The department offers programs leading to the Master of Arts degree with a major in English (with a concentration in Literature or in Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English) or in English as a Second Language, the Master of Fine Arts degree with a major in creative writing, and the Doctor of Philosophy... Show Full Description

The department offers programs leading to the Master of Arts degree with a major in English (with a concentration in Literature or in Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English) or in English as a Second Language, the Master of Fine Arts degree with a major in creative writing, and the Doctor of Philosophy degree with a major in English or a major in Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English. Master of Arts, major in English with a concentration in Literature or in Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English. To be admissible, applicants must have completed the equivalent of the undergraduate major in English with a grade-point average of at least 3.50 in courses in English. Applicants must submit Graduate Record Examination scores for the Verbal Aptitude test, and a sample of their scholarly or critical writing. In addition, the Literature program requires Graduate Record Examination scores for the Advanced Literature in English test. Applicants must also arrange to have the department receive three letters of recommendation. These materials should be addressed to the Director of the appropriate program in the Department of English. Thirty units are required for the M.A. degree; in the Literature program, at least 27 units (9 courses) must be in regularly scheduled literature classes, unless otherwise approved by the Program Director. Students in both programs must also pass an M.A. examination. Master of Arts, major in English as a Second Language: Applicants should have an overall grade-point average of 3.5 in a relevant undergraduate major. Scores from the Graduate Record Examination, along with a 6-10-page writing sample on an academic topic, three letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose and resume, must be submitted. Applicants should show evidence of a significant teaching experience and the completion of two years of study of a foreign language or equivalent proficiency. International applicants must also provide TOEFL scores of at least 600 (250 CBT), and a score from the TSE of 50 or better if applying for a teaching assistantship. The M.A. in ESL requires 33 units of coursework (11 courses), which includes six units of elective courses. Three additional units of prerequisite coursework may also be required. Master of Fine Arts: For information concerning this degree refer to chapter IV, Requirements for Master's Degrees, in this Catalog. Doctor of Philosophy: The admission requirements for this degree program are the same as those set forth for the Master of Arts with a major in English, above. In Literature, students who have earned the Master of Arts degree from the Literature program must complete at least 15 units of 500-level course work beyond the requirements for the M.A., for a total of 45 units. At least 33 units (11 courses) of the 45 must be in regularly scheduled literature classes, unless otherwise approved by the Program Director. Literature students who earned the M.A. degree in English elsewhere must complete a minimum of 30 units of course work; of these, at least 21 units (7 courses) must be in regularly scheduled literature classes, unless otherwise approved by the Program Director. Students in the Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English program must complete at least 45 units of course work at the 500-level or above; those seeking to transfer credits from another institution or program should consult with the Program Director. In addition to these course requirements, all students in both programs must pass qualifying and comprehensive examinations, complete 18 units of dissertation credit, and write a dissertation acceptable to the Department of English. Contact the Director Graduate Literature Program or the Director of RCTE for further information. Hide Description