Master of Arts in English Concentrations

Students in the Master of Arts in English graduate program can choose from concentrations in the areas of creative writing and literature.

Creative Writing Concentration

For students who enroll full time, the Master of Arts in English can be completed in four semesters. Students also have the option of enrolling part time and/or completing the degree through evening coursework. A sample degree plan is available here.

▼ Degree Requirements for Creative Writing Concentration

Degree Requirements

Coursework Requirements. M.A. students concentrating in creative writing must complete a minimum of 36 graduate hours with a grade of "A" or "B." The coursework distribution requirements are as follows:
1. Graduate Writing in English (3 hours). EH 502 (Graduate Writing in English) is required in the first year of coursework.
2. Culture and Community (3 hours). Students must complete one course from this list (which may be in literature or creative writing): EH 548, EH 551, EH 552, or EH 588.
3. Literature Coursework (12 hours). Twelve additional hours of graduate coursework in literature are required. Choose from the following: EH 501, EH 505, EH 506, EH 507, EH 508, EH 513, EH 514, EH 520, EH 521, EH 526, EH 527, EH 532, EH 534, EH 536, EH 538, EH 543, EH 544, EH 545, EH 547, EH 548, EH 551, EH 552, EH 562, EH 570, EH 571, EH 572, EH 573, EH 574, EH 577, EH 590, EH 592.
4. Creative Writing Coursework (12 hours). Twelve additional hours of graduate coursework in creative writing are required. Choose from the following: EH 581, EH 583, EH 584, EH 585, EH 586, EH 588, EH 589, EH 591.
  
  Note on dual-listed courses: No more than 18 hours of dual-listed courses (courses listed simultaneously at both the 400 level and the 500 level) may be counted towards the minimum hours required for a degree. In addition, graduate students will receive graduate credit only when they enroll in the 500-level version of any dual-listed course.
Thesis or Capstone Requirement. The creative writing concentration requires either a creative thesis or a capstone.
1. Thesis option (6 hours). The thesis is a substantial body of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or other genres. An oral defense, which will situate the thesis in the comprehensive objectives of the creative writing concentration, will be required one to two weeks prior to the Thesis First Submission Deadline for the Graduate School. Six hours of thesis credit will be granted on the successful completion and oral defense of the thesis.
2. Capstone option (3 hours + 1 additional course): The capstone is a collection of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or other genres, which grows out of previous coursework. NOTE: Students who choose the capstone option must take an additional course in order to complete the program requirement of 36 hours.
Foreign Language Requirement. All students pursuing the M.A. in English must demonstrate a reading proficiency in Spanish, French, German, or Latin before registering for capstone or thesis hours. Students for whom English is not native may offer their native language to satisfy the foreign language requirement. Credit earned in foreign language courses does not count toward the 36-hour credit requirement for the M.A. in English.

▼ The Creative Writing Thesis

The Creative Writing Thesis

English Thesis Deadlines 2024-25

Fall Thesis Deadline: Defend by 10/9/24
Spring Thesis Deadline: Defend by 3/7/25
Summer Thesis Deadline: Defend by 6/13/25

A creative thesis is required of all students in the creative writing concentration. The creative thesis is a book-length work of fiction, non-fiction, poetry or a combination. Students must complete an oral defense and submit their thesis prior to the Graduate School deadline prior in order to qualify for graduation that semester. For creative students, this defense will constitute their Comprehensive Examination evaluation.

Procedures

The thesis is generally undertaken after the student has completed most coursework. The first step is to find a supervising professor to act as the thesis director, and with that director to enlist a committee (three to four members, one of whom must be a Graduate Faculty member from a department other than English). The student then works with the director and committee to develop a prospectus, which must be approved in a prospectus meeting by the thesis committee.

Creative writing students should begin working on their thesis during creative classes and workshops. During the final semester of course work, thesis hours are taken as a course, a total of three semester hours. Students who do not complete the thesis as planned can take additional thesis hours that will not count to the degree. Thesis credit ceases to be current after two years, and the student must be registered for at least one hour of credit during the semester in which the oral defense is conducted.

Registration for Thesis Hours Credit

First Semester of Thesis Work

Though creative writing students enroll in thesis hours only in the semester in which they plan to graduate, students must work with the Director of Creative Writing and the Graduate Coordinator to select a thesis director, enlist a committee, and prepare a prospectus one to two semesters before they enroll in thesis hours. (Students admitted prior to Fall 2016 follow a different plan; see the Graduate Coordinator.)
Students should work with a mentor to develop a work plan for the creative thesis at least one year before their planned date of graduation.

