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The Graduate Program in English
Starting in the Fall 2011, the graduate program in English at Fredonia will offer students two degree tracks: one leading to a Master of Arts in English, one leading to a Master of Arts in English 7-12 for professional certification to teach English Language Arts. (See the graduate catalogue for admission requirements.)
Learning Goals for the Graduate Program in English:
Students will:
- Broaden their understanding of English as a field and find their places within it;
- Think critically about language and the contexts in which it is produced and received;
- Engage with and apply multiple research methodologies in order to express themselves in written and other media
Both degree tracks offer students multiple opportunities to engage with the diverse field of English studies, developing their skills as reflective readers, writers and researchers. Starting with ENGL 500, Introduction to Graduate Studies, students will approach contemporary issues and problems through multiple methodological lenses, as they discover their own specific professional interests. Exposing students to fresh pedagogical initiatives, interdisciplinary critical methods and historical currents, the program encourages students to work toward a required degree project that will best suit their professional needs. Courses will be selected from three “streams” (see below). The program structure supports wide faculty participation to work closely with students in individual and collaborative research settings. Students will participate in departmental and campus events that showcase their research, culminating in a degree project (see options below) which will provide them with tangible entry into the profession.
Program at a Glance
[30 credit hours, MA and MA English 7-12; Fall-only program start. No new students will be admitted to the MS-Ed English 7-12, which will be deactivated when current students complete program in 2012;]:
A. All students/candidates are required to take the following core experiences (all courses are 3 credits each unless otherwise indicated):
- ENGL 500 Introduction to Graduate Studies in English
- ENGL 502 Directed Study (1.5 credit hours)
- One course from each "stream" category: Texts, Contexts, and Theories (see announced course offerings for topics = 9 credit hours, taken prior to ENGL/ENED 690 (For certification candidates, ENED 554 and 665 may be included in these 9 credit hours)
TEXTS stream: Offers the opportunity for students to study in-depth textual production in a variety of forms from various regions and/or time periods. Individual courses could include a focus on a particular writer’s oeuvre, or a particular genre (for example, silent film, non-fiction essay, the Bildungsroman, psychoanalysis) and the retracing of any significant developments therein.
CONTEXTS stream: Engages the multiple contexts in which texts are produced and received at particular moments in time. It promotes the study of the effects of such issues as globalization, institutionalization, class relations, gender, and race on the production and reception of texts. Individual courses could include, but are not restricted to, the study of particular movements and the presentation of a variety of methods, including cultural and interdisciplinary studies, historical approaches, pedagogical and rhetorical practices.
THEORIES stream: Provides opportunities for students to illuminate the underlying conceptual logics that govern texts and textual analysis. Theories of writing, critical theory, pedagogical theory, literary theory are all possible contributions to this stream, through which students will further develop their critical thinking process, their deeper sense of the history of the discipline of English, and their understanding of literature, language, teaching, and culture.
- ENGL/ENED 690 Advanced Research Seminar
- ENGL 695 Graduate Seminar in Professional Studies (1.5 credit hours)
- Degree Project (the options vary by credit – see “Degree Project Options” below)
B-1. For candidates in the Master of Arts program in English: required coursework outlined in part A (see above) plus electives chosen in combination from among the following to complete 30 credits:
- Additional course from at least two of the three streams;
- Up to one additional directed study;
- Up to 3 credits of internship
B-2. For candidates in the Master of Arts in English 7-12 program for professional certification: required core coursework outlined in part A (see above) plus additional hours as follows to complete 30 credits:
- ENED 554 Teaching Writing in Schools (required as one of the stream courses);
- ENED 665 Studies in English Education (required as one of the stream courses);
- An additional course from one of the three streams;
- Up to one additional directed study;
- Up to 3 credits of internship
As students enter the Advanced Research Seminar, they will have finalized their choice of a degree project that best suits their career plans and use the seminar as a research workshop to prepare for the project selected. Degree project options include:
- Thesis Completion (ENGL 691 – 3 credits) OR Action Research Thesis Completion (ENED 692 – 3 credits) – a formal analysis based on significant research exploring a critical issue or pedagogical problem within the field of English studies, offering fresh perspectives and successfully defended to the thesis committee.
- Professional Publication – submission of scholarly work to an appropriate journal/website/anthology in the field of English studies representing significant research and analysis. Publication is not a requirement for degree. (Note: no course correlates to this option; 0 credits)
- Comprehensive Examination – with the guidance of a faculty member(s), students will sit for an exam based on the student’s research areas. The exam may be written and/or oral. Successful completion is required for the degree. (Note: no course correlates to this option; 0 credits)
Additional Resources
Dr. Jeanette McVicker, Program Coordinator
Dr. Kim-Marie Cole, Advanced Program Coordinator
Dr. Adrienne McCormick, Department Chair
English Department website
Catalog