Graduate Handbook College of Arts and Humanities Office of the Dean Dr. Jerry Thompson, Dean Laura R. Morán-López Killam Library 429Texas A&M International University
College of Arts & Humanities
1999-2000
Telephone: 326-2460
E-mail: jthompson@tamiu.edu
Department of Social Sciences
Dr. Nasser Momayezi, Chair
Paulita García
Killam Library 432
Telephone: 326-2465
E-mail: nmomayezi@tamiu.edu
Department of Language, Literature, and Arts
Dr. Thomas R. Mitchell, Chair
María Elizondo
Killam Library 428
Telephone: 326-2470
E-mail: tmitchell@tamiu.edu
Department of Psychology/Sociology
Dr. Cecilia Garza, Chair
Yolanda Cantú
Killam Library 426
Telephone: 326-2475
E-mail: cgarza@tamiu.edu
Office of Admissions
María R. Rosillo, Director
Killam Library 155
Telephone: 326-2200
E-mail: mrrosillo@tamiu.edu
Office of the Registrar
Barbara Lunce, Registrar
Killam Library 168
Telephone: 326-2250
E-mail: blunce@tamiu.edu
INTRODUCTION 1
OBJECTIVE OF GRADUATE STUDY 1
Admission Requirements and Procedures 2
GRADUATE COUNCIL 2
Membership 2
Functions of the Graduate Council 3
Petitions 3
Meetings 3
Application Deadline for Admissions and Council Action 4
Admission Process 4
STUDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEES 5
COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATIONS 7
Requirement for Graduation 7
Eligibility to Take the Exam 7
Preparation for the Comprehensive Exam 7
Scheduling the Exam 7
Notification of Intent 8
Last Day to Take Examination 8
Format and Grading of the Exam 8
Course Load 9
THESIS AND NON-THESIS OPTIONS 9
Thesis Option 9
Scholastic Credit Hour Requirements for Thesis Options 10
Non-Thesis Option 12
Scholastic Credit Hour Requirements for
Non-Thesis Options 13
MISCELLANEOUS 14
Class Attendance 14
Financial Aid 14
Graduate Assistantships 14
Language Requirement 14
Ethics 15
Checklist For Graduate Students And Faculty Advisors 16
The faculty of the College of Arts and Humanities at Texas A&M International University are pleased to welcome you to our graduate program. We hope that your experience at the University will be both enjoyable and rewarding.
This handbook will introduce you to the procedures, schedules, and requirements of the graduate program. This material is provided as a convenient guide to basic information; however, students should be aware that the authoritative, official policies of the University are definitively set forth in the current Texas A&M International University catalog and in the policy manuals of the Texas A&M University System (TAMUS). When in doubt about any information in this handbook, students should consult the catalog or the Texas A&M University System manuals.
Two other texts containing essential information are the Texas A&M International University Student Handbook and the College of Arts and Humanities Thesis Manual. The Student Handbook is available in the Office of Student Development (KCB 107), and the Thesis Manual is available in the Office of the Dean of Arts and Humanities (KL 429).
Graduate degrees in the College of Arts and Humanities include Master of Arts, Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, and Master of Science in Criminal Justice.
Area majors include Counseling Psychology, Criminal Justice, English, History, Political Science, Spanish, and Sociology.
"The principal aim of graduate study is to develop in the student the power of independent work. Consequently, the character of work expected of graduate students is different from that of less-advanced students. A wide knowledge of the major subject and related subjects will be expected. To this end, the student will do assigned readings, attend lectures and conferences, and make use of the library in equipping himself/herself to do effective study" 1998-99 Texas A&M International University Catalog, 158).
A student seeking admission to a graduate degree program in the College of Arts and Humanities must first file an application with the University's Office of Admissions (KL 155). All supporting material indicated in the catalog must be submitted by the stated deadline.
In addition, a separate application is required by the College of Arts and Humanities. This second application initiates the student's specific degree plan, which is essential for effective advising. Students are not required to select the major professor at the time of application.(1)
Students who do not meet the University's entrance requirements may petition the Graduate Council (formerly the Graduate Advisory Council) for special consideration. Transfer students and those requesting extensions to their degree plan term must also petition the Graduate Council. Transfer students include those from other institutions as well as transfers from other colleges within Texas A&M International University.
The Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities appoints the Graduate Council.
Functions of the Graduate Council
•Review graduate applications involving students who are:
requesting special consideration and/or a waiver of the University's regulations.
transferring from other institutions.
transferring from another college at TAMIU.
requesting deadline extensions.
