Focusing primarily on the analysis and appreciation of literary texts, the program provides students the opportunity to develop their analytic, interpretive, and writing skills; prepares aspiring community college English instructors to teach composition, rhetoric, and literature; offers secondary-level English teachers the chance to explore new pedagogical strategies for reading and composition; gives currently practicing and soon-to-be-practicing technical writers, editors, and Internet publishers training in the intricacies of well-formed language; helps prepare students who intend to pursue the Ph.D. in literature or cultural studies for the challenges of advanced graduate work; and makes available to creative writers further experience with literature.
In addition to offering one of the supreme human enjoyments, the study of literature enables students to enhance the ability most critical for success in an information-based economy -- the ability to communicate well. Many graduates of our program are teaching in public schools or at the community college level. Others have found or created jobs for themselves in web-based publishing, technical writing, editing, trade publishing, law, television and radio production, journalism, public relations, advertising, marketing, bookstore management, corporate in-house education and training, university admissions, fund raising, script writing, and more. There will always be employment opportunities for people who can read critically, analyze quickly and accurately, translate their ideas in ways others can readily grasp, and write clearly.
The program entails eleven courses (33 credit hours).
The literature courses focus on the analysis of poetry, drama, fiction, film, and other kinds of texts, including biography and memoir; on developing a critical vocabulary for describing the complexities of literary texts; on understanding the nature of literary conventions; on exploring the different traditions in British, American, and world literature; and on investigating developments in and the value of contemporary literary theory.
A number of graduate students in the M.A. Program in English go on to teach writing at community colleges, and a few teach in UNF's Writing Program. Moreover, most secondary-level English teachers give some form of writing instruction. The program provides students the option of taking courses in rhetoric and composition, which will enhance their qualifications for this kind of work. The program also recommends this concentration for students wishing to pursue careers as technical writers, editors, or Internet publishers. The concentration consists of twelve-credit hours (four courses). Nine hours (three courses) will be concerned with theory, research, pedagogical issues, and background. These courses are ENC 6700 (The Subject of Composition), ENC 6702 (Grammar and Rhetoric of the Sentence and Paragraph), and ENC 6720 (Five Problems in Composition). The fourth course, ENG 6941 /2 (Practicum), will provide teaching experience.
Students who would like college-level classroom teaching experience or who wish to pursue a course of independent study with particular professors may do so by seeking out faculty members willing to direct them. Students can sign up for an independent study or a practicum after they have completed 18 hours of graduate study (or six courses). In the program's eleven courses, students are allowed to enroll in a maximum of two practica, or two independent studies, or one practicum and one independent study.
Applicants must satisfy both the SUS general requirements and the specific requirements of the Department of English M.A. in English Program.
1. A GPA of 3.0 or higher for the last two years (60 semester hours) of undergraduate course work and a score of 500 or better on the verbal section of the GRE.
2. A B.A. in English or a minimum of 18 semester hours of literature course work, in either case with sufficiently high grades. "Sufficiently high" means applicants have earned considerably more A's than B's in their undergraduate literature courses.
3. A course in literary criticism (such as ENG 4013 or 4014) with a grade of B or higher. (Applicants who lack such a course but who otherwise fulfill the admissions requirements may take ENG 4013 or 4014 as part of the admissions process.) While not required, LIT 3213 (The Art of Critical Reading) is recommended.
4. A writing sample submitted along with other application materials to UNF'�s Graduate School (not to the English department). The sample should consist of 4-7 pages of literary criticism (not creative writing or personal essay); a paper written for an undergraduate literature class is appropriate.
For an explanation of the differences among the types of admission status and the advantage of having Full Admission rather than Provisional or Post-Baccalaureate status, please refer to the discussion in the Admission section of the Graduate Catalog (I: Getting Admitted into UNF) or consult with the Graduate Coordinator.
1. Prospective students must complete the university's application forms.
2. At the same time they must submit their writing samples directly to UNF's Graduate School Office.
3. Once the Admissions Office receives the applicant's transcripts and GRE scores, an Admissions Officer will forward a Graduate Referral to the Graduate Coordinator, who will make the final decision concerning the applicant's acceptance and so inform the Admissions Office.
