Graduate Catalog

2010-11 Academic Year

The Toulouse School of Graduate Studies

Eagle statue in front of the Hurley Administration Building

Main Office
Eagle Student Services Center, Room 354
Mailing address:
1155 Union Circle #305459
Denton, TX 76203-5017
940-565-2383

E-mail: graduateschool@unt.edu

Web site: graduateschool.unt.edu

James Meernik, Dean

Victor Prybutok, Interim Associate Dean of Academic Affairs

Joseph Oppong, Associate Dean of Research & Development

Donna Hughes, Director of Graduate Services and Graduate Admission

The Graduate School leads graduate education at the University of North Texas through a variety of services and programs designed to enhance the educational experience of graduate students. These programs include professional development, milestone management and other comprehensive strategies and operations.

All students must apply to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies to pursue any UNT graduate degree, teacher certification, graduate academic certificate, a second bachelor’s degree, or to register for courses as a non-degree student. A student who meets the Graduate School’s standards for admission can be considered for admission to the degree programs offered at UNT. Please consult the Admission section of this catalog for information about the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies and for general admission standards and procedures.

In addition to general admission to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies, academic departments may require additional information specific to their degree programs. Consult the department for degree-specific admission standards and procedures.

Center for Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies

The Toulouse School of Graduate Studies administers the Center for Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies, which sponsors and develops interdisciplinary courses and degree programs. The center offers:

The center sponsors and develops interdisciplinary courses and degree programs.

Master’s Degrees in Interdisciplinary Studies

The interdisciplinary studies program offers students a high degree of flexibility in designing a program of study that cuts across disciplinary boundaries. Applicants to the master’s program can pursue one of two approaches — either a self-styled plan or a recognized concentration. Under a self-styled plan, students design a program to address a particular intellectual interest not met by any specific degree program available through traditional disciplines, using existing courses from any graduate area of the university. Applicants should contact the Graduate School to discuss their intention to seek a self-styled plan. A recognized concentration approach involves more structure in the courses taken built around a defined interdisciplinary theme. For either approach, the degree awarded upon completion of the program is a Master of Arts or Master of Science with a major in interdisciplinary studies.

Admission Requirements

Applicants for admission to the degree in interdisciplinary studies must submit the following:

1. A completed School of Graduate Studies application form.

2. Complete transcripts from all colleges attended.

3. A non-refundable application fee.

4. Scores on the verbal, quantitative and analytical sections of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE).

The following items must be submitted to the Graduate School and are required to pursue the self-styled theme.

1. A current resume.

2. Three letters of recommendation.

3. A written statement of purpose outlining the theme of the applicant’s interdisciplinary program that includes the following:

a. clear goals for the program of study;

b. specific learning outcomes (i.e., what the student expects to have learned by the end of the program); and

c. defined assessment methods for the learning outcomes. (The learning methods and outcomes must be designed in consultation with a faculty advisor or the entire advisory committee.)

Please contact the School of Graduate Studies for further information regarding the statement of purpose.

4. A degree plan worksheet with faculty committee signatures.

All of the above materials and scores must be submitted to the Graduate School prior to any enrollment for courses leading to the degree. Please contact the Graduate School for further information regarding admission materials.

Applicants seeking admission to the recognized concentrations and guided programs of study should consult with the concentration’s director for concentration specific admission requirements.

General Requirements

In the self-styled approach, either the Master of Science or the Master of Arts degree program must include no fewer than three separate fields of study with at least 6 hours in each field. No more than 18 hours (including thesis and special problems) may be taken under any one course prefix or subject field. A degree plan committee, representative of each of the disciplines of the student’s program, will be formed to help the student develop the degree plan and supervise progress.

Students may choose the non-thesis option and complete at least 36 semester hours for a Master of Arts or Master of Science. The thesis option requires 30 semester hours plus 6 hours of thesis, for a total of 36 hours.

For any non-thesis degree, a comprehensive final examination, oral and/or written, must be completed, ordinarily during the final term/semester of enrollment. The examination is prepared, administered and evaluated by the members of the student’s degree plan committee. Students must meet the foreign language requirement for the Master of Arts.

Master’s Degrees in Interdisciplinary Studies

Women’s Studies Concentration

The women’s studies concentration in the interdisciplinary studies master’s program allows students to explore multiple aspects of women’s experience through individually tailored degree plans. Students will consult with the Women’s Studies Program director to formulate a degree plan reflecting the students’ academic and career goals. Unlike the self-styled approach, students are not restricted to three academic disciplines or areas of the university. Courses for women’s studies credit must be approved by the Women’s Studies Program Committee before students register each semester. WMST 5200, Contemporary Issues in Global Feminism, is a required course for all students seeking a master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with a focus in women’s studies.

The women’s studies concentration draws from a variety of disciplines, including anthropology; art history; communication studies; counseling and higher education; English; history; journalism; kinesiology, health promotion and recreation; linguistics; merchandising and hospitality management; music; philosophy; political science; psychology; radio, television and film; rehabilitation, social work and addictions; and sociology. Women’s studies courses examine women’s roles, activities and experiences through history and across cultures. Courses expand understanding of gender differences, cultural diversity and social change while strengthening critical thinking and communication skills.

For further information about women’s studies at UNT, please contact the Director of Women’s Studies, General Academic Building, Room 467; 1155 Union Circle #305097, Denton, TX 76203-5017; or 940-565-2098.

University Courses (UCRS)

University courses are interdisciplinary in nature and are available to students working toward the master’s degree with the interdisciplinary major.

Courses of Instruction

All Courses of Instruction are located in one section at the back of this catalog.

Course and Subject Guide

The “Course and Subject Guide,” found in the Courses of Instruction section of this book, serves as a table of contents and provides quick access to subject areas and prefixes.

Graduate Admissions

(940) 565-2636
graduateschool@unt.edu

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