2009-2010 Catalog
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ENGLISH AND LANGUAGES
Master of English and Languages
Graduate studies in English are designed to continue, enrich, and enhance education in literature, rhetoric, and language. The Department of English and Languages offers the Master of Arts with a thesis and non-thesis track. The thesis track is designed primarily for students planning a career in college teaching; this track also prepares students to continue graduate studies toward the doctorate in English. The non-thesis track is designed primarily for students planning to continue their teaching careers at the secondary level. Students should choose between these two tracks according to their individual needs and goals.
To gain full admission to a master's program in English, students should have an undergraduate major in English and a minimum of 14 undergraduate hours (or the equivalent) in one foreign language. Those who lack the necessary background will be required to complete appropriate undergraduate leveling work. The departmental graduate admissions committee reviews transcripts and determines the nature and amount of leveling required. Students should take no more than six hours of graduate classes before completing leveling requirements.
The department head will assist students in selecting courses, establishing a graduate committee, and deciding between the thesis and non-thesis tracks. Once the student has selected a committee made up of three departmental graduate faculty members, the committee head will serve as the student's graduate advisor. The advisor will assist the student in developing a degree plan and will oversee the thesis (for thesis track) or directed reading (for non-thesis track). Students choosing the thesis track must also receive approval from the graduate admissions committee.
Master of Arts Degree in English - Thesis Track
The MA in English with thesis requires 36 semester hours of graduate English credit. All students must complete English 598 (Methods of Bibliography and Research Analysis). Students also complete departmental courses in the four following categories: 1) American literature, 2) British literature, 3) rhetoric or composition, 4) other. Students may take one English 586 (Special Problems) course; typically this course is taken the semester before the thesis and used to develop the thesis subject.
A written comprehensive examination (see below) must be taken and passed before students begin formal work on the thesis. When other requirements are completed, students enroll in 6 hours of English 588 (Thesis) and complete the thesis according to the standards and policies determined by the English department and the College of Graduate Studies. An oral defense of the thesis is required.
Master of Arts Degree in English - Non-Thesis Track
The MA in English without thesis requires 36 semester hours of graduate credit. All students must complete English 598 (Methods of Bibliography and Research Analysis) and 580 (Studies in the Teaching of Composition). Students also complete departmental courses in the three following categories: 1) American literature, 2) British literature, 3) other (courses in areas other than American and British literature or Rhetoric and Composition). Students also complete one research-based course in directed readings (English 586 Special Problems) as the culmination of the graduate course work.
Students on the non-thesis track may select up to six hours of graduate courses in an outside area (such as history or education) with the guidance and approval of the graduate advisor and the department head.
Comprehensive Examination
The written comprehensive examination is required of all students. This examination will be constructed, administered, and evaluated by the student's graduate committee. The committee consists of three members of the graduate English faculty. Non-thesis track students who choose to complete six hours of their course work in a field other than English must include on the committee an additional graduate faculty member from the outside area. An additional question pertaining to the outside specialization will be included on the examination.
If the student's performance is judged to be unsatisfactory, the committee may require the student to retake the examination. The committee may also stipulate additional course work in areas of perceived weakness as a prerequisite.