Search the Graduate POS Manual
- 1.1 Graduate Program Resources
- 1.2 Academic Information
- 1.3 Program Advisors, Major Professors, & POS Committees
- 1.4 Degree Progress, Planning, and Time Limits
- 1.5 Minors and Co-majors
- 1.6 Course Policies
- 1.7 Registration
- 1.8 Graduate Assistantships
- 1.9 Graduate Student Travel and Support
- 1.10 Graduation
- 1.11 Graduate Faculty Members
- 2.1 About the MA programs
- 2.2 MA in English Degree Requirements
- 2.3 MA in Rhetoric, Composition, & Professional Communication Degree Requirements
- 2.4 MA in TESL/Applied Linguistics Degree Requirements
- 2.5 Minoring and Co-majoring in the MA Programs
- 2.6 The Program of Study Committee and the POSC Form (MA)
- 2.7 Guidelines for Thesis and Creative Component (MA)
- 3.1 About the MFA program
- 3.2 MFA in Creative Writing & Environment Degree Requirements
- 3.3 The Program of Study Committee and the POSC Form (MFA)
- 3.4 Minoring and Co-majoring in the MFA Program
- 3.5 Guidelines for Thesis (MFA)
- 4.1 About the Doctoral programs
- 4.2 PhD in Applied Linguistics and Technology (ALT)
- 4.3 PhD in Rhetoric and Professional Communication (RPC)
- 4.4 Minoring and Co-majoring in the PhD Programs
- 4.5 The Program of Study Committee and the POSC Form (PhD)
- 4.6 Preliminary examination requirements and ABD Status
- 4.7 Guidelines for the Dissertation (PhD)
- 5.1 About the Concurrent Bachelor's and Master's Degree Programs
- 5.2 Concurrent BA in Linguistics/MA in TESL/Applied Linguistics Degree Requirements and Curriculum Plans
- 5.3 Concurrent BS in Technical Communication/MA in Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Communication Degree Requirements and Curriculum Plans
- 5.4 The Program of Study Committee and the POSC Form (Concurrent MA)
- 5.5 Guidelines for Thesis and Creative Component (Concurrent MA)
Students admitted to graduate study for the MA in English choose one of two disciplinary specializations: Literature or Literature and the Teaching of Reading (LTR).
Students who choose the Literature specialization will cultivate broad expertise in English and American literature and film and their historical, cultural, and theoretical contexts.
Students interested in the Literature and the Teaching of Reading (LTR) specialization will cultivate a broad expertise in English and American literature and prepare to teach reading in middle schools and high schools. These students must be interviewed by Prof. Brandon Sams (blsams@iastate.edu). Generally, only those students with current teaching licenses will qualify to specialize in LTR.
2.2.1 Degree Requirements
(Effective Fall 2023)
Requires 30 credits of coursework.
| Area of Coursework | Courses | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CORE COURSEWORK | 18 | |
| Literature/Film | Choose from the following courses:: Engl 521, 522, 523, 531, 532, 533, 534, 535, 538, 539, 540, 543, 545, 546, 561, 562, 590A, and 595A | |
| AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION | 9 each | |
| Literature Three elective courses from English Dept graduate offerings in any of the graduate majors (LIT, RPC, CWE, or AL). TAs may count 3 credits of either ENGL 500 or SP CM 513. With prior approval as a POS waiver/substitution, 3.0 credits of appropriate graduate Education (EDUC) coursework may be used. | *Courses strongly recommended for students planning to teach include: ENGL 503: Composition Theory ENGL 521: Teaching of Literature and the Literature Curriculum ENGL 547: The History of Rhetorical Theory | 9 |
| Literature & the Teaching of Reading Students interested in this specialization must be interviewed by Brandon Sams (blsams@iastate.edu); generally, only those with current teaching licenses will qualify for this specialization. | EDUC 552: Assessment for Literacy and Learning EDUC 588: Supervised Tutoring in Reading One of the following: EDUC 553: Teaching Adolescent Readers with Reading Difficulties or EDUC 556: Integrating Technology into Literacy | 9 |
| INDEPENDENT RESEARCH | Engl 699: Thesis Research or Engl 599: Creative Component | 3 |
| TOTAL | 30 minimum |
2.2.2 Curricular Policies and Guidelines
Language requirement
The MA in English program does not have a foreign language requirement; however, students who intend to pursue a PhD should be aware that most PhD programs require demonstrable skill in one or two foreign languages.
2.2.3 Final Oral Defense of the Thesis or Creative Component (Final Oral Examination)
Students should refer to Guidelines for Thesis and Creative Component (MA) as soon as they begin to establish their POS Committee and share their research interests. See the section on Graduation for more details and information on finishing up as well as resources with links to very helpful information.
2.2.4 Student Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes students in this program are expected to meet include:
- Expand knowledge related to the study of literature and film that includes a diversity of authors/directors, genres, theories, and cultural-historical contexts.
- Communicate research effectively through oral and written presentations.
- Conduct independent scholarship in ways that consistently demonstrate ethical practice and professionalism.
- For graduate students who receive a teaching assistantship, develop strategies for the effective teaching of undergraduate students.