Master of Arts in English
Website: https://twu.edu/english-speech-foreign-languages/graduate-programs/ma-in-english/
The M.A. in English prepares students for careers in education, writing, editing, journalism, or communications. It also provides the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue further graduate studies. The program has two tracks that prepare students for different paths. The Literature track prepares students who wish to teach high school or community college literature courses or who wish to pursue additional graduate studies focused on literature. The Writing and Rhetoric track prepares students for teaching writing, moving into the workforce as writers, or pursuing graduate studies focused on writing, composition, and rhetoric. Each track requires courses from the other to provide the broad foundation typically associated with a master's degree in English while still allowing students to develop focused plans of study.
We offer a range of face-to-face, online, and hybrid graduate courses to allow our working, commuting, and parenting students the opportunity to balance rigorous academic course work with their busy lives. Our face-to-face graduate courses are offered one day per week, typically in late afternoon or evening. While our online offerings provide the flexibility to meet a variety of student needs, the program is not intended to be a fully-online program and cannot be completed through online classes only.
Marketable Skills
Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."
- Effectively gather, interpret, and evaluate information from multiple sources.
- Systematically interpret, evaluate, and critique language within various socially significant contexts.
- Compose clear communication in a variety of rhetorically significant genres and modes.
- Create compelling evidence-based arguments with supportive details.
Admissions
All students must meet the University requirements as outlined in the Admission to the TWU Graduate School section of the catalog.
This academic program may have additional admission criteria that must also be completed as outlined on the program's website.
Degree Requirements
Total Semester Credit Hours Required
30 or 36 semester credit hours beyond the baccalaureate depending on the option selected.
Thesis: 30 semester credit hours, including 24 semester credit hours of course work, 6 semester credit hours for thesis, and 2-hour oral exam.
Professional Paper: 36 semester credit hours, including 33 semester credit hours of course work, 3 semester credit hours for professional paper, and 3-hour written comprehensive examination.
Coursework: 36 semester credit hours and 3-hour written comprehensive examination.
Literature Track
Required Courses
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 5083 | Bibliography and Research Methods | 3 |
| ENG 5103 | Introduction to Graduate Studies in English | 3 |
| British Literature | ||
| ENG 5403 | Studies in British Literature to 1760 | 3 |
| ENG 5413 | Studies in British Literature after 1760 | 3 |
| American Literature (choose one) | 3 | |
| Studies in Ethnic, Multicultural, and Cross Cultural Literature (when topic focuses on American literature) | ||
| Studies in American Literature | ||
| Diverse Perspectives (choose one) | 3 | |
| Studies in World Literature | ||
| Studies in Ethnic, Multicultural, and Cross Cultural Literature (when topic meets Global Perspectives requirement - see advisor) | ||
| Studies in Literature by Women | ||
| Studies in Folklore | ||
| Theory Course (choose one) | 3 | |
| Literary Criticism and Theory | ||
| Studies in Critical Theory | ||
| Major Rhetorical Theories | ||
| Writing and Rhetoric (choose one) | 3 | |
| Rhetoric and Composition: Theory and Practice | ||
| Rhetoric and Composition: Theory and Pedagogy of Electronic Texts | ||
| History of Rhetoric I | ||
| History of Rhetoric II | ||
| History of Rhetoric III | ||
| Studies in Feminist Rhetoric | ||
| Writing in the Discipline | ||
| Major Rhetorical Theories | ||
| Studies in Writing and Rhetoric | ||
| Total SCHs | 24 | |
Thesis Option
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Thesis | ||
| ENG 5993 | Thesis | 3 |
| ENG 5983 | Thesis | 3 |
| Total SCHs | 6 | |
Professional Paper Option
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 5973 | Professional Paper | 3 |
| Electives (approved in consultation with advisor) | 9 | |
| Total SCHs | 12 | |
Coursework Option
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Electives (approved in consultation with advisor) | 12 | |
| Total SCHs | 12 | |
Writing and Rhetoric Track
Required Courses
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 5083 | Bibliography and Research Methods | 3 |
| ENG 5103 | Introduction to Graduate Studies in English | 3 |
| Theory Course (choose one) | 3 | |
| Literary Criticism and Theory | ||
| Studies in Critical Theory | ||
| Major Rhetorical Theories | ||
| Rhetoric (choose three) | 9 | |
| Rhetoric and Composition: Theory and Practice | ||
| Rhetoric and Composition: Theory and Pedagogy of Electronic Texts | ||
| History of Rhetoric I | ||
| History of Rhetoric II | ||
| History of Rhetoric III | ||
| Studies in Feminist Rhetoric | ||
| Major Rhetorical Theories | ||
| Studies in Writing and Rhetoric | ||
| Writing Focused Course (choose one) | 3 | |
| Research Methods in Rhetoric and Composition | ||
| Studies in Writing and Rhetoric | ||
| Literature (choose one) | 3 | |
| Studies in World Literature | ||
| Studies in Ethnic, Multicultural, and Cross Cultural Literature | ||
| Studies in American Literature | ||
| Studies in British Literature to 1760 | ||
| Studies in British Literature after 1760 | ||
| Studies in Literature by Women | ||
| Studies in Folklore | ||
| Total SCHs | 24 | |
Thesis Option
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 5993 | Thesis | 3 |
| ENG 5983 | Thesis | 3 |
| Total SCHs | 6 | |
Professional Paper Option
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 5973 | Professional Paper | 3 |
| Electives (approved in consultation with advisor) | 9 | |
| Total SCHs | 12 | |
Coursework Option
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Electives (approved in consultation with advisor) | 12 | |
| Total SCHs | 12 | |
Special Requirement
For the M.A. in English competency in one research tool is required. Students must earn a grade of B or higher in all research tool courses. Students on either track outlined will meet this requirement; thus no additional course work is required. No course may be used to meet more than one departmental requirement.
Research Tools
Includes 6-12 hours depending on the option selected. Students select one of the following options:
- 12 semester credit hours in the same foreign language at the undergraduate level or 6 semester credit hours at the graduate level (or the equivalent on a proficiency examination)
- 6 semester credit hours of graduate-level American Sign Language
- 6 semester credit hours of graduate-level computer science
- 6 semester credit hours of graduate-level library science (only those concerning collections, information retrieval, and other research courses)
- 6 semester credit hours of graduate-level English courses selected from this list: ENG 5083, ENG 5283, ENG 5343, ENG 5353, ENG 5363, ENG 6083, ENG 6283, ENG 6323, and ENG 6343.
Final Examination
The M.A. in English requires a two-hour oral examination which covers course work and thesis (thesis option) or a three-hour written comprehensive examination (non-thesis options). The examinations will be taken during the last semester of coursework.
Graduation Requirement
To allow for program-level assessment, MA students must electronically submit one of the following documents, as appropriate for their program, to the Graduate Program Coordinator: the thesis, the professional paper, or for those on the course work only option, a scholarly paper produced in one of their courses (chosen in consultation with the student's advisor). Submission of the document is a requirement for graduation.
Minor
6-9 semester credit hours, optional. The minor must be in a field in which TWU offers a graduate degree.