4. An Admissions Officer will then send a formal letter with the Graduate Coordinator's decision.
5. Students should meet with the Graduate Coordinator as soon as possible to review their Programs of Study.
Graduate Advising and the Program of Study
The Graduate Coordinator serves as the advisor to all graduate students in the M.A. in English Program. All newly admitted students should meet with the Graduate Coordinator to identify their program aims, discuss their program options, develop their initial programs of study, and review the time frame for the M.A. Exam.
Students must have an upper division general linguistics or history of the English language course with a grade of C or higher. This course may be taken either before or after entering the M.A. in English Program. This course does not count toward completion of the 34 semester hours requirement (or the 37 hour requirement for those completing a creative writing thesis).
Prerequisites - 21 semester hours at the 3000-4000 levels:
- At least 18 hours of AML/ENL/LIT/ENG (with sufficiently high grades—"sufficient high" meaning more A's than B's in literature courses)
- 3 hours of literary interpretation / literary theory (ENG 4013 or 4014 or equivalent) with a grade of B or better
Major Requirements - 6 semester hours:
- LIT 6246: Major Authors (Au))
- ENG 6019: Contemporary Literary Criticism/Theory, or ENG 6018: History of Literary Criticism/Theory (TC)
Major Electives - 28 semester hours:
- 2 courses before 1800 and 2 courses after 1800 (1850 +/- for American Literature courses) (EB18 & EA18)
- 12 semester hours (4 courses only) at the 5000 level maximum (the program does not necessarily recommend students taking any 5000-level courses)
- 2 British Literature courses (EENL)
- 2 American Literature courses (EAML)
- 5 Major Electives
AML 6455 - Studies In American Lit
LIT 5934 - Spec Top:Literature
CRW 6025 - Topics:Creative Writ
LIT 6017 - Studies In Fiction
CRW 6130 - Fiction Workshop
LIT 6037 - Studies In Poetry
CRW 6331 - Poetry Workshop
LIT 6047 - Studies In Drama
ENC 6700 - Theory: Composition
ENC 6702 - Grammar/Rhet Sent&Parag
ENC6720 - Problems: Composition
LIT 6654 - Comparative/World Lit
ENG 6138 - Studies In Film
LIT 6905 - Directed Independent Stdy
ENG 6941 - DIS:Prac/Tch Comp
LIT 6934 - Spec Top:Literature
ENL 6455 - Studies In British Lit
LIT 6941 - Practicum:Teach Lit
*graduate coordinator's approval required prior to enrolling in ENG 6941, LIT 6905, LIT 6941, and ENG 6971
Graduate Program Option:
ENG 6971 3.0 Thesis
Other Requirements:
- Grades of B- or above are required in all courses.
- 33 semester hours are required for the degree; a minimum of 24 hours of course work must be completed at the UNF campus.
- All students should apply for graduation during registration for the last semester of courses at UNF. Deadlines are published in the course schedule booklet each semester. Students can apply to graduate in subsequent semesters.
ENG 6971 – Thesis (pass/fail). A literature thesis will count as one of the required 11 three-credit hour courses. A creative writing thesis is in addition to the eleven courses.
All students must maintain a GPA of 3.00 (B) or higher. Grades lower than 2.70 (B-) will not count toward completion of the program but will be included in the GPA.
Fully enrolled graduate students will receive an early registration appointment from the Registrar's Office. They will not need the Graduate Coordinator's approval or electronic permission unless they wish to enroll in (a) ENG 6941, Practicum in Teaching Composition, (b) LIT 6941, Practicum in Teaching Literature, (c) LIT 6905, Directed Independent Study, or (d) ENG 6971, Thesis. Post-baccalaureate students must first receive both the Graduate Coordinator's approval to enroll in any graduate courses and his or her electronic permission to register.
Students must notify the office of the Department of English in advance if they will miss the first class meeting of the course. If they do not, the course instructor has the authority to drop them from the course.
More information about UNF's English Graduate Program can be found in ORIENTATIONS, a brochure for graduate students and program applicants.
HANDBOOK
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Graduate Coordinator, Professor Jason Mauro at email.