English, M.A.

Rhonda L. McDaniel, Program Director
(615) 898-5285
Rhonda.McDaniel@mtsu.edu

The Department of English offers the Master of Arts and the Doctor of Philosophy.

Graduate study in English is primarily an engagement in the deep and intense study of literature and language, theory, and writing, undertaken for the special pleasure in knowledge and understanding of the world and its semiotic systems that such studies bring. It also provides preparation and training for careers within and outside of the academy.

The Master of Arts in English curriculum allows students to explore standard areas of literary study (British, American, and Anglophone) as well as topics related to Composition and Rhetoric, Film Studies, Folklore, Linguistics, and Children's and Young Adult Literature. The courses are designed as seminars, and graduate students may expect highly individualized mentoring from the graduate faculty.

Please see the undergraduate catalog for information regarding undergraduate programs.

Admission Requirements

Candidates will be expected to have earned 15 hours of coursework at the 2000 level or above in English or in related fields when that coursework includes a significant component of literature or writing.

Admissions decisions are based on the department's judgment of the applicant's capacity, suitability, and preparation for graduate study. Admission to graduate study is not automatically guaranteed by meeting minimum admission requirements.

Application Procedures

All application materials are to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies.

Those seeking teaching assistantships must apply by February 1 for the following Fall semester. All other applications for Summer/Fall admission must be complete by March 1. Applications for Spring admission must be complete by October 1. All application materials, including the assistantship application, should be submitted directly to the College of Graduate Studies through the Graduate Student Portal at www.mtsu.edu/graduate/apply.php.

Applicant must

1. submit an application with the appropriate application fee (online at www.mtsu.edu/graduate/apply.php). Once this initial application has been accepted, the applicant will receive directions on how to enter the graduate portal to be able to submit other materials.
2. submit three letters of recommendation from professors or professionals that address the applicant's potential to successfully complete an M.A. program in English;
3. submit official transcripts of all previous college work;
4. submit a writing example of 2,000 to 5,000 words;
5. submit a 500-word statement of purpose outlining academic interests and professional goals.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Arts in English requires completion of 30-37 semester hours (thesis) or 33 semester hours (directed portfolio).

Candidate must

1. successfully complete a directed portfolio (ENGL 6913) if in the non-thesis option;
2. successfully complete and defend a thesis (ENGL 6640) if in the thesis option.

Curriculum: English

All students are required to take ENGL 6001. Depending on interests, students may choose guided course recommendations in literary studies, language and writing studies, teaching writing and literature, or popular culture/culture studies, or pursue a self-directed selection of courses. Students should consult with the graduate program advisor to select courses suitable for their interests.

The following illustrates the minimum coursework requirements. In addition, a maximum of 10 hours of thesis research may be required to fulfill degree requirements for the thesis option.

Thesis Option (30-37 hours)

• ENGL 6001 - Introduction to Graduate Study: Bibliography and Research  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 6001 - Introduction to Graduate Study: Bibliography and Research

  3credit hours

  Scholarship and professionalism in the various fields of English: the nature, scope, and ethics of professional pursuits; traditional and innovative methods; the definition and solution of research problems; the production of scholarship in literature, language, and rhetoric and composition. Required of all master's students enrolling in English.

• ENGL 6640 - Thesis Research  1 to 6 credit hours  

  (3 credit hours required)(3 credit hours required; 10 credit hours maximum)  dotslash:(3 credit hours required; 10 credit hours maximum) title:(3 credit hours required) 

  (3 credit hours required; 10 credit hours maximum) 
  

  ENGL 6640 - Thesis Research

  1 to 6credit hours

  Selection of a research problem, review of pertinent literature, collection and analysis of data, and composition of thesis. Once enrolled, student should register for at least one credit hour of master's research each semester until completion. S/U grading.

• Advisor-approved electives 24 credit hours

Non-thesis Option (33 hours)

• ENGL 6001 - Introduction to Graduate Study: Bibliography and Research  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 6001 - Introduction to Graduate Study: Bibliography and Research

  3credit hours

  Scholarship and professionalism in the various fields of English: the nature, scope, and ethics of professional pursuits; traditional and innovative methods; the definition and solution of research problems; the production of scholarship in literature, language, and rhetoric and composition. Required of all master's students enrolling in English.

