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Graduate Catalog | 2015-2016 Previous Edition
English, M.A.
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 Return to: Academic Programs (by college)
The Master of Arts in English degree program is designed to accommodate a wide variety of students: those seeking personal enrichment through increased knowledge and understanding; those preparing to pursue a Ph.D. in English or other advanced professional degrees; and those seeking professional advancement in such fields as writing, publishing, or teaching on the primary, secondary, or college levels. The Department of English offers a broad range of courses in literature, writing/rhetoric, and language, including second language studies and applied linguistics. The department offers five M.A. emphases: Literature, Composition/Rhetoric, Creative Writing, Applied Linguistics, and English for Specific Purposes; in addition, it offers M.A. concentrations in Children’s Literature and Technical/Professional Writing.
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Additional Admission Requirements
In addition to the general requirements for admission to the Graduate School, the following are required for study in English:
- Thirty hours of undergraduate coursework in English beyond the first-year level, or evidence of equivalent academic preparation for graduate study in English, as approved by the Department.
- A satisfactory score on the Aptitude portion of the Graduate Record Examination or on the Miller Analogies Test.
Degree Requirements
The program requires a minimum of 36 credit hours of graduate credit with grades of A or B. (A course in which a graduate student receives a grade of C is not allowable as part of the 36 required hours.) At least 18 credit hours must be in English courses at the 6000-level, open only to graduate students. A student must choose an emphasis or concentration from the following offerings:
Note: While concentrations are reflected on students’ transcripts, emphases are not.
Courses beyond 36 hours of graduate credit may be required to remove deficiencies or to satisfy requirements for graduate licensure, or may be recommended to develop areas of need, to pursue particular interests, or to gain specific experience.
Of the 36 hours of graduate credit, 30 must be in English courses; the remaining 6 hours may be taken in English or in another discipline. If the hours are to be taken outside of English, the student must submit a written request to the Coordinator of Graduate Studies, explaining how these hours will enrich his/her program.
No more than 6 hours of ENGL 6890 , may be applied to the degree without written permission of the Chair of the Department. (This does not apply to a Directed Reading for an M.A. Project.)
Assistantships
A number of graduate assistantships are available each year. Applications must be submitted by March 15 for assistantships beginning the following academic year. Further information is available in the Department.
Internships
The Department of English offers a number of internships for graduate students (limited to 3 hours of credit), which provide program-related experience in local television and radio stations, nonprofit and government agencies, and local businesses and corporations. Further information is available in the department.
Advising
The English Graduate Program Director and other graduate faculty members acting as his/her designated assistants will advise graduate students.
Licensure
For information on licensure in English, please see the requirements of the M. A. in English Education program. For information on licensure to teach English to non-native speakers, see the requirements for the M.Ed. in Teaching English as a Second Language .
Master’s Thesis
The M.A. thesis is optional; it may be either scholarly or creative. Students who choose to write a thesis will consult with the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in English, who will appoint a thesis committee comprising a director and two faculty readers.
Tuition Waivers
Each year, at least one out-of-state tuition waiver is available for a new graduate assistant. In-state tuition waiver funds are often available for new graduate assistants and sometimes for other outstanding applicants.
Core Courses
All M.A. candidates, regardless of which concentration or emphasis is chosen, are required to take the following:
Emphases and Concentrations
Literature Emphasis
The literature faculty are committed to teaching a variety of national and ethnic literatures in English, including British, American, and Anglophone literatures. The literature emphasis requires a total of 36 hours with courses meeting the following requirements: five literature courses of which three must be historically oriented, two must be in one national literature and another must be in a different national literature, and one must be in literature written before 1800. In addition, students must take one writing/rhetoric course and one literary theory-intensive course and electives to bring the total number of hours to thirty-six.
Required Comprehensive Examination in the Literature Emphasis
All students in the literature emphasis must satisfactorily complete a written examination based on a reading list proposed by the student and approved by the Graduate Committee. Information about this list is available in the Department office. The written examination may not be attempted sooner than the last semester of coursework, exclusive of thesis credits. This examination procedure applies to students entering the program in Fall of 2009 and thereafter.
Master’s Thesis
The M.A. thesis is optional; it may be either scholarly or creative. For descriptions of the Master’s thesis, see “Master’s Thesis” above and the course description. Students electing the thesis option will use the six hours of thesis credit to replace one elective and another course, chosen in consultation with the English Graduate Program DIrector.
Composition/Rhetoric Emphasis
The field of rhetoric and composition prepares students comprehensively in the theory, practice, and teaching of written public discourse. Our program introduces research in the language arts, from the ancient rhetoric of Greece and Rome to modern theories of the composing process, while also emphasizing practical preparation in the teaching of writing and the administration of composition programs, writing centers and writing across the curriculum programs.
The Composition/Rhetoric emphasis includes five composition/rhetoric courses, one of which is composition/rhetoric theory-intensive; two literature courses; and two elective courses. The Composition/Rhetoric emphasis may focus on rhetorical theory, composition theory, or writing and pedagogy.
Project/Thesis
All students in the Composition/Rhetoric emphasis must submit either a project or a thesis to satisfy requirements for the degree.
Project
Students electing to submit a project to satisfy this requirement will enroll in a three-hour directed reading course leading to the production of a project. [Note: see the English Graduate Program Director for details on the requirements for this project.]
Master’s Thesis
The M.A. thesis is optional; it may be either scholarly or creative. For descriptions of the Master’s thesis, see “Master’s Thesis” above and the course description. Since the thesis carries six hours of credit, students electing the thesis option will take only one elective course.
