Students seeking a master’s degree in English now have two options:
1) 36-semester hour program with a thesis (ENG518 Thesis - 6 semester hours)
2) 36-semester hour program with an independent research project (ENG595 Research Lit/Techniques Non-Thesis - 3 semester hours)
Both programs lead to an MA degree for students who demonstrate foreign language proficiency or an MS degree for students without foreign language proficiency.
The department encourages students to pursue the non-thesis option (ENG595) rather than the traditional thesis route (ENG518). We encourage the ENG 595 option over the traditional thesis route because many universities, including Texas A&M University, are phasing out thesis requirements in favor of capstone portfolio projects. This trend provides students more flexibility in demonstrating their scholarly skills and allows them to produce research relevant to various career paths beyond academia. Students should consult with the Director of English Graduate Studies to determine which program best fits their goals and interests.
Most coursework is elective for both 36 semester hour programs, but students should select courses that connect to their scholarly interests and prepare them for the final research project (ENG595 or ENG518). Final projects may focus on literature, composition, linguistics, children's literature, or a combination, and may also emphasize the student's creative writing with committee approval.
A candidate for the Master of Arts degree must meet the language requirement:
Students who do not satisfy the foreign language requirement will receive an MS degree rather than an MA
| Thesis (6 semester hours) | ||
| ENG 518 | Thesis (6 semester hours required) | 3-6 |
| Examination: Written and oral proposal of Thesis and final defense | ||
Only 6 semester hours of credit for 518 will be given upon satiisfactory completion of the requirment | ||
| Required Core Courses (15 semester hours) | ||
| ENG 502 | Introduction to Graduate Studies in English | 3 |
| ENG 520 | Contemporary Critical Practices in English Studies | 3 |
| ENG 599 | Bibliography and Methods of Research | 3 |
| ENG 613 | Digital Humanities | 3 |
| ENG 681 | Academic Genres | 3 |
Students choose one of the following emphasis areas for (12 semester hours) | ||
| Rhetoric and Composition (12 semester hours) | ||
| ENG 515 | Histories & Theories of Rhetoric | 3 |
| ENG 680 | Writing Studies | 3 |
| ENG 570 | Cultural Rhetorics | 3 |
Select 1 course (3 semester hours) from the following course options: | ||
| ENG 513 | Computers and Writing | 3 |
| ENG 611 | Writing with Digital Media | 3 |
| ENG 771 | Writing Democracy | 3 |
| ENG 780 | Gender Narratives | 3 |
OR | ||
| Literature (12 semester hours) | ||
| Select four courses (12 semester hours) from the following options: | ||
| ENG 503 | Power, Identity, and Representation | 3 |
| ENG 504 | Graphic Narratives | 3 |
| ENG 505 | Development of Children's Literature | 3 |
| ENG 506 | Problems in Young Adult Literature | 3 |
| ENG 507 | Adapting Children's Literature | 3 |
| ENG 508 | Reality in Children's Literature | 3 |
| ENG 509 | Literary Genres | 3 |
| ENG 510 | Introduction to Film Studies | 3 |
| ENG 516 | Early American Literature: 1620–1820 | 3 |
| ENG 519 | American Literature in Transition: 1865–1914 | 3 |
| ENG 521 | American Modernities: 1900-1941 | 3 |
| ENG 522 | Major Figures in American Literature | 3 |
| ENG 525 | Contemporary Literature | 3 |
| ENG 526 | Studies in Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENG 527 | Antebellum American Literature | 3 |
| ENG 530 | Development of Narrative Film | 3 |
| ENG 531 | Major Figures and Movements in British Literature | 3 |
| ENG 534 | Medieval and Renaissance British Literature | 3 |
| ENG 536 | Eighteenth-Century British Literature | 3 |
| ENG 537 | Modern Transformations of British & Irish Literature | 3 |
| ENG 540 | Development of the Novel | 3 |
| ENG 610 | Studies in Film Genres | 3 |
| ENG 620 | Adaptations to Film | 3 |
| ENG 710 | Film Theory and Criticism | 3 |
| ENG 720 | Special Topics in Film Studies | 3 |
| ENG 780 | Gender Narratives | 3 |
| ENG 781 | Mapping the World through Literature | 3 |
OR | ||
| Generalist (12 semester hours) | ||
| Select four courses from either concentration above to total 12 semester hours | 12 | |
| Electives (3 semester hours) | ||
| Electives 3 semester hours | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
| Research (3 semester hours) | ||
| ENG 595 | Research Lit/Techniques (3 semester hours required) | 3 |
| Required Core Courses (15 semester hours) | ||
| ENG 502 | Introduction to Graduate Studies in English | 3 |
| ENG 599 | Bibliography and Methods of Research | 3 |
| ENG 520 | Contemporary Critical Practices in English Studies | 3 |
| ENG 613 | Digital Humanities | 3 |
| ENG 681 | Academic Genres | 3 |
Students choose one of the following emphasis areas for 12 semester hours | ||
| Rhetoric and Composition | ||
| ENG 515 | Histories & Theories of Rhetoric | 3 |
| ENG 680 | Writing Studies | 3 |
| ENG 570 | Cultural Rhetorics | 3 |
Select from the following course options: | ||
| ENG 513 | Computers and Writing | 3 |
| ENG 611 | Writing with Digital Media | 3 |
| ENG 771 | Writing Democracy | 3 |
| ENG 780 | Gender Narratives | 3 |
OR | ||
| Literature | ||
| 12 semester hours of electives | ||
| ENG 503 | Power, Identity, and Representation | 3 |
| ENG 504 | Graphic Narratives | 3 |
| ENG 505 | Development of Children's Literature | 3 |
| ENG 506 | Problems in Young Adult Literature | 3 |
| ENG 507 | Adapting Children's Literature | 3 |
| ENG 508 | Reality in Children's Literature | 3 |
| ENG 509 | Literary Genres | 3 |
| ENG 510 | Introduction to Film Studies | 3 |
| ENG 516 | Early American Literature: 1620–1820 | 3 |
| ENG 519 | American Literature in Transition: 1865–1914 | 3 |
| ENG 521 | American Modernities: 1900-1941 | 3 |
| ENG 522 | Major Figures in American Literature | 3 |
| ENG 525 | Contemporary Literature | 3 |
| ENG 526 | Studies in Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENG 527 | Antebellum American Literature | 3 |
| ENG 530 | Development of Narrative Film | 3 |
| ENG 531 | Major Figures and Movements in British Literature | 3 |
| ENG 534 | Medieval and Renaissance British Literature | 3 |
| ENG 536 | Eighteenth-Century British Literature | 3 |
| ENG 537 | Modern Transformations of British & Irish Literature | 3 |
| ENG 540 | Development of the Novel | 3 |
| ENG 610 | Studies in Film Genres | 3 |
| ENG 620 | Adaptations to Film | 3 |
| ENG 710 | Film Theory and Criticism | 3 |
| ENG 720 | Special Topics in Film Studies | 3 |
| ENG 780 | Gender Narratives | 3 |
| ENG 781 | Mapping the World through Literature | 3 |
OR | ||
| Generalist | ||
| Select four courses from either concentration above to total 12 semester hours | 12 | |
Electives | ||
| Electives 6 semester hours | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Note: Successful completion of the Comprehensive Exam is required of all students.
