A Masters degree can be attained (i) by exam, (ii) by thesis, and (iii) by doctoral comprehensive exams. The first two options both require a Masters adviser and a second faculty reader. A plan should be formulated in consultation with an adviser by the beginning of the spring semester of the student's second year of coursework. A student may enroll in RELS 896 -"Thesis Research" -for three credits while doing research for the MA exam or thesis.

(i) The Masters exam involves drawing up a printed list of texts to be examined at the beginning of the semester in consultation with the two faculty members, a broader bibliography of relevant materials (that may or may not be directly consulted during the semester), as well as an outline of study. For students planning to go on to the doctoral program, the topic should relate to possible dissertational interests; for students planning to stop with a masters degree, the topic should relate to coursework done at UVA. In either case, the topic must be approved by the adviser and second faculty member; it is possible to have more than two faculty members involved if that is desired. To prepare the list and bibliography, students should not simply rely upon faculty, but rather do bibliographical research at the library using on-line catalogues of books and journals, and physically consulting indexes of major journals in their fields; one should also be searching for academic reviews of major books that will be consulted. The outline of study should indicate the specific lines of inquiries and questions which will guide the study of these materials (about one to two pages in length). The student should then spend the semester studying, and undergo the exam at the end of the semester on the basis of a ten to fifteen page written summary of his/her findings as well as a final bibliography. This summary is not exactly a term paper, since it is intended to serve as the basis of an oral exam, but it should be analytical and indicate clearly how the student has interpreted these materials. The oral exam will then question the student at length on the statements made in this document, and evaluate the quality and extent of the student's research outlined there.

(ii) The Masters thesis should be planned out by the end of the fall semester of the second year in consultation with an adviser and second reader, and then done in the following spring semester.

(iii) To get a MA degree at the end of a spring semester, one must file the MA degree approval form by around February 1 (the date changes somewhat each year). This form is like a "statement of intent", and is available from Cabell 438. It requires a list of courses, as well as multiple signatures so plan ahead.