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ENGLISH

COLLEGE OF ARTS, HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

LEADING TO THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS (M.A.)

 

Purposes

The purposes of the Department of English are to:

  1. Provide training in research techniques and critical writing.
  2. Provide intensive study in certain areas of specialization.
  3. Prepare the student for teaching and/or doctoral study.
  4. Encourage and support advanced study of the humanities.

 

Admission Requirements

Regular Admission
Any person admitted to the Master's program in English must hold a bachelor's degree. An applicant who receives regular admission status must also meet the following requirements:

  1. Completion of twenty-four (24) semester hours of undergraduate English courses, at least twelve (12) of which must be at the Jr./Sr. level.
  2. Submit a GRE score (verbal and quantitative). The department requires a 150 minimum score of the verbal portion of the GRE.
  3. One of the following minimum graduate admission requirements based on the level of work completed at the time of application:
      • 2.50 GPA on the undergraduate degree, or
      • 2.75 GPA on the last two years (approximately 60-70 semester hours or 90-100 quarter hours) of upper-level undergraduate academic course work, or
      • 2.75 GPA on 30 or more semester hours undergraduate credit after earning the first bachelor's degree, or
      • 2.75 GPA on the last two years (approximately 60-70 semester hours or 90-100 quarter hours) of undergraduate academic course work and a 3.00 GPA on fewer than 24 hours graduate course work, or
      • 3.00 GPA on 24 or more graduate hours, or
      • An earned master's degree or higher level degree.

A student in a regular admission status is eligible for a graduate assistantship.

 

Provisional Admission

An applicant not satisfying the minimum GRE score and/or grade point average (GPA) may be admitted to a degree program as a provisional student if recommended by the graduate coordinator of the academic unit offering the degree program. Students below the GRE score of 148 on the verbal portion of the test and/or a GPA of 2.0 on the undergraduate degree will not be considered for provisional status. Students in provisional status must advance to regular status as prescribed by Graduate Studies rules outlined in the catalog.

 

Contingent Admission

A student may be admitted in contingent status when needing the final transcript recording the bachelor's degree, GRE scores, and/or the completion of undergraduate course deficiencies. Students in contingent status must advance to regular status as prescribed by Graduate Studies rules outlined in the catalog.

A student in the contingent status is eligible for a graduate assistantship. Continued eligibility for a graduate assistantship beyond the initial semester would require that any such graduate assistants advance to regular status by the completion of the initial semester. Students may not be moved from contingent status to provisional status. Failure to qualify for regular admission status will prevent the student from registering for the next semester.
Non-Degree-Classified Admission and Unclassified Admission
Students wishing to take graduate courses in English for purposes other than a graduate degree should review their options for Non-Degree-Classified Admission and Unclassified Admission as specified by Graduate Studies rules outlined in the catalog.

No more than 9 hours earned by a student in the Provisional, Contingent, Non-Degree, or Unclassified Status may be counted towards a graduate degree, provided Graduate Studies approves the credit that is recommended by the appropriate graduate coordinator/director or graduate faculty advisor.

 

Requirements for Degree

The M.A. in English consists of a core of literary studies with choices for professional development in all areas of English Studies, including concentrations in Creative Writing, Language and Literacy, Professional Writing, and Publishing Studies. Students may choose between Thesis- and Non-Thesis options:

 

Non-Thesis Option: Complete at least thirty-six (36) hours of English in an individually-designed curriculum. With the approval of the advisory committee, the student may take a maximum of six (6) graduate hours in a related field. All students choosing the non-thesis option must complete the following course work:

  1. English 648: Graduate Studies Seminar.
  2. One theory and methods course: ENGL 475/575, 477/577, or 485/585.
  3. English 595: Internship.
  4. At least twenty-one (21) hours of course work at the 600-level.

 

Thesis Option: Complete at least thirty-six (36) graduate hours of English, including six (6) hours of graduate credit from ENGL 770. The thesis must demonstrate the student's ability to do research and must show acceptable literary workmanship in organization, style, and content. With the approval of the advisory committee, students may take a maximum of six (6) graduate hours in a related field. All students choosing the thesis option must complete the following course work:

  1. English 648: Graduate Studies Seminar.
  2. One theory and methods course: ENGL 475/575, 477/577, or 485/585.
  3. English 595: Internship.
  4. ENGL 770 (6 hours): Thesis.
  5. At least eighteen (18) hours of course work at the 600-level.

 

Concentrations: Students choosing the thesis option may write a thesis as a required part of a concentration in one area of English studies. Students must also complete courses in advanced writing and methods for their area. With the approval of the advisory committee, students may take a maximum of six (6) graduate hours in a related field. Three concentrations are offered:

 

Concentration in Creative Writing – Requires the permission of the Coordinator of Creative Writing. All students choosing this concentration must complete the following course work:

  1. ENGL 475/575: Introduction to Contemporary Criticism
  2. ENGL 482/582: Intermediate Poetry Workshop
  3. ENGL 483/583: Intermediate Fiction Workshop
  4. ENGL 645: Creative Writing Workshop
  5. ENGL 770 (6 hours): Thesis in Creative Writing

 

Concentration in Language and Literacy – Requires the permission of the Coordinator of Language and Literacy. All students choosing this concentration must complete the following course work:

Thesis:

  1. ENGL 577: Foundations in Language and Literacy
  2. ENGL 595: Internship
  3. One course from the following: ENGL 620, 621, or 646
  4. One course from the following: ENGL 564, 567, or 576
  5. ENGL 770 (6 hours): Thesis Research and Thesis

Non-Thesis:

  1. ENGL 577: Foundations in Language and Literacy
  2. ENGL 595: Internship
  3. One course from the following: ENGL 518, 620, or 646
  4. One course from the following: ENGL 620, 621, or 646
  5. Two courses from the following: 508, 524, 564, 567, or 576

 

Concentration in Professional Writing – Requires the permission of the Coordinator of Professional Writing. All students choosing this concentration must complete the following course work:

Thesis:

  1. ENGL 585: Foundations in Publishing Studies and Professional Writing
  2. ENGL 548: Advanced Technical and Professional Writing
  3. ENGL 595: Internship
  4. ENGL 651: Studies in Professional Writing
  5. Electives (3 hours): as approved by the concentration coordinator
  6. ENGL 770 (6 hours): Thesis Research and Thesis

Non-Thesis:

  1. ENGL 585: Foundations in Publishing Studies and Professional Writing
  2. ENGL 548: Advanced Technical and Professional Writing
  3. ENGL 594: Publishing in Digital Humanities
  4. ENGL 595: Internship
  5. ENGL 651: Studies in Professional Writing
  6. Electives (6 hours): as approved by the concentration coordinator

 

Concentration in Publishing Studies – Requires the permission of the Coordinator of Publishing Studies. All students choosing this concentration must complete the following course work:

  1. ENGL 585: Foundations in Publishing Studies and Professional Writing
  2. ENGL 592: Introduction to Literary and Technical Editing
  3. ENGL 549: History of the Book or ENGL 586: Document Production and Design
  4. ENGL 593: Practicum in Humanities Print Publishing or ENGL 594: Publishing in Digital Humanities
  5. ENGL 595: Internship
  6. ENGL 652: Studies in Publishing

 

All candidates for the M.A. in English must:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of a foreign language or language structure either through six (6) hours of undergraduate course work 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, or 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 course work in three broad literary periods: (1) ancient, medieval, and early modern literatures, (2) Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century literature, and (3) Twentieth-Century and contemporary literatures.
  3. Pass all parts of the M.A. comprehensive examination in English.