About

Are you interested in literary and film analysis, cultural studies, creative writing, language studies, or the study of writing and rhetoric in a wide variety of contexts? Are you interested in teaching English or improving your own writing?

The MA in English program offers eight concentrations: English studies, creative writing, literature, linguistics, multicultural/transnational literatures (offered online), teaching English to speakers of other languages(TESOL), rhetoric and composition, and technical and professional communication (offered online). Students interested in combining courses from several areas can choose the concentration in English Studies. Our campus MA program includes a number of assistantship opportunities that provide students with experiences tutoring, teaching, editing, publishing, and contributing to scholarly and community engagement projects.

Students in the MA program have opportunities to work with several journals, scholarly projects, and the university writing program through tutoring and teaching writing foundations courses. The Department of English is home to three prestigious journals. The North Carolina Literary Review is the premiere journal celebrating the writers and artists of North Carolina. Explorations in Renaissance Culture is a nationally and internationally recognized journal for the study of early modern literature, history, and culture. Tar River Poetry is a nationally and internationally recognized journal that publishes original works by leading poets. Students also have opportunities to work with The Variorum Edition of the Poetry of John Donne and its online project Digital Donne as well as with the Stuart Wright Collection and the Contemporary Writers Series. Students will also have opportunities to conduct research related to the theory and practice of writing and literacy practices given the university's commitment to writing through the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP).

ECU Advantage

Students graduating from our program secure positions at community colleges, colleges, and universities teaching writing and introduction to literature courses. The majority of MA graduates from our program, who held assistantships, are teaching in community colleges, four-year-colleges, and universities across the state of North Carolina and beyond. Of the 58 community colleges in the state, graduates from our programs have been employed, or are employed, at more than half. We see this placement as important to the regional mission of our university and one of the ways the department contributes to workforce and economic development.

Many students go on to MFA and PhD programs. Others take positions as writers and communicators in public relations, marketing, and within the public sector. Some of our graduates work at universities in advising, marketing, alumni affairs, and other positions where communication and writing is vital.

Our MA program is unique in the wide variety of experiences and opportunities we provide students. We support MA students through assistantships, which is integral to their professional development.

As an ECU student, you can research your future career in Steppingblocks. Explore real-world stats about your major, your interests, and your dream job title with data-powered career exploration tools designed for doers like you.

What You Will Study

Program Coordinator: Brent Henze (2211 Bate Building; 252-328-6699; henzeb@ecu.edu)

The English, MA offers both a thesis and nonthesis option.

Visit Department of English Master of Arts in English for more information. 

The degree requires a minimum of 33 s.h. as follows:

I. Research Methods - 3 s.h.

(Select one of the following courses.)

  • ENGL 7005 - Research Methods in Literary and Cultural Studies
  • ENGL 7600 - Research Methods in Rhetoric, Writing, and Professional Communication
  • ENGL 7702 - Research Methods in Empirical Inquiry
II. Areas of Concentration - 15 s.h.

(Select one of the following areas of concentration.)

    A. English Studies

    An approved, unified program of study, including courses from at least two concentrations or areas of study for a total of 15 s.h. of coursework chosen from ENGL courses.

      B. Creative Writing
        Select a maximum of 12 s.h. from the following courses:
        • ENGL 6840 - Advanced Poetry Writing
        • ENGL 6850 - Advanced Fiction Writing
        • ENGL 6868 - Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing
        • ENGL 6898 - Advanced Script Writing
        Select a minimum of 3 s.h. from the following courses:
        • ENGL 6865 - Creative Writing
        • ENGL 6880 - Directed Readings in Creative Writing
      C. Linguistics
      • ENGL 6530 - Descriptive Linguistics
        • Select 12 s.h. from the following courses:
        • ENGL 6505 - Linguistic and Cultural History of the English Language
        • ENGL 6525 - Language and Society
        • ENGL 6526 - The Structure of English: Phonology and Morphology
        • ENGL 6527 - The Structure of English: Syntax and Semantics
        • ENGL 6528 - TESOL: Theories and Principles
        • ENGL 6531 - TESOL: Methods and Practicum
        • ENGL 6535 - Principles of Language Testing
        • ENGL 6680 - Writing Systems of the World
        • ENGL 7565 - Linguistics, Education, and ESL
        • ENGL 7605 - Discourse Analysis
      D. Literature
        Select 12 s.h. from the following courses:
        • ENGL 5230 - Southern Regional Literature
        • ENGL 5330 - Studies in Women's Literature
        • ENGL 6065 - Topics in Literary Theory and Criticism
        • ENGL 6151 - Topics in British Literature Before 1800
        • ENGL 6155 - Topics in British Literature After 1800
        • ENGL 6220 - Topics in American Literature Before 1865
        • ENGL 6250 - Topics in American Literature After 1865
        • ENGL 6270 - Literature and the Environment
        • ENGL 6390 - Advanced Studies of Science Fiction and Fantasy
        • ENGL 6515 - Advanced Studies in Children's Literature
        • ENGL 6575 - Special Topics in Literature
        Select 3 s.h. from previous group or from the following courses:
        • ENGL 6330 - Studies in Latinx Literatures
        • ENGL 6340 - Ethnic American Literature
        • ENGL 6345 - Jewish Literature
        • ENGL 6350 - Studies in Native American Literature
        • ENGL 6360 - World Literature Written in English
        • ENGL 6370 - Caribbean Literature
        • ENGL 6375 - Middle Eastern Literature
        • ENGL 6380 - Studies in African Literature
        • ENGL 6420 - Studies in Asian American Literature
        • ENGL 6450 - Studies in World Indigenous Literatures
        • ENGL 6460 - Studies in African American Literature
        • ENGL 6470 - Literary Theory
        • ENGL 7350 - Seminar in Multicultural and Transnational Literature
        • ENGL 7365 - Selected Topics in Multicultural and Transnational Literature
        • ENGL 7465 - Folklore
      E. Multicultural and Transnational Literatures
        Select 15 s.h. from the following courses:
        • ENGL 6330 - Studies in Latinx Literatures
        • ENGL 6340 - Ethnic American Literature
        • ENGL 6345 - Jewish Literature
        • ENGL 6350 - Studies in Native American Literature
        • ENGL 6360 - World Literature Written in English
        • ENGL 6370 - Caribbean Literature
        • ENGL 6375 - Middle Eastern Literature
        • ENGL 6380 - Studies in African Literature
        • ENGL 6420 - Studies in Asian American Literature
        • ENGL 6460 - Studies in African American Literature
        • ENGL 6475 - Multicultural Women's Literatures
        • ENGL 6480 - LGBTQ+ Theories and Literatures
        • ENGL 6485 - Disability Studies Theories and Literatures
        • ENGL 6490 - Multicultural and Transnational Poetry
        • ENGL 6495 - Transnational Sinophone Cinema
        • ENGL 6515 - Advanced Studies in Children's Literature
        • ENGL 7080 - Cultural Studies Theory and Method
        • ENGL 7300 - Directed Reading in Multicultural and Transnational Literature
        • ENGL 7350 - Seminar in Multicultural and Transnational Literature
        • ENGL 7365 - Selected Topics in Multicultural and Transnational Literature
        • ENGL 7465 - Folklore
      F. Rhetoric and Composition
      • ENGL 6625 - Teaching Composition: Theory and Practice

