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Program Information

Explore the wide range of degrees and academic programs offered within the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, and select the area of study that best fits your academic and career goals.

The Associate of Applied Science Degree and the Certificate programs in Crime Scene Investigation and Law Enforcement Administration are available exclusively to Arkansas law enforcement personnel who are actively employed within a criminal justice organization of the State. The University of Arkansas at Monticello in partnership with the Criminal Justice Institute of the University of Arkansas System offers these certificate and degree programs. To successfully complete a program, students must take special courses through the Criminal Justice Institute along with general education courses from UAM. Contact the Criminal Justice Institute or the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences for more information.

Mission Statement

Master of Arts in English provides opportunity to talented and highly self-disciplined individuals to earn an MA tailored to fit their lifestyles, interests, and goals and to develop their writing, critical thinking, and literary analysis skills to an exemplary level through study under successful and dedicated instructors from a range of backgrounds and aesthetic perspectives.

Our program offering includes four (4) concentrations: Literature, Children’s and Adolescent Literature, Rhetoric and Writing, and Creative Writing. 

Graduate Certificate programs are also available in English Literature, Children's and Adolescent Literature, Rhetoric and Writing, and Creative Writing.  Coursework for the certificate programs applies to the MA degree, as well.

The mission of the MA program is directly related to the mission of the university in that it enhances individuals’ abilities to think creatively and critically, to effectively communicate, to be technologically literate, to appreciate and contribute to the cultures of their communities and beyond, and to possess awareness and sensitivity to global issues.

Expected Student Learning Outcomes 

A graduate of the Master of Arts in English from the University of Arkansas at Monticello will

  • Demonstrate a broad knowledge of the major texts and traditions of language and literature as well as their social, cultural, theoretical, and historical contexts.
  • Be able to critically read and interpret a variety of texts so as to demonstrate in writing and speech the comprehension and analysis of those texts in a significant manner.
  • Be able to design and produce texts for a variety of purposes and audiences including scholarly research and material suitable for submission to national journals.

Program admission requirements

  1. Official bachelor’s transcripts from an accredited institution;
  2. Undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or higher;
  3. Three letters of recommendation from writers, editors, or educators qualified to judge the applicant’s potential for success;
  4. Writing sample: minimum of ten pages indicating ability to write at a graduate level;
  5. Statement of goals.

*Please send the following application materials to Dr. Kate Stewart, Stewart@uamont.edu.

Student Advising 

All MA students are advised by the MA Director to assure that program requirements are being met and that each student is progressing toward completion of the degree.

Transfer Credit

A maximum of nine hours of graduate-level work can be transferred from other accredited universities with the approval of the MA Director and the Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities. No course with a grade lower than “B” can be transferred.

Thesis

The final 6 credit hours consist of ENGL 598V Thesis, in which students complete a thesis of approximately 40-80 pages with a bibliography; length and topic to be determined and approved by the student and their thesis faculty-mentor and another faculty member.

Core Requirements ............................................................... 18 hours*
Concentration Requirements ............................................... 12 hours
ENGL 598V MA Thesis ............................................................ 6 hours
TOTAL ................................................................................... 36 hours

*Core Requirements:
ENGL 50053: Introduction to Graduate Study and Critical Methods (3 credits)
ENGL 50953: Studies in Composition (3 credits)
ENGL 51253: The English Language and the Teacher (3 credits)
ENGL 51353: Literary Criticism and Theory (3 credits)
Six hours of English literature courses 

Apply Now

Please apply to the University and then email Stewart@uamont.edu with the subject line "MA Application" to apply to the program.

Mission Statement

The UAM Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, non-residency, provides opportunity to talented and highly self-disciplined individuals to earn an MFA tailored to fit their lifestyles, interests, and goals at an affordable price relative to other MFA programs and to develop their creative-writing, critical-thinking, and literary analysis skills to an exemplary level through study under successful and dedicated writer-teachers from a range of backgrounds and aesthetic perspectives.

Program Description

  • 48 Semester hours are required.
  • Each student is accepted into one of three genres: fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction.
  • Up to 9 semester hours of graduate transfer credit may be accepted if the coursework has been completed in the past six years.
  • Graduate Assistantships are awarded a small number of qualified students who teach online sections of freshman-level writing courses. Blackboard training is required. Graduate Assistants are closely mentored by the Director of Composition.
  • Students can move through the MFA program at a pace they find comfortable, taking as few as 3 hours in an academic term or as many as 12.
  • Students work with a different Faculty Mentor within their genre each semester. “Genre jumping” is encouraged as students will take a workshop in all three areas.
  • Students must earn a C or better in all courses and maintain a minimum grade-point average of 3.0.

