Literature in English - Master of Arts at Michigan State University

To be considered for to the Master of Arts degree program in literature in English, an applicant must:

1. Submit to the department a writing sample that reflects aptitude for critical and scholarly writing.

To be admitted to the program on regular status, an applicant must have:

1. A baccalaureate degree in English or a related field.
2. Completed a minimum of 20 semester credits in English courses, exclusive of freshman composition, with a grade–point average of at least 3.50.
3. Completed two years of study in a foreign language at the college level.

Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in Literature in English

Students must complete a total of 31 credits for the degree under Plan A (with thesis) or 30 credits for the degree under Plan B (without thesis).  The student's program of study must be approved by the Graduate Chairperson. Not more than 4 credits of ENG 890  Independent Study may be counted toward the requirements for the Master of Arts degree in Literature in English.  English 890 may not be substituted for any required course.

Requirements for Both Plan A and Plan B

1. Complete the following courses within the first two semesters of enrollment in the program  (6 credits):
   ENG    800    Studies in Race, Gender, and the Human     3
   ENG    802    Literary Criticism and Theory                        3
2. Complete 21 additional credits of graduate work in English or related fields with attention to issues of criticism and theory, literary and cultural history, and multinational or global literary traditions. No more than 6 credits of course work outside the department may count towards the degree. Students must complete two courses in English literatures, one from before 1800 and one after 1800.
3. Demonstrate second-year proficiency at the college-level in a language other than English through completion of course work through the 200-level, by passing an examination of reading comprehension, or completion of a 400-level reading course for graduate students in a language other than English.

Additional Requirements for Plan A

1. Complete 4 credits of ENG 899  Master's Thesis Research.
2. Pass a final oral certifying examination on the thesis and course work.

Additional Requirements for Plan B

1. Complete a graduate course within or outside the Department of English.
2. Submit a portfolio taken from course work and pass a final certifying examination on the course work.

Due to cancellations of many international English language proficiency tests, MSU will be temporarily accepting the following tests for international students applying for fall semester 2022. In addition, MSU will be expanding the ability for students to receive provisional admission. If a provisionally admitted student is able to take a test that meets our regular admission standards prior to enrollment, we will update their admission status to regular.