Program Objectives
The Department of English offers the M.A. in English to a diverse selection of students and teachers from Pennsylvania and beyond. The degree, which is structured yet flexible enough to accommodate a wide range of needs and interests, is particularly well suited for applicants seeking to:
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prepare for doctoral programs elsewhere
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enhance or develop secondary English teaching credentials
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develop professional writing and consulting skills
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take courses to accumulate Act 48 credits
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satisfy a personal love or interest in the field of English
At the heart of the program lies a broad, well-rounded English studies curriculum with required courses in the four core fields of literature, linguistics, composition, and theory. Students are free to build upon this common base, adapting their elective coursework to suit their own goals. Our graduate faculty members contribute a wide range of interests and specializations to the curriculum. The small, congenial size of our program encourages close working relationships between students and faculty.
Admission Requirements
Preferred candidates for admission to the M.A. program have a minimum undergraduate QPA of 2.75 and positive recommendations from three referees, at least two of whom will have known the applicant in an academic context. GRE scores for the general test must be reported, along with an official transcript of academic work. A brief (1-2 page) "Statement of Interests and Goals" should accompany the application as well. (Please refer to the program Website for further information regarding the admissions process. Students with difficulties satisfying these requirements may still be eligible for provisional admission, depending on the circumstances.)
Degree Requirements
The degree of Master of Arts in English is conferred upon candidates who satisfy the following requirements:
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maintenance of a minimum cumulative QPA of 3.0
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completion of the designated 36 semester hours of graduate study
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completion of the requirements for one of three qualifying options
These requirements are described in more detail below:
QUALITY-POINT AVERAGE
Students must maintain a minimum QPA of 3.0 in the program. Students falling below this average, or who accumulate more than six semester hours below the grade of B, are placed on academic probation and given one semester in which to remedy the average. (Please refer to the Graduate Division's section on "Good Academic Standing" for further details.)
COURSEWORK
Students are required to complete a total of 36 semester hours of approved graduate classes-18 from required courses, and 18 from electives. (Courses marked with an asterisk may be repeated as elective courses, provided their content is substantially and demonstrably different.)
Required Courses
ENG 501: INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH STUDIES ENG
509: SEMINAR IN LITERARY THEORY
ENG 510*: SEMINAR IN ENGLISH LITERATURE
ENG 511*: SEMINAR IN AMERICAN LITERATURE
ENG 520: SEMINAR IN WRITING: THEORY & RESEARCH
ENG 530: SEMINAR IN LINGUISTICS
Elective Courses
ENG 512*: SEMINAR IN LITERARY STUDIES
ENG 515: SEMINAR IN FILM
ENG 521: SEMINAR IN COMPOSITION STUDIES
ENG 522: PRACTICUM IN COLLEGE TEACHING
ENG 523: INTERNSHIP IN WRITING
ENG 531: SEMINAR IN THE HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
ENG 534*: WORKSHOPS IN ENGLISH
ENG 540: INDEPENDENT STUDY
ENG 562: METHODOLOGY IN TEACHING ENGLISH TO NON-NATIVE SPEAKERS
ENG 563: SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
ENG 601: THESIS AND RESEARCH
In addition to the courses listed above, the following 400-level courses all have graduate sections and may be taken as graduate electives: ENG 401, ENG 412, ENG 413, ENG 457, ENG 458, ENG 459, and ENG 482. No more than six semester hours of 400-level courses may be taken for graduate credit.
QUALIFYING OPTIONS
To complete the M.A., students must choose one of three qualifying options, or "degree tracks": the thesis option, the examination option, and the coursework option. The thesis and examination options are designed primarily (though not exclusively) for students who plan to go on to doctoral programs or other professional work in the field of English, while the coursework option is designed (though again not exclusively) for students who wish to further their study of English at the graduate level, but are not anticipating a career in research.
Thesis Option
Students who choose the thesis track must complete 30 hours of regular graduate coursework, plus six hours of ENG 601; propose, research, and compose an acceptable master's thesis; and defend the thesis in an oral qualifying examination, conducted by members of the student's Master's Committee.
Examination Option
Students who choose the examination track must complete 33 hours of regular graduate coursework, plus 3 hours of ENG 601; and take and pass a written qualifying examination, administered by the student's Master's Committee.
Coursework Option
Students who choose the coursework track must complete 36 hours of regular graduate coursework and submit a portfolio of three representative seminar papers drawn from those courses.
Students choosing the thesis and examination options must have advanced to candidacy before registering for ENG 601 credits. Candidacy is granted upon formation of a Master's Committee. For further details concerning the steps and procedures of the qualifying process, please contact the program coordinator or consult the program's Website.
Graduate Assistantships
The department offers a small number of graduate assistantship positions in the Writing Center which provide stipends and tuition waivers to recipients. Working closely with faculty, undergraduates, and fellow graduate students, graduate assistants gain invaluable hands-on experience in the business of teaching and thinking about writing, including opportunities to:
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tutor and consult one-on-one with student writers
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assist in first-year writing classes
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develop professional expertise in writing and consulting
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acquire technical skills with writing software and computers in a lab setting
The Writing Center is also authorized to award COLLEGE READING & LEARNING ASSOCIATION TUTOR CERTIFICATION to writing consultants who meet the training and tutoring hour qualifications.
Assistantships in the Writing Center are limited in number; as a result, awards are highly competitive. (Additional assistantships outside the Writing Center are available from the university.) Students applying for positions in the Writing Center should make sure that at least one reference letter addresses the applicant's potential to tutor writing in a college setting. Applicants should submit an additional statement explaining their interest in the graduate assistantship position and outlining their qualifications for the job. Interviews are required of new applicants for positions in the Writing Center (arrangements can be made with the Writing Center director). Decisions are made at the beginning of May for the following academic year; applicants should therefore complete their applications by the middle of April, at the latest, in order to be considered.
