English, Master of Arts (067)
Department website: http://www.wku.edu/english/
Program Coordinator
Trini G. Stickle, trini.stickle@wku.edu, (270) 745-5726
The master's program provides an intensive study of literature and composition through a highly adaptable curriculum that develops advanced skills in literary criticism, rhetorical analysis, communication, and analytical thinking. The program supports career advancement in industry and education pathways or continuing graduate work in an English-focused doctoral program. For licensed K-12 educators, the program can lead to a rank change.
Program Admission
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited university with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
- 27 credit hours of undergraduate English with a GPA of 3.0 or better. (Conditional admittance is granted on a case-by-case basis.)
- A 2-page statement of purpose describing the reason(s) for pursing an M.A. in English at Western Kentucky University and which may also include academic interests, career goals, relevant paid or volunteer experiences, or other relevant information.
- Optional: Students who are interested in applying for one of our funded graduate assistantships must download and submit the GA application along with the required application materials. The completed GA application must include a one-page statement addressing interests, skills, or experiences that make them highly qualified for a graduate assistantship position of teaching introductory college writing classes. The link to the GA application form is found on the department's program website: https://www.wku.edu/english/graduate-degree-program/.
- Applicants for whom English is their second language must score a minimum of 26 on the TOEFL Speaking and Writing sections for admission and 28 on the Speaking and Writing sections to be considered for the Graduate Assistantship. Equivalent scores on the IELTS of 6 and 7, respectively, are also accepted. Duolingo scores are not accepted.
- Applicants seeking Rank II or Rank I certification must have or be eligible for a secondary school teaching certificate and must include a copy with the application for admission. Applicants whose certificates have expired may be admitted, but they may enroll for only 6 hours before submitting a re-issued teaching certificate. Kentucky applicants will need to contact the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board for reissued certificates. Applicants from out-of-state with expired certificates must complete the requirements for their respective states to renew their certificates.
Graduate Studies Admission
Please refer to the admission section of this catalog for Graduate Studies admission requirements.
Program Requirements (30 hours)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ENG 520 | Introduction to Graduate Studies | 3 |
| Select two Literature Electives from the following list: | 6 | |
| 19th Century American Literature | ||
| British Literature since 1900 | ||
| Literary Theory and Criticism | ||
| Early Modern English Literature | ||
| Chaucer | ||
| Shakespeare | ||
| British Romanticism | ||
| The Eighteenth Century | ||
| Dante's Divine Comedy and its Influences | ||
| Victorian Literature & Culture | ||
| The British Novel | ||
| American Novel | ||
| American Poetry | ||
| Southern Literature | ||
| Women's Literature | ||
| Studies in American Literature | ||
| Studies in British Literature | ||
| Studies in World Literature | ||
| Studies in Genre | ||
| Seminar in British Writers | ||
| Seminar in American Writers | ||
| Select two Writing Electives from the following list: | 6 | |
| Advanced Composition | ||
| Editing and Publishing | ||
| Composition Theory and Practice in Writing Instruction | ||
| Theories of Rhetoric and Persuasive Writing | ||
| Writing and Technology | ||
| Introduction to Professional & Technical Writing | ||
| Graduate Rhetoric and Writing | ||
| Special Topics in Professional & Technical Writing | ||
| Electives | 15 | |
| Complete 15 hours in any ENG 4@G, 5@, 6@ course, or GWS 630 1 | ||
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
All GTAs required to take ENG 510 as one of their electives. Students who wish to write a thesis will only take 9 hours of electives and 6 hours of ENG 599. No more than 3 hours of creative writing courses (ENG 474G, ENG 475G, ENG 403G, and ENG 501) with permission of creative writing faculty member teaching the course.