Application Checklist

  • Official Transcripts
  • Manuscript
  • Personal essay
  • Critical Analysis essay
  • Grade point average of 3.0 or higher. (Exceptions to the gpa requirement may be made based on factors including experience in the field, time elapsed since completion of degree, etc.)
  • Three letters of recommendation from writers, editors, or educators who can judge the applicant’s potential for success in a graduate online writing program.

Please wait to apply to the UAM Graduate Program until after you have received an acceptance into the MFA program.

Transcripts

An official transcript showing a posted bachelor’s degree with an earned grade point average of 3.0 or higher. (Exceptions to the gpa requirement may be made based on factors including experience in the field, time elapsed since completion of degree, etc.) Unofficial transcripts are sufficient for the faculty’s review of your application.

Transcripts of any graduate coursework must be submitted separately.

Manuscript Guidelines

Please submit one genre of your creative writing indicating talent, discipline, potential growth, and interests and intentions that can be well served by the UAM MFA program. All manuscripts must be typed and double spaced. Please do not send more pages than required.

  1. Poetry: 10 pages
    Fiction: 20 pages
    Literary Nonfiction: 20 pages
  2. Critical analysis: Maximum three pages exploring some aspect or element of craft in a literary work.
  3. Personal essay: Maximum of three pages addressing the following:
  • Applicant's background in the study of creative writing and literature
  • Literary influences on applicant's writing, including the titles of books in your genre by writers you feel have shaped your thinking (not including our MFA faculty)
  • How applicant's work, family, or other obligations will accommodate devoting 20 to 25 hours per week to writing and to the completion of other program requirements.
  • Reasons why an online MFA program suits the applicant's level of experience and goals for future development as a writer.

Apply Now

Please apply to the University and then email mfagradprog@uamont.edu with the subject line "MFA Application" to apply.

Mission Statement

The UAM Master of Fine Arts in Debate & Communication, non-residency and fully online, provides opportunity to talented and highly self-disciplined secondary and postsecondary debate coaches to earn an MFA tailored to fit their careers, interests, and goals at an affordable price relative to other degree programs and to develop their coaching, administration, and research skills to an exemplary level through study under successful and dedicated debate coaches and teachers from a range of backgrounds and competitive perspectives.

Program Description

  • 48 Semester hours are required.
  • Each student must achieve mastery in three areas: coaching, administration, and research.
  • Up to 9 semester hours of graduate transfer credit may be accepted if the coursework has been completed in the past six years.
  • Graduate Assistantships are awarded a small number of qualified students who teach online sections of intro-level Communication courses. Blackboard training is required. Graduate Assistants are closely mentored by the Graduate Director.
  • Students can move through the MFA program at a pace they find comfortable, taking as few as 3 hours in an academic term or as many as 12.
  • A thesis and comprehensive exams are required for all MFA graduates.
  • Students must earn a C or better in all courses and maintain a minimum grade-point average of 3.0.

Application Checklist

  • Official Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework with a degree in Communication or closely related field from a regionally accredited institution
  • Proof that the applicant is currently employed by a high school, college, or university as a primary or assistant coach of a competitive debate team
  • Writing sample demonstrating applicant’s suitability for graduate study
  • Personal essay
  • CV

Please wait to apply to the UAM Graduate Program until after you have received an acceptance into the MFA program.

Transcripts

A transcript showing a posted bachelor’s degree with a degree in Communication or closely related field from a regionally accredited institution. Unofficial transcripts are sufficient for the faculty’s review of your application, but official transcripts are required for admission.

Transcripts of any graduate coursework must be submitted separately. Applicants must submit transcripts from all colleges and universities attended regardless of whether a degree was obtained.

Essay Guidelines

Please submit a 2-3 page personal essay addressing the following:

  1. Applicant’s background in competitive debate coach
  2. Applicant’s goals and expectations for their graduate education
  3. How applicant’s work, family, or other obligations will accommodate devoting 20 to 25 hours per week to coursework and to the completion of other program requirements.
  4. Reasons why an online MFA program suits the applicant’s level of experience and goals for future development as a debate coach

Apply Now

Please apply to the University and then email: key@uamont.edu with the subject with the subject line "MFA Application" to apply.