Creative Writing Emphasis
The aim of this emphasis is to enable students to develop their abilities as creative writers through writing practice in more than one genre and through the creatively-engaged study of literature.
The Creative Writing emphasis includes one theory-intensive course (in writing or literature), two literature courses, and:
- One course selected from the following:
- One course selected from the following:
- Two ENGL 6070 - Topics in English courses (must be creative writing topics)
- Two Elective Courses (with the approval of the English Graduate Program Director)
Note:
It is possible for elective hours to be applied to additional creative writing courses, if the student wishes to repeat any of the fiction or poetry courses listed above in order to receive additional instruction in his or her chosen genre.
Project/Thesis
All students in the Creative Writing emphasis must submit either a project or a thesis to satisfy requirements for the degree.
Project
Students electing to submit a project to satisfy this requirement will enroll in a three-hour directed reading course leading to the production of a project. [Note: see the English Graduate Program Director for details on the requirements for this project.]
Master’s Thesis
The M.A. thesis is optional; it may be either scholarly or creative. For descriptions of the Master’s thesis, see “Master’s Thesis” above and the course description. Since the thesis carries six hours of credit, students electing the thesis option will take only one elective course.
Applied Linguistics Emphasis
Linguistics is a broad field, and the applied linguistics emphasis offers students the opportunity to apply linguistic concepts to a broad range of endeavors, including the teaching of writing, adult English language instruction, and various types of textual analyses.
The Applied Linguistics emphasis includes two writing/rhetoric courses, two literature courses, and:
In addition, students will choose two courses from the following:
Project/Thesis
All students in the Applied Linguistics emphasis must submit either a project or a thesis to satisfy requirements for the degree.
Project
Students electing to submit a project to satisfy this requirement will enroll in a three-hour directed reading course leading to the production of a project. [Note: see the English Graduate Program Director for details on the requirements for this project.
Master’s Thesis
The M.A. thesis is optional; it may be either scholarly or creative. For descriptions of the Master’s thesis, see “Master’s Thesis” above and the course description. Since the thesis carries six hours of credit, students electing the thesis option will take only one course from the optional courses listed above. [Note: students will consult with the English Graduate Program Director, who must approve their choice of which course to take from this list.]
English for Specific Purposes Emphasis
Certified English for Specific Purposes teachers are prepared to teach adult learners in community colleges, in in-company training courses, and in English language institutes at the university level, both in the U.S. and internationally. The English for Specific Purposes emphasis includes three required courses:
In addition, students will choose four electives from the following:
Note:
Students must select two electives for which approval of the English Graduate Program Director is required.
Portfolio/Thesis
All students in the English for Specific Purposes emphasis must submit either a portfolio or a thesis to satisfy requirements for the degree.
Portfolio
Students electing to submit a portfolio to satisfy this requirement will enroll in a three-hour directed reading course leading to the production of a portfolio. [Note: see the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in English for details on the requirements for this portfolio.]
Master’s Thesis
The M.A. thesis is optional; it may be either scholarly or creative. For descriptions of the Master’s thesis, see “Master’s Thesis” above and the course description. Since the thesis carries six hours of credit, students electing the thesis option will take only one three-hour elective course.
Technical/Professional Writing Concentration
Students accepted into the M.A. in English program may elect a concentration in Technical/Professional Writing. This concentration will be designated on the student’s transcript. The curriculum includes courses that 1) provide students with an understanding of the theoretical and rhetorical foundation of the field, 2) introduce students to the methods and results of research in the field, 3) offer students an opportunity to practice theory and research through project work for clients, 4) address technology and science as socially-constructed disciplines, and 5) help students build skills in written and oral communication, project management, and teamwork.
Restricted Elective Courses
Select at least three of the following:
Unrestricted Elective Courses
Students select two elective courses. [Note: the permission of the English Graduate Program Director is needed for courses outside the Department of English.]
Project/Thesis
All students in the Technical/Professional Writing concentration must submit either a project or a thesis to satisfy requirements for the degree.
Project
Students electing to submit a project to satisfy this requirement will enroll in a three-hour directed reading course leading to the production of a project. [Note: see the English Graduate Program Director for details on the requirements for this project.]
Master’s Thesis
The M.A. thesis is optional; it may be either scholarly or creative. For descriptions of the Master’s thesis, see “Master’s Thesis” above and the course description. Since the thesis carries six hours of credit, students electing the thesis option will take only one three-hour elective course.
Children’s Literature Concentration
This concentration is premised on the assumptions that children’s literature is an integral part of many literary traditions and that students studying children’s literature should develop an understanding of the connection between children’s literature and other forms of literature. The Children’s Literature Concentration requires a total of 36 credit hours with courses meeting the following requirements:
Introductory Courses (9 credit hours)
Children’s Literature Courses (12 credit hours)
Select from the following:
Literature Courses (6 credit hours)
Select two courses in literature, other than children’s literature.
Writing/Rhetoric Course (3 credit hours)
Elective Courses (6 credit hours)
Comprehensive Examination/Thesis
All students in the children’s literature concentration must satisfactorily complete either a written examination or a Master’s thesis.
Comprehensive Examination
Students electing this option will satisfactorily complete a written examination based on a reading list proposed by the student and approved by The English Graduate Committee. Information about this list is available in the Department office. The written examination may not be attempted sooner than the last semester of coursework, exclusive of thesis credits. [Note: This examination procedure applies to students entering the program in Fall of 2009 and thereafter.]
Master’s Thesis
The M.A. thesis is optional; it may be either scholarly or creative. For descriptions of the Master’s thesis, see “Master’s Thesis” above and the course description. Students electing the thesis option will use the six hours of thesis credit to replace the elective course and another course as approved by the English Graduate Program Director.
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