•Submit admissions recommendations to the Dean.
•Establish the Council's own operating procedures.
•Consider and rule in degree program change requests from candidates.
•Serve as a consultative body to advise the Department Chairs on any matters concerning graduate studies.
Although the faculty expect all graduate students to meet the requirements outlined in the catalog, exceptions will occasionally be made in cases in which a student can demonstrate a genuine emergency has interfered with the timely completion of these requirements.
When such a situation arises, the student should petition the Graduate Council for an exemption from the ordinary requirements. Relevant deadlines are listed below.
The Graduate Council will meet at least twice a year to consider applications for graduate admission and to consider petitions. Applicants for admission, as well as students submitting petitions, should note the following deadlines:
| For Summer or Fall | -------------- | Last working day in April |
| For Spring | -------------- | Last working day in November |
Graduate Council Meetings
| For Summer or Fall | ------------- | First week in May |
| For Spring | ------------- | First week in December |
Admission Process
1. Students apply to the Office of Admissions for entry into the University.
2. Students apply to the Dean's Office for entry into the College of Arts and Humanities. (KL 430)
3. The Dean's Office welcomes students who meet the University's requirements and initiates these students' applications for admission to the College of Arts and Humanities.
4. The Dean's Office submits to the Graduate Council the applications of those students who do not meet University standards, including:
a. transfer students.
b. students petitioning for extensions of degree terms.
c. students requesting special consideration.
The Dean's Office will advise students that their applications will be reviewed by the Graduate Council before the designated deadlines.
5. The Chair of the Graduate Council calls a meeting to review petitions received by the appropriate deadlines. All relevant information will be considered, including a presentation by any student who wishes to give one.
6. The Chair sends a memo to the Dean documenting the recommendations of the Graduate Council.
7. The Dean considers the recommendations and makes a final decision, which is then communicated to:
i. the student.
ii. the appropriate Department Chair.
iii. the Office of Admissions.
Each student application will be carefully reviewed, and decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. The Dean's Office will notify students in writing about the status of their applications.
Soon after enrolling for graduate course work, and no later than the end of the second semester of full-time study, each student must choose a faculty member to chair an advisory committee. The committee should include at least three tenured or tenure-track faculty members. The committee chair must be from the student's major field, and one member must be from a different field and appointed by the Dean.
Selection of committee members should occur after discussion between the student and the committee chair. If the student wishes to include more than three faculty members on the committee, approval by the committee chair is required. Once the committee has been chosen and the designated faculty members have agreed to serve, the student must obtain their signatures on the form "Request for Service on a Graduate Advisory Committee" (available from the departmental secretary). The student takes this form to the office of the Department Chair, where it is kept as part of the student's academic records.
The student's advisory committee, in consultation with the student, will design a coherent and viable degree plan and a reasonable timetable for executing it. Upon advisement, each student will receive a copy of a checklist for graduate students and faculty advisors (see "Checklist for Graduate Students") which will clarify the various stages of the student's expected progress toward the degree.
Prerequisites will not be included in the degree plan. Students must complete all courses with a satisfactory grade (C or above) and must maintain at least a 3.00 (B) cumulative average to remain in good standing. Students may include no more than two courses in which the grade of C was received. Students should also be aware that they are required to maintain continuous registration including registration for thesis until all requirements for graduation have been met. Interruptions or delays in the course of study will interfere with the degree time limits and may result in students having to re-take courses.
The advisory committee, under the direction of the Department Chair, will have the responsibility for the following:
•Counseling the student on academic matters.
•Evaluating the student's progress toward completion of the degree program.
•Preparing and scoring the comprehensive examination.
•Assisting with the thesis research proposal.
•Administering and attending the defense of the thesis.
All graduate students should schedule regular and convenient appointments with their committee chairs each semester. At the end of each semester, the committee chair must record that the student is making satisfactory progress toward the completion of the degree. Any student who temporarily or permanently drops out of a graduate program should provide a written explanation to the chair of the advisory committee, who will file a report with the Department Chair.
Students wishing to change either the chair or any member of the advisory committee must petition the Department Chair for permission to make such a change, citing specific and substantial reasons. Such changes should only be made after serious reflection.
At the end of the degree program, master's students must pass a comprehensive examination in order to graduate. All course work must be completed or in progress before the comprehensive exam can be taken.
In order to be eligible to take the comprehensive examination, a student must have at least a 3.00 GPA, with no outstanding grade of D, F, U, or I for any course listed on the student's degree plan. In order to change an unsatisfactory grade, a student must repeat the class and obtain an A or B as a final grade.
