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Humanities

Introduction

The Master of Humanities program in the College of Liberal Arts provides opportunities for interdisciplinary study for students who wish to pursue individually designed curricula in the humanities. Study leads to a Master of Humanities (M.Hum.) degree.

The program’s primary goal is scholarly, intellectual development, and thus serves diverse personal and professional needs. High school teachers who want a content-emphasis graduate degree, persons who seek a career change or a post-retirement graduate degree, and persons who seek a second master’s degree in a complementary or even a contrasting field are among the many people who may find this program uniquely suited to their needs. Graduates of specialized undergraduate programs may welcome the breadth provided by this master’s degree. Part-time study is the norm; full-time study is also possible.

At the core of the program are three seminars that introduce students to the scope and methodologies of scholarly research in the humanities. In cooperation with the program director, students design a personal program of study to meet their individual academic goals. The program thus has both a specific focus on the humanities and wide flexibility within the broad curriculum of the College of Liberal Arts. While anchored in the humanities, the program encourages selection of courses from supplemental areas of study.
The range of possible programs of study is intentionally wide. A student might choose to study the role of music in African American culture or the status of women in American religion. Another student might study the interrelations of art and philosophy in modern German (or French) culture or the politics and rhetoric of Cicero. The only expectation is that students pursue an interdisciplinary program of study having a focus in the humanities.

Students are encouraged to participate in specialized programs available at the university. For example, students may design a Master of Humanities degree in conjunction with the Women’s Studies Program or the African and African American Studies Program. It is also possible for a student to receive a certificate in Women’s Studies in conjunction with a Master of Humanities degree. For more information on the Women’s Studies certificate, see the Women’s Studies Graduate Certificate Program.

Additional information about the Master of Humanities Program and a program handbook detailing policies and requirements are available upon request in the Master of Humanities Office. For more information, see our Web site at http://www.cola.wright.edu/hum/

Admission

Applicants for admission to the Master of Humanities program must present a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum of 30 semester or 45 quarter hours in liberal arts courses, with an overall grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in their undergraduate work. Applicants with deficiencies in their undergraduate work may be required to take additional background courses.

Applicants who do not meet the Regular admission requirements but who do meet the Graduate School admission requirements may be granted Conditional admission.

A maximum of three courses, normally not to exceed 12 quarter hours of credit, may be accepted in transfer for work completed at the master’s level at other accredited institutions. Such transfer credits are subject to approval by the program as well as to the regulations of the School of Graduate Studies.

Application Procedures

Students must submit as part of the application for the Master of Humanities Program the following items:

(1) Two letters of recommendation.
(2) Statement of purpose. This statement should be approximately 250 words long, and it should describe the applicant’s academic background and reason for applying to the Master of Humanities program.
(3) Writing sample. The sample should be approximately five double-spaced pages long, and it should display the applicant’s ability for academic writing. For recent college graduates, the most appropriate sample is an undergraduate research paper. For non-traditional age students the writing sample may take another form, such as a report written for an employer.

Students interested in pursuing a Master of Humanities degree with an emphasis in studio art may be asked to present a portfolio of their work to members of the Art Department faculty as part of the admission process.

Advising

Upon admission to the program, each student is advised by the director of the program. While enrolled in the program, all students need to consult with the director at least once each term. In consultation with the director, students will select courses consistent with their programs of study, develop preliminary ideas for their capstone projects, and choose faculty to direct those projects.

Degree Requirements

All Master of Humanities students develop an individualized program of study in consultation with the Program Director. Although this program of study must conform to the academic requirements specified by the program, it emphasizes each student’s particular areas of interest.

The program is designed primarily for part-time students; therefore, it incorporates a minimum of prerequisites and sequences and a variety of options. As a result, it is flexible enough to accommodate students who must balance graduate education with the demands of a full-time job.

Faculty

Participating faculty are drawn from departments throughout the College of Liberal Arts. A list of affiliated faculty and their respective areas of expertise is available upon request in the Humanities Office and from the Internet address http://www.wright.edu/cola/hum/

Director
Ava Chamberlain, associate professor of religion

Financial Assistance

The university awards a limited number of graduate assistantships annually to qualified students. Prospective students may apply to the School of Graduate Studies or to the program director.

