Humanities MH

► Graduate School Policies and Procedures apply to this program

Requirements for Admission

General rules for admission into the Graduate School apply to admission into the MH program in addition to the following:

evidence of a bachelor’s degree
two official copies of transcripts from all community colleges, colleges, and universities attended
overall GPA of at least 3.0 out of 4.0
a writing sample
three letters of recommendation (at least two from academic sources)
appropriate undergraduate training or professional background, or indicators that supply evidence of ability to pursue the MH degree
a typed statement specifying the goal of advanced study in the humanities expressed in clear, correct and effective English
standardized test scores are not required, but will be considered if submitted

After meeting all other requirements for admission, applicants may be required to have an interview to discuss their interest in the program and their plans for study. For out-of-state applicants, an appropriate substitute for the interview may be determined by the director.

Provisional admission:

Applicants may be admitted as provisional-status graduate students if their complete record indicates a high probability of success.

Nondegree students:

Potential applicants may take CU Denver graduate-level courses as non-degree seeking students (unclassified student with a bachelor’s degree) if they:

Wish to strengthen their record in order to demonstrate that they could successfully complete graduate-level courses in the program
-or-
Wish to start coursework toward the program prior to completing their application, with the understanding that taking courses does not guarantee admission.

Up to 12 semester hours of CU Denver graduate-level work taken as a nondegree student may be accepted by the program once a student has been admitted to the program (the 12-hour limit also includes graduate work from another university). For further information on non-degree graduate student status, see the Information for Graduate Students section of this catalog. In the case of CU Denver graduate students transferring to the MH program, previous course work may be accepted as appropriate to the MH plan of study.

International Students:

International students must also meet CU Denver requirements for international admission. See the Information for International Students section of this catalog or call 303-315-2230 for further information.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Humanities (MH) program is a 36-semester-hour program, of which 30 hours must meet all specifications of the Graduate School . Throughout their work toward the MH degree, students must maintain at least a B (3.0) average in all courses. A grade below B- will not be counted toward the degree.

Students may pursue a general MH degree or focus their studies and course work on one of five tracks: Ethnic Studies, Philosophy and Theory, Social Justice, Visual Studies or Women and Gender Studies. Students also have the option of adding on a Women’s and Gender Studies Graduate Certificate. All courses credited toward the MH degree must be taken at CU Denver (a maximum of 12 graduate semester hours may be transferred from other institutions after matriculating into the MH program, subject to the MH director’s approval).

Each student’s program is supervised by a MHMSS faculty. All independent study, project and thesis contracts must be approved in advance by the program director. A total of two independent study courses, two 4000-level undergraduate courses, and one internship may count toward the degree. Only one graduate-level online course (up to 3 hours) may be taken toward the degree. The rest must be 5000-level or above courses offered through various university departments. All students must pass an oral comprehensive exam on the project or thesis in order to graduate.

General Master of Humanities Degree

Students pursuing the general MH degree have the opportunity to fashion a course of study based on their individual interests and goals. Students complete three required core courses and, in consultation with a faculty advisor, choose two or three academic disciplines as areas of concentration. Students who select a thesis (6 semester hours) will submit a thesis proposal after completing 30 hours of course work. In the case of a project (3 semester hours), students will submit a project proposal after 33 hours. All students culminate with the completion of a final project or thesis and an oral exam defense of the final work.

GENERAL MH REQUIREMENTS

Three Required Core seminars for the MH degree:

HUMN 5025 - Foundations and Theories of Interdisciplinary Humanities
(Must be taken during the first year of entrance into the program. (Offered fall only.)

Mid-Program Seminar, an interdisciplinary seminar which is approved for the student’s program by the program director (note that the Mid-Program Seminar must have a HUMN prefix).
HUMN 5924 - Directed Research and Reading in Interdisciplinary Humanities
A final seminar that provides background reading, theory and research approaches for students to develop a thesis or project; student must have completed at least 21-24 hours of course work and must register for the course via a schedule adjustment form with instructor approval. (Offered spring only.)

Total: 9 Hours

Electives

Additionally, students must complete a total of 21-24 semester hours comprising a coherent selection of courses from a variety of disciplines. All courses for the self-structured portion of the program must be selected with the approval of an MHMSS program faculty advisor.

A total of two independent study courses and two 4000-level undergraduate courses taken when enrolled in the program may count toward the degree. All independent study contracts must be approved by the program director. The remaining course work must be 5000-level or above courses offered through various departments.

Students wishing to count credits accrued from a study abroad program while pursuing the MH must follow the rules of the Graduate School and must have approval of the program director in advance of studying abroad.

Students completing a project take 24 hours of electives, while thesis students complete 21 hours of electives.

Total: 21-24 Hours

Thesis or Project

A thesis (6 semester hours) or a final project (3 semester hours), which must include a substantial scholarly paper and may include a creative exercise involving at least two disciplines, must be completed at the end of the program. In order to proceed with a thesis or project, all students must submit to the program a proposal approved by their three faculty committee and the MH program director.

Oral Exam

An oral exam defending the project or thesis before a committee of three faculty members must be passed in order to graduate.

Optional MH Tracks

Students may also focus in one of the tracks in the Master of Humanities program: Ethnic Studies, Philosophy and Theory, Social Justice, Visual Studies or Women and Gender Studies. Tracks allow students to concentrate their studies in a more specifically defined field of interest. In addition to these tracks, MH students may also pursue a Women’s and Gender Studies Graduate Certificate in conjunction with the MH degree and/or one of its tracks. In addition to the three MH core required courses, students must fulfill the minimum track or graduate certificate requirements and must complete a total of 36 credit hours in order to complete the degree. For detailed track requirements and courses, please see one of the MHMSS program faculty.

University of Colorado Denver