At or near the beginning of the semester during which the exam will be taken, master's students are encouraged to make appointments with professors who will submit questions for the examination. These appointments will give students guidance about the materials most important to review. In order to study for the comprehensive exam, graduate students should keep notes, exams, and books from their courses.
Comprehensive exams are administered and scheduled by the Academic Enrichment Center during the student's last semester of course work. Before the exam takes place, the Department Chair will ask professors in the student's major and minor fields to submit questions.
Master's degree candidates must register intent to take the comprehensive examinations with the Department Chair no later than the third Friday of the semester in which the exam will be taken.
The last Friday of October (Fall Semester) or March (Spring Semester) is the last day to take the exam for graduation in that semester.
Exams may be scheduled in the summer at the discretion of the Department Chair.
This exam will vary in format according to departmental requirements, but it should include a written response that covers all the class work taken in the student's major and minor fields as well as questions covering basic general knowledge in these disciplines. An oral defense of the student's written answers may be required at the discretion of the advisory committee.
At the examination, each master's student will be given a number of questions selected by the student's committee chair that cover the courses taken by the student in the major and minor fields. Topics for questions will not be announced prior to the examination. Each student will ordinarily have one hour per question for a maximum of 4 hours. The department will supply writing materials, which will be used for each question.
Each faculty member who has submitted a question will judge whether the student has responded sufficiently well to that question to deserve a passing grade, and this judgment will be reported to the Department Chair. It is also the prerogative of each faculty member involved to request that the student undergo further examination on a particular question. All grades for comprehensives will be sent to the office of the Department Chair no later than the second Friday of November (Fall Semester) or April (Spring Semester).
A student who does not complete all degree requirements within one year of passing the comprehensive exam will have to take and pass it again. A student who fails to pass one or more questions of the exam will be allowed two chances to repeat and pass the exam.
All degree requirements must be completed within five years of beginning the master's degree, unless the student is in the Psychology Department, which allows six years to complete the master's program. The comprehensive exam must be taken before a student can sign up for Thesis classes 1 or 2.
The normal, full-time course load for Arts and Humanities graduate students is nine hours per regular semester and six hours per summer session. Students wishing to take more than nine hours in a regular semester or six hours in a summer session must request special permission from the Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities.
Both thesis and non-thesis degree plans are available in the graduate programs in Criminal Justice, English, History, Political Science, Sociology, and Interdisciplinary Studies. Only a thesis plan is available in Counseling Psychology.
The thesis option requires an original paper which demonstrates the ability of the candidate to organize and conduct a research study and to write a professionally competent report which makes a substantial contribution to ongoing work in the student's chosen discipline. Each student is guided in the thesis project by the advisory committee, under the direction of the committee chair. The format of the master's thesis should follow the guidelines set forth in the College Thesis Manual, which provides clear information about relevant specifications. This manual is available in the Office of the Dean of Arts and Humanities.
While degree plans differ in the number of total scholastic credit hours (SCH) required, hours in a minor area of study are an obligatory part of each thesis plan, as are the six hours of thesis research.
The following chart summarizes the required number of SCH in each master's degree plan.
Scholastic Credit Hour Requirements for Thesis Options
| Field of Study | Scholastic Credit Hours Required | |||
| Major Cur. | Minor Cur. | Thesis | Total | |
| MA/English | 24 | 6 | 6 | 36 |
| MA/History | 18 | 6 | 6 | 30 |
| MA/Political Sci. | 18 | 6 | 6 | 30 |
| MA/Sociology | 24 | 6 | 6 | 36 |
| MA/Spanish | 24 | 6 | 6 | 36 |
| MS/Criminal Justice | 21 | 9 | 6 | 36 |
| Field of Study | Scholastic Credit Hours Required | ||||
| Major Cur. | Electives | Clinical Supervision | Thesis | Total | |
| MA/Coun.Psyc | 33 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 48 |
| Major Cur. | Minor A | Minor B | Thesis | Total | |
| MAIS(2) | 15 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 36 |
The Thesis
Students preparing to write a master's thesis should consult carefully with their advisors and should familiarize themselves with the College Thesis Manual. Since the thesis should demonstrate a student's capacity for independent research and formal writing, all work submitted to the advisor or to the committee should be presented in an acceptable format and should be free from fundamental technical or logical errors. Each student embarking upon a thesis project should read at least one M.A. thesis recommended by the advisor. Each thesis topic should be thoroughly researched so that no duplication of work will occur.
