Why Should I Be Interested in This Degree?  

The MALS degree is an interdisciplinary degree that provides the opportunity for highly-motivated students to continue their studies in the liberal arts beyond the baccalaureate within a coherent, structured program, but without an exclusive concentration in one discipline. Studies for this degree focus primarily on issues in the liberal arts disciplines such as humanities (English, history, philosophy, religious studies, and foreign languages), history of the arts,  the fine arts, or the social sciences.  

This degree is ideal for students who are interested in furthering their knowledge about women’s studies because it allows them the flexibility to pursue interdisciplinary interests, while also developing a focus area that gives depth to a graduate degree.  The MALS degree is a highly personalized degree program that allows applicants to create their own unique programs of study.  In addition, this degree is the closest to a master’s degree in women’s studies that a student can get in the state of West Virginia . 

This degree should be of interest to the following students:  

·    students who majored or minored in women’s studies as undergraduates  

·    students who had double majors as undergraduates and wish to continue graduate work in an interdisciplinary format  

·    women’s studies graduate certificate students who wish to continue for a degree  

·    students who wish to pursue a Ph.D. in women’s studies at another institution  

How Do I Apply?  

The program is administered by a multidisciplinary committee (hereafter, MALS committee), which is appointed by the MALS Program Director (Dr. Barb Howe) and approved by the Dean of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.  This seven-member committee serves as the program’s admissions committee and plays a role which is, in some ways, like that of an academic department in a more traditional degree program.  

MALS admission requirements are as follows:  

·     A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.  

·    A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.  Probationary status may be granted to students who do not meet this minimum standard, but who exhibit clear potential for graduate work.  

·    Scores on the GRE General Test that clearly demonstrate the ability to do graduate work.  

·    A detailed, preliminary study plan for the degree which has been approved by the MALS committee and which can be carried out at West Virginia University - see below for details.  

·    Confidential letters of recommendation from at least two individuals.  Letter writers need not be faculty members but must be able to assess the applicant’s ability to undertake the plan of study that he or she has proposed.  

·    Members of the MALS committee may request, at their discretion, that an interview with the applicant be conducted and that the results be included with the candidate’s application materials.  

·    Written agreement of a member of the regular graduate faculty at WVU to serve as chair of the applicant’s master’s committee. With permission, this step may be completed later, but students must identify a chair by the time they have completed 9 hours of courses.  

What Are the Requirements?

The Women’s Studies-directed MALS is structured to follow the MALS language on degree requirements and WVU’s general university requirements for graduate work (refer to the WVU Graduate Catalog at http://coursecatalog.wvu.edu/fullcatalogs/gradcat.pdf). The most important of these requirements are listed below.  

General University Requirements           

·    Graduate credit is awarded only for courses at the 400 level or above.  No more than 40 percent of course credits counted toward a graduate degree may be at the 400 level. 

·    No more than 12 hours of course work taken as a graduate student before admission to a graduate program will be approved for credit toward that degree.   

·    No more than 40 percent of course credits may be transferred in from another institution, and all transfer credits must be approved by the MALS committee. Procedures for transferring graduate credits are set out in the WVU Graduate Catalog.  

·    Enrollment and registration procedures, as well as credit limitations, are available in the WVU Graduate Catalog.  

MALS Degree Requirements

·         At least 36 semester hours of approved course work, subject to the following limitations:           

• Because the degree is intended to be interdisciplinary, no more than 18 hours will be approved from a single discipline, although the Women’s Studies guidelines, noted below, are somewhat more specific.
• No more than 9 hours of independent study will be approved. (This limit applies only to courses labeled either “independent study” or “directed study” in the graduate catalog.  It does not apply to any of the following kinds of courses: professional field experience, internship, research, thesis, teaching practicum, and so on.) 
• The program must include 3 hours of course work in research methodology.

·     A minimum 3.25 grade point average for all course work in the degree program.  

·     Fulfillment of all requirements of the study contract.  

·    Completion of a final plan of study that includes courses completed and names of graduate committee members.

·    Successful completion of a final project. The final project can take any of a number of forms, depending on an applicant’s interests and proposed plan of study, with research and documentation culminating in a master’s thesis, a comprehensive examination, a lecture, a recital, a portfolio of creative work, the design of a web site, and so on.  Applicants are urged to consider including information about their proposed project in their application essay.  

• The required course in research methodology must focus on women’s studies-based research.  Research courses available to Women’s Studies-directed MALS students may include:
• F&CS 689: Research Methods in Family Studies (Carol Markstrom) - offered every spring and can include students in child development, nutrition, family studies, sociology
• WMST 493: Women’s Studies Research in the Information Age (Carroll Wilkinson)
• Students must take 27 hours of courses from the list of courses approved by the Women’s Studies Curriculum Committee.  This list of courses is available on the Center for Women’s Studies’ web site at http://www.as.wvu.edu/wmst/approvedcourses.htm.  They may then take 9 hours from outside this list of approved courses that can be justified as part of their plan of study.  These 9 hours of outside work may, but do not have to, include the required research course.  The distribution of these 36 hours will be determined by the student in consultation with the student’s advisor and graduate committee members, with approval from the MALS committee.
• The Women’s Studies program is committed to developing information literacy skills in all our students.  Therefore, students must demonstrate knowledge of relevant print and electronic information resources, the ability to analyze and evaluate print and electronic information sources, and the ability to apply this knowledge to projects and presentations in this program.
• In addition to their focus area work, students must take the Women’s Studies capstone course, WMST 794: Seminar, offered each spring semester.  The topic and instructor for this course will vary, but the course will help students refine their information literacy skills and learn to apply their research skills to an action project.  Students will also be encouraged to look at women’s studies issues from an international perspective.
• Students may take no more than 6 hours of independent study or field experience as part of their 36 hours of work (or a combination of independent study and field experience not to exceed 9 hours), as approved by the chair of the student’s graduate committee.  These 6 hours may be part of the 9 hours that the students may take outside the 27 hours of Women’s Studies-approved courses. Any of the Women’s Studies faculty associates may conduct an independent study or research course with a student using the Women’s Studies generic numbers or the generic numbers in their own departments.  Students may also use the generic thesis and research numbers in Women’s Studies or in the home department of their thesis advisor. 
• Students will complete a final project whose format and scope will depend on the student’s focus area and desired goals for the degree.  For example, Women’s Studies-directed MALS students have developed a feminist ‘zine and conducted an AIDS-education program with at-risk girls.  Students will earn 3 credit hours for this final project. These 3 hours will count as part of the 27 hours within the Women’s Studies-approved list of courses.

