English
Are you interested in literary and film analysis, cultural studies, creative writing, linguistics and TESOL, or the study of rhetoric and professional writing? Are you interested in teaching English, sharpening your creative and critical thinking skills, or improving your own writing?
English Program Overview
Students in the Master of Arts (MA) program in English can concentrate in creative writing (campus), multicultural and transnational literatures (online), or technical and professional communication (online).
Or they can choose the English studies concentration, sampling courses from across the full range of English, including online and campus offerings in British and American literature, creative writing, linguistics/TESOL, rhetoric and composition, technical and professional communication, multicultural studies, film studies and folklore.
MA degree students are encouraged to add one or more graduate certificates to their degree, including the English department’s online certificates in multicultural and transnational literatures, film and folklore (MTL); professional communication (PC); teaching English in the two-year college (TETYC); and teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL).
Our campus MA program offers competitive assistantship opportunities that provide students with experiences in tutoring, teaching, editing, or contributing to research and community engagement projects. Our students work with academic and literary journals, tutor students in the University Writing Center, and teach writing foundations courses.
The Department of English is home to ECU's new Zine Lab and the award-winning North Carolina Literary Review (NCLR), the premier journal celebrating the writers and artists of North Carolina. Graduate students can participate in our summer study abroad programs to London and other destinations, meet world-famous writers at English-sponsored readings, attend the Comics and Manga Reading Group, or join the Creative Writing Club.
ECU Advantage
Many of our master's degree graduates secure positions teaching writing and literature courses at community colleges, colleges and universities; of the 58 community colleges in the state, our graduates 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. Other graduates continue their education in MFA and PhD programs around the country.
Others take positions as writers and communicators in public relations, marketing and other public-sector positions. Some of our graduates work at universities in advising, marketing, alumni affairs, and other positions where writing, creativity and critical thinking are vital talents.
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:
Core Requirements:
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.
Students may select one of the following concentrations or take an additional 15 s.h. of ENGL electives.
A. 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
B. 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 6450 - Studies in World Indigenous Literatures
- 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
C. 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 - 9-24 s.h.
Students not enrolled in a concentration will take 24 s.h. of ENGL electives. Students enrolled in a concentration will take 15 s.h. of concentration courses plus 9 s.h. of ENGL electives. 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.)
Comprehensive Assessment Requirement
All graduate programs at ECU require students to successfully complete a comprehensive assessment. The English, MA requires the following:
- Thesis Option: Successful defense of thesis
- Nonthesis Option: Successful defense of comprehensive assessment project (CAP)
For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.
Related Programs
Professional Writing and Information Design – BS
Bachelor of Science
- Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences
-
On-Campus -
Online
ECU is the region’s premier destination for studying professional writing and information design, offering the only fully online program of its kind and pairing accessibility with exceptional academic quality.
English – BA
Bachelor of Arts
- Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences
-
On-Campus
As an English major, you will hone writing, reading, research and critical-thinking skills that will prepare you for career success.
Rhetoric, Writing and Professional Communication – PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
- Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences
-
On-Campus
Are you interested in a PhD program that combines the study of rhetoric, writing, and professional communication? Are you interested in studying writing and communication practices in community or public contexts?