The Master of Arts in English is designed to prepare students for careers that require advanced verbal and analytical abilities, including the skills necessary for professional research and communication in diverse careers. The program aims to improve the professional competence of public school teachers, to ready promising scholars for college teaching, and to prepare students for doctoral programs. For this degree there are two plans:
- MA Plan I - (Thesis / with or without Minor) – Principally designed for students planning to pursue a PhD, this option is open to all MA students who wish to write a substantial piece of scholarship under the individual supervision of a faculty member during their career as an MA student. Under this plan, students may elect to complete a twelve-hour minor in another field that complements their research interests (common minors include Foreign Languages, History, and Education).
- MA Plan II - (Non-Thesis / with or without Minor) – This option frees students to explore a broad range of courses. As with Plan I, students may elect to complete a twelve-hour minor in another field.