inline-defaultCreated with Sketch.
inline-defaultCreated with Sketch.
HomeUniversitiesProgramsStudents & Alumni
search
Students
Masters

English, MA

University of Iowa
Iowa City , United States
Visit Program Website
Students
Tuition Fee
Not Available
Start Date
Not Available
Medium of studying
Not Available
Duration
Not Available
Details
About Program
About University
Gallery
Contact School
Details
Program Details
Degree
Masters
Major
English Literature | Literature | Linguistics
Area of study
Humanities
Course Language
English
About Program

Program Overview

English, Master of Arts

The Master of Arts program in English introduces students to the professional study of literature. The MA is appropriate for students who would like graduate training in English and who may have an undergraduate major in a different field or who may intend to earn a PhD at another institution. Students interested in careers in any area of book studies (professional writing, editing, web design, or publishing) may wish to earn the MA as a terminal degree, as may teachers seeking to enhance their credentials or students pursuing intellectual growth unrelated to a specific career.


Overview

MA and PhD students in English mix freely in graduate courses, share the same access to faculty, and meet the same standards of quality in their work.


Exam for the Master of Arts in Teaching

The department administers the English component of the exam for the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in coordination with the College of Education. MAT students should contact the Department of Teaching and Learning (College of Education) for information.


Learning Outcomes

  • Writing skills: proficiency in writing means publishable-quality writing (e.g., what one would expect from an article placed in a scholarly or creative journal).
  • Historical knowledge: comprehensive historical knowledge of literary history, reflected in courses taken across a range of literary periods and national/international traditions.
  • Critical theory and approaches: rigorous study of critical methodologies and interpretive strategies.
  • Research skills: familiarity with library research into secondary scholarship on primary texts, archival research methods, and field research, where applicable.
  • Teaching skills: ideally, students will move from foundations-based grading positions under the supervision of tenure track faculty (introduction to the major) to rhetoric/composition coursework (rhetoric), and then on to literary analysis-focused courses (general education literature). Students learn to build their own syllabi, develop a teaching portfolio, and manage their own courses independently.
  • Professional development: this includes conference presentations, curriculum vitae and résumé building, and teaching statements, along with exposure to career tracks, both academic (e.g., tenure track jobs, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, etc.) and alternative professions (e.g., digital humanities, humanities organizations, publishing, etc.).

Program Requirements

The Master of Arts program in English requires a minimum of 31–60 s.h. of graduate credit. The program is offered with two options: the literary studies subprogram (31 s.h.) and without a subprogram (60 s.h.). The subprogram in literary studies is designed for students pursuing the MA as a standalone program or for U2G students. The MA in English without a subprogram only applies to students admitted to the English PhD program; there is no direct admission to this subprogram.


Literary Studies Subprogram

The Master of Arts in English with a subprogram in literary studies requires a minimum of 31 s.h. of graduate credit. Students may receive credit for up to 6 s.h. of transfer courses toward the MA. They must maintain a graduate college program grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.00. Applicable transfer courses must be approved by the director of graduate studies.


  • Required Courses: 6 s.h.
  • Seminars and Readings: Historical Distribution Courses: 6 s.h.
  • Additional Courses: 6 s.h.
  • Electives: 12 s.h.
  • Capstone: 1 s.h.
Required Courses, Literary Studies

The criticism and theory course must be taken on an A–F graded basis.


  • ENGL:5000: Introduction to Graduate Study (3 s.h.)
  • Criticism and Theory: One of the following courses:
    • ENGL:6000: Introduction to Contemporary Theory (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6050: Critical Readings in Cultural Studies: Stuart Hall's Legacy and Influences (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7000: Seminar: Cultural Studies (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7010: Seminar: Literary Criticism and Theory (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7050: Seminar: Performance Theory and Practice (3 s.h.)
Seminars and Readings: Historical Distribution Courses

Students complete one course from two of the three historical areas for a total of 6 s.h. These courses must be taken on an A–F graded basis.


  • Pre-1700:
    • ENGL:6100: Readings in Medieval Literature and Culture (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6110: Medieval Authors (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6200: Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century Authors (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6210: Readings in Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century Genres (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6220: Shakespeare (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7100: Seminar: Medieval Literature and Culture (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7200: Seminar: Early Modern Literature and Culture (3 s.h.)
  • 1700-1900:
    • ENGL:6300: Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6400: Romantic Literature (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6500: Victorian Literature (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7300: Seminar: Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7400: Seminar: Romantic Literatures (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7500: Seminar: Victorian Literature (3 s.h.)
  • 1900-Present:
    • ENGL:6720: Twentieth-Century Literatures (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6730: Modernist Studies (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6760: Topics in Contemporary Literature (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6800: Readings in Postcolonial Literature and Theory (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6850: Topics in Creative Writing (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7700: Seminar: Studies in the 20th and 21st Century (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7800: Seminar: Postcolonial Studies (3 s.h.)
Additional Courses

Students complete two additional seminar or readings courses for a total of 6 s.h. Courses must be taken on an A–F graded basis. A course applied to the historical distribution requirement may not also count toward this requirement.


