Requirements
Program Overview
The Department of Language and Literature provides a strong academic curriculum and excellent instruction enriched with Christian values for students of all backgrounds to achieve their highest potential in scholarship. The Master of Arts (M.A.) in English extends the undergraduate curriculum and offers expanded study in language, literature, composition theory and practice, literary theory and criticism, literary history, cultural studies, creative writing, and readings in diverse texts. Succesful students in the program write with a high degree of accuracy, effectiveness, and fluency. The program gives emphasis to bibliographical study and research techniques at an advanced level. Students have the opportunity to read critically and appreciatively in the best of the world’s literatures.
Master’s level study in English, including required competence in a foreign language, prepares students for a variety of possible careers, including doctoral level study/research and college level teaching. In addition, graduate study in English can lead to careers in publishing, professional writing, library work, and government service, as well as study and work in law and in the ministry. Students may choose between thesis and non-thesis options in the planned curriculum.
Admission Requirements
In addition to the general admission requirements for all graduate programs at William Carey University, the M.A. in English is based upon the following criteria for admission:
- At least 15 hours of undergraduate English courses (nine of these hours must be upper level) with a 3.0 GPA in these courses, not including courses in the core curriculum;
- A combined score of 293 (850 on the old scale) on the verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE. Students may be admitted on a discretionary basis if GRE score is above 291 (800 on the old scale) and they have at least a 3.5 undergraduate GPA.
- Critical writing sample (10-15 page paper in MLA format);
- Three narrative letters of recommendation;
- Have 12 semester hours or intermediate level proficiency in one modern foreign language or agree to meet those requirements during the course of study for the M.A.
Curriculum
The M.A. degree requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate work in English. The degree offers thesis (24 hours of course work plus 6 hours of thesis) and non-thesis ( 30 hours of course work followed by a comprehensive exam) options, giving students increased flexibility and research opportunities. Six semester hours are required for all M.A. students (ENG 601 - Bibliography and Research and ENG 515 - History of the English Language). Other courses may be selected from the graduate course list which are generally offered on a two-year rotation schedule. In the last trimester of enrollment, candidates for the M.A. in English who elect the non-thesis option must take written comprehensive examinations based on course work; students who elect the thesis option must take an oral exam which will include a defense of the thesis.
1. Six required semester hours for all M.A. students must be ENG 601 - Bibliography and Research and ENG 515 - History of the English Language ;
2a. For non-thesis option, 24 semester hours of graduate electives in English chosen in consultation with advisor;
2b. For students electing the thesis option, 18 hours of graduate electives in English, chosen in consultation with advisor, and six hours of thesis, ENG 698 and ENG 699 .
3. In the last trimester of enrollment, candidates for the M.A. in English must take either a written comprehensive examination based on course work (non-thesis option) or an oral exam to include defense of the thesis (thesis option). If judged unsatisfactory, all or part of the written/oral examination may be retaken once in the following trimester or summer term.
4. No more than nine hours of 500 level course work may be applied toward the degree. A 400 level course taken for undergraduate credit at Carey can neither be changed to graduate credit nor repeated for graduate credit on the 500 level.
5. Students must maintain a B or 3.0 GPA to continue in the program, and graduate work must be completed with a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Students making a third grade of C or lower may not repeat any other courses and will be dismissed from the program.
6. After completing nine hours in the program, students must complete a progress report with an advisor and complete a signed program of study for the degree.
7. Students may satisfy the foreign language requirement with 12 semester hours of undergraduate course work in one modern foreign language (or the equivalent of the intermediate level). An alternative option is the submission of an acceptable score demonstrating intermediate level proficiency on the CLEP in French, German or Spanish. If the student does not pass the exam, the foreign language requirement must be met by passing the intermediate level courses.
8. Students may change from the thesis to the non-thesis option. Students who have already completed the thesis classes but decide not to complete the thesis must take six additional hours of graduate English classes and pass the comprehensive exam.
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