Program Overview

Introduction to the Science Fiction and Fantasy MA Concentration

The Science Fiction and Fantasy MA concentration at Florida Atlantic University is a unique and innovative program that offers students the opportunity to explore the genres of science fiction and fantasy in depth. This program is one of the first of its kind in the world and has been celebrating its 20th year anniversary.

About the Program

The program boasts a critical mass of eleven faculty members working in the field of science fiction and fantasy, including four core SF/F faculty members and five adjacent SF/F faculty. The faculty members are renowned for their research and teaching in the field, and the program has a strong reputation for producing graduates who go on to have successful careers in higher education, library science, publishing, and other related fields.

Core SFF Faculty

The core SFF faculty members are:

• Ian MacDonald, Assistant Professor of English, who teaches science fiction and Africana literature
• Karina A. Vado, Assistant Professor of English, whose research spans Hemispheric American Studies, Critical Race, Feminist Science, and Technology Studies, and Science Fiction and Utopian Studies
• Timothy S. Miller, Assistant Professor of English, who teaches science fiction and fantasy in literature and film
• Taryne Jade Taylor, Advanced Assistant Professor of Science Fiction, whose research focuses on the politics of representation in speculative fiction, particularly feminist science fiction and diasporic Latinx Futurisms

Affiliate & Emeritus Faculty

The affiliate and emeritus faculty members include:

• Stacey Balkan, Associate Professor of Environmental Literature & Humanities
• Skye Cervone, Instructor of English
• Taylor Hagood, Professor in the Department of English
• Mark Scroggins, Professor Emeritus in the Department of English
• Eric Berlatsky, Professor of English
• Sika Dagbovie-Mullins, Professor in the Department of English
• Carol McGuirk, Professor Emeritus in the Department of English

SFF Courses

The program offers a range of courses, including:

• Mythologies in Latinx SF/F
• Cyborg & Posthuman Rhetorics
• Superheroes: History, Theory, Fiction, Comics, Film
• From Heaven to Hell and Back: A Survey of Utopia
• Science Fiction: Alienness, Otherness, Difference
• Utopia/Dystopia
• Afrofuturism: Race to the Future
• Artificial Intelligence in Literature and Film
• Theorizing the Fantastic
• Theorizing Science Fiction
• Science Fiction from Cold War to Cyberpunk
• Science Fiction and the Environment

Research Areas

The program has a strong research focus, with faculty members and students working on a range of projects related to science fiction and fantasy. The program is also home to the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts, which is one of the major academic conferences in the field.

Graduate Student Opportunities

Graduate students in the program have the opportunity to present their research at major conferences, publish their work in peer-reviewed journals, and engage with a community of scholars who share their interests. The program also offers a range of resources and support to help students achieve their academic and professional goals.