English (MA, PhD)
The English Department offers two graduate programs: A Master of Arts degree (M.A.) and a Doctor of Philosophy degree (Ph.D.). The M.A. is intended for students who wish to earn an M.A. degree but do not intend to continue to a Ph.D. or for those who would like to begin graduate study before making a commitment to a longer program. The Ph.D. is open to applicants with a B.A. and those with an M.A.
Master of Art Requirements
M.A. students are required to complete 31 credits, usually in this pattern: seven credits in the first semester (ENGL 5100 The Theory and Teaching of Writing, ENGL 5182 Practicum in the Teaching of Writing, one credit; and another three-credit seminar of the student's choice); nine credits in the second semester; six credits in the third semester; and nine credits in the fourth semester.
Required Courses
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 5100 | The Theory and Teaching of Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 5182 | Practicum in the Teaching of Writing | 1 |
| One course in pre-1800 texts; and one course in post-1800 texts. | ||
| In addition, students must complete a final writing project in the second year, consisting of a revision of a seminar paper or creative project, undertaken in consultation with an appropriate faculty advisor. | 3 | |
| An independent study to revise the paper or project cannot be counted toward the coursework requirements for the degree. | 3 | |
M.A./Ph.D. Requirements
M.A./Ph.D. students who enter the program with a B.A. degree should be completed in six years. Students normally enroll in coursework for three years beyond the B.A. Work for the doctor of philosophy degree must be completed within eight years of the beginning of the student’s matriculation. Students are required to complete 47 credits of course work at the University of Connecticut for the M.A./Ph.D. including the 15 mandatory GRAD 6950 Doctoral Dissertation Research research credits. The usual course load for a full-time student in each semester is between six and nine credits (if the student is a teaching assistant).
Required Courses
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 5100 | The Theory and Teaching of Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 5182 | Practicum in the Teaching of Writing | 1 |
| ENGL 5150 | Advanced Research Methods | 1 |
| ENGL 5160 | Professional Development in English | 3 |
| Select one of the following courses in theory (literary, cultural, rhet/comp): | 3 | |
ENGL 5500 | ||
| Seminar in Literary Theory | ||
Another approved course | ||
| One course in literature in English before 1800. | 3 | |
| One course in literature in English after 1800. | 3 | |
Ph.D. Requirements
Ph.D. students entering with a BA are required to complete 37 credits of coursework and at least 15 credits of GRAD 6950 Doctoral Dissertation Research. Students entering with an M.A. are required to complete 25 credits of coursework and at least 15 credits of GRAD 6950 Doctoral Dissertation Research. The student's remaining time in the Ph.D. program is dedicated to required milestones: preparing for and taking Ph.D. exams, writing and conferencing the dissertation prospectus, and completing and defending the dissertation. Ph.D. students are also required to complete a language requirement.
Required Courses
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 5100 | The Theory and Teaching of Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 5182 | Practicum in the Teaching of Writing | 1 |
| ENGL 5160 | Professional Development in English | 3 |
| One course in theory (literary, cultural, rhet/comp). | ||
| One course in pre-1800 texts. | 3 | |
| One course in post-1800 texts. | 3 | |
Students who feel they have fulfilled any of the requirements listed above (at another institution) may petition the graduate program office to have those requirements waived at the University of Connecticut.