When the advisor is satisfied that the thesis is formally acceptable, an oral defense of the thesis will be scheduled.
Non-Thesis Option
In some instances, the requirements for the non-thesis option for a master's degree are satisfied by completing additional semester hours of course work in lieu of the thesis. Thirty-six credit hours are required for a non-thesis master's degree with required courses in a minor field of study.
The level of courses and the examination requirements are the same as for the thesis option. The comprehensive final examination must be completed satisfactorily.
The following chart summarizes the scholastic credit hour requirements for the non-thesis.
Scholastic Credit Hour Requirements
for Non-Thesis Options
| Field of Study | Scholastic Credit Hours Required | ||
| Major Cur. | Minor Cur. | Total | |
| MA/English | 27 | 9 | 36 |
| MA/History | 27 | 9 | 36 |
| MA/Political Science | 27 | 9 | 36 |
| MA/Sociology | 27 | 9 | 36 |
| MA/Spanish | 27 | 6 / 3(3) | 36 |
| MS/Criminal Justice | 27 | 9 | 36 |
| MAIS(4) | Scholastic Credit Hours Required | ||
| Major | Minor A | Minor B | Total |
| 15 | 9 | 9 | 36 |
| 15 | 12 | 6 | 36 |
Although individual faculty members will set their own attendance policies, graduate students should be aware that, because their classes ordinarily meet once a week, missing one class is equivalent to missing one week of instruction. Consequently, absences must be kept to a minimum, and students should make certain that their professors understand the reasons for any absences from class. Although graduate work teaches students to develop skills in independent thinking, the classroom experience remains at the heart of this learning process; therefore, responsible and regular attendance and preparation are vital.
Graduate students interested in financial assistance should obtain a copy of the Financial Aid Student Handbook from the Texas A&M International University Office of Financial Aid.
Individual departments may provide a limited number of teaching and research assistantships for graduate students who demonstrate outstanding ability. Such assistantships will be awarded on a competitive basis, and students receiving such appointments will be subject to regular evaluation by their departments. These assistantships will constitute no more than 1/3 time employment, and graduate assistants will be expected to register for no more than six credit hours per semester and to maintain a grade point average of at least 3.0. Students interested in applying for such assistantships should contact the appropriate Department Chair.
All graduate students should demonstrate fundamental skills in the reading, speaking, and writing of English. Any student who proves unable to function competently in English will be required to take remedial work in order to develop the proficiency necessary for successful graduate study. Decisions about individual students will be made by the Dean of Arts and Humanities.
Most graduate schools encourage or even require students to demonstrate reasonable proficiency in the reading of at least one language other than English. All Texas A&M International University graduate students are encouraged to improve their skills in Spanish and to study other languages as our course offerings expand. To ascertain whether a particular degree program requires demonstrable proficiency in a language other than English, students should consult the Department Chair in their major area.
Students who hold a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a university outside the United States may be required to pass a departmentally administered reading proficiency test of English.
Texas A&M International University graduate students should recognize that they represent their intellectual community in a special way. Our institution's reputation depends upon what our graduates achieve and upon how they conduct themselves. The University expects graduate students to conduct themselves in accord with principles appropriate to mature and rational individuals. A detailed description of the Student Conduct Code is available in Section V of the Texas A&M International University Student Handbook.
Checklist For Graduate Students And Faculty Advisors
This checklist is provided to help you and your Advisory Committee track your progress through the various stages of graduate study.
Student's Name_________________________ Major_________________________________
Major Professor_________________________
| Activity | Expected Completion Date |
Actual Completion Date |
| ___Univ. & Dept. Applications Filed | __________ | ___________ |
| ___GRE & Transcripts in Admissions Office | __________ | ___________ |
| ___Dean's Acceptance Letter | __________ | ___________ |
| ___Approved Degree Plan | __________ | ___________ |
| ___Completion of course work | __________ | ___________ |
| ___Comprehensive Exam for Major | __________ | ___________ |
| ___Comprehensive Exam for Minor | __________ | ___________ |
| ___Thesis Proposal Submitted | __________ | ___________ |
| ___Thesis Proposal Approved | __________ | ___________ |
| ___Oral Defense | __________ | ___________ |
| ___Final Thesis Cleared | __________ | ___________ |
| ___Application for Graduation | __________ | ___________ |
Notes:
1. The names of the advisory committee members should be
added to the application by the second semester of graduate registration.
2. Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies
3. Professional paper
4. Add 3 credit hours for required course (MAIS 5397).