Degree Requirements

The M.A. in English consists of a core of literary studies with choices in professional development in all areas of English Studies, including optional concentrations in Creative Writing, Language & Literacy, Professional Writing, and Publishing Studies. Students who do not declare a concentration typically focus on literature, though they are free to elect courses from any of the concentrations. 

Students without a concentration and students concentrating in Language & Literacy or Professional Writing may choose between thesis and non-thesis options. Students concentrating in Creative Writing must complete a thesis, and students concentrating in Publishing Studies do not have a thesis option.

For questions from current or prospective students regarding the degree requirements listed below or the graduate exam, please direct them to Dr. Ziba Rashidian, Graduate Coordinator, at ziba@southeastern.edu. 

CONCENTRATIONS

Creative Writing

ENGL 575 Introduction to Contemporary Criticism
ENGL 582 Intermediate Poetry Workshop
ENGL 583 Intermediate Fiction Workshop
ENGL 645 Creative Writing
ENGL 648 Graduate Studies Seminar
ENGL 770 (6 hours) Thesis in Creative Writing
A minimum of 18 hours at the 600 level

Required Thesis: 
Graduate students concentrating in Creative Writing are required to write a thesis. The Creative Writing thesis can consist of works of prose, poetry, or drama. Students must meet all the requirements for the Creative Writing concentration, find an appropriate faculty member to serve as Thesis Director, and obtain approval to begin a creative thesis from the Coordinator of Creative Writing. Full details for this concentration are available from Dr. Jack Bedell at jbedell@southeastern.edu. 

Language & Literacy

The requirements for a concentration in Language and Literacy may include completion of a Language and Literacy thesis and participation in an approved Language and Literacy apprenticeship. Students must be willing to accept the responsibilities inherent to seeking, participating in, and completing such a program. Full details for this concentration are available from Dr. Jeff Wiemelt at jwiemelt@southeastern.edu.

Concentration with Thesis:
ENGL 577 Foundations in Language and Literacy
ENGL 595 Internship
ENGL 648 Graduate Studies Seminar
One course from the following: ENGL 620, ENGL 621, or ENGL 646
One course from the following: ENGL 564, ENGL 567, or ENGL 576
Engl 770 (6 hours) Thesis Research and Thesis
A minimum of 18 hours at the 600 level

Concentration without Thesis:
ENGL 577 Foundations in Language and Literacy
ENGL 595 Internship
ENGL 648 Graduate Studies Seminar
One course from the following: ENGL 518, ENGL 620, or ENGL 646
One course from the following: ENGL 620, ENGL 621, OR ENGL 646
Two courses from the following: ENGL 508, ENGL 524, ENGL 564, ENGL 567, or ENGL 576
A minimum of 21 hours at the 600 level

Professional Writing

The requirements for a concentration in Professional Writing may include completion of a Professional Writing thesis and participation in an approved Professional Writing internship. Students must be willing to accept the responsibilities inherent to seeking, participating in, and completing such a program. Full details for this concentration are available from Dr. Paul Sawyer at psawyer@southeastern.edu. 

Concentration with Thesis:
ENGL 585 Foundations in Publishing Studies and Professional Writing
ENGL 548 Advanced Technical and Professional Writing
ENGL 595 Internship
ENGL 651 Studies in Professional Writing
ENGL 648 Graduate Studies Seminar
Electives (3 hrs) as approved by the concentration coordinator
ENGL 770 (6 hrs) Thesis Research and Thesis
A minimum of 18 hours at the 600 level

 

Concentration without Thesis:
ENGL 585 Foundations in Publishing Studies and Professional Writing
ENGL 548 Advanced Technical and Professional Writing
ENGL 594 Publishing in Digital Humanities
ENGL 595 Internship
ENGL 651 Studies in Professional Writing
ENGL 648 Graduate Studies Seminar
Electives (6 hrs) as approved by the concentration coordinator
A minimum of 21 hours at the 600 level

Publishing Studies

The requirements for a concentration in Publishing Studies include participation in an approved Publishing Studies internship. Students must be willing to accept the responsibilities inherent to seeking, participating in, and completing such a program. There is no thesis option for the Publishing Studies concentration. Full details for this concentration are available from Dr. Samuel Fuller at samuel.fuller@selu.edu. 

