Master of Letters
Students enrolled in the Master of Letters (M.Litt.) degree program have two options:
- completion of nine courses (27 credit hours) and a master's thesis of 50-75 pages.
- in lieu of writing the thesis, students may elect to take two additional courses for a total of eleven (33 credit hours).
In either case, students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or better in order to graduate.
Doctor of Letters
Students enrolled in the Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) degree program must complete nine courses (27 credit hours) plus a required writing seminar, the Joy of Scholarly Writing, for a total of 30 credit hours with a cumulative average of 3.1 (on a 4.0 scale) or better. All D.Litt. students must prepare and successfully defend a doctoral dissertation of 150-200 pages.
Concentration in Writing
M.Litt. and D.Litt. students may choose from a wide variety of writing-focused courses as part of their studies in the Arts and Letters program. In keeping with the interdisciplinary nature of the program, students can explore writing through several different genres: essay, poetry, short story, prose, academic writing, and more.
Irish/Irish-American Studies Concentration
M.Litt. and D.Litt. students may enroll in the Irish/Irish-American Studies concentration beginning with the Fall 2004 semester. Study in this interdisciplinary concentration focuses on the literature, history, politics, and culture of Ireland and Irish America. Courses offered include such topics as Contemporary Ireland: 1922-Present, Irish and Irish-American Literature for Children and Young Adults, The Great Hunger: The Great Irish Famine, Constructions of Irish-American Identity, Celtic Archeology, Northern Ireland, Commemoration and Memory in Irish History, Irish History Through Film; Researching Irish History: Archives and Archival Research; Modernism and Irish Literary Revival, James Joyce, Irish History to the Normans, Normans to the Irish Civil War (1922), and The Irish in America. Five courses are required for the concentration.
Certificate in Holocaust and Genocide Studies
The certificate requires completion of a total of 16 credit hours, consisting of three required seminar courses (The Holocaust/Core Seminar; Comparative Genocide; The Jewish People: An Introduction), two elective courses, and a one credit, four-day capstone experiential seminar during the summer term. Students may enroll for the certificate only, or they may earn the certificate as part of the Master or Doctor of Letters degree.