What Courses Are Available?  

.A list of courses that have been approved for this degree is available at http://www.as.wvu.edu/wmst/approvedcourses.htm and in the Center for Women’s Studies at 218 Eiesland Hall.           

There are also occasional other courses that could count toward the certificate upon petition by the student.  These might include special topics courses in other departments or particular sections of generic courses like ENGL 782: Current Directions in Literary Studies or HIST 494A: Intro to Historical Research.  In fact, almost every graduate seminar in English could probably count.  The topic of these courses changes every time the course is offered, depending on the instructor, so we cannot anticipate what will be available for students in advance.  However, each semester, the Center for Women’s Studies distributes a list of courses available in all units on campus that students can take to satisfy the women’s studies minor/certificate and would anticipate we would include information about courses such as ENGL 782, along with any prerequisites for each specific course.

Who Will Advise Me?   Dr. Barbara Howe, Director of the Center for Women’s Studies, is the primary advisor for the Women’s Studies-directed MALS students and, as appropriate, will help students find a Women’s Studies faculty associate whose interests best match those of the student.  Students are also free to identify their own advisor but should still contact Dr. Howe for assistance.  

Which Faculty Members Will Work with Me?  

The Center for Women’s Studies has approximately 110 faculty associates across the campus.  As their interests, schedules, and time permit, they may be willing to work with students on a Women’s Studies-directed MALS degree.  The Women’s Studies web page (http://www.as.wvu.edu/wmst/faculty_associates.htm) includes contact information for these faculty associates.  Each year, new faculty members come to campus and may be interested in participating in this program.  Please check the Women’s Studies web page for a current list of faculty.  

Graduate committees consist of a minimum of three members.  Each committee must have a majority of members who are regular members of the graduate faculty; these are individuals who, through their teaching and research, are considered qualified to chair master’s and doctoral exam committees and to direct theses and doctoral dissertations.  The committee chair must be a regular member of the graduate faculty.  One committee member (on a three-person committee) may be an associate member or not a member of the graduate faculty, and need not be a faculty member at WVU.  The MALS committee must approve the composition of the student’s graduate committee.  Updated lists of graduate faculty members may be obtained from the office of the dean in each college.                                                            

What Is Expected When?  

         By the completion of 9-12 hours, students must identify their final project and their committee members.  

         By the completion of 27 hours, students must submit their final plan of study, which must be approved by all committee members.  

         By the completion of 36 hours, students must give a public presentation of their work in a forum similar to the Women’s Studies Fireside Chat series.  

What Will This Cost Me?

2004-2006 graduate tuition and fees are $220 per credit hour for resident graduate students and $620 per credit hour for non-resident graduate students.  Full-time (9 or more credit hours) tuition and fees are $1952 (resident students) or $5554 (non-resident students).

 Is Financial Aid Available?  

         Students may be eligible for GTA positions in the Academic Advising Center and should contact that center directly for more information.  

         Students may be eligible for assistantships within the WVU Division of Housing and Residence Life as resident advisors and should contact the Division of Housing and Residence Life directly for more information.  

         The WVU Learning Centers also sometimes have assistantships available.  

         The MALS program has a small number of meritorious student tuition waiver hours available each semester. Check with Barb Howe for details.  

         Check with the WVU Financial Aid Office for information on grants, loans, and other scholarships.  See the web site address for this office below.

What Do I Do With This Degree?

Check our WVU Women’s Studies web site at www.as.wvu.edu/wmst/exploring_careers.htm for links to career resources and the WVU Office of Career Services.  Women’s Studies-directed MALS students are also invited to participate in the Center for Women’s Studies mentoring program.  For more information, please contact Dr. Howe.

Web Site References:

MALS program:  http://www.as.wvu.edu/New_Folder/mals/req.html

WVU Graduate Education: http://www.wvu.edu/~graduate

Center for Women’s Studies: http://www.as.wvu.edu/wmst

WVU Graduate Admission Information:  http://www.arc.wvu.edu/admissions/grad.html

WVU Financial Aid Office:  http://www.wvu.edu/~finaid/

Contact Information:

Dr. Barbara Howe

Director, Center for Women’s Studies

218 Eiesland Hall, PO Box 6450

West Virginia University

Morgantown , WV 26506-6450

phone: (304) 293-2339, ext. 1155

fax: (304) 293-3041

e-mail: barbara.howe@mail.wvu.edu