Group of English MAs discussion literature

Students have a choice of electives from among 7000- and 8000-level courses. These courses offer options in several areas:

  • Courses that focus on a given national literature and historical period, at times through the lens of themes or genres.

  • Courses that focus on historical and formal developments within a single major genre across cultural and historical boundaries.

  • Special topics courses that cross cultural, historical, biographical, and/or genre boundaries.

  • Rhetoric and composition courses that examine both theoretical and pedagogical approaches to written expression. 

Required Courses:

ENGL 7010 (Literary Theory and Criticism in Graduate Studies) is required of all students in the program. This will acquaint students with the materials, methodologies, and skills necessary to graduate study.

7000-Level Courses:

All English courses numbered in the 7000s are restricted to graduate students. These classes mix lecture and discussion with further opportunities for more advanced research.

8000-Level Courses (Graduate Seminars):

Also restricted to graduate students, courses in the 8000s focus on specialized areas. In these small classes, students will be responsible for a series of oral and written presentations on selected topics. Students are required to take at least four seminars.

Graduate Option:

Students may exercise a graduate option by enrolling in one or both of the following:

  1. 6000-level courses in the English Department, with the prefixes ENGL, LING, CWCL, and/or JOUR. These are split-level courses that are comprised of both undergraduate and graduate students. A maximum of 9 hours of coursework may be drawn from these courses for the literature emphasis; a maximum of 6 hours for the composition and rhetoric emphasis.

  2. Graduate courses from outside of the English Department. A maximum of 6 hours of coursework may be drawn from these courses.