Procedures and Information on Written Comprehensive Exams, Thesis, and Oral ExamsAdvisorWork closely with your advisor on meeting the requirements for graduation. Together, use the The Graduate Studies Requirements for Graduation materials and the English Departments Requirements for Graduation on this page to plan your written comprehensive exams, your thesis, and your oral defense. Application for GraduationEach degree candidate must file an Application for Graduation with the Dean of Graduate Studies during the first week of the session or quarter in which he/she plans to graduate. This form can be obtained at the Graduate office. The application provides a form for nominating members of the Oral Examination Committee. CandidacyThe Application for Admission to Candidacy forms can be obtained at the Graduate Office. In the application the student lists the program of courses which he/she has worked out in consultation with his/her advisor. This program must be approved by the advisor, the department chairperson, and the Dean of Graduate Studies. The requirements apply to all students admitted to one of the graduate programs in English at Bemidji State University. Refer to the most recent or appropriate Graduate Catalog in print or at the Catalogs Home Page.
Foreign LanguageCandidates for the MA in English must demonstrate a reading knowledge of a language other than English through successful completion of two years of college-level course work in the language, or by passing a second-year standardized language exam. Students admitted between spring 2002 and fall 2004 have two other options. Refer to our MA Language Competency information. [Updated April, 2004.] PetitionsIf a student needs to have any requirements modified, he/she should submit a petition to the Chairperson of the English Graduate Committee as far in advance as is feasible. The Graduate Committee cannot always act upon last-minute petitions. Written Comprehensive Examination[update effective August 2003] The written comprehensive exam is a significant milestone in the student's academic career. It is not intended to review or address the material of a particular class but to address a wide field of study, and a diverse set of perspectives. Consequently, students are asked to select those areas of study on which they wish to be examined, and to work with three different faculty members in taking their comprehensive exams.
The written comprehensive examination will cover three broad areas of English or American language and literature. Students should select three (3) areas of study from the following list:
For each area, the student should also choose a graduate faculty member with expertise in that area to act as an examiner. Select three faculty. Selected faculty will work with the student to develop the exam question or questions for that area, and to set the date, time, and procedures for that section of the exam. Common procedures include open-book timed writing (3 - 4 hours), or a take-home paper. The three faculty members representing the three areas selected by the student will form the Comprehensive Reading Committee. Each section of the exam will be read and evaluated by the faculty member who wrote the question. Completed exams will be held by one member of the Reading Committee until all three sections are taken before being passed on for review by the full Reading Committee. When all the exams are completed, the Reading Committee will meet to determine the student's overall evaluation. Each exam must pass the entire Reading Committee by consensus. All three sections of the exam must receive a pass. The student receives a score of
A letter stating the student's performance on the comprehensive exam will be sent to the student. If a student does not pass an area of the exam, the Reading Committee will determine what steps the student will need to take in order to pass the exam. ThesisA six-credit thesis is required of all students completing an M.A. in English. Requirements for Thesis PreparationAt least three months before the planned date of graduation the student must submit to the Chairperson of the English Department Graduate Committee a prospectus of the proposed thesis, a short bibliography, and the name of a proposed thesis advisor, who must be a member of the graduate faculty.
It is essential that each thesis be seen in progress by all members of the student's committee. Committee members must have ample time to read and evaluate a thesis in order to return it so the candidate may make needed revisions prior to the defense. The primary work and discussion of the thesis should be done with the thesis advisor. Theses submitted for the M.A. must follow the current MLA Style Sheet. For further instructions on format and content, please consult the Graduate Office. The Oral Defense and the Oral Defense Committee[Update effective August 2003] Oral examinations are open to the university community and are announced on the Faculty/Staff Listserv each week. At the discretion of the committee chair, visitors may ask the candidate questions regarding the topic. However, evaluation of the oral examination by the committee is closed to the public. The student must select oral defense committee members in accordance with Graduate Studies Requirements, as follows:
Please consult the Graduate Studies Requirements for complete information on the selection of the committee members. The student, in consultation with the committee, arranges for the date, time, and place of the oral examination. |
