Degree Requirements

Master of Arts (M.A.)
Thesis Option

1. Thirty (30) semester credits are required for the Master of Arts.
   
   
2. Required courses, which must be completed with a minimum grade of B (S for 501L) include:
   Engl 500-Intro to Graduate Studies (2 cr)
   Engl 501-Teaching College English (Graduate Teaching Assistants only) (3 cr)
   Engl 501L-Teaching College English Lab (Graduate Teaching Assistants only) (1 cr)
   Engl 510-History of Literary Criticism OR Engl 511-Problems in Literary Criticism (3 cr)
   Engl 998-Thesis (4 cr)
   
   
3. Up to four (4) credits of Readings and Research courses (Engl 590 and 593) may be used to supplement the standard graduate offerings.
   
   
4. Remaining credits must come from 400- and 500-level courses approved for graduate credit or from courses in an approved minor or cognate. At least half of the coursework must be at the 500-level, excluding Readings and Research courses (Engl 590 and 593) and Thesis (Engl 998).

 

Master of Arts (M.A.)
Portfolio Option

1. Thirty-two (32) semester credits are required for the Master of Arts.
   
   
2. Required courses, which must be completed with a minimum grade of B (S for 501L) include:
   Engl 500-Intro to Graduate Studies (2 cr)
   Engl 501-Teaching College English (Graduate Teaching Assistants only) (3 cr)
   Engl 501L-Teaching College English Lab (Graduate Teaching Assistants only) (1 cr)
   Engl 510-History of Literary Criticism OR Engl 511-Problems in Literary Criticism (3 cr)
   Engl 598-Portfolio Workshop (3 cr)
   Engl 995- Scholarly Project (2 cr)
   
   
3. Up to four (4) credits of Readings and Research courses (Engl 590 and 593) may be used to supplement the standard graduate offerings.
   
   
4. Remaining credits must come from 400- and 500-level courses approved for graduate credit or from courses in an approved minor or cognate. At least half of the coursework must be at the 500-level, excluding Readings and Research courses (Engl 590 and 593), Portfolio Workshop (Engl 598), and Scholarly Project (Engl 995).

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

1. Ninety (90) semester credits beyond the bachelor's degree are needed for the Ph.D., including acceptable master's degree work up to thirty (30) credits.
   
   
2. Required courses, which must be completed with a minimum grade of B (S for 501L) include:
   
   Engl 500-Intro to Graduate Studies (2 cr)
   Engl 501-Teaching College English (Graduate Teaching Assistants only) (3 cr)
   Engl 501L-Teaching College English Lab (Graduate Teaching Assistants only) (1 cr)
   Engl 510-History of Literary Criticism OR Engl 511-Problems in Literary Criticism (3 cr)
   
   
3. Fifteen (15) credits are allowed for the dissertation (Engl 999), which may take the form of either a closely focused scholarly-critical investigation of a single topic, a creative work or group of works, or a number of related, publishable essays (critical, scholarly, bibliographical, methodological, pedagogical) which may be developed in combination with a project or projects deemed appropriate and acceptable by the student’s Advisory Committee.
   
   
4. Up to ten (10) credits in addition to the four credits allowed for the master's degree may be in Readings and Research courses (Engl 590, 591, and 593).
   
   
5. Evidence of the mastery of scholarly tools appropriate to the proposed field of studies is required, including proficiency in one language other than English plus either another language or languages.
   
   
6. Completion of the scholarly tools and the comprehensive examinations, in areas or topics relevant to a student’s individual interests as recommended by the student’s Advisory Committee. These topics and areas will normally include a combination of at least four of the following: departmentally approved historical periods or movements; authors outside these periods or movements; critical, scholarly, or pedagogical theory and practice; literary genres, modes, or themes; studies in language; special topics in literature or language. These examinations will normally be taken after the course work is completed.
   
   
7. Remaining credits must come from 400- and 500-level courses approved for graduate credit or from courses in an approved minor. At least half of the coursework must be at the 500-level, excluding Readings and Research courses (Engl 590, 591, and 593) and the dissertation (Engl 999).