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Degree Timetable

The following (which is an elaboration on a timetable included in the REL Graduate Handbook) is a suggested full-time plan for completing the degree in a timely fashion, taking into account various expectations and deadlines (whether the department or the Graduate School’s). Normally, the first semester is a fall semester and the last a Spring semester. Consult with the graduate director and any assigned supervisor if you have questions and to develop a more specific timetable.

Part-time students will complete the degree using an alternative timeline devised in conversation with the graduate director.

Arrive on Campus for First Year

  • Meet with Dr. Steven Ramey (graduate director)
  • Check in with the departmental administrative secretary (212 Presidents Hall) and complete any necessary paperwork
  • Attend required department/College/University orientations (e.g., legal training must be done once every two years)
  • If a GTA, meet with the faculty member with whom you’ll be working

Semester 1

Classes

  • Enroll in at least 9 hours (having already completed REL Enrollment Request form [submit to REL main office])
  • Required: REL 501 Social Theory and REL 502 Public Humanities
  • Recommended: REL 500-level seminar or potentially an Independent Study; opportunity to begin to hone research interests

Additional Requirements

Deadlines

  • By end of August: consult advisor and complete Degree Plan (submit to grad director); revise and resubmit as required

Semester 2

Classes

  • Enroll in at least 9 hours (having already completed REL Enrollment Request form [submit to REL main office]); narrow research topic and study necessary language(s) if applicable.

Additional Requirements

  • Participate in: Grad Colloquium meetings (first-year students) and Journal Group
  • Attend: Digital Humanities Credential events
  • Earn: Online Pedagogy Credential

Deadlines

  • Prior to registering for the next semester, make an appointment with the graduate director to discuss degree progress.
    Near the start of the semester, discuss possible interest in teaching summer online courses with the graduate director.
  • (18 credit hours of grad study in the field, plus the online pedagogy certificate must be earned in order to be eligible); a maximum of 2 courses can be taught, if demand is sufficient

Summer 1

Eligible students may be teaching up to two online sections of a 100-level Core REL course.

Arrive on Campus for 2nd Year

  • Check in with Dr. Steven Ramey (graduate director)
  • Check in with the departmental administrative secretary (212 Presidents Hall) and complete any necessary paperwork
  • Attend required department/College/University orientations (e.g., legal training must be done once every 2 years)
  • Meet with advisor
  • If a GTA, meet with the faculty member with whom you’ll be working

Semester 3

Classes

  • Enroll in at least nine (9) hours (having already completed REL Enrollment Request form [submit to REL main office]); carry out primary thesis research if pursuing thesis option and study necessary language(s) if applicable

Additional Requirements

  • Participate in: Grad Colloquium (optional) and Journal Group
  • Attend: Grant Writing Workshop in A&S and Digital Humanities Credential event

Deadlines (relevant only to those students pursuing formal thesis option)

  • By start of semester: constitute MA committee
  • By October 15: Thesis proposal due to advisor
  • By end of semester: Thesis proposal defended before committee

Note: Due to Graduate School deadlines for submitting and defending a thesis in your last semester, this third semester requires students writing a thesis to make significant headway with that work, whether or not you are enrolled in REL 599 Thesis

Semester 4

Classes

  • Enroll in at least 9 hours (having already completed REL Enrollment Request form [submit to REL main office]). If pursuing thesis option, write and finalize thesis by the end of February.
  • Required: REL 590 Grad Seminar; two sections of REL 599 Thesis (599 required only for those students writing a formal thesis)

Additional Requirements

  • Participate in: Grad Colloquium (optional) and Journal Group
  • Complete: Digital Humanities Credential events

Deadlines (relevant only to those students pursuing formal thesis option)

  • By end of January: schedule defense date no later than the week prior to Spring break (in consultation with supervisor and graduate director)
  • By one week prior to defense: distribute final thesis to committee
  • By spring break: defend thesis
  • By third week of March: submit completed paperwork to Grad School and submit thesis to Proquest (see Grad School deadlines)

Summer 2

Priority for summer online teaching is given to returning MA students, though graduating MA students are eligible if demand for teachers exceeds interested first year MA students.

Advice for Students Pursuing the Thesis Option

As noted above (under Semester 3), due to the Graduate School’s deadline of submitting all completed/defended theses approximately five (5) weeks before the end of the spring semester (if students intend to graduate in May, that is), the final Spring semester is rather short, leaving only January and February in which to carry out research and writing; for your committee will need time to read/comment on a draft of the thesis well before the defense takes place and any final revisions/corrections are incorporated into the completed paper.

For this reason, and despite only enrolling in REL 599 Thesis in the final semester, each student’s last two semesters will need to focus on the research and writing necessary for a defensible thesis.