English M.A.

Program Rationale:

The Master of Arts in English program is designed for students who wish to pursue the advanced study of English and American literature. The program offers two tracks, both of which provide students opportunity to refine and expand  their knowledge of literature written in English and their facility with its criticism.

The traditional “Literary Studies” track begins with an introduction to the theory and practice of literary criticism and research and continues with coursework allowing students to work with faculty in small classes to investigate the discipline of literary studies and the scope of British and American literature from their beginnings to the present day. In this way, the MA program supports students' pursuit of careers in teaching at the K-12 level (or enhances the skills and qualifications of those already teaching); helps prepare students for further advanced study in a doctoral program; and gives them the tools necessary for other careers involving the reading, writing, and analysis of texts.

The “Online-Hybrid Track for Teachers” is designed specifically for practicing teachers, whether in public or private settings, who want to deepen their knowledge of the type of texts frequently assigned in middle- and high-school Literature courses.  Students read widely and critically in the school literature canons, and they work closely with faculty to develop their research and presentation skills.  The “Online-Hybrid Track for Teachers” offers several advantages for existing educators:

• Graduate level study and research of American, British and World canonical texts
• Available accelerated course schedule
• Summer online courses
• Capstone project geared toward practicing teachers

The MA program as a whole offers a variety of courses on a broad range of topics reflecting the diverse interests of the English Department's faculty. Typical approaches include in-depth examinations of individual authors, comparative studies of two or more authors, explorations of established or emergent literary forms, historical treatments of particular periods, and investigations of important critical or theoretical methods. Independent studies and guided readings are also available to allow students to pursue interests not addressed in scheduled courses.

With its diverse, engaged faculty and structured but flexible programs, the two tracks in the English MA offer full-time and part-time students a thorough, rigorous training in British and American literature and literary studies that allows students to tailor their experiences to meet their professional and intellectual needs and interests.

Program Learning Outcomes:

Students will:

• construct a sound argument, supporting effectively and appropriately a valid claim about the material addressed;
• discuss effectively the literary aspects of a prose work or works, such as tone, point of view, characterization, imagery, etc.;
• employ technical language and appropriate literary terminology in service of a clear, effective treatment of material discussed;
• analyze a work or works effectively from the perspective of genre;
• offer persuasive and technically accurate close readings of poetry, including analysis of prosody and other formal features;
• construct an effective analysis of a work or works informed by the tenets of a literary theory;
• analyze a work or works effectively from the perspective of the cultural issues it addresses (gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, class, etc.);
• analyze a work or works considering accurately their engagement with relevant historical periods;
• read effectively and incorporate successfully into their own arguments secondary material treating the works they address.

Admission Requirements:

To qualify for the Master of Arts degree program in English, an applicant must have a baccalaureate degree in English or American literature or a closely related field from an accredited college or university, or 30 hours of appropriate undergraduate course work in the discipline (as approved by departmental review). Additional undergraduate credits will be required of students who lack sufficient preparation in literature. Applicants must have a GPA of at least 3.00 on a four-point scale both in overall undergraduate and (if applicable) graduate course work and in English courses. Conditional admission may be offered to students who do not meet all of these requirements. Applicants must also submit the following:

To the Graduate Recruitment Office:

• Graduate Application Form
• Official undergraduate and (if applicable) graduate transcripts from every institution attended except CCSU
• Application fee
• Letter of application detailing reasons for wishing to pursue graduate study in English and providing the names and contact information of two academic references;

• A writing sample of 10-15 pages showcasing the applicant's strongest analytical or critical writing about literature. Work written for previous courses is acceptable (indeed encouraged), but "creative" pieces (poetry, fiction, or memoir) are not appropriate.

Instructions for uploading the letter and writing sample will be found within the graduate online application. Applications will not be considered until all materials have been received; evaluation will be conducted by the department on an ongoing basis. The Literacy Studies Track accepts application for fall and spring admission. The Online Track for Teachers accepts application for spring, summer, and fall; the deadline for summer is April 1st. 

No applications will be considered until all materials have been received. Applications will be evaluated by the department on an ongoing basis.

Contact: 860-832-2740

Total Credit Hours: 30