All students must meet the Requirements for the Master's Degree
Overview
The degree combines the history of literatures in English, from the Medieval period to the 21st century, with literary theory and cultural criticism. The department also has graduate faculty who specialize in Film and Television Studies, and Rhetoric and Composition.
Specific Requirements
Requirements for Admission to Graduate Studies for the Degree of Master of Arts
An undergraduate major in English or its equivalent with evidence (in the form of transcripts, letters of recommendation, and writing sample) that the applicant’s undergraduate career provided adequate preparation for the particular demands of graduate study (please contact the Director of Graduate Studies with questions regarding preparedness for graduate-level study of English); and demonstration of proficiency in writing (both by a statement of purpose detailing the applicant’s academic interests and research agenda and by the writing sample).
Minimum Degree Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts
| OPTION A (THESIS) | ||
| Completion of 24 credits of course work (normally 8 courses) | 24 | |
| ENGL 6391 | Master's Thesis Research | 6 |
| Students may take 1 3000- or 4000-level course for graduate credit with approval of the course Instructor, the Director of Graduate Studies, and the Graduate College. At least 6 credits of graded coursework must be at the 6000-level. Candidates must also submit a relevant reading list, pass a 4-hour written comprehensive exam based on it, write an acceptable thesis, and defend the thesis successfully in a 1-hour oral exam. Please note that all incoming Teaching Assistants are required to take ENGL 6790. This 3-credit course does count toward the requisite number of credits for course work (for both options). | ||
| OPTION B (COMPREHENSIVE OPTION) | ||
| Completion of 30 credits of course work (normally 10 courses) | 30 | |
| Students may take 1 3000- or 4000-level course for graduate credit with approval of the course Instructor, the Director of Graduate Studies, and the Graduate College. At least 6 credits of graded coursework must be at the 6000-level. Candidates must also submit a relevant reading list, pass a 4-hour written comprehensive exam based on it, write an acceptable thesis, and defend the thesis successfully in a 1-hour oral exam. Please note that all incoming Teaching Assistants are required to take ENGL 6790. This 3-credit course does count toward the requisite number of credits for course work (for both options). | ||
Comprehensive Examination
Students writing a thesis take their exam in the fall of their second year. Students completing the Comprehensive Option track take their exam in the spring of their second year. In both cases, the exam consists of three 75-minute essays. Exams are open-book and open-notes, but no portion of the exam may be pre-written.
For the Thesis Option exam, the student's first and second readers evaluate all three essays. If their assessments differ on any essay, the Director of Graduate Studies will ask an appropriate third reader to break the tie. Students who fail 1 or more essays have failed the examination and may ask to be re-tested not less than 1 month after the examination date. The first reader, in consultation with the second reader, will determine what constitutes a fair re-examination. Both readers assess the re-examination essay or essays. Students who fail all or part of their re-examination must leave the Master's program.
For the Comprehensive Option, each of the student's 3 examiners will provide the student with an examination question. (A faculty member may write more than 1 question and offer the student a choice of essays to write.) The composer of each question grades that response. Students who fail 1 of their 3 essays may be re-tested in that area. Students who fail 2 or 3 areas must retake the entire examination. Any student who fails any part of the re-examination must leave the Master's program.
Requirements for Advancement to Candidacy for the Degree of Master of Arts
Completion of the above requirements.