• ENGL 6913 - Directed Portfolio  1 to 6 credit hours  

  (3 credit hours required)(3 credit hours required)  dotslash:(3 credit hours required) title:(3 credit hours required) 

  (3 credit hours required) 
  

  ENGL 6913 - Directed Portfolio

  1 to 6credit hours

  Prerequisites: 27 hours of M.A. coursework and permission of the director of graduate studies. An individually supervised, unified collection of multiple components that includes intensive revision of a paper or papers from previous coursework and other elements to be determined by the portfolio director to demonstrate an appropriate breadth of knowledge and sophistication of writing. Normally 3 credit hours in one semester; may be repeated only once.

• Advisor-approved electives 27 credit hours

Graduate Assistant Requirements

Graduate teaching assistants are required to take ENGL 6821 - Seminar in Teaching Composition in their first year of the program.

English, Ph.D.

Rhonda L. McDaniel, Program Director
(615) 898-5285
Rhonda.McDaniel@mtsu.edu

The  Department of English offers the Master of Arts and the Doctor of Philosophy.

Graduate study in English is primarily an engagement in the deep and intense study of literature and language, theory, and writing, undertaken for the special pleasure in knowledge and understanding of the world and its semiotic systems that such studies bring. It also provides preparation and training for careers within and outside of the academy.

The Ph.D. in English offers a program that promotes the kind of dual specializations that provide breadth of knowledge and are often sought in academic employment. Student may seek specializations in the fields of American Literature; Anglophone Literature; British Literature; Children's and Young Adult Literature; Composition and Rhetoric; Critical Theory; Film Studies; and Popular Culture. Courses are designed as seminars, and graduate students may expect highly individualized attention from the graduate faculty.

Please see undergraduate catalog for information regarding undergraduate programs.

Admission Requirements

Admissions decisions are based on the department's judgment of the applicant's capacity, suitability, and preparation for graduate study.  Admission to graduate study is not automatically guaranteed by meeting minimum admission requirements.

Candidates will be expected to have earned an M.A. degree in English or closely-related field.

Students in the Ph.D. program who have earned an M.A. in English at MTSU may apply up to 12 hours of course credit from the M.A. program toward the Ph.D. program.

Application Procedures

All application materials are to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies.

Those seeking teaching assistantships must apply by February 1 for the following Fall semester. All other applications for Summer/Fall admission must be complete by March 1. Applications for Spring admission must be complete by October 1. Those seeking teaching assistantships must apply by February 1 for the following Fall semester. All application materials, including the assistantship application, should be sent directly to the College of Graduate Studies through www.mtsu.edu/graduate/apply.php.

Applicant must

1. submit an application with the appropriate application fee online (www.mtsu.edu/graduate/apply.php). Once this initial application has been accepted, the applicant will receive directions on how to enter the graduate portal to be able to submit other materials.
2. submit three letters of recommendation from professors or professionals that address the applicant's potential to successfully complete a Ph.D. program in English;
3. submit official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (English subject test optional);
4. submit official transcripts of all previous college work;
5. submit a writing sample of 3,000 to 5,000 words;
6. submit a 500-word statement of purpose outlining academic interests and professional goals.

Degree Requirements

The Doctor of Philosophy in English requires completion of 60-71 semester hours.

Candidate must

1. demonstrate a reading knowledge of one foreign language. (Committees may require more than one language.) (NOTE: The requirement may be waived for students whose native language is not English.) The language requirement must be fulfilled in one of the following ways:
   1. completing two 3-hour foreign language courses of 3000- or 4000-level work emphasizing reading, translation, or composition;
   2. earning a final grade of A or B in a foreign language course numbered 5990 or in SPAN 5920;
   3. passing a reading examination administered by the World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures Department;
   4. earning a final grade of B or better in both ENGL 7011 - Old English Language and Literature and ENGL 7015 - Beowulf, which must be taken sequentially; or
   5. meeting this requirement at the M.A. level.
2. near the completion of coursework, successfully complete two written Ph.D. exams in chosen concentrations from among the following areas: Old and Middle English Literature; Early Modern British Literature (1500-Milton); Restoration and 18th Century British Literature; Long 19th Century British Literature (1770-1900): 20th Century and Contemporary British Literature; Early American Literature (through 1900); 20th Century and Contemporary American Literature; Anglophone Literature; Children's and Young Adult Literature; Composition and Rhetoric; Popular Culture and Film; Criticism and Critical Theory; Folklore; or a student-researched custom area. An oral component to the exam may be required upon the successful completion of each written component.
3. complete a dissertation (12 hours minimum) and oral dissertation defense.

Curriculum: English

The following illustrates the minimum coursework requirements. In addition, a maximum of 23 hours of dissertation research may be required to fulfill degree requirements.

