Program Description
Students admitted
to graduate study in the Department of English take courses
leading to the Master of Arts in English. The M.A. in English is normally a 30-credit degree (ten courses), which may include six credits of thesis work. Students whose undergraduate major was not in English may be asked to complete 39 credits.
All students must complete at least 15 credits of graduate literature courses.
Students who select one of our optional concentrations must complete the concentration requirements, as detailed below.
A 30-credit degree may include up to six credits transferred from other institutions, up to six credits in other departments, and up to six credits at the 400 level, if pre-approved by the student’s advisory committee.
A comprehensive written examination is required of all accepted M.A. candidates.
The thesis is required for students in the creative writing concentration and optional for others. All thesis students must defend their thesis in a one-hour defense.
All teaching assistants must complete ENG 693 Teaching College Composition, normally in the first semester of their appointment.
All work for the degree must be completed within six years of matriculation.
The Department offers four optional concentration areas
as outlined below:
* Concentration in Composition and Pedagogy
9-12 credits in courses exploring current theories about writing, the teaching of writing, and the contexts of writing - including linguistics, critical theory, and discourse analysis.
The Concentration in Composition and Pedagogy allows students to develop an interest in the theory and practice of teaching composition. The student may choose from among available courses in composition theory, pedagogy, linguistics, literacy, and rhetoric.
Requirements:
ENG 693 Teaching College Composition
ENG 579 Theories of Composition
ENG 606/COM 606 Rhetorical Theory
An additional 3-6 credits of composition-related study or thesis credits, as
approved in advance by the student’s advisory committee.
Composition faculty in English are A. Patricia Burnes, Dylan Dryer, and Harvey Kail.
Candidates for this degree also may take related courses from faculty in
Communication (Nathan Stormer) and Education.
* Concentration in Creative Writing
12-15 credits in workshops and thesis credits in poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction.
The Concentration in Creative Writing allows the student to focus on the writing of fiction, poetry and/or creative non-fiction and to prepare a creative thesis, in addition to receiving graduate-level training in literature and literary criticism. Graduate creative writing courses combine workshop situations with one-on-one instruction and enable students to work closely with practicing professionals. The New Writing Series offers a lively schedule of readings throughout the year. Students in the concentration may give public readings on campus and contribute editorial assistance to the graduate literary magazine, The Stolen Island Review.
Requirements:
Six credit hours in either poetry or fiction (ENG 507 or ENG 508).
Six credit hours of ENG 699 Thesis.
All creative writing students produce and defend a thesis consisting of a
substantial body of work (e.g. a novel, a collection of short stories, a
collection of poetry), prefaced by a discussion of the creative process that
gave rise to the work in the context of literary traditions and movements.
Graduate creative writing courses are taught by poet Jennifer Moxley (The Line, Imagination Verses, The Sense Record, and Often Capital), and fiction
writers David Kress (Counting Zero; Martians) and Alex Irvine (A Scattering of Jades; One King, One Soldier; The Narrows).
* Concentration in Gender and Literature
9-12 credits in courses exploring the interrelationships of gender, language and literature.
The Concentration in Gender and Literature allows students to pursue focused study
of the workings of gender in language and literature. Coursework may include studies of
women writers, of feminist criticism, gender criticism, or queer theory, of femininities
and/or masculinities in particular literary periods or schools, as well as of theoretical
questions such as the gendered nature of language.
Requirements:
Six credit hours of ENG 549: Studies in Gender and Literature
An additional three credits of gender-related coursework, which may, with
approval from the student's advisor, include one course outside the department
such as WST 510:
Advanced Studies in Feminist Theory.
Faculty with interest in gender and literature include Carla Billitteri (Feminist
Theory, women experimental writers both American and European), Laura
Cowan (Rebecca West), Steve Evans (Gertrude Stein, women experimental
writers), Benjamin Friedlander (Emily Dickinson), Naomi Jacobs (nineteenth century women writers, feminist theory, gender and utopia), Margo Lukens (Native American and African American women writers), Jennifer Moxley (feminist poetics, gay and lesbian literature), Deborah Rogers (early women novelists, Ann Radcliffe).
* Concentration in Poetry and Poetics
12 credits in poetry and poetics, emphasizing theoretical approaches within an overall context of historical survey.
The Concentration in Poetry and Poetics allows students to pursue a focused study of poetry and poetics, emphasizing theoretical approaches within an overall context of
historical survey. Poetry and poetics students benefit from the presence in the department of the New Writing Series as well as events sponsored by the National Poetry Foundation, and may have the opportunity to contribute editorial assistance to NPF publications.
Requirements:
Six credit hours of ENG 580 Topics in Poetry and Poetics
Six to nine credit hours in literature courses focused on poetry and/or theory,
which may include three credit hours of creative writing.
Poetry and Poetics faculty include Carla Billitteri (American poetry, hermeneutics, critical theory), Laura Cowan (Modernism), Tony Brinkley (Romanticism, Critical Theory), Steve Evans (Poetry and Poetics, Critical
Theory), Jennifer Moxley (American poetry, Symbolist movement, translation), Benjamin Friedlander (Poetry and Poetics, American Literature), and
Ken Norris (Canadian Poetry).
N.B. English M.A. students may also opt for the interdisciplinary concentration in women's studies offered by the University's Women in the Curriculum / Women's
Studies program. Please see the WIC/WST website for more information.
Applicants
Seeking Degrees Off-Campus