  • 6 s.h. from the following courses:
    • ENGL:6020: Literature as Letters (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6080: New Media Poetics (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6090: Topics in Interdisciplinary Studies (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6100: Readings in Medieval Literature and Culture (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6110: Medieval Authors (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6200: Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century Authors (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6210: Readings in Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century Genres (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6220: Shakespeare (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6300: Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6315: MA Seminar: English Education (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6400: Romantic Literature (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6500: Victorian Literature (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6601: Readings in American Literature (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6602: Readings in American Literature II (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6603: Readings in American Literature III (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6610: Studies in African American Literature (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6620: Readings in Native American Literatures (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6630: Readings in Latina/o/x Literary and Cultural Studies (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6640: Readings in American Literary Genres (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6670: American Literary Magazines (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6720: Twentieth-Century Literatures (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6730: Modernist Studies (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6760: Topics in Contemporary Literature (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6765: Literature, Culture, and Environment (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6800: Readings in Postcolonial Literature and Theory (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:6850: Topics in Creative Writing (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7000: Seminar: Cultural Studies (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7010: Seminar: Literary Criticism and Theory (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7050: Seminar: Performance Theory and Practice (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7100: Seminar: Medieval Literature and Culture (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7200: Seminar: Early Modern Literature and Culture (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7300: Seminar: Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7400: Seminar: Romantic Literatures (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7500: Seminar: Victorian Literature (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7600: Seminar: American Literature and Culture (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7700: Seminar: Studies in the 20th and 21st Century (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7800: Seminar: Postcolonial Studies (3 s.h.)
Electives

Students complete an additional 12 s.h. of English courses (prefix ENGL) numbered 5000–7899, excluding ENGL:5990 MA Portfolio in Literary Studies, ENGL:5999 MA Thesis in Literary Studies, ENGL:6950 Colloquium: Teaching Foundations of the English Major, and ENGL:6960 Colloquium: Teaching Literature. Elective courses must be taken on an A–F graded basis. With the permission of the program, students may select elective courses outside of the Department of English. Students may wish to explore opportunities for interdisciplinary study, language study, experience in theory and practice of writing, or specialization in a field of literary scholarship.


Capstone

Completion of the MA in English with a literary studies subprogram requires either a thesis or a portfolio. Students submit a written description of their choice to the director of the program before the semester in which they plan to graduate.


  • One of the following courses:
    • ENGL:5990: MA Portfolio in Literary Studies (1 s.h.)
    • ENGL:5999: MA Thesis in Literary Studies (1 s.h.)

MA Thesis

The thesis entails a 25- to 35-page essay of literary criticism consonant in form and content with the variety of articles published in journals and periodicals. The essay may not be submission-ready; rather, it must be a body of writing that looks toward possible publication. If the essay originated in a course taken during the program, it should be substantially revised per input from the thesis director and possibly the original course instructor.


The thesis may also assume a form that diverges from a traditional literary critical article. Alternate thesis projects must be approved by the director of graduate studies.


Students who choose to write a thesis must submit a brief prospectus approved by their thesis director before they register for ENGL:5999 MA Thesis in Literary Studies and at least one semester before they submit the thesis. The thesis committee consists of the thesis director, the director of the MA program, and one other faculty member. The thesis is evaluated by the committee as either satisfactory (S) or unsatisfactory (U).


A copy of the thesis must be presented to the Graduate College for approval.


MA Portfolio

Near the end of their coursework, students who do not choose the thesis option must submit a portfolio of work to the MA examination committee, which consists of the director of the MA program and two other English faculty members. All three read the full portfolio. To pass, the candidate must have a majority vote of the committee members.


Students take the first step toward preparing to submit a portfolio by meeting with the director of the MA program to discuss the portfolio, early during the semester in which they plan to graduate. After fulfilling all distribution and eligibility requirements and clearing all incomplete grades, students present the director with a draft of the portfolio’s introductory statement. Once the director approves the statement, the student must submit three copies of the full portfolio.


The work in the portfolio should demonstrate the student’s knowledge of literature as a broad historical and theoretical inquiry. Students submit approximately 50 pages (12,500 words) of their best work, along with a self-reflective introductory statement of five to seven pages. The body of the portfolio should contain revised versions of papers originally produced for classes. The introduction should detail the student’s trajectory in the program and the literary-critical or methodological skills gained. It should also explain the contents of the portfolio, contextualize each paper, and give a brief overview of the writing. Students are expected to describe the research methods used in assembling their portfolios and the critical practices that ground their work.


MA Without Subprogram

The Master of Arts in English without a subprogram requires a minimum of 60 s.h. of graduate credit. Students may receive credit for up to 18 s.h. of transfer courses toward the degree. They must maintain a graduate college program GPA of at least 3.00.


There is no direct admission to this subprogram; it is only open to students accepted into the English PhD program.


