Graduate Catalog 2024-2025 
    
    May 15, 2025  
Graduate Catalog 2024-2025

College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences


Go to information for this school/college.

School of Humanities

Robert Kilpatrick, Director

https://www.westga.edu/humanities

 

English Program

Professors:

C. Davidson (Executive Director of Placemaking), M. Doyle (Head of Graduate Studies M.A. program), P. Erben (Program Coordinator), G. Fraser, R. Harrison, A. Insenga (Film Studies Coordinator), K. Casper, L. Miller, M. Mitchell, D. Newton (Senior Fellow for Student Success), A. Umminger 

Associate Professors:

S. Boyd, M. Franks, L. Haught

 

 


History Program

678-839-6521

www.westga.edu/history/


Professors:

K. Bohannon, M. de Nie, C. Lipp, E. MacKinnon, K. Pacholl, T. Schroer (Chair, General Education and Special Assistant to the Provost), G. Van Valen (Head of Graduate Studies M.A. program), C. Vasconcellos (Program Coordinator)

Associate Professors:

S. Chalifoux, M. Janzen (Director of Center for Public History), L. Rivers

Senior Lecturer:

K. Adams (Public History Center Manager and Assistant Director)


 

Programs

Master of Arts

School of Social Sciences

Kathleen Skott-Myhre, Director

https://www.westga.edu/social-sciences

 

Anthropology Program


Professor:

M. Snipes 

Associate Professors

N. Lawres (Director of the Antonio J. Waring, Jr. Laboratory and Program Coordinator), C. Maggiano (Co-Director of the Biological and Forensic Anthropology Laboratory)

 

Psychology Program

www.westga.edu/psychology/


Psychology-M.A.

Professors:

M.-C. Bertau, J. Dillon, T. Hart, N. Korobov, L. Osbeck, J. Reber, C. Simmonds-Moore, K. Skott-Myhre (Director)

Associate Professors:

N. Gupta (Head of Graduate Studies, M.A. Program), J. Head (Head of Graduate Studies, Ph.D. Program), J. Roberts

Assistant Professors:

C. Bolar, J. Glazier (Program Coordinator), R. LaFleur, R. Traversa, T. Weiner

 

Ph.D. In Psychology

Professors:

M.-C. Bertau, J. Dillon, T. Hart, N. Korobov, L. Osbeck (Program Coordinator), J. Reber, C. Simmonds-Moore, K. Skott-Myhre (Head of Graduate Studies, M.A. Program)

Associate Professors:

N. Gupta, J. Head, J. Roberts

Assistant Professors:

C. Bolar, J. Glazier, R. Traversa, T. Weiner

 

Sociology Program

https://www.westga.edu/sociology


Professors:

P. Kirk (Program Coordinator), N. Lawres (Director of the Antonio J. Waring, Jr. Laboratory), N. Noori (Coordinator of Global Studies), E. Windsor

Associate Professors:

A. Kazeem, J. Weber (Director of Women’s Studies)

Assistant Professor:

C. Waters

Lecturer:

T. Parsons

Programs

Master of Arts

Doctorate in Philosophy

School of Visual and Performing Arts

Kevin Shunn, Director

https://www.westga.edu/visual-performing-arts

 

 

Art Program


Professors:

D. Collins, C. McGuire, C. Samples (Interim Dean, CHASS), M. Schoon (Program Coordinator), K. Shunn (Director)

Associate Professors:

J. Morris, N. Rees, J. Swift

Assistant Professor:

B. Perry

Senior Lecturers:

E. Dixon, P. Kirk, R. Lamfers, S. Smith

Instructor:

L. Wolfe


Music Program

https://www.westga.edu/music/

Professors:

J. Byrd, E. Kramer (Head of Graduate Studies, M.M. program), C. Self

Associate Professor:

D. Neely

Assistant Professors:

S. Elias, K. Graffius, M. Rhoden

 

The Music Program at the University of West Georgia is recognized as a model for student success in performance, and for accomplishment in research and creative achievement.  The Master of Music degree is offered with majors in Music Education and Performance. Each concentration offers a comprehensive curriculum of study designed to meet the needs of both the full-time and the part-time graduate student. All instruction is delivered by a distinguished artist-teacher faculty with extensive credentials and professional experience.

