College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of English

MA/MS in Folklore and American Studies Requirements

The Folklore and American Studies graduate program at Utah State University offers an interdisciplinary master’s degree (MA, MS) that allows students to focus on the study of folklore and/or American culture (North and South America).

Due to its wide-ranging interdisciplinary and cultural focus, the Folklore and American Studies program prepares students for a wide range of careers in education, museums, non-profits, public relations, marketing, government agencies, the arts, and more.

During their first semester, all students admitted to the Folklore and American Studies program must take ENGL 6700: Introduction to Folklore Studies .

This program has traditionally had two areas of emphasis (Folklore and American Studies). The American Studies emphasis is currently on hiatus and is unavailable.

Folklore Emphasis

Foundation Courses: 6 credits (2 courses)

Folklore Elective Courses: 9 credits (3 courses)

Students may choose any of the following folklore courses, pending available course offerings:

Open Elective Courses: 6-9 credits, depending on thesis option (2-3 courses)

For electives, students may choose any graduate courses offered within the English department, including folklore classes.

Students who decide to complete a Plan B thesis must take 9 credits of open elective courses (3 courses).

Students who decide to complete a Plan A thesis must take 6 credits of open elective courses (2 courses).

Thesis Credits: 3-6 credits, depending on thesis option

Students must choose to complete either a Plan A or a Plan B thesis. Students who decide to complete a Plan B thesis must register for 3 credits of thesis work. Students who decide to complete a Plan A thesis must register for 6 credits of thesis work.

The Folklore and American Studies program strongly encourages students to complete a Plan B thesis.

Plan B: For a Plan B thesis, students must write a single research paper that is modeled on a publishable journal article. For the Folklore and American Studies program, the minimum page requirement for a Plan B thesis is 25 pages, although most tend to be 30-50 pages. The length of a Plan B thesis is determined by the discretion of the thesis committee chair.

Plan A: For a Plan A thesis, students must write an extensive research project that consists of several chapters. For the Folklore and American Studies program, a Plan A thesis must be a minimum of 50 pages, although most tend to be 50-100 pages. The length of a Plan A thesis is determined by the discretion of the thesis committee chair.

NOTE: Students who wish to complete a Plan A thesis must complete their thesis proposal defense by April 15 during the second semester in the program. Students who do not complete a thesis proposal defense by this date will not be eligible to complete a Plan A thesis and must complete a Plan B thesis.

American Studies Emphasis Requirements

The American Studies emphasis is on hiatus and is currently unavailable.

Requirements for MA Degree

To obtain an MA (Master of Arts) degree, students must demonstrate proficiency in one or more foreign languages. Students in Folklore and American Studies must pass a language requirement in order to receive an MA degree. Without a foreign language, students will receive an MS (Master of Science).

The language requirement for the MA degree may be completed in the following ways:

Test: Pass a test of written and oral comprehension in an approved foreign language through the Department of Language, Philosophy, and Communication Studies at Utah State University.
Coursework: Students may satisfy the requirement through one of the following forms of coursework:
- Demonstrate proficiency in one foreign language by successful completion of one course at the 2020 level or higher (or its equivalent)
- Demonstrate proficiency in two foreign languages by successful completion of the 1020 course level (or its equivalent) in one language and the 2020-level (or its equivalent) for the other
- Complete an upper-division (3000-level or higher or the equivalent) in a foreign language grammar or literature course requiring the 2020 level (or its equivalent) as a prerequisite. Note: Conversation courses do not satisfy this requirement.

Students who have earned a Bachelor of Arts degree or who have passed coursework in a foreign language within the past five years from the date of matriculation into the American Studies program may petition for acceptance of coursework to fulfill the language requirement for the MA degree. Please see the English Department’s Director of Graduate Studies for more information.

Requirements for MS Degree

Students completing an MS (Master of Science) degree do not need to fulfill any foreign language requirements. They only need to complete the curricular requirements for the Folklore and American Studies master’s program.

Folklore and American Studies - MA/MS