Program Overview

Accelerated Master of Arts in English

The accelerated B.A.-M.A. program in English offers qualified KU students the opportunity to earn both the bachelor's and master's degrees in a focused manner. The program enables students to count 12 hours of graduate-level course work toward both the major requirements and the master's degree, which will be completed in the 5th year.

Admission Requirements

• All applicants must meet the requirements outlined in the Admission to Graduate Study policy.
• Bachelor’s degree: A copy of official transcripts showing proof of a bachelor's degree (and any post-bachelor’s coursework or degrees) from a regionally accredited institution, or a foreign university with equivalent bachelor's degree requirements is required.
• English proficiency: Proof of English proficiency for non-native or non-native-like English speakers is required.
• Major GPA of at least 3.5
• Overall GPA of at least 3.25
• On track to complete all requirements for a BA degree in English from KU by the spring semester of Senior year (Year 4).
• Applicants must complete an Application for Graduate Study online.
• The following information should be gathered in advance and uploaded with the application:
  • 3 letters of recommendation (at least one from an English faculty member);
  • resume or curriculum vitae (CV);
  • one-page Statement of Purpose (maximum 750 words);
  • writing samples (15 to 20 pages total; more than one paper preferred).

Degree Requirements

The course requirements for the accelerated MA program are fulfilled by a combination of graduate-level courses taken for both undergraduate and graduate credit in Year 4, fulfilling both BA major requirements and MA degree requirements, and graduate credit courses taken in Year 5.

Requirements for the BA Major

• Course List Code | Title | Hours
  • ENGL 300| Introduction to English Studies| 3
  • English Studies Coursework
  • As part of the coursework above, students must take courses in the following areas of breadth
  • At least one course in Rhetoric, Language, and Writing studies| 3
  • Creative Writing courses
    • ENGL 351| Fiction Writing I|
    • ENGL 352| Poetry Writing I|
    • ENGL 353| Screenwriting I|
    • ENGL 354| Playwriting I|
    • ENGL 355| Nonfiction Writing I|
    • ENGL 551| Fiction Writing II|
    • ENGL 552| Poetry Writing II|
    • ENGL 555| Nonfiction Writing II|
  • Rhetoric, Composition, and Language courses
    • ENGL 359| English Grammar|
    • ENGL 360| Topics in Writing: |
    • ENGL 362| Foundations of Technical Writing|
    • ENGL 380| Introduction to Rhetoric and Composition|
    • ENGL 381| Topics in Rhetoric and Composition: |
    • ENGL 382| Composing Cultures|
    • ENGL 383| Cultural Rhetorics|
    • ENGL 385| The Development of Modern English|
    • ENGL 386| Language and Social Justice in the US|
    • ENGL 387| Introduction to the English Language|
    • ENGL 388| Topics in English Language Studies|
    • ENGL 389| Postcolonial and World Englishes|
    • ENGL 580| Rhetoric and Writing: |
    • ENGL 581| English Language Studies: |
    • ENGL 582| Multimedia/Multimodal Rhetorics|
    • ENGL 586| Language and Style|
    • ENGL 587| American English|
  • At least one course in Literature, Language, or Rhetoric prior to 1850| 3
    • ENGL 301| Topics in British Literature to 1800: |
    • ENGL 312| Major British Writers to 1800|
    • ENGL 317| Topics in American Literature to 1865: |
    • ENGL 320| American Literature I|
    • ENGL 331| Chaucer|
    • ENGL 332| Shakespeare|
    • ENGL 385| The Development of Modern English|
    • ENGL 521| Advanced Topics in British Literature Before 1800: |
    • ENGL 525| Shakespeare: |
    • ENGL 565| The Gothic Tradition|
    • ENGL 576| Advanced Topics in American Literature to 1865: |
    • ENGL 620| Renaissance English Literature: |
    • ENGL 633| Milton|
    • ENGL 650| Romantic Literature: |
  • At least one course emphasizing Cultural Engagement with US and/or Global communities and texts| 3
    • ENGL 305| World Indigenous Literatures|
    • ENGL 306| Global Environmental Literature|
    • ENGL 326| Introduction to African Literature|
    • ENGL 336| |
    • ENGL 337| Introduction to U.S. Latino/a Literature|
    • ENGL 338| Introduction to African-American Literature|
    • ENGL 339| Introduction to Caribbean Literature|
    • ENGL 340| Topics in U.S. Ethnic Literature: |
    • ENGL 341| American Literature of Social Justice|
    • ENGL 382| Composing Cultures|
    • ENGL 383| Cultural Rhetorics|
    • ENGL 386| Language and Social Justice in the US|
    • ENGL 389| Postcolonial and World Englishes|
    • ENGL 492| The London Review|
    • ENGL 530| Irish Literature and Culture: |
    • ENGL 572| Women and Literature: |
  • English Electives or Concentration Coursework
    • Satisfied by one of the following:
      • Any four 300-level or above ENGL courses or
      • One 200-level English course and three 300-level or above ENGL courses or
      • Concentration coursework as shown below and one additional 300-level or above ENGL course
  • Capstone Requirement
    • Satisfied by any two 500-level or above ENGL course.
  • Total Hours| 30

