English, Master of Arts
(30 Hours)
The MA English program is a fully online program that consists of 30 credit hours, 24 hours of coursework and 6 hours of capstone credit. For students maintaining consistent full-time status, normal degree completion time is five consecutive fall, spring, summer semesters. Cohorts begin in the fall semester. Within the MA English program, a minimum of 6 hours is required for full-time status.
Purpose
The MA English program offers three concentrations that reflect the diversity of the discipline and the evolving nature of English studies. With concentrations in literature studies, English education, and writing studies, this degree is for students who desire professional advancement in areas such as writing, publishing, and teaching at the secondary or college levels. While these concentrations represent different disciplines within the field, the overall program goal is for students to develop a scholarly and professional identity. These goals reflect the growing professional demand for strong skills in communication, analysis, critical thinking, and collaboration. All concentrations include a capstone project.
Admission Requirements
Program-specific admission requirements for full acceptance into the Master of English program are the following.
- A BA or BS in English or an equivalent degree (from the Communications field, for example). Students without a bachelor’s degree in English or substantial undergraduate coursework in English will be evaluated on an individual basis. Typically, 12-15 hours of upper-level English coursework are expected to be completed before admission;
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all work completed beyond high school;
- No standardized test score is required;
- Three professional recommendations from persons who can attest to the applicant’s academic potential and suitability to pursue an MA in English as well as the student’s abilities to complete graduate-level work;
- A clear and well-written 250-word statement of purpose, explaining the student’s objectives and purpose for pursuing an MA in English. Please indicate the concentration in which the student is interested - literature studies, English education, writing studies;
- A writing sample of 2,000 words or an equivalent body of work that demonstrates the applicant’s writing abilities and readiness to engage in graduate-level work. This writing sample might include an in-depth literary analysis, an extensive research piece (e.g., senior thesis) on a topic within English studies, or a portfolio of writing samples from an internship or current work environment; and
- No teaching license is required to be admitted into the program. However, English Education concentration students need to be teaching in some capacity in order to complete capstone courses (ENGL 694, ENGL 695, and ENGL 696). Licensure requirements are different from state to state; thus, the MA in English program does not guarantee licensure for any student. Students are responsible for obtaining graduate-level or advanced teaching licensure through their school districts and state. Gardner-Webb can only provide a record of successful completion of the program.
Student Learning Outcomes
The Master of Arts in English program is designed to meet the following goals:
- Demonstrate the ability to read, write, and think critically on a professional level according to discipline;
- Demonstrate discipline-specific research methods; and
- Demonstrate the ability to carry out and complete a thesis or capstone project that is of publishable quality (specific projects determined in concentrations).
Course Requirements
The Master of Arts in English curriculum offers three core courses (9 credit hours) and seven courses in the concentration (15 credit hours coursework and 6 credit hours thesis or capstone). The core courses build community and foster collaboration among peers as well as provide a foundation for courses within each concentration. The timeline for completion is five consecutive fall, spring summer semesters.
Required Common Core Courses for all Concentrations (9 Credit hours)
All concentrations will be required to complete a capstone project (two courses).
Literature Studies Required Courses (21 hours)
Required courses for concentration
| ENGL 690 | Literature Studies Proposal | 3 |
| ENGL 691 | Literature Studies Capstone | 3 |
| 5 Literature courses (see Literature Studies Electives) | 15 |
Literature studies electives
From the list below: 1) At least one pre-1800 literature course and one post-1800 literature course should be taken. 2) At least one course each of American, British, and World Literature should be taken.
| ENGL 555 | Special Topics | 1-3 |
| ENGL 611 | Seminar in British Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 612 | Selected British Texts - Medieval Period | 3 |
| ENGL 613 | Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENGL 614 | Selected British Writers (Non-Shakespearean) - Renaissance Period | 3 |
| ENGL 615 | Selected British Writers - The Long Eighteenth Century | 3 |
| ENGL 616 | Selected British Writers - Romantic Period | 3 |
| ENGL 617 | Selected British Writers - Victorian Period | 3 |
| ENGL 631 | Seminar in American Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 634 | African-American Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 651 | Seminar in Global Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 654 | Mythology | 3 |
| ENGL 657 | Caribbean Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 659 | Literature and Colonization | 3 |
| ENGL 671 | Literary Theory | 3 |
| ENGL 673 | Contemporary Trends in Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 675 | Young Adult Literature | 3 |
Writing Studies Courses (21 hours)
Required courses for concentration
| ENGL 629 | Seminar in New Media Studies | 3 |
| ENGL 692 | Writing Studies Proposal | 3 |
| ENGL 693 | Writing Studies Capstone | 3 |
| Four ENGL electives, three of which must be writing electives | 12 |
Writing Studies Electives
(Choose Three Courses from the List Below)
English Education Courses (21 hours)
Required courses for concentration
| ENGL 681 | Seminar In Current Issues and Methods of Teaching English | 3 |
| ENGL 675 | Young Adult Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 694 | English Education Proposal | 3 |
| ENGL 695 | English Education Capstone | 3 |
| Three Electives from Literature or Writing Studies | 9 |