SC State receives HBCU grant from NEH to develop online master’s degree in English
The asynchronous program will allow adult learners to work at a pace that fits their schedules.
The grant will fund the development of a 30-credit Master of Arts in English asynchronous online degree program in the SC State Department of English and Communications. Of the 17 applications submitted for this grant, only three projects were funded.
“This project began with exploration in 2014,” said Dr. Janice Hawes, chair of the Department of English and Communications and the project’s director. “Our investigation revealed that there was interest among students in an M.A. in English program, particularly one that was online.
“We have already drafted a curriculum for the new program, and we are ready to complete the development of the program. This opportunity is very exciting for us,” Hawes said.
A remote asynchronous graduate program promises to attract adult learners facing scheduling issues that make a traditional graduate program impractical. The SC State degree will offer a literature-based graduate degree program that provides the flexibility to complete learning activities and assignments when it fits a student’s busy schedule.
To date, the state of South Carolina does not have a fully asynchronous graduate English degree program.
The three-year SC State project benefits from the support of the College of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences and Dr. M. Evelyn Fields, dean; the College of Professional and Graduate Studies and Dr. Lakeshia Tucker, acting dean; and the Center for Online and Distance Education (CODE) and Bettina M. Mozie, CODE’s executive director.
Along with Hawes, the faculty personnel for the project are Dr. Thomas Cassidy, co-director; Dr. Yvonne Sims and Dr. Karey Perkins subject matter experts; Dr. Reginald Rampone, syllabus developer; and Josalyn Woodruff-Lee and Joná Hodges, syllabus and course consultants.
In addition to compensation for faculty project personnel, the NEH grant provides funds for outside online course development consultants, who will work with CODE and the project personnel to ensure that the courses provide active and interactive learning opportunities within the asynchronous context and to ensure that the program meets accessibility standards.
The online course development consultants will also ensure that formatting aligns with SC State branding and with best practices in using Blackboard, the university’s learning management system.
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About South Carolina State University
Founded in 1896 as a land grant institution with a mission of providing service to
the citizens of the state, South Carolina State University has evolved from a small
teachers’ college into a major University center of learning and research. Located
in Orangeburg, S.C., South Carolina State offers more than 50 different fields of
study on the undergraduate and graduate levels. South Carolina State University is
accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and is a member of
the Council of Graduate Schools.