The Master of Arts in English Literature and Publishing program (formerly the Master of Arts in English) offers graduate courses in all periods of English and American literature as well as professional training in teaching, publishing, creative writing, and/or pre-PhD scholarship, if desired. The curriculum offers flexibility so that students may tailor their program to their professional needs and includes options for independent study, internships, and thesis research.
Elective courses in the MA in English Literature and Publishing may be expanded to include graduate certificate programs. With planning, combined MA + certificate programs may require no additional coursework to fulfill all requirements.
Students participating in a combined MA + certificate program should consult with their academic advisor to determine what coursework might count toward both programs. A separate application process for the certificate is required. Students who are interested in any of the following combination programs should contact the Graduate Student Services Office for additional information.
- Literature and Publishing + Teaching English in Two-Year Colleges Certificate
- Literature and Publishing + Digital Humanities Certificate
- Literature and Publishing + Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Certificate
- Literature and Publishing + Women’s and Gender Studies Certificate
| Program Requirements | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|
| Degree Requirements | 48 |
| Total hours required | 48 |
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a working knowledge of the major movements, authors, and canons of literature in English.
- Engage with foundational schools and methods of literary criticism, and apply this knowledge to produce coherent and effectively supported interpretations of literary works.
- Complete effective research papers that survey and evaluate previous efforts in literary criticism; offer an original contribution to scholarship on the topic at hand; defend this argument with appropriate exposition and textual support; document primary and secondary sources accurately.
- Analyze the meanings and values inherent in the terms "literature" and "literary studies" in diverse and changing professional contexts.
- Apply knowledge, vocabulary, and tools of literary study in professional contexts and genres, such as classroom teaching, conference papers, creative and multimedia content production, editing, course plans and syllabi, and/or oral presentations.
Degree Requirements
Course Requirements
48 hours of graduate credit in English
Two Professional Development Courses in English, Publishing, Teaching: 8 hours
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Any two courses from the following: | 8 | |
| LITERARY THEORY (If desired) | ||
| TEACHING CREATIVE WRITING | ||
| TEACHING LITERATURE | ||
| TOPICS IN PUBLISHING | ||
| TOPICS IN TEACHING | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVE WRITING | ||
| WRITING WORKSHOP TOPICS | ||
| TRAVEL WRITING | ||
| WRITING THE PERSONAL ESSAY | ||
| SCREENWRITING | ||
| WRITING FOR MAGAZINES | ||
| SCIENCE WRITING | ||
| WRITING FICTION | ||
| WRITING POETRY | ||
| NOVELS I | ||
| NOVELS II | ||
| TOPICS IN EDITING | ||
| WRITING THE LITERATURE OF FACT | ||
Five Courses in English Literature: 20 hours
At least one pre-1800 course:
- Medieval Literature
- Renaissance Literature
- Restoration/Eighteenth-Century British and/or Early American Literature
At least one pre-1900 course:
- Any of the above
- Nineteenth-Century British (Romantic and Victorian)
- Nineteenth-Century American Literature
Five Electives: 20 hours
Students may choose from
- English and American period courses
- Studies in Literature
- Language and Style
- Creative Writing courses in Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction (including Memoir, Personal Essay, Science and Nature Writing, and Travel Writing)
- Independent Study (maximum of four hours)
- Internship (maximum of four hours)
- Thesis Research (maximum of four hours; available for students exercising the thesis option)
Good Standing
To achieve good standing in the program, students must:
- Complete at least three courses within twelve months of their admission to the program, and
- Maintain an overall grade-point average of at least 3.0. Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 will be placed on probation and given two quarters to raise their average to the minimum 3.0 level. Students on probation are required to consult with the program director before registering for classes. Failure to meet these requirements constitutes grounds for dismissal.
Thesis Option
A thesis option is available to students who have a promising idea for an appropriate project. Proposals must earn the approval of an English Department graduate faculty member, who will serve as project director, and of the Program Director. Credit is earned through ENG 501. Please see the Program Director for more information on this option.