English (M.A.)

Program Admission Requirements

In addition to the Graduate School Admission Requirements , applicants must have achieved an average grade of B or higher as defined by the major department in upper-level undergraduate courses in the major. A personal interview may be requested. The General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is required, as is a writing sample and three recommendations from former instructors who are in a position to judge the applicant’s aptitude for graduate study.

Program Description

The M.A. degree in English offers a choice of three concentrations: Literature, Professional Writing, or Rhetoric and Composition. A total of 33 graduate English credit hours is required: 12 hour core, 9 hour concentration, and 12 hours in one of the following options

• Thesis Option: 6 hours of thesis and 6 hours of ENGL electives
• Portfolio or Writing Option:  3 hours of portfolio (
  ENGL 688
   ) and 9 hours of ENGL electives 
• Non-Thesis Option: 12 hours of ENGL electives 

In addition to the coursework, all M.A. in English students must successfully pass written comprehensive examinations based on reading lists and/or content knowledge, which are specific to each concentration. They must also pass a reading examination in a foreign language - normally French, German or Spanish - or demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language by taking an approved MFL course and completing it with a “B” or better. For those writing a thesis or completing a portfolio or other writing option, a final oral defense is required. For reading lists, sample exams, and other information on the M.A. in English, see the current Guide to Graduate Studies in English, available in print and online.