Requirements
See University master’s degree requirements. Department requirements are described in detail in the Department of English brochure, M.A. in English, and the English MA Handbook, which are available upon request.
For the M.A., the department requires a minimum of 32 graduate credits in English (courses prefixed with "Eng"), including Eng 500 Problems and Methods of Literary Study, Eng 507 Seminar, 4 credits of pre-1800 British or American literature, 4 credits in literature or rhetoric, whether Anglophone or in translation, before 1900, and 4 credits of critical theory. The remainder of the student’s program may, with the approval of the adviser, include coursework in fields related to English. A minimum of 45 graduate credits is required for the M.A. in English.
In every case, the student’s program must be approved by the departmental adviser and the Director of the English M.A. Program. The student will have a choice of two tracks:
I. The focus area, non-thesis option, emphasizing general coverage of literary material.
II. The Qualifying Essay option, permitting more specialized research.
An exam, which all students must take, will test their general knowledge of the field of English. Students pursuing option I must choose one specialized area of study that will comprise a portion of the rest of their written exam.