Mar 29, 2024  
2013-2014 Graduate Catalog 
    
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Master of Arts - English


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Plan Description


The M.A. program involves course work at the graduate level in English and American literature or in language studies with a thesis optional, but recommended, for the literature emphasis and required for the language studies emphasis. Work toward this degree is designed to supplement and complete the student’s undergraduate study in the field of English and to familiarize the student with professional standards, methods of research, and modes of thought in the discipline. Possession of this degree normally leads to advancement in the teaching profession for the secondary school or community college teacher, to careers in writing, publishing and editing, or to further study in English at the doctoral level.

 

Learning Outcomes

www.unlv.edu/degree/ma-english

Plan Admission Requirements


  1. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate College, including holding an undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or better from a regionally accredited college or university. In addition, the English department requires a minimum of 21 credits in English courses above the Freshman Composition level.
  2. Applicants must submit the following:
    1. Two official sets of transcripts from all universities attended; one set goes to the Graduate College and one directly to the English Department
    2. A minimum of ten pages of critical writing
    3. Official scores on the Verbal portion of the General Test and the Literature in English Subject Test of the Graduate Record Examination
  3. Applicants must demonstrate competency in the reading of one foreign language. This requirement may be satisfied by earning a B or better in FOL 198 or by passing a translation examination (with aid of a dictionary if desired) administered and evaluated by the English Department.
  4. Students who did not take History of the English Language (ENG 414A) as undergraduates must add it to their master’s program either as 414A or 614A. If t is taken as 414A, it will not count toward the 30 required hours. If it is taken as 614A, it may be used toward the 30 hours with the permission of the student’s advisor.
  5. All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.

Subplan 1 Requirements: Literature Emphasis Track


Total Credits Required: 30

Course Requirements 

Required Courses – Credits: 3

ENG 700 - Bibliography and Methods 

Literature Courses in Periods before 1800 – Credits: 9

Complete three of the following courses:

ENG 632A - Chaucer 

ENG 634A - Shakespeare: Tragedies 

ENG 634B - Shakespeare: Comedies and Histories 

ENG 635A - Milton 

ENG 640A - Medieval English Literature 

ENG 640B - Gender and Early Literature 

ENG 641A - The Renaissance 

ENG 641B - Gender and Renaissance Literature 

ENG 642A - The Seventeenth Century 

ENG 643A - Restoration and Augustan Literature 

ENG 643C - Later Eighteenth Century 

ENG 652A - American Literature, 1620-1800 

ENG 660A - Heroic Epic 

ENG 663A - Classical Drama in Translation 

ENG 670A - The British Novel I 

ENG 673A - The Early American Novel 

ENG 695A - Early African-American Literature 

ENG 665B - Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Drama 

ENG 720 - Studies in Medieval Literature 

ENG 722 - Studies in Chaucer 

ENG 723 - Studies in the Renaissance 

ENG 724 - Studies in Early Seventeenth-Century Literature 

ENG 725 - Studies in Shakespeare 

ENG 728 - Studies in Milton 

ENG 731 - Studies in Restoration and Eighteenth-Century British Literature 

Literature Courses in Periods after 1800 – Credits: 9

Complete three of the following courses:

ENG 645B - Victorian Poetry 

ENG 645C - Nineteenth-Century Prose Writers 

ENG 646A - Modern British Literature 

ENG 652B - American Literature, 1800-1865 

ENG 653A - American Literature, 1865-1918 

ENG 653B - American Literature, 1918-Present 

ENG 654B - Gender and Modern American Literature 

ENG 662C - Modern American Poetry 

ENG 666A - Nineteenth-Century Drama 

ENG 667A - Modern British Drama 

ENG 667B - Modern American Drama 

ENG 670B - The British Novel II 

ENG 671A - Modern English Novel 

ENG 671B - Contemporary English Novel 

ENG 673B - The Modern American Novel 

ENG 673C - The Contemporary American Novel 

ENG 695B - Modern African-American Literature 

ENG 734 - Studies in English Romanticism 

ENG 735 - Studies in Victorian Literature 

ENG 738 - Studies in Modern British Literature 

ENG 742 - Studies in Early American Literature 

ENG 743 - Studies in Later American Literature 

ENG 744 - Studies in Modern American Literature 

ENG 787 - Studies in Modern Comparative Literature 

Elective Courses – Credits: 3-9

Students completing the Thesis must complete a minimum of 3 credits of elective coursework, while students who choose not to complete a thesis must complete 9 credits of elective coursework. Elective credits may be in any period or area.

