Home > College of Arts and Sciences > Department of English > M.A. in English Studies for Language Arts Teachers

______________Degree Requirements_______________Touchscreen Interface

 

The program of study in the MA in English Studies for Language Arts Teachers includes: 27 hours taken in 9 required courses; 9 hours taken from among 6 elective courses at the 8000-level; and a comprehensive exam (with both oral and written components).  The degree is designed to be completed in as few as 2 years, but students have up to 7 years to complete the degree at their own pace.  Courses are offered fall, spring and summer, and new applicants are admitted each term.

 

 

Required Courses: 27 Hours (of 36 total)

1.         ENGL 7005: Intro to Graduate Study for Middle and Secondary English Teachers – 3 credit hours

2.         ENGL 7200: American Literature for Language Arts Teachers - 3 credit hours

3.         ENGL 7100: British Literature for Language Arts Teachers - 3 credit hours

4.         ENGL 7400: Multicultural Literature for Language Arts Teachers - 3 credit hours

5.         ENGL 7500: Creative Writing for Language Arts Teachers - 3 credit hours

6.         ENGL 7610: Composition Theory for Language Arts Teachers - 3 credit hours

7.         ENGL 7710: English Language Change Past and Present  - 3 credit hours

8.         ENGL 7720: English Grammar for Language Arts Teachers  - 3 credit hours

9.         ENGL 7620: Rhetorical Theory for Language Arts Teachers - 3 credit hours

           

Electives: 9 hours including up to 3 credits hours from outside the program (of 36 total)

At least 3 credits hours from among the following:

1.         ENGL 8610: History of Rhetorical Theory - 3 credit hours

2.         ENGL 8710: Language in School Community and Society - 3 credit hours

3.         ENGL 8720: English Language Learners - 3 credit hours

At least three credits hours from among the following:

1.         ENGL 8400: Special Topics in Creative Writing - 3 credit hours

2.         ENGL 8200: Special Topics in American Literature - 3 credit hours

3.         ENGL 8100: Special Topics in British Literature - 3 credit hours

 

_______________Comprehensive Exam_______________

  1. The exam will consist of a three-hour written component and a one-hour oral component.
  2. The written component must be taken in a proctored setting of the student’s choice subject to approval by the graduate studies committee.  Typically, the setting will be a testing center on a university campus or a commercial entity that offers proctored testing for a fee, such as Sylvan.  The student is responsible for arranging the testing site, obtaining approval for it from the GSC no fewer than two weeks before the scheduled date of the exam and paying any fees required by the testing center.
  3. The oral component will take place via Skype or similar technology, subject to approval by the graduate committee.
  4. The examination should be taken during or immediately after the final semester of course work. 
  5. The written component will be comprised of two to three questions in one of the following areas of the student’s choosing: 1) literature or 2) rhetoric, composition and language.  If they so wish, the student may add one question in creative writing.  Approval of such a request is at the discretion of the exam committee.
  6. A committee of three faculty members, two of whom must have had the student in one of their courses, will write the exam questions and evaluate the student’s performance (pass or fail).
  7. In preparation for the exam, students will develop, in consultation with their committee, a reading list representative of the chosen area of focus.  This list should consist of no fewer than 20 secondary sources (articles and/or book chapters), excluding material that students have already studied in their classes.  Committee chairs should ensure the list is coherent and meets the requirements of the exam as described herein.
  8. The questions drafted by the student’s exam committee should seek depth of coverage in the focus area, asking students to demonstrate knowledge of relevant major subjects of inquiry in that particular subfield of English studies.  Committees should also review and consider the syllabi for all courses taken by the student as they draft the questions.
  9. The oral component will be a follow up to the written portion.
  10. The student must pass the written portion in order to proceed to the oral portion.
  11. If the student does not pass the written portion on the first try, they may retake the written portion one additional time.
  12. The student must wait no fewer than two weeks before attempting the written portion a second time.  The student may wait longer; however, students who do not enroll in courses for two consecutive semesters or who do not make a second attempt in that period must reapply to be admitted to the program.
  13. The exam committee must make recommendations to the student in writing about how best to prepare for the second attempt.
  14. If the student does not pass the exam on the second attempt, they will not be awarded the degree.

 

________________Program Objectives________________

The M.A. in English Studies for Language Arts Teachers is designed to provide students with:

  1. Depth of knowledge in the major subfields of contemporary English studies.
  2. The ability to work in each subfield in light of key facts and concepts.
  3. The ability to produce cogent written work, blending knowledge of each subfield with its implications for the teaching of language arts.
  4. The ability to articulate their own work.
  5. The ability to produce systematic and researched work appropriate to the discipline.

 

Progression, Retention, Dismissal, and Readmission _____________________Policies_____________________

  • In order to graduate, students must earn a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for all graduate course work.
  • Students receiving two grades below “C” (“D”, “F”, “WF”, or “U”) will be dismissed from the program.
  • No course in which the student has earned a grade below a “C” will count toward completion of the degree.
  • Students also will be dismissed from the program if they accumulate 4 or more academic deficiency points. A grade of “C” equals one deficiency point. A grade of “D” equals 2 deficiency points. A grade of “F” or “WF” equals 3 deficiency points.
  • If dismissed from the program, the student must wait a minimum of two semesters before applying for readmission.  Any such readmission will be probationary and the English department reserves the right to place additional specific conditions and contingencies on any offer of readmission. Readmission is not guaranteed and prior academic performance and conduct in the program will be considered.
  • The maximum time allowed for completion of the master’s degree is seven calendar years. No work completed more than seven years prior to degree completion will be accepted toward the degree except with special permission from the Graduate Studies Committee, the Chair of the English Department and approval by the Dean of the Graduate School.

No more than 3 semester hours of academic work may be transferred from another institution into a master’s-level graduate program. This credit must be documented in the form of an official transcript at the time of admission. Transfer credit will be evaluated after admission by the academic department. To be eligible, credit must be no more than seven years old prior to completion of the degree.