Students select two courses for which they write their master's papers.
Working with the class instructor, the students then write a paper more substantial than the one usually required in the course and submit the completed paper to the instructor and to the department as one of their master's papers. The instructor and one other member of the English graduate faculty evaluate the paper. With the agreement of the Graduate Program Director, students choosing this option select at least two members of the English graduate faculty to serve on their thesis committee. Students choosing the thesis option must write a thesis proposal, which must be approved by their thesis committee, before work on the thesis itself can begin.