English, M.A.

Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Meghan Sweeney

The Department of English offers a program of study leading to the Master of Arts degree in English. Specific goals of the program are: (1) to provide advanced research and educational opportunities in English studies; (2) to offer a broad-based graduate program that will provide students with opportunities to specialize in historical and contemporary critical approaches to literature, language and literacy, rhetoric and composition, cultural studies, pedagogy, and professional, technical, and electronic writing; and (3) to prepare students for further graduate work leading to the Ph.D.

Admission Requirements

Applicants seeking admission to the graduate program in English are required to submit the following to the Graduate School (all six items MUST be received by the Graduate School before the application will be forwarded to the department for action):

An application for graduate admission
Official transcripts of all college work (undergraduate and graduate)
Official scores on the verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing sections of the Graduate Record Examination (no more than five years old)
Three recommendations by individuals in professionally relevant fields, addressing the applicant‘s demonstrated academic skills and potential for graduate study.
A ten-page analytical writing sample that includes a bibliography citing secondary sources in MLA format.
A statement of interest (500 words)

The minimum requirements for acceptance are the following: an acceptable score on the Graduate Record Examination, a satisfactory response to the statement of interest attached to the application form, a bachelor‘s degree from an accredited college or university or its equivalent in a foreign institution based on a four-year program, and a strong overall academic record with a “B” average or better in the undergraduate major. However, meeting minimal GRE scores and grade requirements does not in itself guarantee admission. Applicants who are not undergraduate English majors must have completed 12 hours of upper level English courses or have this requirement waived by the graduate coordinator.

The deadline for receiving applications is May 1 for the fall semester, November 1 for the spring semester and May 1 for the summer I and II semesters. All interested applicants will be considered for teaching assistantships, which will be awarded on a competitive basis, ordinarily in April for the following academic year. Applicants seeking graduate assistantships are urged to submit their applications by April 1.

Degree Requirements

The M.A. program requires a minimum of 36 semester hours of graduate study, including ENG 501 , ENG 502 or ENG 552 , and ENG 599 (6 hours) for students enrolled in the thesis option.
Students may substitute one graduate course (3 hours) from outside the department with the prior approval of the Graduate Coordinator.
At least 30 semester hours must be completed in residence at UNCW; a maximum of six semester hours may be transferred from another accredited institution. Grades on transfer work must be equivalent to a “B” or better.
A written comprehensive exam must be successfully completed.
Students may select a thesis or non-thesis option. Students pursuing the thesis option must complete 30 semester hours of graduate course work, register for ENG 599 - Thesis (6 hours) in their last two semesters, and present and defend a thesis, acceptable to the student‘s thesis committee, prior to graduation. Students pursuing the non-thesis option will complete 36 hours of graduate course work.
Students must complete the program within five years of the date of first registration for graduate study.