English (M.A.)

Purdue University
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Department of English and Linguistics
College of Arts and Sciences

Liberal Arts Building 145 ~ 260-481-6841 Fax: 260-481-6985

Hardin Aasand, Chair
Lewis C. Roberts, Graduate Program Director

To earn this degree, you must complete at least 36 credits in courses administered by the department (courses are generally 3 credits each). You must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 or better in courses taken to fulfill degree requirements; no course with a grade below B will count toward the degree.

Your program must include one course in professional scholarship in your area of concentration, one course in critical theory, and three 700-level seminars offered by the Department of English. Courses in Liberal Studies will not fulfill this requirement. It must include at least five courses in one of three available concentrations: (1) Literature; (2) Writing Studies; (3) English language and linguistics.

You must complete all M. A. degree requirements within five years of your admission to the program.

Teaching Assistantships

Graduate students may qualify for appointment as a teaching assistant (TA). To qualify, the student must have completed 50501, Teaching Composition, with a final grade of B or better, be recommended by the instructor of that course, the Associate Director of Writing, and be approved by the Director of Writing. Also (effective Fall 2011) newly appointed TAs must complete the one-credit-hour course 50601, Practicum in Teaching Composition, with a final grade of P(Passing) in one of the first two semesters of their teaching. To become and remain a graduate TA, students must be in good academic standing.

Limited spaces are available for teaching. New TAs will typically be assigned one or two sections of 13100, Introductory Composition. Subsequent assignments may include the assignment of 12900, Basic Writing, with the approval of that course’s Coordinator. TA appointments carry a stipend and partial remission of fees.

Master of Arts in English Requirements

At least 9 hours of the concentration or electives must be 700 - level seminars offered by the Department of English. Courses in Liberal Studies will not fulfill this requirement.
It is recommended that a student who plans to pursue a doctorate in literary study demonstrate reading proficiency in an approved international language under the auspices of the Department of International Language and Culture Studies by passing:
- A 3000x level literature course in an international language with a grade of A or B, or
- A written examination that demonstrates a student’s proficiency in reading and translating an international language.
It is also recommended that a student who plans to pursue a doctorate in literary study elect to write a Master’s Thesis (3 Credit Hours).

Core Courses: Credits 6

ENGL 60501 - Critical Theory Cr. 3.

Professional Scholarship Course: Credits 3

One professional scholarship course in the student’s area of concentration:

Must take one of the following:

Credits / Units: Cr. 3.
ENGL 50101 - Professional Scholarship in Literature Cr. 3.
ENGL 50102 - Introduction To Old English Cr. 3
ENGL 51700 - Professional Scholarship in Writing Studies Cr. 3.
LING 50500 - Professional Scholarship in Language Study and Linguistics Cr. 3.

Concentration: Credits 15

Five courses from one of the following three areas of concentration:

Literature
Writing Studies
Language and Linguistics

Elective Courses

Sufficient additional credits applicable to the degree to bring the program to a total of at least 36 credit hours.

Total Minimum Credit Hours: 36

Student Responsibility

You are responsible for satisfying the graduation requirements specified for your selected program. Thus, it is essential that you develop a thorough understanding of the required courses, academic policies and procedures governing your academic career. All requests for exceptions to specific requirements must be made in writing and may be granted only by written approval from the Graduate Director.