ENG 632A - Chaucer 

ENG 634A - Shakespeare: Tragedies  

ENG 634B - Shakespeare: Comedies and Histories 

ENG 635A - Milton  

ENG 640A - Medieval English Literature 

ENG 640B - Gender and Early Literature  

ENG 641A - The Renaissance 

ENG 641B - Gender and Renaissance Literature 

ENG 642A - The Seventeenth Century 

ENG 643A - Restoration and Augustan Literature 

ENG 643C - Later Eighteenth Century 

ENG 645B - Victorian Poetry 

ENG 645C - Nineteenth-Century Prose Writers 

ENG 646A - Modern British Literature 

ENG 652A - American Literature, 1620-1800 

ENG 652B - American Literature, 1800-1865 

ENG 653A - American Literature, 1865-1918 

ENG 653B - American Literature, 1918-Present 

ENG 654B - Gender and Modern American Literature 

ENG 660A - Heroic Epic 

ENG 662C - Modern American Poetry 

ENG 663A - Classical Drama in Translation  

ENG 665B - Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Drama  

ENG 666A - Nineteenth-Century Drama 

ENG 667A - Modern British Drama 

ENG 667B - Modern American Drama 

ENG 670A - The British Novel I 

ENG 670B - The British Novel II 

ENG 671A - Modern English Novel 

ENG 671B - Contemporary English Novel 

ENG 673A - The Early American Novel 

ENG 673B - The Modern American Novel 

ENG 673C - The Contemporary American Novel 

ENG 695A - Early African-American Literature 

ENG 695B - Modern African-American Literature 

ENG 720 - Studies in Medieval Literature 

ENG 722 - Studies in Chaucer 

ENG 723 - Studies in the Renaissance 

ENG 724 - Studies in Early Seventeenth-Century Literature 

ENG 725 - Studies in Shakespeare 

ENG 728 - Studies in Milton 

ENG 731 - Studies in Restoration and Eighteenth-Century British Literature 

ENG 734 - Studies in English Romanticism 

ENG 735 - Studies in Victorian Literature 

ENG 738 - Studies in Modern British Literature 

ENG 742 - Studies in Early American Literature 

ENG 743 - Studies in Later American Literature 

ENG 744 - Studies in Modern American Literature 

ENG 760 - Studies in Literary Genres 

ENG 775 - Studies in Literary Criticism 

ENG 795 - Seminar 

ENG 787 - Studies in Modern Comparative Literature 

Thesis – Credits: 6 (Optional)

ENG 797 - Thesis 

Degree Requirements 

See Plan Degree Requirements below.

Graduation Requirements 

See Plan Graduation Requirements below.

Subplan 2 Requirements: Language/Composition Theory Track


Total Credits Required: 30

Course Requirements 

Required Courses – Credits: 3

Select one of the following courses:

ENG 700 - Bibliography and Methods 

ENG 704 - Theory and Practice of Textual Editing 

Language/Composition Courses – Credits: 12

Select four of the following courses:

ENG 611A - Advanced Linguistics 

ENG 611B - Principles of Modern Grammar 

ENG 612C - Seminar in Language and Cognition 

ENG 614B - Development of American English 

ENG 701 - Contemporary Composition Theory 

ENG 702 - History of Rhetoric and Composition 

ENG 711 - Studies in Language 

ENG 712 - Studies in Modern Grammar 

ENG 719 - Area Linguistics 

ENG 792 - Directed Studies in Language 

Literature Courses in any Period – Credits: 9

Complete 9 credits from the following courses:

