GRADUATE PROGRAM
Master of Arts in English
The graduate program in English develops skills in critical thinking, writing, and research, encourages intellectual curiosity, and provides training for careers and professional advancement in related fields such as teaching, editorial work, journalism, publishing, writing, and research.
Students pursuing the MA in English choose between two degree concentrations, Literature or Composition. The two-track curriculum provides two separate fields of study within English, offering multiple career opportunities as well as preparing students for doctoral work.
Requirements for Admission to the Program:
Note: Applications for this program are accepted twice a year: February 1 and October 1 for Fall and Spring semester admission.
Students must fulfill the general requirements for admission to the Graduate College. In addition:
1. Applications must be word-processed or typed, and must indicate a degree concentration: Literature or Composition.
2. In their personal Statement of Goals and Objectives, applicants to the Program in English should specify their reasons for pursuing graduate-level studies in Literature or Composition, and they should identify the background, strengths, and academic skills that they feel will ensure their success as an MA student.
3. All applicants must submit a representative sample of academic or professional writing that demonstrates their critical thinking and/or research strengths and indicates their ability to do well in advanced study in English Literature or Composition. The writing sample should not exceed 15 pages in length, and should preferably be work completed for an upper-division undergraduate course in English or for a graduate-level English course. (Those who cannot meet this requirement may petition the Graduate Coordinator for admission in a written statement.)
4. The Graduate Records Examination (GRE) is a nationally recognized indicator of the verbal and written skills typically needed to fulfill graduate-level study in English. GRE scores are not required for admission, but they may be submitted to supplement an application.
Literature Concentration:
As the Master’s degree is understood to build upon an already solid foundation of literary study, applicants seeking admission to the MA program in English, Literature concentration, must have a BA in English (or a minimum of 30 credit hours of undergraduate work in literature and composition), including reasonable coverage of British and American literature and at least one course in Literary Criticism. Students who do not meet these requirements may be offered a provisional admission and allowed to complete their undergraduate training at NEIU prior to taking courses toward the MA degree.
Composition Concentration:
As the Master’s degree is understood to build upon an already solid foundation of study, applicants seeking admission to the MA program in English, Composition concentration, must have a BA in English, English Education, or a related field subject to the approval of the Graduate Committee in Composition. Students who do not meet these requirements may be offered a provisional admission and allowed to complete their undergraduate training at NEIU prior to taking courses toward the MA degree.
NOTE: All petitions to transfer between degree concentrations are subject to the admissions requirements of the track into which a student is transferring.
Requirements for the Degree:
All graduate credits must be at the 400 level, except for a maximum of two 300-level courses specifically approved for graduate degree credits in English (see list below). Be sure to consult with your program advisor before registering for any 300-level course.
The graduate program requires 33 credit hours of coursework in literature (principally British and American), or 33 hours with a concentration in composition. (The specifics of each program are defined below.) Both programs require a final written examination.
Good Standing in the Program:
1. All students must maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average in the program.
2. Regardless of overall grade point average, grades of C or below at the master’s level indicate a need for increased academic application. If more than one grade of C is received, a student must petition the departmental Graduate Committee in writing for permission to continue.
Thesis Option:
An optional scholarly thesis is open to degree candidates enrolled in either degree track, and may be written in place of two 400-level electives. This option is subject to departmental approval. The student, in consultation with a thesis advisor and the Graduate Coordinator, will submit a thesis proposal that must be approved before they can register for the Thesis Seminar (ENGL 453). Students completing the thesis option will give an oral defense of their thesis before a departmental committee prior to filing the project with the Graduate College.
Examination:
After completing a minimum of 27 semester hours toward the MA in English, degree candidates in both concentrations must pass a written examination, offered twice a year. A student who fails any part of the examination may take that part a second time. Students must petition the Graduate Committee in writing for permission to retake any portion of the exam for a third and final time. Additional course work may be required before such permission is granted.
Literature Concentration:
A student’s coursework should be planned with a view to achieving adequate and substantial preparation in British and American literature, with some work in world literature. In addition to coursework, students must maintain good academic standing in the program and pass a comprehensive examination in English Literature. The program includes the following course work:
Required Courses:
ENGL 410 Literary Method and Practice 3 credits
ENGL 430 Studies in Literary Criticism 3 credits
Two American literature courses at the 400 level 6 credits
Three British literature courses at the 400 level 9 credits
Two electives chosen from 300-level (only those approved
for graduate degree credit) and/or 400-level courses 6 credits
ENGL 453 Thesis Seminar in English
or
Two additional 400-level courses 6 credits
Total 33 credits
Composition Concentration:
Students must complete the Core Curriculum coursework plus 18 hours of approved electives. In addition, students must maintain good academic standing in the program and pass a comprehensive exam in composition theory.
Core Curriculum: 15 credits
ENGL 433: Seminar in Composition Theory
ENGL 434: Seminar in Basic Writing Theory
ENGL 435: Writing Assessment: Theory and Practice
ENGL 436: Rhetorics of Composition
ENGL 438: Research in Composition
Electives: 18 credits
To be chosen with the approval of the Graduate Advisor in Composition and in accordance with the following provisions:
— no more than 6 hours at the 300 level (selected from a limited list)
— no more than 9 hours in any one area of study designated below
Total 33 credits
Literature: American, British and/or International
Writing: Craft and Genre
ENGL 376: Advanced Composition: Grammar and Style
ENGL 377: Argumentative Prose
ENGL 453: Thesis Seminar in English (6 credit hours)
Rhetoric: Theory and History
ENGL 430: Studies in Literary Criticism
ENGL 437: Contemporary Composition Issues
ENGL 439: Stylistics
CMT COMM 322: Rhetorical Theory and Criticism
CMT COMM 404: Communication Theory
Language: Theory and History
LING 401: Fundamentals of Modern Linguistics
LING 410: Techniques of Teaching English as a Second Language (Prerequisite: LING 401 and 414)
LING 414: Theories of Teaching English as a Second Language (Prerequisite: LING 401)
LING 446: Sociolinguistics (Prerequisite: LING 401)
Note: You may get permission from the Graduate Advisor to take courses not included on this list to meet the elective requirement.