| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2023-08-01 | 2023-07-01 |
Program Overview
The accelerated degree program in English is designed to allow students to earn a bachelor of arts degree and a master of arts degree in English in five years rather than the six years normally required to earn both degrees. Undergraduates participating in this program are granted early admission to the Graduate School and are allowed to take up to 12 credit hours of graduate-level courses during their senior year.
The accelerated degree program prepares students for the next stage of their careers. Students who complete a master of arts in English have gone on to gain admission to excellent doctoral programs, medical schools, and law schools and several have gone on to pursue an advanced degree in library and information studies. Our alumni have also applied their critical reading, thinking, and writing skills in a variety of private sector positions. Students in the accelerated degree program benefit from the smaller class sizes and intellectual rigor of graduate courses in their senior year and from working with an adviser to construct a program of study and a thesis project targeted to their specific intellectual and professional goals.
Students in the accelerated degree program work closely with the director of graduate studies and a departmental adviser to construct a personalized program meant to help them to fulfill their personal and professional goals. In their fourth year, students take four classes that count toward both their undergraduate and graduate degrees. In their fifth year, students take six courses to complete the master's degree. In this final year, students may elect to write a master's thesis, complete an internship, or do a professional project, though these are not required.
The accelerated degree program in English is not restricted to undergraduate English majors. To apply for admission to the accelerated degree program, students should have completed four English courses beyond ENGL 1001 Foundations in Rhetoric and maintained a 3.000 cumulative GPA. For additional information about requirements, interested students should contact the English department.