Second Semester of Thesis Work

The English department requires that the Thesis Committee Form be completed in order for any M.A. student to sign up for thesis hours. To get information on Graduate Faculty status and date of appointment for the form, check the Graduate Faculty Roster.
The English Department requires that the Prospectus and the Prospectus Signature Sheet be completed in order for any M.A. student to sign up for a the final semester of thesis hours. Each student must schedule a prospectus meeting at which the three English faculty members on the committee discuss the thesis and approve the prospectus. The Creative Writing Thesis Checklist contains specifications for the prospectus. Information on formatting your signature sheet is available on the Graduate School's Thesis Preparation page.
File a Thesis Hours EH 599 Request Form for three hours of thesis credit. Once approval is given, the student will receive an override to register for thesis hours in PAWS.

Submission Procedures and Deadlines

The departmental oral defense must be completed at least two weeks in advance of the Graduate School deadline for thesis submission. To that end, copies of the thesis must be in the hands of all committee members at least two weeks prior to the oral defense.

American & British Literature Concentration

▼ Degree Requirements for American & British Literature Concentration

Degree Requirements

A minimum of thirty-six semester hours of credit is required beyond the bachelor’s degree with a grade of "A" or "B," to include the following two courses in the first year of course work.

• EH 501 Intro to Literary Theory

• EH 502 Graduate Writing in English

• Two courses from literary periods pre-1800

• Two courses from literary periods post-1800

• Three to six thesis hours or three capstone hours.

• No more than 18 hours of dual-listed courses (400 and 500 level listing for the same course) may be counted towards meeting the minimum hours required for a degree.

• Graduate students will receive graduate credit only for the 500 level versions of dual-listed courses.
Before graduation, English M.A. students in the literature concentration must successfully meet their comprehensive examination requirement by completing either a literature thesis and oral thesis defense or by completing a capstone option.

Literature Thesis: The literature thesis is the preferred option for students who plan to enter a doctoral program in English. Students write a thesis, which may draw on a student's previous written work in courses, but which must also involve substantial further research under the supervision of a thesis director. Students take three to six semester hours of credit toward the graduation requirement, which will be granted upon successful completion and defense of the thesis, leaving a minimum of thirty hours of credit to be accomplished in course work. An oral exam or defense, which will situate the thesis in the comprehensive objectives of the literature concentration, will be required one to two weeks prior to the Thesis First Submission Deadline for the Graduate School.

Literature Capstone: Students produce a capstone project, either the Research Essay or the Digital Humanities Teaching Option, which may draw on a student's previous written work in courses, but which must also involve significant further research, meeting the comprehensive objectives of the literature concentration under the supervision of a capstone mentor. In their last semester of graduate study, students take three semester hours of Directed Study credit toward the capstone requirement, leaving a minimum of thirty-three hours of credit to be accomplished in course work. Each capstone requires an annotated bibliography, a major researched essay or an essay/digital presentation, and a presentation in the department. In order to qualify for graduation, all capstone work must be completed by April 15 (spring) or November 15 (fall) and receive the approval of the capstone mentor and the Graduate Committee. Departmental presentations will be scheduled between the deadline and the end of semester
Demonstrated proficiency in a foreign language is required.

▼ The Literature Thesis

The Literature Thesis

English Thesis Deadlines 2024-25

Fall Thesis Deadline: Defend by 10/9/24
Spring Thesis Deadline: Defend by 3/7/25
Summer Thesis Deadline: Defend by 6/13/25

Candidates for the M.A. in English with a concentration in literature must either complete a capstone project (see below) or write a thesis, an extensive research project which may draw on students' previous written work in courses, but which must also involve substantial further research under the supervision of the thesis director. Students must take three to six credit hours of thesis work towards the graduation requirement, in addition to a minimum of 30 credit hours of course work, for a total of 36 hours.

The thesis should be a sustained piece of writing, at least 50 pages, containing original scholarly work and an explicit discussion of methodology and of relevant critical history. After completion of the thesis, an oral examination will be scheduled with the thesis committee, to serve as a defense of the thesis and to demonstrate that the student's M.A. work has fulfilled the comprehensive objectives for the literature concentration. In addition to articulating the assumptions and objectives of the thesis project, the thesis writer should be prepared to demonstrate a broad knowledge of the fields relevant to the thesis at her/his defense.