Course of Study

The program is designed primarily for part-time students; therefore, it incorporates a minimum of prerequisites and sequences and a variety of options. As a result, it is flexible enough to accommodate students who must balance graduate education with the demands of a full-time job.



Program of Study	48

HUM 700, 710, and 720	12
Humanities courses from at least two departments	16-28
Related courses	0-12
Project (HUM 730)	8

The culminating project for the Master of Humanities degree can be either a traditional thesis or a creative work. Those who choose to complete a creative work also write an essay that explains the humanities context of the project. Such creative works may involve the fine or performing arts, creative writing, or other appropriate creative production. Before commencing work on the project, the student must submit a prospectus to be approved by the student's project committee and by the humanities program committee. The project is the capstone of each individually tailored program; it requires students to bring together in an organized fashion the results of particular investigations related to their curriculum.


Master of Humanities with an Emphasis in Music
All students in the Master of Humanities program may take advantage of the resources of the Department of Music. Students with a primary interest in music may design a specialized program of study in consultation with the director of Graduate Studies in Music and the director of the Humanities Program. Students choosing to concentrate in music are required to follow the general parameters of the Master of Humanities degree; within these parameters they may design a program of study with a focus in music history, theory, composition, performance, or other musical specialty.

Program of Study	48

HUM 700 and 720	8
HUM 710 or MUS 701	4
Music Theory	6
Music History and Literature	6
Other Studies in Music	8
Electives	8
Project (HUM 730)	8

The culminating project can be either a traditional thesis or a creative project. This project must follow the same general guidelines required of all Humanities projects. As a third option, students concentrating in music may give a recital as their culminating project. Those choosing the recital option must follow the guidelines specified by the Department of Music. A student handbook detailing the policies and requirements of the Master of Humanities degree with an emphasis in music is available in both the Department of Music and the Humanities Office.

Master of Humanities with an Emphasis in Modern Languages
All students in the Master of Humanities program may take graduate courses in the Department of Modern Languages. Students with a primary interest in modern languages may design a specialized program of study in consultation with the chair of the Department of Modern Languages and the director of the Humanities program. Students choosing to concentrate in Modern Languages are required to follow the general parameters of the Master of Humanities degree; within these parameters, they may design a program of study with a focus in French, Spanish, or German language and literature. For more information, please contact the chair of the Department of Modern Languages, (937) 775-2641.
Program of Study	48

HUM 700 and 720	8
HUM 710	4
History Electives	8
Modern Languages Electives	20
HUM 730 (Project)	8
The culminating project may be either a traditional thesis on a subject related to a foreign language, culture, or literature, or it may be a translation accompanied by a contextualized introduction. The Master of Humanities degree with an emphasis in modern languages is offered in conjunction with our foreign partner universities. Students are strongly encouraged to study for at least one month at a foreign institution and may, in accordance with the Graduate School policy on transfer credit (School of Graduate Studies Policies and Procedures Manual, paragraph 4.71), apply up to 12 quarter hours of classes toward their degree requirements for the Humanities Program. For more information about the Master of Humanities degree with an Emphasis in Modern Languages, go to: http://www.wright.edu/cola/Prog/humanities/.

Master of Humanities with an Emphasis in Women’s Studies
All students in the Master of Humanities program may take graduate courses in Women’s Studies. Students with a primary interest in Women’s Studies may design a specialized program of study in consultation with the director of the Women’s Studies Program and the director of the Humanities program. Students choosing to concentrate in Women’s Studies are required to follow the general parameters of the Master of Humanities degree; within these parameters, they may design a program of study with a focus in such areas as feminist theory, women’s history, women’s literature, feminist performing arts, and women in particular cultural contexts.
Program of Study	48

HUM 700 & 720	8
HUM 710	4
Feminist Theory	4
Women's Studies courses	16
Other electives	8
HUM 730	8
The Women’s Studies courses and other electives must be from at least two departments and must include at least one course from the categories of women in international or cross-cultural perspectives. For more information, please contact Dr. Kelli Zaytoun, Director, Women’s Studies Program, (937) 775-4818, or kelli.zaytoun@wright.edu.