The Department of Social Work offers a four-year curriculum of study leading to a Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) degree accredited by the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE). The B.S.W. degree program at the University of Arkansas at Monticello is designed to prepare generalist social work practitioners to work in a variety of areas including, but not limited to: child, adolescent, and family services; health care; mental health care; criminal justice settings; geriatrics; substance abuse services; and in a variety of social service organizations in the community. An emphasis is placed on the ecological paradigm, providing students with an understanding of the reciprocal relationship between the person and environment.

The Student Social Work Association is an official UAM, student lead, organization in which all UAM students are welcome to join on a voluntary basis. The SSWA is the primary mechanism for students to organize and have a voice in the Department of Social Work.  Student recommendations are taken seriously and are a part of the student voice in the Department.  The dues are $25.00 per year as voted upon and approved by the SSWA membership.

The Community Advisory Committee is an official UAM, community member lead, advisory group for the UAM Department of Social Work.  The purpose of the CAC is to:

  • Enlist the input, feedback and support of knowledgeable professional social workers to enhance the direction and quality of the UAM Department of Social Work.
  • Review components of the UAM Department of Social Work.
  • Provide feedback and suggestions based on an understanding of the UAM Department of Social Work, the needs of the community, and CAC experience with graduates and current students of the UAM Department of Social Work.

Social Work Field Practicum Handbook  This handbook is required reading for all social work field practicum students and explains the social work field practicum portion of the B.S.W. degree program.

Agency Forms and Descriptions 

Agency Field Practicum Application  This form provides a brief description of the agency setting, services, and learning opportunities.  This form is completed by an agency representative and submitted to the Social Work Field Education Director as part of the application for becoming a social work field practicum site. 

Field Instructor Data Sheet  This form provides a brief summary of background information on the designated Field Instructor including education, employment, licensing history, and so forth.  This form is completed by individuals within the agency who are interested in becoming Field Instructors. 

Agency Interview Response Form  This form provides feedback from the agency regarding the prospective social work field practicum students’ initial interviews.  This form is completed by the Field Instructor and/or agency administrator who conducted the initial interview and submitted to the Social Work Field Education Director following the interview. 

Field Practicum Student Evaluation  This form provides the Field Instructor’s mid-term and final evaluation of the social work field practicum student.  This form is completed by the Field Instructor, discussed with the student and submitted to the Social Work Field Education Director. 

Field Instructor’s Evaluation of Program  This form provides the UAM Department of Social Work with feedback and input regarding the Social Work Field Education Program.  This form is completed by the Field Instructor and submitted to the Social Work Field Education Director at the end of each student’s field practicum experience. 

Field Education Director’s Evaluation of Field Agency This form provides feedback and input to the agency regarding placement.  This form is completed by the Social Work Field Education Director and submitted to the agency at the end of each student’s field practicum experience. 

Student Forms and Descriptions 

Student Field Practicum Application  This form provides background information on prospective social work field practicum students including biographical information, education and work history, areas of interest regarding preferred practice setting, and so forth.  This form is completed by the student and submitted to the Social Work Field Education Director. 

Student Interview Response Form  This form provides feedback from the student regarding their initial interview with their prospective social work field practicum placement site.  This form is completed by the student and submitted to the Social Work Field Education Director following the interview. 

Field Practicum Learning Plan  This form provides the required learning competencies, goals, and objectives students will be expected to meet during the social work field practicum.  This form is completed by the student with assistance from the Field Instructor and submitted to the Social Work Field Education Director during the second week of each field practicum course. 

Field Practicum Time Sheet and Analysis  This form provides an account of social work field practicum hours worked as well as how those hours were spent.  This form is completed by the student, reviewed and signed by the Field Instructor, and submitted to the Social Work Field Education Director on a weekly basis. 

Student Evaluation of Practicum Placement  This form provides the UAM Department of Social Work with feedback and input regarding the student’s experience in the social work field practicum site.  This form is completed by the student and submitted to the Social Work Field Education Director at the end of each student’s field practicum experience.

Contact Us

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Memorial Classroom Building Room 112
 870-460-1053
 HarperS@uamont.edu

Mailing Address:
PO Box 3460
Monticello, AR 71656

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