Process for completion of M.A. Degree
(in addition to the coursework)
I. M.A. DEGREE PROGRAM COMMITTEE
Initial supervision of a student’s program is exercised by the Director of Graduate Studies of the Department of Global Gender Studies. The Director of Graduate Studies assists the student in planning his/her program until the student chooses a major faculty member under whose supervision he/she will work on the final thesis or project. The thesis or project supervisor must be a Member of the University at Buffalo Graduate Faculty.
II. APPLICATION TO CANDIDACY (ATC)
Normally, a student should expect to file an Application to Candidacy during or after his/her third semester of full-time enrollment or when the student has completed his/her required course work. A student must complete the Application to Candidacy before he/she begins writing the M.A. thesis or project. The filing of this application indicates that the student is entering the final stages of degree completion. Copies of the form are available from the Graduate School’s website at http://www.grad.buffalo.edu
III. M.A. DEGREE COMPLETION
To complete the M.A. degree, a student must work with an advisory committee consisting of at least two tenure/tenure-track faculty. The main advisor should be a tenure/tenure-track faculty in the Department of Global Gender Studies; and the other should be selected by the graduate student from either tenure/tenure-track faculty within or affiliated with the department, or other UB faculty at the rank of tenure/tenure-track. Faculty outside the department should have expertise in the student’s field of inquiry.
If the student chooses the thesis option, the thesis should be based on original research and analysis of an empirical topic of academic substance. If the student chooses a project, the project should be a new creative endeavor. Either has to be cogently defended to the satisfaction of the M.A. committee. See the Graduate School Policies and Procedures Manual for their requirements regarding pagination, typing, and reproduction. For further guidelines, please read a booklet entitled Guidelines for Graduation and Thesis and Dissertation Preparation, available on the Graduate School’s website at: http://www.grad.buffalo.edu
As an alternative to the M.A. thesis or project, a student may choose to take a comprehensive examination. This option is largely designed for Ph.D. students whose research does not yield a dissertation.
IV. ORAL DEFENSE OF M.A. THESIS OR PROJECT
The M.A. degree is not completed or conferred until the thesis or project is successfully defended and approved by the student’s committee. When approaching the completion of his/her M.A. program, the student is required to schedule a thesis or project defense in consultation with his/her committee. This oral defense of the thesis or project, must be attended by the main advisor and committee member(s). It must be announced to the public. Other faculty, students, staff, friends, and family are welcome to attend.
V. TIMELINE TO DEGREE
A student is required to complete the M.A. degree within four years after first enrolling in the program, but two years is the recommended timeframe.