Each student must satisfy a portion of the course requirements of the PhD program. For the MA, the students must have completed the coursework that would normally be expected by that point in the program.


  • Introduction to Graduate Study: 3 s.h.
  • Historical Distribution and Upper-Level Courses: 27 s.h.
  • Electives: 21 s.h.
  • Additional Courses: 9 s.h.

Introduction to Graduate Study

  • ENGL:5000: Introduction to Graduate Study (3 s.h.)

Historical Distribution and Upper-Level Courses

  • Historical Distribution: Students complete one course from each of the three historical areas for 9 s.h. total.
  • Upper-Level English Courses: Students complete an additional 18 s.h. of English courses (prefix ENGL) numbered 5000–7899, excluding ENGL:5990 MA Portfolio in Literary Studies, ENGL:5999 MA Thesis in Literary Studies, ENGL:6950 Colloquium: Teaching Foundations of the English Major, and ENGL:6960 Colloquium: Teaching Literature. These courses must be taken on an A–F graded basis.
  • Seminars: Of the 18 s.h. in upper-level courses and 9 s.h. in historical distribution courses, 9 s.h. must come from seminars. A grade of B-plus or above is required for each seminar.

Electives

Students complete 21 s.h. of elective coursework taken on an A–F graded basis.


  • English courses (prefix ENGL) numbered 3000 and above, excluding ENGL:5990 MA Portfolio in Literary Studies, ENGL:5999 MA Thesis in Literary Studies, ENGL:6950 Colloquium: Teaching Foundations of the English Major, ENGL:6960 Colloquium: Teaching Literature, ENGL:7910 Advanced Studies in a Literary Period, ENGL:7920 Advanced Studies in a Literary Form, and ENGL:7960 Advanced Studies in a Literary Theme.
  • Courses numbered 3000 or above from the following subjects:
    • Africam American studies (prefix AFAM)
    • American studies (prefix AMST)
    • Arabic studies (prefix ARAB)
    • Art (prefix ART)
    • Art history (prefix ARTH)
    • American sign language (ASL)
    • Cinema studies (prefix CINE)
    • Chinese (prefix CHIN)
    • Latin (prefix CLSL)
    • Creative nonfiction writing (prefix CNW)
    • Creative writing, writers' workshop (prefix CW)
    • Dance (prefix DANC)
    • Education teaching and learning (prefix EDTL)
    • Educational policy and leadership studies (EPLS)
    • French (prefix FREN)
    • Graduate studies (prefix GRAD)
    • German (prefix GRMN)
    • Gender, women, and sexuality studies (prefix GWSS)
    • History (prefix HIST)
    • Italian (prefix ITAL)
    • Korean (prefix KORE)
    • Japanese (JPNS)
    • Latin American studies (LAS)
    • Latina/o/x studies (prefix LATS)
    • Linguistics (prefix LING)
    • Music (prefix MUS)
    • Philosophy (prefix PHIL)
    • Portuguese (prefix PORT)
    • Psychological and quantitative foundations (prefix PSQF)
    • Rhetoric (prefix RHET), excluding RHET:5350
    • Russian (prefix RUSS)
    • Library and information science (prefix SLIS)
    • Spanish (prefix SPAN)
    • Swahili (prefix SWAH)
    • Theatre arts (prefix THTR)
    • Translation (prefix TRNS)
    • Center for the Book (prefix UICB)
    • World languages, literatures, and cultures (prefix WLLC)

Additional Courses

Students complete 9 s.h. of additional coursework that may be taken either on an A–F or satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) graded basis. They are required to complete the following three comprehensive exam preparation courses, each for a minimum of 1 s.h.


  • At least 1 s.h. from each of the following courses:
    • ENGL:7910: Advanced Studies in a Literary Period (1-3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7920: Advanced Studies in a Literary Form (1-3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:7930: Advanced Studies in a Literary Genre (1-3 s.h.)

Admission

Applications and all supporting documents for graduate admission must be submitted electronically by Dec. 14. Applicants should submit their applications and supporting materials to the University of Iowa Admissions website.


Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations on the Graduate College website.


Career Advancement

The Master of Arts in English degree helps prepare students for careers in professional writing, editing, web design, and publishing. It is also desirable for teachers seeking to enhance their credentials.


Sample Plan of Study

Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor.


English, MA

Literary Studies Subprogram
  • First Year:
    • Fall: ENGL:5000 Introduction to Graduate Study (3 s.h.), Criticism and theory course (3 s.h.), Historical distribution course (3 s.h.)
    • Spring: Historical distribution course (3 s.h.), Additional seminar or readings course (3 s.h.), Elective course (3 s.h.)
  • Second Year:
    • Fall: Additional seminar or readings course (3 s.h.), Elective course (3 s.h.), Elective course (3 s.h.)
    • Spring: ENGL:5990 MA Portfolio in Literary Studies (1 s.h.), Elective course (3 s.h.), Exam: Master's Final Exam
See More