The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Textiles, Clothing and Design offers a "hybrid" distance delivery masters program that allows students to concentrate their coursework in textile history with a quilt studies emphasis.

This graduate program is offered through a combination of distance technology and on-campus instruction. Students need access to a computer with the capability to download materials from the Internet and an e-mail address. Students are able to complete coursework at times convenient for them in addition to having multi-way interaction with the instructor and other students in class. 

Students are required to come to the Lincoln campus for one semester (January-May) and for the internship presentation and final oral examination at the conclusion of their program.

In consultation with a faculty adviser, each student plans an individualized course of study linking his/her background interests with the research or creative interests of departmental faculty and the educational resources of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

This non-thesis degree option is a 36-credit hour program. Up to nine graduate credit hours may be transferred from another fully accredited institution in the field of textiles, clothing and design or in a supporting field such as history, art history of museum studies subject to the approval of the supervisory committee.

Who should consider this program?
Students with an undergraduate degree in history, art history, American studies, or women's studies are best prepared for this masters program. Therefore, they are given preference for admission when applications are reviewed.

The program is designed for persons interested in analyzing the complex ways gender, class, ethnicity, aesthetics, politics, religion and technology find expression in the textile arts, quilt making traditions, design and culture. Graduates of this program are prepared for careers or career advancement in museums, historic houses, galleries, auction houses and government agencies in the areas of collections care and management, education and research.

What is the application deadline?
Applications to the hybrid program are reviewed once a year. Completed applications including transcripts and letters of recommendation must be received by February 1 to be considered for admission for fall semester.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Distance Delivery Courses – 9-12 credits:
TXCD 818 History of Quilts – 3 credits (Offered Summer, even years)
EDUC 900J – Historic Methods in Educational Research – 3 credits (Offered Summers)
TXCD 905D – Advanced Problems: Design Issues & Perspectives – 3 credits (Offered TBA)
TXCD 905D –The Studio Quilt Movement: Genesis and Development (Offered TBA)

Semester of Traditional Residential Courses – 9 credits (Usually Offered Spring, even years)
TXCD 808 History of Textiles – 3 credits
TXCD 809 Care and Conservation of Textile Collections – 3 credits
TXCD 896 Independent Study – Textile Science – 3 credits (Properties of fibers, yarn, fabrications and dyes, includes a unit on fiber microscopy and fiber identification)

Internship – 9 credits (TXCD 997) (Offered Fall, Spring, Summer)
Supervised independent professional experience under the direction of a practicing professional. Students may intern at the International Quilt Study Center or at a museum, historical society, or living history site near their place of residence. This is the culminating experience for students in this program.

Students are required to complete 160 contact hours for each 3 hours of credit. In addition, students must complete selected readings and write a summary and review about each assigned reading; maintain a daily journal; and produce a final product based upon their internship experience. Students are expected to present all components in a tabbed notebook that serves as a portfolio of their internship experience. 

Students must give a presentation about their internship experience in person or via videotape.  All TCD faculty and graduate students are encouraged to attend the presentation.  Notification of the oral presentation date and time should be given one week in advance to all TCD faculty and graduate students.  The internship presentation may be held in conjunction with the final oral examination.

Additional Coursework – 9 credits – Select from the following options:
TXCD 890 Workshops – 1 to 6 credits
TXCD 978 Textile History Seminars – 1 to 6 credits
Each summer at least one, one-week seminar or workshop is offered. Led by UNL faculty or guest scholars, a range of topics are explored including dating of antique textiles, cotton dyeing and printing techniques, influences on quiltmaking practices, and the quilt as a medium of artistic expression. These summer workshops and seminars are residential courses offered on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus.

Transfer Hours – 1 – 9 credits
Student may elect to transfer up to 9 graduate credit hours from another fully accredited institution in the field of textiles, clothing and design or in a supporting field such as history, art history, or museum studies subject to the approval of the supervisory committee.

Total: 36 credit hours

Final Oral Examination

A final oral examination is scheduled at the completion of the internship experience (9 credits).  A set of study questions is available to download from the website on the same page as the link for this link describing the program requirements.  A student is not eligible for the oral examination until the internship is completed and all written materials have been submitted to his/her advisor in a tabbed notebook/portfolio. 

The student’s Supervisory Committee will convene for the final oral examination on a mutually agreeable date. 

The final oral examination may be held via conference call upon request, if a presentation (live or videotaped) concerning the internship has previously been presented.  The internship presentation and the final oral examination may be held on the same day.  A two-hour block of time should be scheduled with the internship presentation given first to all interested UNL faculty and graduate students, followed by the oral examination in a closed session with the supervisory committee members only.

Study Questions for Oral Examination