five (5) years from the first semester attended is allowed to complete the requirements for the MAH degree. If the time limit is exceeded, the graduate student must apply for readmission to the graduate program in Humanities and document in writing the reason(s) for a need of extension. Readmission is an extension and does not qualify the applicant to begin anew the five-year requirement.

Master’s Thesis: Candidates are required to complete an MA thesis, following the style guidelines set out by the department and appropriate to the discipline. The thesis should be an average of 50-100 pages, not including the bibliography. An oral defense of the thesis is also required.

Curriculum for MAH Program

The Master of Arts in Humanities Degree Program Curriculum Consists of 4 Stages of Study:

All MAH students are required to take two (2) core courses in English and two in Philosophy.

ENG 505	Literary Theory and Criticism	3 sem. hrs.
ENG 506	Advanced Studies in Literary Genres	3 sem. hrs.
PHI 505	Platonic Wisdom and the Origin of Political Philosophy	3 sem. hrs.
PHI 510	The Philosophical Question of Christ	3 sem. hrs.
		12 sem. hrs.

MAH students take two (2) interdisciplinary, team-taught courses, cross listed in English and Philosophy. Students register for these courses in the discipline they have chosen for their MAH concentration.
6 sem. hrs.
MAH students take four (4) elective courses in their chosen concentration from among the 500 and 600-level courses (at least 2 courses at the 600 level) that are offered in both English and Philosophy. Students electing a concentration in English further choose to specialize in either Literary Studies or Creative Writing. Their four elective courses are taken in either of these areas.
12 sem. hrs.

MAH students take two (2) courses in their chosen concentration designed to guide them through research and writing of their Master’s thesis.

ENG 690		3 sem. hrs.
ENG 695	Thesis Research Master’s Thesis	3 sem. hrs.
	OR
PHI 690		3 sem. hrs.
PHI 695	Thesis Research Master’s Thesis	3 sem. hrs.
		12 sem. hrs.

Total Credit Hours: 36

MAH Curriculum Summary

Required

ENG 505	Literary Theory, Criticism, and Research	3
ENG 506	Advanced Studies in Literary Genres	3
PHI 505	Platonic Wisdom & the Origin of Political Philosophy	3
PHI 510	The Philosophical Question of Christ	3
Total Credit Hours:		12

Required

ENG/PHI	600-level (Interdisciplinary elective)	3
ENG/PHI	600-level (Interdisciplinary elective)	3
Total Credit Hours:		6

Required

ENG	600-level (Elective)	3
ENG	600-level (Elective)	3
ENG	600-level (Elective)	3
ENG	600-level (Elective)	3

	Or

PHI	600-level (Elective)	3
PHI	600-level (Elective)	3
PHI	600-level (Elective)	3
PHI	600-level (Elective)	3
Total Credit Hours:		12

Required

ENG 690	Thesis Research	3
	Or
PHI 690	Thesis Research	3

ENG 695	Master's Thesis	3
	Or
PHI 695	Master's Thesis	3
Total Credit Hours:		6

Total Credit Hours: 36