Apr 02, 2025  
2025-2026 Catalog 
    
2025-2026 Catalog

Master of Arts in English (MA), Literature Emphasis


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  • Program Code: 3056MENG with an emphasis in Creative Writing (3110), Literature (3111), English Education (3119) or English Studies (3125)
  • CIPC: Master of English (230101), Creative Writing (231302), Literature (231401), English Education (131305) or English Studies (230101)

Admission Requirements

Admission to the MENG program requires a bachelor’s degree in English. Students with less English preparation may petition for conditional admission which may require that they take additional classes at the 5000-level for full matriculation.

Applicants must complete an online application. Criteria for acceptance into the program include:

  • Undergraduate degree in English with a minimum GPA of 3.25 in the major (preferred)
  • Submission of writing sample (6-8 pages)
  • Transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended
  • Three letters of recommendation from educational or professional references
  • Interview with the program director or option coordinator

Additional Requirements for International Students

All international students and any applicants educated outside the United States must demonstrate proficiency in English. Those whose native language is not English must submit an official score from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) of 108 overall, or an IELTS score of 7.5 OR provide equivalent demonstration of language proficiency as established through the Weber State International Student and Scholar Center. The score may not be more than two years old.

Students with bachelor’s degrees from institutions outside the United States will be required to submit professional transcript evaluations.

Transfer Credits

  • Transfer credit must be approved by the program director and cannot exceed 11 credit hours. Transfer classes must be at appropriate levels and fulfill the objectives of the Master of Arts in English degree at WSU. No courses for which credit was used to fulfill requirements of another degree may be used toward the Master of Arts in English degree.

Obsolete Credits

  • Credit earned more than ten (10) years earlier than the proposed date of graduation will not be accepted for the MA degree unless approved by the program director.

Graduation Requirements

  • Credit hour requirements are determined within the option. A minimum of 24 credit hours at the 6000-level and a minimum of 33 total credit hours are required in the program. Students must complete all requirements in one of the options.
  • Grades of B- or better in all courses counting toward the degree.
  • Students with a BS degree must show foreign language competency either by completing six hours of a foreign language class with a grade of C (or better) or by passing a prescribed foreign language reading test.
  • Students not completing a thesis will be required to submit a portfolio of their work to the program for assessment purposes.

Time for Degree Completion

  • MENG students must receive approval from the program director to register for more than nine (9) credit hours in a semester.
  • MENG students have a maximum of six calendar years to complete their degree requirements, starting from the first semester during which the student has registered for and begun taking classes. Students who exceed this time limit may submit a letter of appeal to the program director to request an extension.
  • Students who fail to enroll in program classes for three consecutive semesters (not including summers) must apply for readmission to the program.
  • In order to ensure timely progress through the program, students are encouraged to consult with an advisor at least once a year.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Students will demonstrate the ability to…
  • 1. Gather, analyze, and communicate information and insights critically.
  • 2. Closely read and analyze texts within historical contexts and critical frameworks.
  • 3. Apply current scholarship, practices, and/or theoretical perspectives in their own writings.
  • 4. Use discipline-specific terminology and conventions in their written, oral, and/or multimodal presentations.

Master of Arts in English (MA)


Course Requirements for Master of Arts in English

All MENG students will be required to complete the Core Requirements as part of their degree. In addition to the Core, a student needs to complete one of the emphasis areas.

Core Requirements


Core Research Methods


Required in the first full semester (Fall/Spring) of enrollment.

Core Literary Studies


Select one course from the following:
(Note: These courses may be repeated for credit with different content).

Literature Emphasis Requirements


Literature Theory and Criticism


Seminars in Literature


Complete three courses from the following repeatable seminars (9 credit hours):
(Note: Students who take one of these courses to fulfll the Core Literatary Studies requirement will also fulfill the requirement in this area).

Thesis Option (3-6)


Students interested in pursuing further study after the MA are encouraged to complete a thesis. The semester before the thesis, students are required to submit a detailed proposal with approval from a faculty thesis committee. This proposal must demonstrate an original contribution to the field that approaches publication quality. Thesis proposals must indicate workload consistent with a 3-6 credit hour graduate course.

Electives


Elective courses must be taken to fulfill the remaining credit hours to achieve the minimum 33 credit hours required to graduate. Students pursuing the Thesis Option will typically have an additional 12 credits to complete, and students pursuing the non-thesis option will typically have an additional 15 credits to complete, though any student who uses a 62XX literature seminar to fulfill the Core Literature requirement will have an additional 3 elective credits to complete. Any MENG course will count as an elective, and graduate-level courses from other programs may be counted upon consultation with the program director.

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