English (067)
- Graduate
- Master of Arts
- Arts & Letters
- English
Overview
The master's program provides an intensive study of literature and composition through a highly adaptable curriculum that develops advanced skills in literary criticism, rhetorical analysis, communication, and analytical thinking. The program supports career advancement in industry and education pathways or continuing graduate work in an English-focused doctoral program. For licensed K-12 educators, the program can lead to a rank change.
Program Admission
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited university with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
- 27 credit hours of undergraduate English with a GPA of 3.0 or better. (Conditional admittance is granted on a case-by-case basis.)
- A 2-page statement of purpose describing the reason(s) for pursing an M.A. in English at Western Kentucky University and which may also include academic interests, career goals, relevant paid or volunteer experiences, or other relevant information.
- Optional: Students who are interested in applying for one of our funded graduate assistantships must download and submit the GA application along with the required application materials. The completed GA application must include a one-page statement addressing interests, skills, or experiences that make them highly qualified for a graduate assistantship position of teaching introductory college writing classes. The link to the GA application form is found on the department's program website: https://www.wku.edu/english/graduate-degree-program/.
- Applicants for whom English is their second language must score a minimum of 26 on the TOEFL Speaking and Writing sections for admission and 28 on the Speaking and Writing sections to be considered for the Graduate Assistantship. Equivalent scores on the IELTS of 6 and 7, respectively, are also accepted. Duolingo scores are not accepted.
- Applicants seeking Rank II or Rank I certification must have or be eligible for a secondary school teaching certificate and must include a copy with the application for admission. Applicants whose certificates have expired may be admitted, but they may enroll for only 6 hours before submitting a re-issued teaching certificate. Kentucky applicants will need to contact the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board for reissued certificates. Applicants from out-of-state with expired certificates must complete the requirements for their respective states to renew their certificates.
Program Requirements (30 hours)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ENG 520 | Introduction to Graduate Studies | 3 |
| Select two Literature Electives from the following list: | 6 | |
ENG 430G | 19th Century American Literature | |
ENG 457G | British Literature since 1900 | |
ENG 460G | Literary Theory and Criticism | |
ENG 468G | Early Modern English Literature | |
ENG 481G | Chaucer | |
ENG 482G | Shakespeare | |
ENG 484G | British Romanticism | |
ENG 486G | The Eighteenth Century | |
ENG 487G | Dante's Divine Comedy and its Influences | |
ENG 488G | Victorian Literature & Culture | |
ENG 489G | The British Novel | |
ENG 490G | American Novel | |
ENG 493G | American Poetry | |
ENG 495G | Southern Literature | |
ENG 497G | Women's Literature | |
ENG 504 | Studies in American Literature | |
ENG 514 | Studies in British Literature | |
ENG 524 | Studies in World Literature | |
ENG 534 | Studies in Genre | |
ENG 586 | Seminar in British Writers | |
ENG 596 | Seminar in American Writers | |
| Select two Writing Electives from the following list: | 6 | |
ENG 401G | Advanced Composition | |
ENG 402G | Editing and Publishing | |
ENG 410G | Composition Theory and Practice in Writing Instruction | |
ENG 412G | Theories of Rhetoric and Persuasive Writing | |
ENG 415G | Writing and Technology | |
ENG 506 | Introduction to Professional & Technical Writing | |
ENG 510 | Graduate Rhetoric and Writing | |
ENG 549 | Special Topics in Professional & Technical Writing | |
| Electives | 15 | |
| Complete 15 hours in any ENG 4@G, 5@, 6@ course, or GWS 630 1 | ||
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
All GTAs required to take ENG 510 as one of their electives. Students who wish to write a thesis will only take 9 hours of electives and 6 hours of ENG 599. No more than 3 hours of creative writing courses (ENG 474G, ENG 475G, ENG 403G, and ENG 501) with permission of creative writing faculty member teaching the course.