ENG 632A - Chaucer 

ENG 634A - Shakespeare: Tragedies 

ENG 634B - Shakespeare: Comedies and Histories 

ENG 635A - Milton 

ENG 640A - Medieval English Literature 

ENG 640B - Gender and Early Literature 

ENG 641A - The Renaissance 

ENG 641B - Gender and Renaissance Literature 

ENG 642A - The Seventeenth Century 

ENG 643A - Restoration and Augustan Literature 

ENG 643C - Later Eighteenth Century 

ENG 645B - Victorian Poetry 

ENG 645C - Nineteenth-Century Prose Writers 

ENG 646A - Modern British Literature 

ENG 652A - American Literature, 1620-1800 

ENG 652B - American Literature, 1800-1865 

ENG 653A - American Literature, 1865-1918 

ENG 653B - American Literature, 1918-Present 

ENG 654B - Gender and Modern American Literature 

ENG 660A - Heroic Epic 

ENG 662C - Modern American Poetry 

ENG 663A - Classical Drama in Translation 

ENG 665B - Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Drama  

ENG 666A - Nineteenth-Century Drama 

ENG 667A - Modern British Drama 

ENG 667B - Modern American Drama 

ENG 670A - The British Novel I 

ENG 670B - The British Novel II 

ENG 671A - Modern English Novel 

ENG 671B - Contemporary English Novel 

ENG 673A - The Early American Novel 

ENG 673B - The Modern American Novel 

ENG 673C - The Contemporary American Novel 

ENG 695A - Early African-American Literature 

ENG 695B - Modern African-American Literature 

ENG 720 - Studies in Medieval Literature 

ENG 722 - Studies in Chaucer 

ENG 723 - Studies in the Renaissance 

ENG 724 - Studies in Early Seventeenth-Century Literature 

ENG 725 - Studies in Shakespeare 

ENG 728 - Studies in Milton 

ENG 731 - Studies in Restoration and Eighteenth-Century British Literature 

ENG 734 - Studies in English Romanticism 

ENG 735 - Studies in Victorian Literature 

ENG 738 - Studies in Modern British Literature 

ENG 742 - Studies in Early American Literature 

ENG 743 - Studies in Later American Literature 

ENG 744 - Studies in Modern American Literature 

ENG 760 - Studies in Literary Genres 

ENG 775 - Studies in Literary Criticism 

ENG 795 - Seminar 

ENG 787 - Studies in Modern Comparative Literature 

Thesis – Credits: 6

ENG 797 - Thesis 

Degree Requirements 

See Plan Degree Requirements below.

Graduation Requirements 

See Plan Graduation Requirements below.

Plan Degree Requirements


  1. No more than a total of 6 credit hours may be selected from 600-level courses.
  2. A comprehensive examination is required of each M.A. student, who will choose either a three-hour written exam or a sixty- to ninety-minute oral exam and prepare a reading list for the examination with the supervision and approval of the advisor and the examination committee. The reading list will comprise at least twenty authors, and the selections should recognize diversity of genre, gender, culture, and period. At least seventeen of those authors should be chosen from the master reading list on the English Department website. Three other authors not on the master list may be added. If taken during the semester of graduation, the exam must be scheduled no later than three weeks before the end of classes The Graduate College designates deadline dates for each semester. See graduatecollege.unlv.edu.
  3. A master’s thesis, which carries six credits, is optional (although recommended) for the literary study emphasis. It is normally written during two consecutive semesters and must conform to the guidelines set forth by the Graduate College in this catalog and in its Thesis and Dissertation Manual.
    1. In consultation with his/her advisor, a student will organize a thesis committee of at least three departmental members. In addition, a fourth member from outside the department, known as the Graduate College Representative, must be appointed. An additional committee member may be added at the student and department’s discretion. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.
    2. The M.A. thesis should be an original contribution to knowledge about a suitable literary or linguistic subject and comprise about seventy-five pages. Thesis projects must be designed, developed, and written in close consultation with an appropriate thesis advisor and with the student’s thesis committee.

Plan Graduation Requirements


  1. The student must submit all required forms to the Graduate College and then apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing his/her degree requirements.
  2. The student must successfully pass the comprehensive exam and submit the Final Exam Results by the posted deadline.
  3. If a thesis is completed, the student must submit and successfully defend his/her thesis by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.
  4. If a thesis is completed, the student must submit his/her approved, properly formatted hard-copy document to the Graduate College, and submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest by the posted deadline.

 

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