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Nov 22, 2024
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2005-2007 EIU Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
English
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 Return to: Graduate Degree Programs
Program Mission: The Master of Arts in English offers students opportunities to pursue advanced training in one of three areas of concentration: Literary Studies, Literary Studies with Creative Writing emphasis, Composition/Rhetoric and Professional Writing. The program will prepare students for careers in a variety of fields, including secondary and college-level teaching, editing and publishing, research and technical writing in either the private or the public sector. Master of arts graduates will also be prepared to undertake further study at the doctoral level. Close contact with the department’s excellent graduate faculty allows students to deepen their knowledge of literary study, the teaching of writing and literature, and the use of technology for both scholarly and practical research. Graduate assistantships, internships, mentorships, and some classroom teaching are available and integrated into students’ individualized programs of study. Admission Requirements: To be eligible for degree candidacy, applicants must meet all of the requirements for admission to the Graduate School (see “ Admission to Graduate Degree and Certificate Programs”). In addition, applicants must provide a documented score on the General Test of the Graduate Record Exam and submit an essay stating the reasons for applying. Candidates applying to the Literary Studies with Creative Writing Emphasis Concentration need to submit a portfolio of creative writing. International students must also document a score of at least 600 on the TOEFL.
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Degree Requirements
Degree requirements include those outlined for the master’s degree by the Graduate School (see “ Requirements for the Master’s Degree”). In addition, the Master of Arts in English is earned either by satisfactorily completing 30 hours of coursework and a thesis, or 33 hours of coursework and passing a comprehensive examination. A maximum of nine semester hours earned in scheduled English courses numbered 4750-4999 and/or (with prior approval) of courses numbered 5000 and above in other departments can be applied towards the Master of Arts in English. Degree candidates in English must meet all degree requirements stipulated by the Graduate School. Concentrations for the Master of Arts in English
Literary Studies
The required coursework for the 30 hour option with the thesis and the 33 hour option with written comprehensive exams are listed below: 30 Hour Option and Thesis Required Courses
Curriculum for Candidates Not Holding Assistantships
Total Hours with Thesis. Credits: 33 to 36
- Literature Courses. Credits: 18
- Electives. Credits: 9
- Thesis. Credits: 3 to 6
Curriculum for Candidates Holding Assistantships
Total Hours with Thesis. Credits: 33 to 36
- Literature Courses. Credits: 15
- Electives. Credits: 5
- Thesis. Credits: 3 to 6
33 Hour Option and Exam Required Courses
Curriculum for Candidates Not Holding Assistantships
Total Hours with Exam. Credits: 36
- Literature Courses. Credits: 18
- Electives. Credits: 12
- Examination/Tutorial. Credits: 3
Curriculum for Candidates Holding Assistantships
Total Hours with Exam. Credits: 36
- Literature Courses. Credits: 18
- Electives. Credits: 5
- Examination/Tutorial. Credits: 3
Literary Studies with Creative Writing Emphasis
Electives in this concentration include courses in creative writing, literature, rhetoric, or professional writing. All candidates in this option must complete a master’s thesis. Final approval for the creative writing thesis will be granted after a portfolio of creative work receives written approval from three members of the graduate faculty who regularly teach courses in creative writing. (At least one creative writing course shall be in the genre chosen for the thesis.) 30 Hour Option and Thesis Required Courses
Curriculum for Candidates Not Holding Assistantships
Total Hours with Thesis. Credits: 33 to 36
- Literature Courses. Credits: 12
- Electives. Credits: 9
(See footnote *)
- Thesis. Credits: 3 to 6
- Advanced Creative Writing Courses. Credits: 6
Curriculum for Candidates Holding Assistantships
Total Hours with Thesis. Credits: 33 to 36
- Literature Courses. Credits: 9
- Electives. Credits: 5
(See footnote *)
- Thesis. Credits: 3 to 6
- Advanced Creative Writing Courses. Credits: 6
Footnotes
* The electives in this option are chosen from creative writing, literature, rhetoric, and professional writing. Composition/Rhetoric and Professional Writing
The required courses for the 30 hour option with a thesis and the 30 hour option with a comprehensive exam/tutorial are listed below: 30 Hour Option and Thesis Required Courses
Curriculum for Composition/Rhetoric All Candidates
Total Hours with Thesis. Credits: 33 to 36
- Electives. Credits: 17
- Thesis. Credits: 3 to 6
Curriculum for Professional Writing Candidates Not Holding Assistantships
Total Hours with Thesis. Credits: 33 to 36
- Electives. Credits: 15
- Thesis. Credits: 3 to 6
Curriculum for Professional Writing Candidates Holding Assistantships
Total Hours with Thesis. Credits: 33 to 36
- Electives. Credits: 14
(See footnote **)
- Thesis. Credits: 3 to 6
33 Hour Option and Exam Required Courses
Curriculum for Composition/Rhetoric All Candidates
Total Hours with Exam. Credits: 36
- Electives. Credits: 20
(See footnote **)
- Examination/Tutorial. Credits: 3
Curriculum for Professional Writing Candidates Not Holding Assistantships
Total Hours with Exam. Credits: 36
- Electives. Credits: 18
(See footnote **)
- Examination/Tutorial. Credits: 3
Curriculum for Professional Writing Candidates Holding Assistantships
Total Hours with Exam. Credits: 36
- Electives. Credits: 17
(See footnote **)
- Examination/Tutorial. Credits: 3
Study Plan Approval
The study plan shall be developed in consultation with the English Department’s Graduate Coordinator; the final plan must be approved by the department and filed with the graduate coordinator during the semester prior to the term the candidate plans to graduate. Students must declare their area of concentrated study no later than their second semester Graduate Assistantships
Candidates applying for an assistantship must have a GPA of 3.00. They need to submit to the Coordinator of Graduate Studies the following documents: a completed application form (available on the Graduate School’s web site), two letters of recommendation, and a writing sample (a professional, scholarly, or creative essay of at least 1000 words). More information on assistantships may be obtained by contacting the Coordinator of Graduate Studies or Chair, Department of English, 3135 Coleman Hall, EIU. Footnotes
** Electives recommended in this concentration include the following: ENG 4760 Writing for the Professions; ENG 5091 Studies in Language, Linguistics, and Literacy; INT 4813 Advanced Digital Media Technology; JOU 4760 Advanced Publication Design |
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