Offered by Department of English:

English
Master of Arts Degree

GR MA 3308

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• Thesis Option
• Examination Option
• Creative Writing Emphasis

MA in English = 30-36 hours

Option A: Literature Emphasis - Thesis Option = 30 hours

• Literary Criticism Requirement (3 hours)
  • Take 1 course from:
    • ENG 806, Principles of Literary Criticism - 3 hours
    • ENG 807, History of Literary Criticism - 3 hours
• Literature Requirements (12 hours)
  • 6 hours in Literature of the United States
  • 6 hours in Literature of England and the Commonwealth and World Literature
• Thesis Requirements (6 hours)
  • ENG 896, Thesis - 6 hours
• Supporting Courses (6-9 hours)
  • 6-9 hours of Electives
• Graduate Assistant Requirement (3 hours)
  • ENG 805, The Teaching of Composition - 3 hours*
  • *required for all graduate assistants; must be taken at earliest opportunity
• Comprehensive Examination
  • The thesis oral defense serves as the Comprehensive Examination for thesis students. The student's Thesis Committee serves as the Comprehensive Examination Committee and administers a written or oral exam. The Thesis preparation and review process are outlined in the Graduate Studies in English Handbook.

Option B: Literature Emphasis - Examination Option = 36 hours

• Literary Criticism Requirement (3 hours required)
  • Take 1 course from:
    • ENG 806, Principles of Literary Criticism - 3 hours
    • ENG 807, History of Literary Criticism - 3 hours
• Literature Requirements (12 hours required)
  • 6 hours in Literature of the United States
  • 6 hours in Literature of England and the Commonwealth and World Literature
• Supporting Courses (8-21 hours required)
  • 8-21 hours of Electives
• Graduate Assistant Requirement (3 hours required)
  • ENG 805, The Teaching of Composition - 3 hours*
  • *required for all graduate assistants; must be taken at earliest opportunity
• The Examination
  • Students who select the examination option will prepare reading lists and questions in two major areas of study. The areas of study from which students may choose are 1) British, 2) World, 3) American and 4) Language/Linguistics/Rhetoric/Theory. Students will select two English graduate faculty members in the appropriate areas to serve as their examiners. Students will take a written examination, which will be followed by an oral defense. Further information about the examination process can be found in the Graduate Studies in English Handbook.

Option C: Creative Writing Emphasis = 30 hours

(The emphasis in Creative Writing is a studio/academic degree of 30 hours, with 12 hours in creative writing courses.)

• Literary Criticism Requirement (3 hours required)
  • Take 1 course from:
    • ENG 806, Principles of Literary Criticism - 3 hours
    • ENG 807, History of Literary Criticism - 3 hours
• Literature Requirements (6 hours required)
  • 3 hours in Literature of the United States
  • 3 hours in Literature of England and the Commonwealth and World Literature
• Creative Writing Requirements (12 hours required)
  • Take 12 hours from:
    • ENG 822P, Poetry Writing - 3 hours
    • ENG 823P, Fiction Writing - 3 hours
    • ENG 824, Drama Writing - 3 hours
    • ENG 825, Creative Nonfiction - 3 hours
    • ENG 826, Prosody: The Music of Poetic Form - 3 hours
    • ENG 827, Colloquium: Creative Writing - 3 hours
    • ENG 845, Creative Writing for Public School Teachers - 3 hours
    • ENG 890P, Ft. Kearney Writers' Workshop 1-3 hours
  • Please note that creative writing emphasis students may repeat a creative writing course for up to 6 hours and are limited to a total of 12 hours of 800-level P courses.
• Thesis Requirements (6 hours required)
  • ENG 896, Thesis - 6 hours
  • Students in the Creative Writing Emphasis will write a creative thesis in poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or drama writing. The student's thesis committee serves as a Comprehensive Examination Committee and administers an oral exam.
• Supporting Courses (3 hours required)
  • 3 hours of Electives
• Graduate Assistant Requirement (3 hours required)
  • ENG 805, The Teaching of Composition - 3 hours*
  • *required for all graduate assistants; must be taken at earliest opportunity
• Comprehensive Exam
  • Generally a student completes the Comprehensive Examination during the last semester of study. After the successful completion of at least 12 hours and prior to selection of a Thesis/Comprehensive Examination Committee and preparation of a thesis or examination, the student must file for Candidacy for the Master's Degree. A student may be refused admission to candidacy for the Master's Degree if previous college record, performance on qualifying criteria, or the quality of graduate work are such as to indicate inability to satisfactorily complete graduate study.

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate Assistantships provide tuition remission and a stipend. Teaching Assistants are responsible for teaching four composition courses in an academic year with the possibility of summer teaching stipends. Assistantships are also available for research interns and Writing Center tutors.

See English Program Information and Admission Requirements for more information about the program, and see Department of English for contact information.