Procedures

The thesis is generally undertaken after the student has completed most course work. After identifying a thesis director who can support the thesis project, the student will write a prospectus, which must be approved in a prospectus meeting by the thesis committee, made up of three members from the English department, including the thesis director, and one outside member. In addition to a description of the thesis project and an outline of research, the prospectus should include a justification of the contribution the thesis will make to the field of study in which it participates, and a discussion of how the thesis addresses the stated goals of the literature concentration

When the student is ready to begin devoting regular work to the thesis, thesis hours are taken as a course of three to six semester hours, which may be taken in any combination over a period of four semesters. Thesis credit ceases to be current after two years, and the student must be registered for at least one hour of credit during the semester in which the oral defense is conducted.

Registration for Thesis Hours Credit

First Semester of Thesis Hours

In order to register for thesis credit, students must first obtain authorization from their supervising faculty member, then the approval of the Graduate Coordinator and Department Chair by submitting Thesis Hours EH 599 Request Form. Once approval is given, the student will receive an override to register for thesis hours in PAWS.
The English department requires that the Thesis Committee Form be completed in order for any M.A. student to sign up for thesis hours. To get information on Graduate Faculty status and date of appointment for the form, check the Graduate Faculty Roster.

Second Semester of Thesis Hours

File a new Thesis Hours EH 599 Request Form. Once approval is given, the student will receive an override to register for thesis hours in PAWS.
The English Department requires that the Prospectus and the Prospectus Signature Sheet be completed in order for any M.A. student to sign up for a the final semester of thesis hours. Each student must schedule a prospectus meeting at which the three English faculty members on the committee discuss the thesis and approve the prospectus. The Literature Thesis Checklist contains specifications for the prospectus. Information on formatting your signature sheet is available on the Graduate School's Thesis Preparation page.

Submission Procedures and Deadlines

▼ Literature Capstone Options

Literature Capstone Options

Thesis Checklist and Capstone Options for the English M.A.

Students produce a capstone project, either the Research Essay or the Digital Humanities Teaching Option, which may draw on a student's previous written work in courses, but which must also involve significant further research, meeting the comprehensive objectives of the literature concentration under the supervision of a capstone mentor. In their last semester of graduate study, students take three semester hours of Directed Study credit toward the capstone requirement, leaving a minimum of thirty-three hours of credit to be accomplished in course work. Each capstone requires an annotated bibliography, a major researched essay or an essay/digital presentation, and a presentation in the department. In order to qualify for graduation, all capstone work must be completed by April 15 (spring) or November 15 (fall) and receive the approval of the capstone mentor and the Graduate Committee. Departmental presentations will be scheduled between the deadline and the end of semester.

Procedures

Students must submit a capstone form to the Graduate Coordinator for approval by the Graduate Committee by October 15 or May 15 the semester before the capstone. Capstone classes are conducted in fall and spring. Upon approval, students will register for one semester of EH 598: Directed Study—Capstone (3 cr.) with a mentor. The English Graduate Committee must approve the final project.

1. Research Essay

For this option, the student takes a successful seminar paper from a graduate class and, working with a mentor, uses it as the basis for a revised and expanded essay of 25-30 pages.

Fall/Spring Schedule:

The student must meet with the approved mentor during the first week of the semester.

September 1/February 1:

Annotated Bibliography (6-7 pages) due to mentor
Proposal for revisions due to mentor

October 1/March 1:

Revised and expanded essay (25-30 pages) due to mentor for revisions

November 1/April 1:

Final essay submitted to mentor
Student works with mentor on formal paper presentation

November 15/April 15:

Completed essay submitted to Graduate Coordinator for approval by Graduate Committee
Student makes a 15-minute formal paper presentation at department forum

2. Multimedia Teaching Presentation Option

For this option, the student researches an area that the student has previously studied in graduate-level English courses and applies this research to produce theoretically-sound pedagogical materials for one area of a college-level course, such as modernism in a literature survey. The main product will be an essay and digital presentation such as an enhanced slide show or voice thread of about 15 minutes. Note: students electing the digital humanities option must work with a mentor in the mentor’s area and must take responsibility for learning the necessary software.

Fall/Spring Schedule:

The student must meet with the approved mentor during the first week of the semester.

September 1/February 1:

Annotated Bibliography (6-7 pages) due to mentor

October 1/March 1:

Research paper (12-15 pages) that will serve as the basis for enhanced slide show or voice thread due to mentor

October 15/March 15:

Annotated outline of enhanced slide show or voice thread due to mentor
Sample homework or class questions due to mentor

November 15/ April 15:

Completed enhanced slide show or voice thread of about 15 minutes submitted to mentor with sample homework or class questions
Completed unit submitted to Graduate Coordinator for approval by Graduate Committee (unit consists of essay, slide show or voice thread, and sample homework or class questions)
Student presents enhanced slide show or voice thread presentation at department forum (5-minute introduction and 10-minute segment)