1. REGISTRATION
Advising
Each graduate student is assigned an academic advisor from the faculty of the Saint Louis University-Madrid Campus to help shape their individualized program of study. In addition to academic advising the program provides career counseling (Dr. Maura Tarnoff) and guidance through administrative procedures (Jaime Ortiz).
Registration Information
Full-time students are expected to enroll in three seminars per semester; part-time students enroll in one or two seminars per semester. Students may enroll in foreign language classes concurrently.
Course selections are posted on Banner. Students are urged to consult with their advisors and register early for courses they are interested in taking. To register, students should:
1) Register online or email their course selections to the Office of the Registrar (registrar-madrid@slu.edu) if they have trouble registering online.
2) E-mail course selections to Dr. Dewey (adewey@slu.edu).
Continuous Registration: Students who are not taking any coursework but have not completed all of their degree requirements must register for ENGL-5CR or the College of Arts and Sciences will issue a fine for not remaining continuously registered.
Office of the Registrar
Located on the first floor of Padre Arrupe Hall, the Office of the Registrar has the primary responsibility of registration, recording of student’s academic progress, transcript distribution, enrollment certification, veterans’ certification, graduation, and publication of class schedules, catalogs and related academic materials. This office will also provide information about registration and graduation procedures at the UAM. The SLU Madrid Campus Registrar is Patricia Blockmon (registrar-madrid@slu.edu).
Students use the on-line database BANNER Self-Service to access their class schedules, transcripts, and grades. BANNER Self-Service can be accessed from Saint Louis University’s web page >>
Academic Policies and Procedures
The MA Program conforms to all policies and procedures of the College of Arts and Sciences as well as of Saint Louis University. These are outlined fully in the Graduate Education Catalog available from the Office of the Registrar and on-line, and students should review with care the policies described in the section, “Admission and Matriculation.”
2. CANDIDACY
MA Examination Procedures
Students should register “Special Study for Exam” (ENGL-595) for the semester in which they plan to take the oral exam. Master’s Candidacy Advisor Cherell Johnson (cjohns82@slu.edu) will then send students an EXIT INTERVIEW form that they must complete and return. Once Ms. Johnson receives this form, she will send a “Candidacy Form” (which lists any requirements remaining for the degree and requires several signatures from both campuses, including the signatures of the members of the oral exam committee). The Candidacy Form must be on file with the MA Candidacy Advisor for Graduate Education prior to sitting for the exam.
In consultation with a Madrid Campus advisor, students should set up their examination committee several months prior to the oral exam. The committee must include at least one professor from the Saint Louis University’s St. Louis Campus and one from its Madrid Campus. Notify Dr. Dewey of your exam committee, since all members must have received appointments from the College of Arts and Sciences of Saint Louis University.
Advisors will inform students of upcoming deadlines, but students may consult the Candidacy calendar and access the forms available electronically at http://slu.edu/graduate.
Research and Non-Research Degree with Optional Master’s Essay Procedures
Research Degree Option: Students who choose this option write a Master’s Thesis in their second year, registering for 6 credits of independent research and writing (under ENGL 599). Students write the thesis (roughly 60-80 pages) under the direction of an advisor; the completed thesis is defended orally in a one-hour exam, usually in the candidate’s fourth or fifth semester, before a committee consisting of the thesis advisor and two other faculty members selected by the candidate. The examiners on this committee may be, but do not have to be, the same three faculty who serve as examiners on the student’s M.A. exam. Students who write a thesis, and only these students, receive an M.A. (Research) degree.
Non-Research Degree with Master’s Essay option: Written under the direction of a faculty member chosen by the student, the Master’s Essay is shorter than a thesis but nevertheless demonstrates a candidate’s ability to independently frame and complete an article-length (roughly 25-30 pages) project of their own design.
NB: Students can complete the Non-Research Degree option by completing 10 graduate level seminar courses, rather than writing a Master’s Essay. The Master’s Thesis and Master’s Essay are optional for students seeking a terminal M.A. degree. The Research degree option is recommended for students considering doctoral study in English, and is required for students entering Saint Louis University’s PhD program in English.
Applying for the Research Degree Option:
In order to apply for the research degree, students must first submit to the Languages and Literature Division Chair a thesis proposal, which is vetted by a committee of faculty from the English Department for approval. The proposal should consist of:
Students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisor and with English Department Faculty, from either Saint Louis University Campus or from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, in designing their proposal. However, final decisions are made by the vetting committee depending on rigor of the proposal as well as the viability of the project for the proposed thesis advisor and faculty committee members.
Once students are notified of the acceptance of their proposal from the Chair of the Languages and Literature Division, they should submit a “Petition to Amend the Graduate Program” form, indicating that they are changing from the M.A. degree to the M.A. (Research) degree. Steps for completion of the thesis must follow the calendar of deadlines established by the College of Arts and Sciences. For calendar and forms to be submitted, see http://slu.edu/graduate. The candidate is charged a $35 for binding two copies of the MA thesis. Students must also register for ENGL-599 during the time they are writing their theses.
Choosing the Master’s Essay Option: Students should consult the faculty member with whom they wish to work directly. In collaboration with the faculty member with whom they wish to work, they then develop a description of the Essay project. Students writing Master’s Essays must register for 3 hours of ENGL 598 (Graduate Reading Course) in the semester in which they undertake this project.
3. GRADUATION PROCEDURES
Saint Louis University diplomas are ordered automatically by the St. Louis Campus Registrar and mailed to students after their degree is conferred. All students are assessed a $75 graduation fee by the University. When a student defers his or her degree conferral, the graduation fee is refunded and charged again in the semester in which they intend to graduate.
Withdrawal Procedure
To withdraw from the University, students must fill out a formal withdrawal form and obtain the signature of the Rector of the Madrid Campus to be eligible for a tuition refund.
