PREREQUISITES TO GRADUATE WORK

Admission to the M.A. program requires a minimum 3.0 accumulative GPA and 3.0 GPA in a specified discipline in which at least 20 semester hours of work have been completed. Applicants who hold an undergraduate degree in an interdisciplinary program that includes 20 semester hours of work in a single discipline may be admitted upon the recommendation of the graduate committee.

ADMISSION PROCEDURE

Applicants seeking admission to the M.A. program in popular culture should follow the instructions outlined in the "Graduate Admissions" section of this website.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS FOR A MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE IN POPULAR CULTURE

Candidates are required to complete a minimum of 32 semester hours of graduate credit beyond the baccalaureate degree. Students must complete the following core requirements:

• POPC 675, Popular Culture Theory and Methodology;
• POPC 660, Folklore and Folklife;
• three additional graduate seminars in popular culture; and
• one departmental course in international popular culture.

Master's candidates are required to complete a general three-question written departmental comprehensive examination in order to complete the requirements for graduation. Candidates are responsible for mastering the content of a core reading list provided to them at the beginning of their academic program, as well as that of the required core courses listed above in order to prove mastery on the comprehensive examination. The process of the comprehensive examination can be found in the above link.

The M.A. degree is offered under Plan I-thesis option or Plan II-non-thesis option. The research track outlined below is only offered under Plan I-thesis option.

Plan I: Up to six semester hours of thesis research credit can be applied toward the degree.

Plan II: In addition to the written examination described above, each candidate must pass a two-hour oral examination over an area of specialization.

Candidates are to create their own advisory committees, in close consultation with the graduate coordinator, composed of a chair from within the Department and at least one other faculty member from within the Department. An optional third member can be from within or outside the Department. All members of the committee must have Graduate Faculty Status. In the case of the Plan I-thesis candidates, the committee advises the thesis. In the case of the Plan II-non-thesis candidates, the committee exists to advise, prepare, and evaluate the oral examination over the candidate's area of specialization. Students are expected to have created their committee by no later than the end of the second semester in residence in the program.