The Graduate Program in EnglishStarting 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:
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 GlanceBoth the MA and the MA+certification tracks require a minimum of 30 credits. [Fall-only program start.] A. All students/candidates are required to take the following core experiences
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.
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:
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:
Degree Project Options 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. Starting in the 2013-2014 academic year, all degree projects are three (3) credit hours, taken as ENGL 696, Degree Project Completion. Options include:
Additional ResourcesDr. Jeanette McVicker, Program Coordinator | ||||||
