English, M.A.
Vision
The vision of the Department of English and Modern Languages is to chart a course for English students to engage globally in a variety of professions, including teaching, research, and related technology, all of which are underpinned by expertise in English skills.
Program Overview
The Department of English and Modern Languages offers a varied and rich curriculum to graduate students. The department is particularly proud of its multicultural approach to teaching literature and its efforts to expand the curriculum to include Africana, Caribbean, Asian, and Native American literatures. Graduate students pursuing the Master of Arts Degree in English must take the standard British and American literature courses plus additional courses in African American and Africana literature and pass a foreign language examination and a sitting comprehensive examination in four areas of literature: American, African- American, British, and Africana. In addition, graduate students must write a thesis reflecting extensive research in a literary topic or linguistic field that relates to literature.
Admissions Requirements
In addition to the General Admissions Requirements as published in this Catalog, applicants to the Master of Arts Degree in English must have completed twenty-four (24) credits of undergraduate English courses above the sophomore level with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.3.
Program Objectives
- Introduce various genres of literature written by American, African American, British and multiethnic/cultural authors.
- Study of literature to describe the differences and commonalities of global cultures.
- Prepare students for advanced studies as well as careers in education, research, creative writing, and other professions.
- Complete a thesis on topics relating to American, African American, British, and/or ethnic literatures using literary criticism and theory to develop the work’s thesis.
- Ethnic literatures using literary criticism and theory to develop the work’s thesis.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students pursuing the Master of Arts Degree in English will be able to:
- Apply literary theories from various cultures around the world for analytical, critical and scholarly articles and research papers.
- Communicate effectively in written and oral formats essential works of literature by American, African American, British, and other multiethnic/cultural authors.
- Utilize theory based literary texts to interpret short and long essays and analyze the commonalities and differences between and/or among multi-ethnic/cultural literatures.
- Write annotated bibliographies and bibliographic essays using relevant scholarly articles and/or books published in various formats.
- Apply theoretical knowledge from a literary and/or linguistic perspective to analyze and interpret texts and construct research papers, proposals and theses.
Degree Requirements
In addition to the General Degree Requirements as published in this Catalog, candidates for the Master of Arts Degree in English must complete the following requirements:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| CENG 502 | Methods of Research | 3 |
| or CENG 602 | Methods of Research | |
| CENG 581 | History of English Language | 3 |
| or CENG 681 | History of English Language | |
| CENG 560 | Literary Theory & Criticism | 3 |
| or CENG 660 | Special Topics in Writing | |
| American Literature | ||
| Select at least two of the following: | 6 | |
| Early American Literature | ||
or CENG 610 | Early American Literature | |
| American Poetry | ||
or CENG 611 | American Poetry and Poetics | |
CENG 512 | ||
or CENG 612 | ||
| American Realism & Naturalism | ||
or CENG 613 | American Realism & Naturalism | |
| The American Novel | ||
or CENG 614 | ||
CENG 515 | ||
or CENG 615 | Contemporary Amer Literature | |
| Modern American Drama | ||
or CENG 616 | ||
| African American Literature/African and Caribbean Literatures | ||
| Select at least two of the following: | 6 | |
| Ideas & Forms in Afr Amer Lit | ||
or CENG 620 | Ideas & Forms in Afr Amer Lit | |
CENG 521 | ||
or CENG 621 | ||
| African American Novel | ||
or CENG 622 | African American Novel | |
| Poetry of the Harlem Renaissan | ||
or CENG 623 | Poetry of the Harlem Renaissan | |
CENG 524 | ||
or CENG 624 | ||
| The African Novel | ||
or CENG 630 | The African Novel | |
CENG 531 | ||
or CENG 631 | ||
| African Cultural Traditions | ||
or CENG 632 | African Cultural Traditions | |
| Caribbean Short Fiction & Nove | ||
or CENG 633 | ||
CENG 534 | ||
or CENG 634 | ||
CENG 535 | ||
or CENG 635 | Commonwealth Literature | |
| British Literature | ||
| Select at least two of the following: | 6 | |
CENG 540 | ||
or CENG 640 | ||
CENG 541 | ||
or CENG 641 | ||
CENG 542 | ||
or CENG 642 | ||
| Victorian Literature | ||
or CENG 643 | Victorian Literature | |
| Shakespeare I: The Early Plays | ||
or CENG 644 | Shakespear I: The Early Plays | |
CENG 545 | ||
or CENG 645 | ||
| Modern British Drama | ||
or CENG 646 | ||
| Renaissance Literature | ||
or CENG 647 | Renaissance Literature | |
CENG 548 | ||
or CENG 648 | ||
CENG 549 | ||
or CENG 649 | ||
| Elective Courses | ||
| Select one of the above or below listed courses: | 3 | |
| Comtemporary Afr Women's Fict. | ||
or CENG 690 | ||
| Afr Amer Women Writers:Genre. | ||
or CENG 691 | Carribbean Women Writers | |
CENG 592 | ||
or CENG 692 | Ethnic Amer Women Writers | |
| Southern Women Writers | ||
or CENG 693 | Southern Women Writers | |
| Literary Theory & Criticism 1 | ||
or CENG 660 | Special Topics in Writing | |
| Special Topics in Literature 1 | ||
or CENG 670 | Special Topics in Literature | |
| Modern Linguistics | ||
or CENG 680 | Directed Research | |
| Major Authors | ||
| Thesis Research | ||
| Complete thesis requirement | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 33 | |
- 1
Content Varies. Course may be repeated for credit.
Qualifying Examination
Students will take sitting comprehensive exams during final semester of coursework.
Thesis Research
Students must submit an acceptable thesis in the form of a scholarly presentation of a research problem. Three (3) credits will be awarded for completing the thesis requirement. The thesis topic must be approved by the student's major advisor/chair and members of the thesis committee.
English, M.A.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | |
| CENG XXX | African American Literature | 3 |
| CENG 581 | History of English Language | 3 |
| CENG 560 | Literary Theory & Criticism | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CENG 502 | Methods of Research | 3 |
| CENG XXX | American Literature | 3 |
| CENG XXX | British Literature | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| CENG XXX | African American Literature | 3 |
| CENG XXX | American Literature | 3 |
| CENG XXX | British Literature | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CENG XXX | Elective | 3 |
| CENG XXX | Thesis Research | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 33 | |