Core Courses (6 hours)

• ENGL 6001 - Introduction to Graduate Study: Bibliography and Research  3 credit hours  

  OROR  dotslash:OR title:OR 

  OR 
  

  ENGL 6001 - Introduction to Graduate Study: Bibliography and Research

  3credit hours

  Scholarship and professionalism in the various fields of English: the nature, scope, and ethics of professional pursuits; traditional and innovative methods; the definition and solution of research problems; the production of scholarship in literature, language, and rhetoric and composition. Required of all master's students enrolling in English.

• ENGL 7001 - Introduction to Graduate Study: Bibliography and Research  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7001 - Introduction to Graduate Study: Bibliography and Research

  3credit hours

  Scholarship and professionalism in the various fields of English: the nature, scope, and ethics of professional pursuits; traditional and innovative methods; the definition and solution of research problems; the production of scholarship in literature, language, and rhetoric and composition. Required of all doctoral students enrolling in English.

• ENGL 7701 - History of Criticism  3 credit hours  

  OROR  dotslash:OR title:OR 

  OR 
  

  ENGL 7701 - History of Criticism

  3credit hours

  Examines significant critical movements in Western literature from classical times into the twenty-first century.

• ENGL 7705 - Contemporary Critical Theory  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7705 - Contemporary Critical Theory

  3credit hours

  Covers major critical trends in literary theory since 1965, including feminist, Marxist, structuralist, and deconstructive approaches to literature. Students explore background and implications of these theories and analyze selected works of literature in light of these approaches.

One course from each of the following groups (9 hours)

British Literature through the Renaissance

• ENGL 7011 - Old English Language and Literature  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7011 - Old English Language and Literature

  3credit hours

  Introduction to Old English language (grammar, phonology, syntax, and vocabulary) and literature (poetry and prose) and to the historical and cultural background of the Old English period.

• ENGL 7015 - Beowulf  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7015 - Beowulf

  3credit hours

  Prerequisite: ENGL 7011. Intensive line-by-line study of Beowulf in Old English, with special emphasis on its sources and analogues, significant criticism, and current studies of the poem.

• ENGL 7025 - Chaucer Seminar  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7025 - Chaucer Seminar

  3credit hours

  Close study of Chaucer's major and minor works in Middle English, with attention to Chaucer's historical and cultural context (including his sources) and to significant scholarly criticism.

• ENGL 7021 - Middle English Language and Literature  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7021 - Middle English Language and Literature

  3credit hours

  A study of Middle English literary types (in poetry, prose, and drama) and of the major authors and texts of the Middle English period. Includes study of Middle English dialects.

• ENGL 7051 - Studies in Early English Drama, Excluding Shakespeare: 900-1642  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7051 - Studies in Early English Drama, Excluding Shakespeare: 900-1642

  3credit hours

  Advanced study of the origin and development of English drama, emphasizing Elizabethan and Jacobean drama and the contributions of Shakespeare's contemporaries and successors.

• ENGL 7105 - Spenser Seminar  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7105 - Spenser Seminar

  3credit hours

  Seeks to develop an understanding of individual works in Edmund Spenser's oeuvre and some sense of their place in the larger cultural systems of the sixteenth century. Philosophical meditations, pastoral eclogues, shorter poems are engaged fully to consider Spenser's range and engagement with lyric forms, as well as complete study of his major works, The Faerie Queene.

• ENGL 7101 - Studies in Sixteenth-Century English Prose and Poetry  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7101 - Studies in Sixteenth-Century English Prose and Poetry

  3credit hours

  Considers works of prose, fiction, romance, and poetry of the sixteenth-century to investigate changing vocabularies, genres, and literary practices that emerge in the Renaissance in response to various cultural, social, and historical pressures.

• ENGL 7111 - Studies in Seventeenth-Century English Prose and Poetry  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7111 - Studies in Seventeenth-Century English Prose and Poetry

  3credit hours

  Selected nondramatic literature of the century, with primary emphasis on the seventeenth century before the Restoration. Included are Donne, Herbert, and the metaphysical poets and Jonson and the Cavalier poets.

• ENGL 7121 - Studies in Milton  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7121 - Studies in Milton

  3credit hours

  The major poetry of John Milton, including "Lycidas," Paradise Lost, Samson Agonistes, and Paradise Regained.

• ENGL 7115 - Studies in Shakespeare  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7115 - Studies in Shakespeare

  3credit hours

  Advanced study of Shakespeare's poems and plays, emphasizing poetic and dramatic techniques in his works and critical reaction to those works.

