English, MA
Degree: Master of Arts (MA)
Field of Study: English
Program Overview
The department offers a Master of Arts program devoted to literatures in English.
Admissions
Candidates for graduate work in English should present an undergraduate major in English or a minimum of 18 credit hours of English (or its equivalent) beyond the first-year level. In some cases, students will be required to make up deficiencies in their preparation without receiving graduate credit. Candidates must also submit a writing sample, consisting of at least 15 pages of academic writing.
A maximum of 6 credit hours of transfer credit will be accepted from another institution and applied toward the MA, provided they were earned in graduate-level courses, with the approval of the department and the Dean of Graduate Studies. Such courses must have been taken within five years of matriculation at Case Western Reserve University and passed with grades of B or better.
Learning Outcomes
- To understand the professional contours of the discipline and get hands-on practice at long-form literary critical writing.
Graduate Assistantships
New and continuing graduate students are normally supported with graduate assistantships providing tuition remission and a living stipend. Assistantships are awarded by the dean on the recommendation of the department. All graduate assistants are required to take university- and department-level teacher training courses during their first semester at the university.
Teaching is viewed as an essential part of the education of graduate students aspiring to academic posts, and is required of all students awarded assistantships. The department provides opportunities for graduate assistants to gain teaching experience in a variety of courses and in the Writing Resource Center.
Graduate Policies
For graduate policies and procedures, please review the School of Graduate Studies section of the General Bulletin.
Program Requirements
Students initially admitted to the Master of Arts program in English complete 30 credit hours and either an oral examination or a written thesis. Students take three courses in the first semester and one or two per semester for the balance of the degree. All MA students take ENGL 400 and ENGL 487 (or an equivalent course in theory). Students must also take at least one and no more than four courses from each of the following areas:
- ENGL 510 Research Methods
- British Literature before 1800
- British Literature since 1800
- American Literature
- Other departmental offerings at the 400- or 500-levels, including linguistics, rhetoric, critical theory, film, and creative writing. (Note that students must obtain the instructor's permission to enroll in some of these courses.)
In addition, attendance at all department colloquium events is required.
Master's Non-Thesis Option
Non-thesis students take the MA Comprehensive Examination, a 90-minute oral examination covering a set reading list, over the course of their final three semesters of study.
Master's Thesis Option
Students pursuing the Thesis Option complete 21 credit hours of coursework and write a thesis over the course of the second year that reflects 9 credit hours of writing and research. While there is no comprehensive examination for students pursuing the Thesis Option, students must nevertheless earn a unanimous “pass” on the thesis and the thesis defense from a supervisory committee.
Sample Plans of Study
Non-Thesis Option Plan of Study
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| ENGL 400/500-level courses | 9 | |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 610 | Exam M.A. | 1 |
| ENGL 400/500-level courses | 6 | |
| Credit Hours | 7 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 610 | Exam M.A. | 1 |
| ENGL 400/500-level courses | 6 | |
| Credit Hours | 7 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 610 | Exam M.A. | 1 |
| ENGL 400/500-level courses | 6 | |
| Credit Hours | 7 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
Thesis Option Plan of Study
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| ENGL 400/500-level courses | 9 | |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 651 | Thesis M.A. | 1 |
| ENGL 400/500-level courses | 6 | |
| Credit Hours | 7 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 651 | Thesis M.A. | 4 |
| ENGL 400/500-level courses | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 7 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 651 | Thesis M.A. | 4 |
| ENGL 400/500-level courses | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 7 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |