Master of Arts in English

The department offers a program leading to the Master of Arts degree in English. While many students enter the master of arts degree program to prepare themselves for teaching composition or literature in schools or on the post-secondary level, others enroll for the degree to acquire background and skills for careers in writing, publishing, and a variety of business fields. Courses that address such professional interests are built on a firm foundation of core studies in literature and criticism and are complemented by the traditional skills that the program also develops: analytical abilities; techniques of investigation and organization and presentation of ideas. For some students, the Master of Arts degree in English is essential preparation for the doctorate degree. It is the highly recommended background for some professions such as law. But, above all, the degree supports professional aspirations by enriching the student’s personal life through its varied knowledge of cultural history, and the modes of vision that literature has taught men and women to use and enjoy.

In addition to the general master’s degree program, the department offers a concentration in Black Literature. Graduate level courses are also available in television and theater arts and communication studies.