Other courses when appropriate:

• ENGL 7171 - Major British Writers  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7171 - Major British Writers

  3credit hours

  An in-depth study of one, two, or three British writers. Course varies according to interests of instructor and students. May be taken for multiple credit up to 6 hours.

• ENGL 7415 - Special Topics in Women's Literature  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7415 - Special Topics in Women's Literature

  3credit hours

  Study of selected women authors with a focus on the way women's voices contribute to literary discourse. Subject will vary with instructor. May be taken for multiple credit up to 9 hours.

• ENGL 7611 - Special Topics in Language and Literature  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7611 - Special Topics in Language and Literature

  3credit hours

  A specialized field of literary or linguistic inquiry, its bibliography, critical problems, and probable solutions. Topics vary with the professor assigned to the course. May be taken for multiple credit up to 9 hours.

• ENGL 7901 - Directed Reading and Research  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7901 - Directed Reading and Research

  3credit hours

  Prerequisite: Permission of the director of graduate studies. Individually supervised reading and research in an area of English. Students may apply no more than two directed reading courses toward their degree requirements.

British Literature since the Renaissance

• ENGL 7131 - Studies in Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7131 - Studies in Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature

  3credit hours

  Designed to give students a definite critical knowledge of the major literary works of Restoration and eighteenth-century England, 1660-1800. Course may focus on either drama, poetry, or prose or a combination.

• ENGL 7141 - Studies in English Romanticism: Wordsworth and Coleridge  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7141 - Studies in English Romanticism: Wordsworth and Coleridge

  3credit hours

  Covers the major lyrical and narrative poetry of Wordsworth and Coleridge as well as select prose, e.g., Wordsworth's Preface to the second edition of Lyrical Ballads and Coleridge's Biogaphia Literaria.

• ENGL 7145 - Studies in English Romanticism: Shelley, Byron, and Keats  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7145 - Studies in English Romanticism: Shelley, Byron, and Keats

  3credit hours

  Covers the major lyrical, narrative, and dramatic poetry of the three principal younger generation Romantics as well as select prose, e.g., Shelley's A Defence of Poetry and Keats's letters.

• ENGL 7151 - Studies in Victorian Literature  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7151 - Studies in Victorian Literature

  3credit hours

  Intellectual backgrounds of the Victorian period; major prose writers: Macaulay, Carlyle, Newman, Mill, Ruskin, Arnold, Pater; major poets: Tennyson, Browning, Arnold.

• ENGL 7161 - Modern British Literature  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7161 - Modern British Literature

  3credit hours

  Intellectual backgrounds of modern British literature; major novelists: Forster, Woolf, Joyce, Lawrence; major poets: Yeats, Eliot, Auden, Thomas; selected minor writers.

Other courses when appropriate:

• ENGL 7171 - Major British Writers  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7171 - Major British Writers

  3credit hours

  An in-depth study of one, two, or three British writers. Course varies according to interests of instructor and students. May be taken for multiple credit up to 6 hours.

• ENGL 7415 - Special Topics in Women's Literature  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7415 - Special Topics in Women's Literature

  3credit hours

  Study of selected women authors with a focus on the way women's voices contribute to literary discourse. Subject will vary with instructor. May be taken for multiple credit up to 9 hours.

• ENGL 7601 - Studies in the Novel  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7601 - Studies in the Novel

  3credit hours

  The novel as a literary genre may be approached from a variety of perspectives, including generic, historical, theoretical, or single-author approaches. Course varies according to interests of instructor and students.

• ENGL 7611 - Special Topics in Language and Literature  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7611 - Special Topics in Language and Literature

  3credit hours

  A specialized field of literary or linguistic inquiry, its bibliography, critical problems, and probable solutions. Topics vary with the professor assigned to the course. May be taken for multiple credit up to 9 hours.

• ENGL 7901 - Directed Reading and Research  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7901 - Directed Reading and Research

  3credit hours

  Prerequisite: Permission of the director of graduate studies. Individually supervised reading and research in an area of English. Students may apply no more than two directed reading courses toward their degree requirements.

American Literature

• ENGL 7221 - African American Literature  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7221 - African American Literature

  3credit hours

  An in-depth study of the African American literary tradition with emphasis on significant authors, genres, texts, and contexts.

• ENGL 7225 - Studies in Southern Literature  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7225 - Studies in Southern Literature

  3credit hours

  Themes, theories, movements, and types of literature produced in the American South with particular emphasis on selected authors and texts.

