Degree Requirements
The Master of Arts in English is conferred upon those candidates who successfully complete an approved program of study consisting of at least 36 semester hours of graduate credit with a cumulative GPA of 3.00. A comprehensive examination is prepared and administered by the Joint Program Committee, and is taken by all candidates after the completion of at least 27 hours of coursework. This comprehensive examination is a thorough review of the fields covered in the student's program. For those who complete a thesis, a satisfactory oral defense is also required before final certification for the degree. Specific requirements are listed below:
Thesis Option
British Literature Before 1700 - 6 hours
British Literature After 1700 - 6 hours
American Literature - 6 hours
Electives - 12 hours
Thesis and Oral Defense of Thesis - 6 hours
Comprehensive Examination
Demonstration of competency in one foreign language, ancient or modern
Non-thesis Option
British Literature Before 1700 - 6 hours
British Literature After 1700 - 6 hours
American Literature - 6 hours
Electives - 18 hours
Comprehensive Examination
Demonstration of competency in one foreign language, ancient or modern
Notes
1. At least one course must be a seminar.
2. Electives outside the discipline of English must be approved by the Joint Program Committee.
3. The foreign language requirement can be satisfied by translating a passage provided by the graduate director or by achieving an acceptable score on a standardized foreign language exam. Acceptable languages will include at least the following: German, French, Italian, Spanish, Ancient Greek, Latin. Others will be considered on a case-by-case basis. This requirement must be satisfied before taking the comprehensive examination.
4. At least nine hours of coursework must be taken at each campus.