Master of Arts Humanities (MA)
Overview
Department website: https://ww1.odu.edu/al/institutes/humanities
The Master of Arts in Humanities program is interdisciplinary in focus. Students in the Humanities may choose to design a program to meet their own intellectual and professional objectives comprised of graduate-level courses from across the disciplines in the College of Arts and Letters or they may focus within a specific academic discipline. This individualized program of study will encourage critical thinking, independence of thought, solid scholarship, and visionary solutions to real-world issues.
Admission
The Master of Arts in Humanities program is open to all qualified holders of a BA or BS degree and is designed for full-time or part-time students, students who have recently completed their bachelor’s degree, as well as nontraditional or adult students. Although admission is selective, the Humanities program recognizes that everyone has unique qualifications that should be taken into consideration.
In addition to meeting general University requirements, an applicant must:
- Possess an overall undergraduate grade point average of 3.25
- Have earned at least 24 credit hours in liberal arts disciplines
To be considered, applicants must:
- Submit an academic writing sample reflecting their ability to do research and write effectively
- Submit two recommendation letters
- Submit a statement of purpose that proposes an interdisciplinary program of study, discusses personal, intellectual and professional goals, and explain the relationship of those goals to the intended program of study
We accept students from all semesters (fall, spring, or summer). There is no deadline to apply (although the student may not be admitted for a semester that is already under way).
All application inquiries should be made to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Requirements
Once students gain admission to the program, they may pursue the 36-hour thesis option or the capstone project. All students must take HUM 601, HUM 602, HUM 603, HUM 704, and HUM 698.
In their final semester and under the direction of their advisor, capstone students must take HUM 693, and thesis students HUM 699. In either case, the Director of the Institute for the Humanities will help guide students. Students may only take 12 hours at the 500 level. Students are required to complete their graduate work within a 6-year period.
Curriculum Requirements
All students must take the following five required courses. These courses provide an introduction to humanities research (HUM 601), critical methods in humanities (HUM 602), guidance in building a strategic professional development plan, interdisciplinary research and teaching (HUM 603), familiarity with ongoing debates about the future of the humanities in a digital era (HUM 704), and a foundation for each student's individualized program of study by preparing students for their thesis or capstone project (HUM 698).
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| HUM 601 | Introduction to the Humanities | 3 |
| HUM 602 | Critical Methods in Humanities | 3 |
| HUM 603 | Strategic Professional Development Pro-Seminar | 3 |
| HUM 704 | Technology and the Humanities | 3 |
| HUM 698 | Capstone Project and Thesis Preparation Seminar | 3 |
| Electives * | 18 | |
| Thesis or Thesis Option | 3 | |
| Non-Thesis Option | ||
| Capstone Project | ||
| Thesis Option | ||
| Thesis | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
- *
Elective courses are chosen under the advisement and approval of the Program Director.
Thesis Option
Students pursuing the thesis must take HUM 699 Thesis (3 credits) in their final semester. The thesis must be based on original scholarly research and should reflect the interdisciplinary nature of the Humanities degree. Each student will choose a graduate-certified faculty advisor who will chair a thesis committee appointed by the Director of the Institute for the Humanities. The thesis committee will direct and evaluate the student's work and must consist of graduate-certified faculty members from at least two different disciplines in the College of Arts and Letters. Students must circulate the thesis to the thesis committee at least 3-4 weeks prior to the oral defense. Students must submit their thesis for style editing and upload the final thesis to ProQuest based on the College of Arts and Letters submission deadlines.
Non-Thesis Option - Capstone Project
Students pursuing the Capstone Project must take HUM 693 Capstone Project (3 credits) in their final semester. Students must work with an Old Dominion University graduate-certified faculty advisor who will guide and evaluate their work. It is the responsibility of the student to locate, contact, and gain the commitment of the advisor. The student in collaboration with the advisor and the Director of the Institute for the Humanities will determine the topic to ensure the interdisciplinary and humanistic scope of the project. Capstone projects must include a scholarly component combined with either a creative, experiential community event, or project. The length, content, and direction of the project will be determined by the student in coordination with the faculty advisor and the Director of the Institute for the Humanities. Students must upload their Capstone Projects to ODU Digital Commons.