Mar 29, 2024  
OHIO University Graduate Catalog 2020-21 
    
OHIO University Graduate Catalog 2020-21 [Archived Catalog]

English - MA


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Master of Arts in English

English – MA5231

Department of English
Ellis 231
Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701
740.597.2749
zionkows@ohio.edu

Delivery Mode: Athens Campus

Term of Entry: Fall

Program Overview

The M.A. degree in English can serve either as preparation for a Ph.D. and a career in English studies or as an extension of education in the liberal arts beyond the bachelor’s degree. We believe that all students should have a thorough grounding in the basic elements of literary study; thus all students must satisfy a common set of core requirements. We also believe that students should have the opportunity to give their studies a particular emphasis, and thus we offer a choice of three departmental concentrations. These concentrations, Creative Writing, Literary History, and Rhetoric and Composition, are carefully selected groups of courses that give each student’s program of study a distinctive focus. This is a full-time program: completion generally requires two years.

Program Learning Outcomes

M.A. in English/Creative Writing
  • Students will reveal substantial critical knowledge of the conventions, styles, and history of the genre/genres of their own creative practice.
  • Students will demonstrate originality of thought and form in the genre/genres in which they compose their own creative work.
  • Students will exhibit a skillful use of revision techniques and strategies in their creative work.
  • Students will produce creative work that is strong enough, with or without revision, for submission to a creative writing journal or press.
  • Students will be able to articulate and defend the intellectual and imaginative choices they make in the composition of their critical and creative work (thesis defense).
M.A. in English/Literary History
  • Students will understand the primary text’s historical/cultural context, form, and use of stylistic conventions.
  • Students will produce original, sustained analysis of primary texts employing conceptually sophisticated thesis arguments supported by ample, accurate use of evidence and quotations.
  • Students will adeptly employ theoretical approaches/vocabulary as an interpretive framework for primary texts, as appropriate.
  • Students will successfully locate, evaluate, and utilize existing scholarly sources to enrich their own textual analysis.
  • Students will set their analytical work and thesis arguments within or in response to scholarly conversations within their field.
  • Students will produce an essay that is strong enough, with or without revision, for submission to an academic journal or CFP collection (Essay Option).
  • Students will articulate and defend the methodological and conceptual choices they make in the composition of their analytical work, detailing the significance of the thesis project and pointing to future research as appropriate (Thesis Option).
M.A. in English/Rhetoric-Composition
  • Students will demonstrate the ability to form a praxis (pedagogy informed by theoretical understanding) for the teaching of writing and composition.
  • Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze/synthesize/interpret information/evidence/data within the field of Rhetoric and Composition.
  • Students will articulate a compelling argument/research question that evolves in relationship to text and/or data.
  • Students will set the argument/research question within or in response to conversations within the field.
  • Students will successfully cite, evaluate, and utilize existing scholarly sources to incorporate into their own analysis.
  • Students will produce an essay that is strong enough, with or without revision, for submission to an academic journal or CFP collection (Essay Option).
  • Students will articulate and defend the methodological and conceptual choices they make in the composition of their analytical work, detailing the significance of the thesis project and pointing to future research as appropriate (Thesis Option).

Opportunities for Graduates

Students enter M.A. programs in English for a variety of reasons. Some wish simply to extend their liberal education beyond the bachelor’s level, others want professional training for high school or junior college teaching, and still others require preparation for ongoing academic studies, including the doctoral degree.  Graduates from the M.A. program have pursued careers in teaching, publishing, library services, and university administration.

Further Information

Link to Program: https://www.ohio.edu/cas/english/graduate/masters

Admission Requirements

Applications for the M.A. program in English must submit the following materials:

  1. Transcripts of all undergraduate classes
  2. Three letters of recommendation from professors familiar with the applicant’s academic work
  3. A writing sample (analytical essay or creative writing portfolio, depending upon concentration)
  4. A one-page statement of purpose, indicating the name of the concentration for which the prospective student is applying (i.e., Creative Writing, Literary History, or Rhetoric and Composition).

Transfer credit from previous graduate coursework will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

International Students

This program permits full-time enrollment in residence at Ohio University, and an I-20 may be issued based on admission to this program.

Graduation Requirements

The residential M.A. in English requires a minimum of 34 credit hours. Students must fulfill the requirements for one of the three concentrations (Creative Writing, Literary Studies, or Rhetoric and Composition). The Director of Graduate Studies will determine which specific courses may fulfill each requirement category.

Creative Writing Concentration Requirements


Introduction to English Studies


Complete the following course:

Creative Writing Workshops


  • Complete a minimum of three Creative Writing workshops in the same genre (fiction, non-fiction, or poetry).
  • Complete a minimum of one Creative Writing workshop in a second genre.

Literature Courses


Complete a minimum of two Literature courses.

Thesis


Complete at least 1 hour of ENG 6950. A maximum of 8 thesis hours may be applied to degree requirements.

Literary History Concentration Requirements


Introduction to English Studies


Complete the following course:

Literature Courses


Complete at least one course in each of the following categories:

  • Literature Before 1640
  • British or American Literature 1640-1830
  • British or American Literature 1830-present
  • Multi-Ethnic/Cross-Cultural Literature

Thesis Option


Complete at least one additional graduate-level ENG course and at least 1 hour of ENG 6950, culminating in a thesis. A maximum of 8 hours of ENG 6950 may count toward degree requirements.

Master’s Essay Option


Complete at least two additional ENG courses and a Master’s Essay. ENG 6930 (Master’s Essay) is not required and a maximum of 8 hours may be applied to degree requirements.

Rhetoric and Composition Concentration Requirements


Introduction to English Studies


Complete the following course:

Rhetoric and Composition Courses


Complete at least four ENG courses in Rhetoric and Composition.

Critical Theory


Complete at least one ENG course in Critical Theory.

Literature Course


Complete at least one course in Literature.

Thesis/Essay


Complete either a Master’s Essay or a thesis. A maximum of 8 hours total from ENG 6930 and ENG 6950 may count toward degree requirements.

Requirements for TAs


All students are expected to complete the following courses; they are required for students receiving Teaching Assistantships.

Culminating Experience


Students either complete an M.A. Essay or an M.A. Thesis. Students in the Creative Writing concentration must complete a thesis (a portfolio of their creative work with a critical introduction), while students in the other concentrations may choose either to complete a thesis (at least 50 pages of scholarly or critical writing) or a publishable essay (at least 25 pages of scholarly or critical writing modeled on the academic journal article).

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