Offered by Department of English

English
Master of Arts Degree
Literature, Creative Writing, Children's and Adolescent Literature, Writing Emphases

Options A through E are campus programs, while Option F is available only online.

MA in English = 30-36 hours

  1. Literature Emphasis
    1. Option A: Literature Emphasis - Thesis Option (30 hours)
      1. 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
      2. Literature Requirements (12 hours)
        • Take all of the following:
          • 6 hours in Literature of the United States
          • 6 hours in Literature of England and the Commonwealth and World Literature
      3. Thesis Requirements (6 hours)
      4. Supporting Courses (6-9 hours)
        • Take:
          • 6-9 hours of Electives
      5. Graduate Assistant Requirement (3 hours)
        • Take:
          • ENG 805, The Teaching of Composition - 3 hours
          • required for all graduate assistants; must be taken at earliest opportunity
      6. 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.

    2. Option B: Literature Emphasis - Examination Option (36 hours)
      1. 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
      2. Literature Requirements (12 hours required)
        • Take all of the following:
          • 6 hours in Literature of the United States
          • 6 hours in Literature of England and the Commonwealth and World Literature
      3. Supporting Courses (18-21 hours required)
        • Take:
          • 18-21 hours of Electives
      4. Graduate Assistant Requirement (3 hours required)
        • Take:
          • ENG 805, The Teaching of Composition - 3 hours
          • required for all graduate assistants; must be taken at earliest opportunity
      5. 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.
  2. Creative Writing Emphasis
    1. 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.)
      1. 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
      2. Literature Requirements (6 hours required)
        • Take all of the following:
          • 3 hours in Literature of the United States
          • 3 hours in Literature of England and the Commonwealth and World Literature
      3. 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. Kearny Writers' Workshop - 1-3 hours
          • Please note that creative writing emphasis students may repeat a creative writing course for up to 6 hours.
      4. Thesis Requirements (6 hours required)
        • Take:
          • 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.
      5. Supporting Courses (3 hours required)
        • Take:
          • 3 hours of Electives
      6. Graduate Assistant Requirement (3 hours required)
        • Take:
          • ENG 805, The Teaching of Composition - 3 hours
          • required for all graduate assistants; must be taken at earliest opportunity
      7. 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.
  3. Children's and Adolescent Literature Emphasis
    1. Option D: Children's and Adolescent Emphasis - Thesis Option (30 hours)
      1. Literary Criticism Requirement (3 hours)
        • Take:
          • ENG 864, Critical Approaches to Children's Literature and Culture - 3 hours
      2. Literature Requirements (9 hours)
        • Take 9 hours from:
          • ENG 847/847P, Children's Literature - 3 hours
          • ENG 848/848P, Literature for Adolescents - 3 hours
          • ENG 849, Children's and Adolescent Literature - 3 hours
          • ENG 861, Fairy Tales and Folklore - 3 hours
          • ENG 863, The Graphic Novel - 3 hours
      3. Thesis Requirements (6 hours)
      4. Supporting Courses (9-12 hours)
      5. Graduate Assistant Requirement (3 hours)
        • Take:
          • ENG 805, The Teaching of Composition - 3 hours
          • required for all graduate assistants; must be taken at earliest opportunity
      6. 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.
    2. Option E: Children's and Adolescent Literature Emphasis - Examination Option (36 hours)
      1. Literary Criticism Requirement (3 hours)
        • Take:
          • ENG 864, Critical Approaches to Children's Literature and Culture - 3 hours
      2. Literature Requirements (12 hours)
        • Take 12 hours from:
          • ENG 847/847P, Children's Literature - 3 hours
          • ENG 848/848P, Literature for Adolescents - 3 hours
          • ENG 849, Children's and Adolescent Literature - 3 hours
          • ENG 861, Fairy Tales and Folklore - 3 hours
          • ENG 863, The Graphic Novel - 3 hours
      3. Supporting Courses (18-21 hours required)
      4. Graduate Assistant Requirement (3 hours required)
        • Take:
          • ENG 805, The Teaching of Composition - 3 hours
          • required for all graduate assistants; must be taken at earliest opportunity
      5. The Examination
        • Students who select the examination option will, in conjunction with the faculty, prepare reading lists and questions in Children's and Adolescent Literature with the option of an additional supporting area (British literature, American literature, World literature, Rhetoric, Linguistics, 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.
  4. Writing Emphasis
    1. Option F: Writing Emphasis - ONLINE Option (36 hours)
      • (The emphasis in Writing is an online academic degree of 36 hours, with 18 hours in writing courses.)
      1. 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
      2. Literature Requirements (6 hours required)
        • Take all of the following:
          • 3 hours in Literature of the United States
          • 3 hours in Literature of England and the Commonwealth and World Literature
      3. Writing Requirements (18 hours required)
        • Take 12 hours from:
          • ENG 803, Descriptive Linguistics - 3 hours
          • ENG 814, Writing Tutorial- 3 hours
          • 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 833, Nonfiction Seminar- 3 hours
          • ENG 871P, Language and Composition in the Secondary School - 3 hours
          • ENG 895, Directed Readings - 3 hours
          • ENG 899, Special Topics (Writing) - 3 hours
          • Please note that writing emphasis students may repeat a writing course and a special topics course for up to 6 hours and are limited to a total of 18 hours of 800-level P courses.
      4. Supporting Courses (9 hours required)
        • Take 9 hours from:
          • ENG 800-level from the English department's graduate offerings - 9 hours
      5. Exit Examination
        • All students must complete successfully an Exit Examination during the last semester of study. After the successful completion of at least 18 hours and prior to the formation of an Exit Examination Committee and preparation of an 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.
    5. Graduate Assistantships

    Graduate Assistantships provide tuition remission and a stipend. Teaching Assistants are usually 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.

7 Jun 2016

gradcat@unk.edu