ENGL 585 Foundations in Publishing Studies and Professional Writing
ENGL 592 Introduction to Literary and Technical Editing
ENGL 549 History of the Book or ENGL 586 Document Production and Design
ENGL 593 Practicum in Humanities Print Publishing or ENGL 594 Publishing in Digital Humanities
ENGL 595 Internship
ENGL 652 Studies in Publishing
ENGL 648 Graduate Studies Seminar

OPTIONAL THESIS: RESEARCH

Graduate students in English with concentrations in Language & Literacy or Professional Writing as well as those with no declared concentration may elect to complete a research thesis. Major areas for research work include literary studies, language and literacy studies, and rhetoric and composition. The requirements for the thesis option are 36 credit hours (including 30 hours of graduate English courses and 6 hours of thesis credit). All other requirements for the MA in English are the same as for students not choosing to complete a thesis. Note: Creative Writing Students must complete the requirements for a creative thesis.

All candidates for a Master of Arts in English must:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of a foreign language or language structure either through six (6) hours of undergraduate coursework in one language, through completion of an approved graduate-level course on language structures, through demonstrated knowledge of a major computer language (such as C++, XML, Java), or through passing the Princeton examination. The language requirement is waived for international students whose native language is not English.

2. Complete nine (9) hours of graduate coursework in three broad literary periods: [1] Ancient, Medieval, and Early Modern literatures [2] Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century literatures [3] Twentieth-Century and Contemporary literatures.

3. Complete and pass the comprehensive examination requirements.

Graduate Coursework Distribution Requirements

All students in the M.A. program must take one course from each of the following three columns, totaling nine (9) graduate credit hours. Graduate literature courses that are not listed below may be approved on an individual basis by the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in English after their period content has been determined. The courses are arranged by period, so that a student would be required to have one course covering material before the 18th century, one course in the 18th or 19th century, and one course in the 20th century and/or contemporary literatures.

Most of the possible courses are listed below. Other special topics courses may also fit into these categories. Be sure to check with your advisor on this question.

Group A: Ancient, Medieval, and Early Modern Literatures

ENGL 522 CHAUCER
ENGL 523 MILTON
ENGL 535 SHAKESPEARE: Comedies and Romances
ENGL 536 SHAKESPEARE : Tragedies and Histories
ENGL 555 OLD ENGLISH
ENGL 556 MEDIEVAL ENGLAND
ENGL 557 EARLY MODERN NON-DRAMATIC LITERATURE
ENGL 600 STUDIES MEDIEVAL LITERATURE
ENGL 601 STUDIES IN EARLY MODERN LITERATURE

Group B: 18th and 19th Century Literatures

ENGL 530 RESTORATION & 18TH C LITERATURE
ENGL 559 19th C. BRITISH LITERATURE
ENGL 590 19th C. AMERICAN LITERATURE

Group C: Twentieth-Century and Contemporary Literatures

ENGL 526 ADOLESCENT EXPERIENCE IN LITERATURE
ENGL 528 AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE SINCE 1900
ENGL 539 LOUISIANA LITERATURE
ENGL 588 MODERNISM
ENGL 589 POSTMODERN AND CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE
ENGL 610 STUDIES IN PERFORMANCE

Variable-Content Literature Courses: Check specific titles and content each semester

ENGL 527 GENDER STUDIES AND LITERATURE
ENGL 537 MAJOR PERIODS IN DRAMA
ENGL 538 INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES TO LITERATURE
ENGL 558 MAJOR BRITISH AUTHORS
ENGL 587 MAJOR WORLD AUTHORS
ENGL 591 MAJOR AMERICAN AUTHORS
ENGL 606 STUDIES IN BRITISH LITERATURE
ENGL 617 STUDIES IN WORLD LITERATURE
ENGL 630 STUDIES IN AMERICAN LITERATURE