Master of Arts in English

English – MA5231

Department of English
Ellis 231
Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701
740.597.2749
webstej1@ohio.edu

Delivery Mode: Athens Campus

Term of Entry: Fall only

Special Terms of Entry Requiring Program Permission: None

Program Overview

The M.A. degree in English can serve either as preparation for a Ph.D. and a career in English studies or as an extension of education in the liberal arts beyond the bachelor’s degree. We believe that all students should have a thorough grounding in the basic elements of literary study; thus all students must satisfy a common set of core requirements. We also believe that students should have the opportunity to give their studies a particular emphasis, and thus we offer a choice of three departmental concentrations. These concentrations, Creative Writing, Literary History, and Rhetoric and Composition, are carefully selected groups of courses that give each student’s program of study a distinctive focus. This is a full-time program: completion generally requires two years.

Program Learning Outcomes

M.A. in English/Creative Writing

• Students will reveal substantial critical knowledge of the conventions, styles, and history of the genre/genres of their own creative practice.
• Students will demonstrate originality of thought and form in the genre/genres in which they compose their own creative work.
• Students will exhibit a skillful use of revision techniques and strategies in their creative work.
• Students will produce creative work that is strong enough, with or without revision, for submission to a creative writing journal or press.
• Students will be able to articulate and defend the intellectual and imaginative choices they make in the composition of their critical and creative work (thesis defense).

M.A. in English/Literary History

• Students will understand the primary text’s historical/cultural context, form, and use of stylistic conventions.
• Students will produce original, sustained analysis of primary texts employing conceptually sophisticated thesis arguments supported by ample, accurate use of evidence and quotations.
• Students will adeptly employ theoretical approaches/vocabulary as an interpretive framework for primary texts, as appropriate.
• Students will successfully locate, evaluate, and utilize existing scholarly sources to enrich their own textual analysis.
• Students will set their analytical work and thesis arguments within or in response to scholarly conversations within their field.
• Students will produce an essay that is strong enough, with or without revision, for submission to an academic journal or CFP collection (Essay Option).
• Students will articulate and defend the methodological and conceptual choices they make in the composition of their analytical work, detailing the significance of the thesis project and pointing to future research as appropriate (Thesis Option).

M.A. in English/Rhetoric-Composition

• Students will demonstrate the ability to form a praxis (pedagogy informed by theoretical understanding) for the teaching of writing and composition.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze/synthesize/interpret information/evidence/data within the field of Rhetoric and Composition.
• Students will articulate a compelling argument/research question that evolves in relationship to text and/or data.
• Students will set the argument/research question within or in response to conversations within the field.
• Students will successfully cite, evaluate, and utilize existing scholarly sources to incorporate into their own analysis.
• Students will produce an essay that is strong enough, with or without revision, for submission to an academic journal or CFP collection (Essay Option).
• Students will articulate and defend the methodological and conceptual choices they make in the composition of their analytical work, detailing the significance of the thesis project and pointing to future research as appropriate (Thesis Option).

Opportunities for Graduates

Students enter M.A. programs in English for a variety of reasons. Some wish simply to extend their liberal education beyond the bachelor’s level, others want professional training for high school or junior college teaching, and still others require preparation for ongoing academic studies, including the doctoral degree.  Graduates from the M.A. program have pursued careers in teaching, publishing, library services, and university administration.

Further Information

Link to Program: https://www.ohio.edu/cas/english/graduate/masters

Admission Requirements

Applications for the M.A. program in English must submit the following materials:

1. Transcripts of all undergraduate classes
2. Three letters of recommendation from professors familiar with the applicant’s academic work
3. A writing sample (analytical essay or creative writing portfolio, depending upon concentration)
4. A one-page statement of purpose, indicating the name of the concentration for which the prospective student is applying (i.e., Creative Writing, Literary History, or Rhetoric and Composition).

Transfer credit from previous graduate coursework will be considered on a case-by-case basis. GRE scores are not required for application.

International Students

This program permits full-time enrollment in residence at Ohio University, and an I-20 may be issued based on admission to this program.

Graduation Requirements

The residential M.A. in English requires a minimum of 36 credit hours. Students must fulfill the requirements for one of the three concentrations (Creative Writing, Literary Studies, or Rhetoric and Composition). The Director of Graduate Studies will determine which specific courses may fulfill each requirement category.