The University is making it a little easier for English majors to take the road less traveled.
Beginning in the fall of 2002, a new English department program will allow majors to fulfill requirements for a master's degree with just one more year of study.
"There are a lot of extremely bright and able English majors who wouldn't think of graduate school given the other options they have, and this program is a way of attracting them," said Rita Felski, an English professor and director of graduate admissions for the department.
To obtain a master's degree under normal circumstances, a student must take eight classes in the graduate school, a process that takes a year and a half. But with the new five-year program, undergraduate English majors can take two graduate school classes in their fourth year. In their fifth year they take the remaining six classes.
Potential participants in the new program normally will apply in the spring of their third year. However, applications for current fourth-year students are being accepted until the end of September.
English Department Chairman Michael Levenson played a major role in the creation of the new program. Levenson said the concept of such a program had been with him for about five years, and he saw an opportunity to realize the idea when he became the chair.
"The undergrads here are keen, vibrant and intelligent," Levenson said.
He also said he feels many English majors have not reached their full potential in their undergraduate careers.
Levenson said he hopes that a fifth year will enable students to have time to reflect on their undergraduate experiences and give them a chance to deliberate about their next course of action.
He added that the application process for the program will be rigorous, and that it is expected to be very competitive.
"The minimum requirement is a 3.6 GPA, but that will not necessarily be sufficient," Felski said.
In addition, the offer of acceptance to the five-year master's program may be withdrawn if students' performance in their fourth year falls below a certain expected level. The English department wants to maintain a high level of quality and reputation of both the program itself and its students.
Levenson said he sees current undergraduate English majors as "a source of great new energy in the graduate program," and hopes that this new program will help foster better connections between the undergraduate and graduate school communities.
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