• ENGL 7201 - Studies in American Literature to 1800  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7201 - Studies in American Literature to 1800

  3credit hours

  Surveys literature associated with the discovery and colonization of America from the first recorded European encounters with the New World until just after the founding of the United States. The readings represent a rich variety of genres (reports, letters, poetry, histories, journals/diaries, autobiographies, sermons, novels, slave/captivity narratives, trickster tales, drama, etc.) in accordance with the broad definition of literature characteristic of the period.

• ENGL 7205 - Studies in American Literature: 1800-1860  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7205 - Studies in American Literature: 1800-1860

  3credit hours

  Surveys literature associated with the Romantic period in American literary history, from the beginning of the nineteenth century through the 1860's.  Writing across a variety of genres including essays, short stories, poetry, novels, and slave narratives. Authors of this era answered the calls that had been made since the nation was founded for an artistically sophisticated and distinctive national literature.

• ENGL 7211 - Studies in American Literature: 1860-1910  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7211 - Studies in American Literature: 1860-1910

  3credit hours

  Covers the development of American literature from roughly the Civil War to World War I, including the rise of realism, naturalism, regionalism, and local color. Considers historical and cultural contexts.

• ENGL 7215 - Studies in American Literature: 1910-1950  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7215 - Studies in American Literature: 1910-1950

  3credit hours

  Covers the rise of American modernism, including experiments in fiction, drama, and verse; considers the phenomenon of expatriation, the radical visions of the depression decade, and the literary experience of the two world wars.

• ENGL 7401 - Studies in Contemporary Literature  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7401 - Studies in Contemporary Literature

  3credit hours

  Intellectual backgrounds of contemporary literature; significant developments in fiction, nonfictional prose, poetry, and drama.

Other courses when appropriate:

• ENGL 7231 - Major American Writers  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7231 - Major American Writers

  3credit hours

  An in-depth study of one, two, or three American writers. Course varies according to interests of instructor and students. May be taken for multiple credit up to 6 hours.

• ENGL 7415 - Special Topics in Women's Literature  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7415 - Special Topics in Women's Literature

  3credit hours

  Study of selected women authors with a focus on the way women's voices contribute to literary discourse. Subject will vary with instructor. May be taken for multiple credit up to 9 hours.

• ENGL 7601 - Studies in the Novel  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7601 - Studies in the Novel

  3credit hours

  The novel as a literary genre may be approached from a variety of perspectives, including generic, historical, theoretical, or single-author approaches. Course varies according to interests of instructor and students.

• ENGL 7611 - Special Topics in Language and Literature  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7611 - Special Topics in Language and Literature

  3credit hours

  A specialized field of literary or linguistic inquiry, its bibliography, critical problems, and probable solutions. Topics vary with the professor assigned to the course. May be taken for multiple credit up to 9 hours.

• ENGL 7901 - Directed Reading and Research  3 credit hours  

  
  

  ENGL 7901 - Directed Reading and Research

  3credit hours

  Prerequisite: Permission of the director of graduate studies. Individually supervised reading and research in an area of English. Students may apply no more than two directed reading courses toward their degree requirements.

Electives (33 hours; minimum of 24 hours in English)

The cognate option in the Ph.D. degree plan allows doctoral students to take graduate-level courses (6000 and 7000 level) in other disciplines related to their areas of concentration or professional goals that would apply as electives toward the degree in English. The cognate option is limited to a minimum of six (6) hours and a maximum of nine (9) hours, and requires a minimum of 24 hours in English. Courses taken in other departments beyond the nine hours for the cognate may not apply toward the Ph.D. in English, even as elective hours. Likewise courses taken outside the department by students who have not declared a cognate or received permission of the graduate advisor or program director will not count as credits toward the degree.

NOTE: ENGL 7909 recommended.

Dissertation (12-23 hours)

• ENGL 7640 - Dissertation Research  1 to 6 credit hours  

  (12 hours minimum)(12 hours minimum)  dotslash:(12 hours minimum) title:(12 hours minimum) 

  (12 hours minimum) 
  

  ENGL 7640 - Dissertation Research

  1 to 6credit hours

  Selection of a research problem, review of pertinent literature, collection and analysis of data, and composition of dissertation. Once enrolled, student should register for at least one credit hour of doctoral research each semester until completion. S/U grading.

Graduate Assistant Requirements

Graduate teaching assistants are required to take ENGL 7821 in their first year of the program.

Program Notes

Candidate must file an approved Advisory Committee form listing the members of the candidate's doctoral committee with the Graduate Office and College of Graduate Studies upon successful completion of the written preliminary examination.