Concentrations within the Major

• Creative Writing Concentration
  • Workshops
    • Choose two from the following:
      • ENGL 351| Fiction Writing I|
      • ENGL 352| Poetry Writing I|
      • ENGL 353| Screenwriting I|
      • ENGL 354| Playwriting I|
      • ENGL 355| Nonfiction Writing I|
  • Capstone
    • ENGL 551| Fiction Writing II|
    • ENGL 552| Poetry Writing II|
    • ENGL 555| Nonfiction Writing II|
• Language, Culture, and Rhetoric Concentration
  • ENGL 380| Introduction to Rhetoric and Composition| 3
  • or ENGL 387| Introduction to the English Language
  • Choose one from the following:
    • ENGL 362| Foundations of Technical Writing|
    • ENGL 381| Topics in Rhetoric and Composition: |
    • ENGL 382| Composing Cultures|
    • ENGL 383| Cultural Rhetorics|
    • ENGL 385| The Development of Modern English|
    • ENGL 386| Language and Social Justice in the US|
    • ENGL 388| Topics in English Language Studies|
    • ENGL 389| Postcolonial and World Englishes|
  • Capstone
    • ENGL 580| Rhetoric and Writing: |
    • ENGL 581| English Language Studies: |
    • ENGL 582| Multimedia/Multimodal Rhetorics|
    • ENGL 586| Language and Style|
    • ENGL 587| American English|

M.A. Degree Requirements

The program is designed so that students can complete all requirements for the accelerated masters degree within one year of receiving the B.A./B.G.S. degree. In addition to the 12 graduate credit hours completed during the senior year, M.A. students must complete an additional 18 hours of graduate-level coursework.

Required Coursework

• ENGL 709| Critical Theory: Problems and Principles: | 3
• or ENGL 800| Methods, Theory, and Professionalism
• ENGL 780| Composition Studies| 3
• or ENGL 801| Study and Teaching of Writing
• ENGL 898| M.A. Portfolio| 3
• 9 hours of coursework in selected concentration| 9
• Total Hours| 18

Concentrations

• Literature
  • Pre-1700 courses (Choose 1)| 3
    • ENGL 620| Renaissance English Literature: |
    • ENGL 633| Milton|
    • ENGL 725| Shakespeare: |
    • ENGL 776| American Literature to 1900: |
  • 1700 to 1900 courses (Choose 1)| 3
    • ENGL 650| Romantic Literature: |
    • ENGL 655| Victorian LIterature: |
    • ENGL 750| British Literature of the19th Century: |
    • ENGL 776| American Literature to 1900: |
    • ENGL 950| Seminar in 19th Century British Literature: |
  • Post-1900 courses (Choose 1)| 3
    • ENGL 730| Topics in Early Modern Literature: |
    • ENGL 760| British Literature of the 20th Century: |
    • ENGL 777| American Literature after 1900: |
  • Other courses may qualify pending approval of the director of graduate studies
  • Total Hours| 9
• Literature and Literary Theory
  • Pre-1800 courses (Choose 1)| 3
    • ENGL 620| Renaissance English Literature: |
    • ENGL 633| Milton|
    • ENGL 650| Romantic Literature: |
    • ENGL 725| Shakespeare: |
    • ENGL 776| American Literature to 1900: |
  • Post-1800 courses (Choose 1)| 3
    • ENGL 655| Victorian LIterature: |
    • ENGL 730| Topics in Early Modern Literature: |
    • ENGL 750| British Literature of the19th Century: |
    • ENGL 760| British Literature of the 20th Century: |
    • ENGL 777| American Literature after 1900: |
    • ENGL 950| Seminar in 19th Century British Literature: |
  • Literary Theory courses (Choose 1)| 3
    • ENGL 709| Critical Theory: Problems and Principles: |
    • ENGL 908| Seminar in Literary Criticism: |
  • Other courses may qualify pending approval of the director of graduate studies
  • Total Hours| 9

Portfolio and Oral Exam

This is completed during the last semester of the M.A. year (Year 5). Students prepare a portfolio of work from their graduate courses over which they will be examined at an oral defense with a faculty committee.

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Recognize and be able to draw on the main methods and fields of English studies, including writing (creative, technical/professional, scholarly) and literary and cultural studies using the texts, genres, and approaches appropriate to the field.
• Demonstrate understanding of methods of interpretation and analysis, including but not limited to close reading, rhetorical analysis, and reading for craft.
• Write clearly and proficiently in more than one genre / rhetorical context (e.g. academic, creative, public, professional, multimedia, etc.); demonstrate competence with the elements of form appropriate to the genre.
• Organize, develop, and sustain critical arguments with a clear, complex thesis supported with textual evidence drawn from close reading and scholarly methodologies current in English Studies; also demonstrate ability to address potential objections or contradictory viewpoints.
• Undertake independent research using scholarly methodologies current in English studies; work with the KU library and other resources for pursuing research; cite research in an accepted citation style.
• Understand and produce writing with an awareness of relevant social and historical contexts.
• Demonstrate knowledge of several major fields of literary, cultural, and/or rhetorical expression.
• Write clearly and effectively in various scholarly modes and contexts.
• Apply relevant theories, methodologies, and analytical practices that address fundamental questions in their primary area of study.
• Understand and appreciate the development, culture, and diversity of societies, past and present, through the study of primary and secondary texts.