      • ENGL 7615 - History and Theory of Rhetoric I OR
      • ENGL 7620 - History and Theory of Rhetoric II

      • ENGL 7630 - Cultural Rhetoric and Writing
        • Select 6 s.h. from the following courses:
        • ENGL 6000 - Critical Writing in English Studies
        • ENGL 7615 - History and Theory of Rhetoric I
        • ENGL 7620 - History and Theory of Rhetoric II
        • ENGL 7665 - Rhetoric and Composition
        • ENGL 7950 - Issues in Teaching Composition
        • ENGL 7960 - Methods of Teaching English in the Two-Year College
        • ENGL 7975 - Developmental English in the Two-Year College
        • ENGL 8600 - Seminar in Writing Studies and Pedagogy
        • ENGL 8615 - Seminar in Rhetorical Theory
        • ENGL 8630 - Seminar in Community and Cultural Rhetorics
      G. Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
      • ENGL 6528 - TESOL: Theories and Principles
      • ENGL 6530 - Descriptive Linguistics
      • ENGL 6531 - TESOL: Methods and Practicum
        • Select 6 s.h. from the following courses:
        • ENGL 6505 - Linguistic and Cultural History of the English Language
        • ENGL 6525 - Language and Society
        • ENGL 6526 - The Structure of English: Phonology and Morphology
        • ENGL 6527 - The Structure of English: Syntax and Semantics
        • ENGL 6535 - Principles of Language Testing
        • ENGL 6680 - Writing Systems of the World
        • ENGL 7565 - Linguistics, Education, and ESL
        • ENGL 7605 - Discourse Analysis
      H. Technical and Professional Communication
      • ENGL 6702 - Research Methods in Technical and Professional Communication
        • Select 12 s.h. from the following courses:
        • ENGL 6700 - Information Design and Production
        • ENGL 6715 - Foundations of Technical and Professional Communication
        • ENGL 6721 - Technical Editing
        • ENGL 6725 - Directed Readings in Technical and Professional Writing
        • ENGL 6740 - Internship in Technical and Professional Communication
        • ENGL 6741 - Internship in Technical and Professional Communication
        • ENGL 7705 - Ethical Issues in Professional Communication
        • ENGL 7712 - Grant and Proposal Writing
        • ENGL 7721 - Managing Editing and Publication Processes
        • ENGL 7735 - Cultural Issues in Technical Communication
        • ENGL 7745 - Teaching Professional Communication
        • ENGL 7746 - Training in Professional Communication
        • ENGL 7750 - Writing Public Science
        • ENGL 7755 - Health and Medical Rhetorics
        • ENGL 7765 - Technical and Professional Communication
        • ENGL 7766 - Special Studies Seminars in Communication and Emerging Technologies
        • ENGL 7770 - New Media and Digital Literacies
        • ENGL 7775 - User Experience (UX) Design
        • ENGL 7780 - Theory of Professional Communication
        • ENGL 7790 - Public Interest Writing
    III. ENGL Electives - 9 s.h.

    Electives outside the department may be approved by the director of graduate studies.

      IV. Options - 6 s.h.

      (Select one of the following options.)

        A. Thesis Option (6 s.h.)

        The thesis demonstrates the student's ability to gather, arrange, and interpret material which bears on a particular problem.

        • ENGL 7000 - Thesis (3 s.h.)
        • Elective
        B. Nonthesis Option (6 s.h.)

        The comprehensive assessment project (CAP) is designed in consultation with a faculty member and carries no course credit. This option requires students to complete an additional 6 s.h. of electives.

        • CAP Project (0 s.h.)
        • Electives (6 s.h.)
          Note:

          Successful defense of thesis or comprehensive project is required.

          For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.
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