English, Master of Arts

The MA in English is a fully online program that consists of 30 credit hours. For students maintaining consistent full-time status, normal degree completion time is five consecutive Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. Cohorts begin in the Fall semester. Within the MA in English program, a minimum of six hours is required for full-time status.

Purpose

The MA in 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.

Admission Requirements

Program-specific admission requirements for full acceptance into the MA in English program.

1. A BA or BS in English or related field (communications, 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 is expected to be completed before admission;
2. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all work completed beyond high school;
3. A clear and well-written 250-word statement of purpose, explaining the student’s objectives and purpose for pursuing an MA in English. The student should indicate the concentration of interest: literature studies, English education, writing studies; and
4. 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 (such as a senior thesis) on a topic within English studies, or a portfolio of writing samples from an internship or current work environment.

OR

Successful completion of six hours of Gardner Webb’s Graduate Certificate in English program coursework and instructor recommendation. Email department chair for the internal application form to submit.  

OR

Graduates from Gardner-Webb University’s BA in English or BA English with Teacher Licensure Program (9-12) will be considered for seamless admission into the MA in English program within 1 year of graduation. Applications will only be required to show proof of meeting criteria 2 and 3 listed above.

No standardized test score is required. No teaching license is required to be admitted into the program. Students in the English Education program are not eligible for teaching licensure upon completion.

Program Learning Outcomes

To accomplish the mission of the Department of English Language and Literature, students in the Master of Arts in English program will

1. read, write, and think critically on a professional level;
2. demonstrate proficiency in discipline-specific content; and
3. demonstrate discipline-specific research methods

MA English Curriculum (30 hours)

The Master of Arts in English curriculum offers three core courses (9 credit hours) and seven additional courses (21 credit hours) that are a combination of concentration requirements or electives or general program electives. The core courses build community and foster collaboration among peers as well as provide a foundation for courses within each concentration. Students may choose to complete a capstone project as 6 of their remaining 21 hours of coursework in the concentration. Capstone students should identify a capstone topic and secure a faculty mentor prior to their final two semesters of coursework. The timeline for completion of the MA in English is five consecutive Fall, Spring and Summer semesters.

Required Courses for All Concentrations (9 hours)

ENGL 501	An Introduction to Graduate English Studies	3
ENGL 671	Literary Theory	3
ENGL 683	Teaching of Writing	3

 

Literature Studies Required Courses (21 hours)

	Four literature electives from the list below, with at least one pre-1800 literature course, one post-1800 literature course, and at least one course each of American, British, and World Literature.	12
	Three additional ENGL electives from any concentration, two of which may be ENGL 690 and ENGL 691 for students pursuing the Literature Studies capstone option.	9

Literature Studies Electives

 

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
ENGL 690	Literature Studies Proposal	3
ENGL 691	Literature Studies Capstone	3

Writing Studies Courses (21 hours)

ENGL 629	Seminar in New Media Studies	3
	Six ENGL electives, three of which must be writing electives. Two electives may be ENGL 692 and ENGL 693 for students pursuing the Writing Studies capstone option.	18

Writing Studies Electives

ENGL 603	Workshop in Creative Writing	3
ENGL 621	Technology and Literacy	3
ENGL 625	Visual Rhetoric and Document Design	3
ENGL 661	Professional and Technical Writing	3
ENGL 665	Principles of Editing and Publishing	3
ENGL 669	Seminar in Rhetoric	3
ENGL 692	Writing Studies Proposal	3
ENGL 693	Writing Studies Capstone	3

English Education Courses (21 hours)

ENGL 681	Seminar in Current Issues and Methods of Teaching English	3
ENGL 675	Young Adult Literature	3
	Five ENGL electives, three of which must be from Literature or Writing Studies. For students pursuing the English Education capstone, ENGL 694 and ENGL 695 will be the remaining elective courses.	15

Total Credit Hours: 30