Through its programs and associated activities, the Music Program provides opportunities for the graduate student in music to:

  • Develop an advanced level of musical understandings and performance abilities
  • Foster the advancement of creative and critical skills
  • Develop sophisticated pedagogical insights and advanced communicative skills
  • Produce scholarly and creative works in the fields of music and music education

Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting the university’s admission requirements, the applicant must hold a baccalaureate degree in music or the equivalent. Applicants seeking to enroll in the Master of Music in Music Education program must hold an undergraduate degree in music education or professional teacher certification in music. The Master of Music in Music Education program is 100% online. Students may use approved campus-based classes as electives.

Once an applicant has met regular standards for graduate admission, he/she will be required to meet all program admission requirements for a Master of Music degree program. Any graduate courses completed prior to regular admission may apply to a Master of Music degree program after a student has successfully met all departmental admission requirements.  One statement of recommendation from an individual who can address the applicant’s academic, personal, and professional suitability for graduate-level work in performance or Music Education, as appropriate, is required. Applicants for the Master of Music in Music Education program must also submit a written statement of 400-500 words. Possible topics may include goals in pursuing a graduate degree, personal philosophy of teaching, or experiences that have prepared you for an advanced degree.

All persons who seek departmental admission to a Master of Music degree program must successfully complete the Graduate Music Diagnostic Examination to be admitted and register for classes. In addition, all applicants for the Master of Music in Performance must successfully complete the Graduate Applied Performance Evaluation.

The online application for graduate admission may be found here:  http://www.westga.edu/gradstudies/

Graduate Music Diagnostic Examination

The Graduate Music Diagnostic Examination in music history and music theory is administered to determine whether the applicant meets competency standards for graduate study in music.  Competencies are evaluated in:

  • Music History
  • Musical Styles (Aural identification)
  • Music Theory, Analysis (score excerpts)
  • Aural Skills

The exam is taken at an approved, proctored testing site, either on the West Georgia campus or at a remote location. Testing fees are the responsibility of the candidate. A minimum score of 60% correct response on each section of the examination is required for passage. It may be taken a maximum of three times.

Vocal Principals seeking the Master of Music degree in Performance are required to write an English translation of one short poem from song texts written in the original French, German, or Italian language. A text in one of the three languages must be translated. The applicant may use a hard copy foreign-language dictionary when taking the examination.

Graduate Applied Performance Evaluation

An Applied Performance Evaluation is administered to determine if the applicant meets minimum performance standards for admission to the Master of Music in Performance program. Minimum standards are evaluated through the applicant’s presentation of a 20-30-minute entrance recital for the faculty, prior to the first term of enrollment. Applicants must provide their own accompanists.  A pre-recorded video of a recent performance may also be submitted.

Graduate Advising

At the beginning of each registration period, the Head of Graduate Studies sends advisement information to all students in the program. This information includes program sheets, a schedule of course offerings, deadlines to apply for graduation, links to Academic Policies in the Graduate Catalog, and other general and specific advisement information.

Learning Outcomes

The learning outcomes for the MM Music concentrations are as follows:

 

M.M. Music, Music Education Concentration

SLO 1: Demonstrate professional competence in the communication and dissemination of knowledge and the ability to produce scholarly works in music and music education.

 

SLO 2: Demonstrate the ability to use research, research methods, and knowledge about issues and trends to improve practice in schools and classrooms; and an understanding of different models and approaches to learning.

 

SLO 3: Demonstrate the ability to relate principles and theories from the conceptual framework(s) to actual practice in classrooms and schools and to create meaningful learning experiences for all students.

 

M.M. Music, Performance Concentration

SLO 1: Demonstrate professional competence in performance, interpretation, and evaluation of knowledge and scholarly competence in the organization, interpretation, understanding, and evaluation of knowledge in music and music pedagogy.

 

SLO 2: Demonstrate an advanced level of musical and pedagogical knowledge and understandings, and of performance abilities

 

 

 

 

Programs

Master of Music

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate