Program Overview
Saint Louis University's Master of Arts in English provides comprehensive literary training in research, writing, and theory. Students can pursue a non-thesis option, an article option, or a thesis option, all of which prepare them for advanced studies or careers in fields like publishing, editing, and secondary education. The program emphasizes critical thinking, oral communication skills, and engagement with diverse literary and rhetorical perspectives. Graduates are equipped with a solid foundation in literary studies and the skills to succeed in a variety of professional settings.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
Saint Louis University's Master of Arts in English provides students with scholarly training in a variety of literary fields and in the study of rhetoric and composition. Students in the program receive training in pedagogy, research, writing, and theory. The M.A. is a prerequisite for SLU's Ph.D. program, and it also prepares students for careers in fields including publishing, editing, and secondary education. program.
Objectives:
Graduates will be able to demonstrate:
- A foundational knowledge of literary/rhetorical histories, aesthetics, cultures, and emerging areas of inquiry, including an awareness of cultural diversity within literary traditions.
- Knowledge of research expectations and theoretical approaches, requisite for advanced study in English, including appropriate research resources and tools.
- An ability to engage productively with relevant critical debates through written and spoken arguments.
Outline:
The non-thesis option for the Master of Arts in English degree requires 30 credits of coursework beyond the B.A. The article option permits students to submit a polished, article-length essay for three of the 30 credits of coursework. The thesis option permits students to substitute a thesis for six of the 30 required credits of coursework. All three options are typically completed in two years.
Required Courses:
- ENGL 5000 Methods of Literary Research (3 credits)
- ENGL 5110 Literary Theory (3 credits)
- ENGL 5010 Teaching Writing (3 credits) - Required of those who teach writing classes offered by the Department.
Distributive Requirements:
Select one course in four of the following five fields:
- Medieval Literature (3 credits)
- Early Modern Literature (ca. 1500-1800) (3 credits)
- Literature of the Long 19th Century (ca. 1789-1914): British, American, African American, or Transatlantic (3 credits)
- Modern and/or Contemporary Literature: British, Irish, American, African American, Transatlantic, or Postcolonial (3 credits)
- Rhetoric and/or Composition (3 credits) - Exclusive of ENGL 5010 Teaching Writing (3 credits)
Elective Courses:
Select one of the following options:
- Thesis Option: 9 credits of English Electives and ENGL 5990 Thesis Research (0-6 credits)
- Essay Option: 9 credits of English Electives and ENGL 5980 Graduate Reading Course (1-3 credits)
- Coursework Option: 12 credits of English Electives
Non-Course Requirements:
- Oral Examination: At the conclusion of their coursework, all master's students must take a one-and-a-half-hour oral examination on works drawn from a list they make in consultation with three faculty members. Students who choose the thesis option will also be examined orally on their thesis in a separate one-hour defense.
- Continuation Standards: Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.
Assessment:
- Oral Examination: A one-and-a-half-hour oral examination on works drawn from a list the student makes in consultation with three faculty members.
- Thesis Defense: A one-hour oral defense of the thesis for students who choose the thesis option.
Teaching:
- Faculty: The English department is affiliated with the Walter J. Ong Center for Digital Humanities. English faculty and graduate students participate in departmental research colloquia and reading groups.
- Teaching Methods: The program provides training in pedagogy, research, writing, and theory.
Careers:
- Potential Career Paths: Publishing, editing, and secondary education.
Other:
- Fieldwork and Research Opportunities: The English department is affiliated with the Walter J. Ong Center for Digital Humanities. In addition to participating in various writing programs, including University Writing Services, English faculty and graduate students participate in departmental research colloquia and reading groups. SLU also hosts the journal African American Review.
- Program Notes: Students must take both ENGL 5000 Methods of Literary Research (3 cr) and ENGL 5110 Literary Theory (3 cr), as well as 12 credits in four of the five fields listed under "Distributive Requirements."
