2.5 Minoring and Co-majoring in MA programs

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2.5.1 Minoring in English Department MA programs

Minoring in English Department MA majors requires 9 credits in English Department courses at the 500-600 level not counting the thesis credits. If you are a graduate student from another major, you must first find an English Department professor from the appropriate major (see Graduate Faculty section of this manual) to serve on your POS committee and to help you select appropriate minor courses. Then you must submit the English Department’s Request for Graduate Minor form to the Graduate Program Administrative Assistant via email (englgrad@iastate.edu) for approval by the DOGE. The professor’s name and approval as well as that of the DOGE in the English Department are required when you submit the Graduate College Program of Study and Committee Form (POSC) in your AccessPlus account. If your POSC Form has already been approved by the Graduate College, you must submit a modification to your POSC Form in your AccessPlus account adding the minor, the faculty member representing the minor, and the approved coursework for the minor

2.5.2 Co-majoring in English Department MA programs

Co-majoring in English Department MA majors requires that all requirements in each of the two majors (including areas of specialization), not counting the thesis or creative component credits, be met to complete this single MA degree. POS committees must include co-major professors and an additional committee member from the co-major program, each representing the co-major. This is a departmental requirement that is more stringent than the Graduate College minimum requirement. These professor’s names and approvals as well as that of the DOGE in the English Department are required when you submit the Graduate College Program of Study and Committee Form (POSC) in your AccessPlus account. If your POSC Form has already been approved by the Graduate College, you must submit a modification to your POSC Form in your AccessPlus account adding the co-major, the co-major professor and faculty member representing the co-major, and the approved coursework for the co-major.

  • Apply for the co-major in time to meet thesis or creative component and final oral exam requirements by submitting the English Department’s Request to Co-Major form to the Graduate Program Administrative Assistant via email (englgrad@iastate.edu) for approval by the DOGE.
  • Satisfy all requirements for both majors (and areas of specialization). This means that you will need to take extra hours beyond the 30 credit hours of most master’s students. However, it will not mean that you must take an additional 30 credits hours, as some courses will work for both majors (and areas of specialization). A co-major will require a minimum of 42 credit hours (12 extra credit hours beyond the standard 30 credit hours).
  • Take at least 15 credit hours of specialized courses in each of the two majors, not counting the thesis or creative component.
  • Write a thesis or creative component that applies to both majors (and areas of specialization) and satisfies your POS committee members from both majors.