Degree Requirements

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Degree Requirements

Work for the degree of Master of Arts in English includes a minimum of 10 courses (30 semester hours) plus the Comprehensive Examination* (0 semester hours). Courses selected must be approved by the Director of the Graduate English program. For the completion of the Master of Arts in English, all students are required to take Contemporary Critical Theory and a Major Writing Seminar. In addition, we strongly suggest that students take courses in as many of the following areas as possible: 1) Old English, Middle English, or Renaissance literature; 2) Restoration or 18th Century literature; 3) 19th Century or modern English literature; 4) American literature; and 5) a literary genre. Creative Writing students must take a Creative Thesis course after having completed the prerequisite Creative Writing Seminars. All students must take at least four courses at the 600 level. Courses in the 500 group which receive a grade of "B-"; or less will not count toward the degree.

LITERATURE EMPHASIS (Ten Courses)
Contemporary Critical Theory (1)
Major Writer (1)
Literature and Theory Electives (5-7)
Creative Writing Seminar (0-2)
Critical Methodology (1)**

CREATIVE WRITING EMPHASIS (Ten Courses)
Contemporary Critical Theory (1)
Major Writer (1)
Creative Writing Seminar (2-3)
Literature and Theory Electives (3-4)
Creative Thesis (1)
Critical Methodology (1)**

RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION EMPHASIS (Ten Courses)
Contemporary Critical Theory (1)
Major Writer (1)
Literature and Theory Electives (2)
Rhetoric/Composition Theory and Practice (4)
Linguistics or Reading Theory (1)
Critical Methodology (1)**
(At least 2 of the elective courses should be literature or cross-listed as literature.)

FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT:
Applicants for the degree of Master of Arts in English who wish a recommendation for doctoral work are encouraged to pass an examination designed to test their ability to translate materApril 26, 2006ish or Latin.

* ENGL 691 The Comprehensive Examination (0 sem. hrs.)
The Comprehensive Examination will be based on a reading list including major works in English and American literature, literary theory, and/or rhetorical theory. The Comprehensive Examination will consist of a three-hour written examination, followed within one week by an oral examination. Students are urged to familiarize themselves with the details of procedures that are described in the Graduate Handbook.

** ENGL 600: Critical Methodology
Critical Methodology is required to be taken in the first semester of attendance. This course serves as a foundation for graduate studies in the Department of English and introduces students to advanced reading, writing, and researching methods. Only students coming in Fall ’06 or later are required to take the course. Students that began their coursework prior to Fall ’06 or have had similar prior coursework or experience may replace this course with a Literature or Theory Elective.

LMU | LA - Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts

Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements