Appalachian Studies, Master of Arts

General Information

Graduate School Contact:

Rickie Carter; carterrh@etsu.edu; 423-439-6165

Ron Roach, Ph.D., Chair
222 Nicks Hall
Box 70556
(423) 439-7494
e-mail: roachr@etsu.edu

Lee Bidgood, Ph.D., Graduate Coordinator
304C Memorial Hall (Brooks Gym)
Box 70435
(423) 439-9594; FAX (423) 439-7070
e-mail: bidgood@etsu.edu

Faculty:

Roy Andrade, Lee Bidgood, Daniel Boner, Rebecca Fletcher, Theresa Lloyd, Jane MacMorran, Ted Olson, Ron Roach, Fred Sauceman, and additional faculty in other academic units who teach Appalachian-related courses.

The department offers financial support in the form of Graduate Assistantships and Tuition Scholarships. Decisions on offers of support are initiated at the end of March for the following academic year. In order to receive full consideration, applicants seeking funding from this department are encouraged to submit all materials by February 15th.

Deadline for Spring admission - November 1

Deadline for Fall admission - March 1

Admission Requirements

The following requirements are in addition to the general admission, retention, and graduation requirements of the School of Graduate Studies:

• The personal essay (required by the School of Graduate Studies) should address the student’s reasons for choosing an Appalachian studies program;

• Acceptable GPA (3.0 on a 4.0 scale preferred);

• GRE scores (students who have successfully completed the Graduate Certificate in Appalachian Studies or who have previously earned a graduate degree may be admitted without the GRE scores);

• Three letters of recommendation; and

• A writing sample, such as a paper previously submitted for credit in an undergraduate or graduate course.

A student who completes the Graduate Certificate in Appalachian Studies may transfer all 18 credits into the Master of Arts in Appalachian Studies, with the approval of the APST graduate coordinator. All transfer credit, however, must meet GPA requirements and must be within the six-year matriculation limit.

Major Field Core: 9 credit hours

• APST 5250 - Readings in Appalachian Studies (3 credits)
• APST 5260 - Contemporary Appalachia and Globalism (3 credits)
• APST 5950 - Research and Methods in Appalachian Studies (3 credits)

Concentrations: 9 credit hours each

Electives: 9-15 credit hours

Nine credits for thesis option, 15 for non-thesis option. (The non-thesis option also requires a comprehensive examination based on a reading list.)

• *  APST 5237 - Scots-Irish in Appalachia (3-6 credits)
• *  APST 5337 - Appalachia in Scotland (3-6 credits)
• APST 5567 - Scottish Ethnology (3 credits)
• APST 5905 - Internship (3 credits)
• APST 5957 - Special Topics in Appalachian Studies (1-3 credits)
• BIOL 5247 - Appalachian Flora (3 credits)
• BIOL 5257 - Appalachian Fauna (3 credits)
• **  BLUE 5147 - Bluegrass and America’s Music (3 credits)
• **  BLUE 5257 - Band Leadership Skills (4 credits)
• **  BLUE 5410 - Individual Instrumental Instruction (1-3 credits) (may be repeated for credit)
• **  BLUE 5510 - Graduate Ensemble (1-3 credits) (may be repeated for credit)
• **  BLUE 5957 - Special Topics (1-6 credits)
• ENGL 5137 - Dialectology (3 credits)
• ENGL 5217 - Irish/Scottish Literature (3 credits)
• ENGL 5670 - Seminar in Folklore (3 credits) (when the topic is Appalachian)

• *  Between these two courses, a maximum of 6 credits can be counted toward the degree.

  ** A maximum of 6 BLUE credits can be counted toward the degree; a maximum of 3 credits of BLUE 5410 Individual Instrumental Instruction , BLUE 5510 Graduate Ensemble , and BLUE 5257 Band Leadership Skills  combined can count toward the degree.

   

  Students will select electives in consultation with the APST graduate program coordinator. Courses listed in but not counted toward a concentration may be counted as electives, along with other seminars, independent studies, topics/studies in courses, and problems courses, including 5956 summer offerings when the topic is Appalachian and with the approval of the graduate program coordinator.

Thesis: 3 credit hours

• APST 5960 - Thesis (1-3 credits)

Total Required for program: 30 - 33 Credit Hours

(30 credits for the thesis option and 33 for the non-thesis option)