Master of Arts in English

Admission Requirements

To be admitted as a graduate student in the Master of Arts in English program, a student must have completed a B.A. in English, or its equivalent, with a 3.0 GPA in major coursework. The applicant must submit the standard application materials as indicated in this Graduate Bulletin.

Applicants who have earned undergraduate degrees in fields other than English, or who have been working professionally outside the university setting, are welcome to apply. After a review of their academic preparation by the Graduate English faculty, applicants will be required to complete any English or Linguistics courses, either before or during the M.A. program, that the M.A. Program Committee deems necessary for the applicant to successfully pursue graduate study in English.

Applicants must meet the criteria for enrollment as graduate students that are set out in this Graduate Bulletin. Students should also consult the Bulletin for requirements and procedures for application. In order to remain in good standing in the M. A. in English program, a student must attain and maintain a GPA of 3.00 for all graduate courses and any undergraduate courses taken as prerequisites.

The M.A. in English program offers two tracks of study: the Literature Track and the Linguistics Track.

 

Plan of Study, Candidacy and the Thesis Committee

During the first semester of enrollment, students, in consultation with a chosen advisor and the M.A. in English program chair, will decide on an appropriate plan of study.

After the completion of 9-12 credits or 3-4 courses, they will qualify to enter their candidacy stage, which involves moving from coursework into the thesis process.

The Thesis Process

Students on both the Literature and Linguistics Tracks complete their work with a thesis. In addition to the traditional thesis, students on the Literature track may opt for a creative thesis. Students who follow the traditional option are those who desire to increase their mastery of a given content area and might be contemplating doctoral work in the future. Students who select the creative option might be preparing to teach creative writing in the schools, to work as editors and publishers, or will be writing for personal accomplishment.

Allocating Thesis Credits Among Semesters

The thesis process counts for 6 credits. Candidates, in consultation with their advisors, choose how to distribute these credits. The division recommends counting 2-3 credits/semester based on how long the thesis-writing period is projected to be.

Part 1 – Committee Selection.

Part 1 of the thesis process commences with

1. the selection of a committee chair, whose specialty coincides with the student’s research interest;
2. the establishment of a thesis committee;
3. and the completion of the Candidacy Application Form obtainable from the MA Program chair.

To establish a thesis committee, the student should choose a graduate faculty member from the M.A. in English program to chair the committee. In consultation with that chair, she or he will form a committee of three to five PhDs. At least one of the members of the committee shall be from the University of Guam’s English and Applied Linguistics Division.

Part 2 – The Research Project.

Part 2 involves

1. the approval of a thesis proposal; and
2. the completion of a thesis research project.

Part 3 – The Defense.

Part 3 marks the conclusion of the process with the successful oral defense of the thesis. The student together with her or his chair will decide on the format of the defense. One format, for instance, involves the student discussing her or his project in a well-organized twenty- minute presentation (about 8-9 double-spaced pages) followed by questions from the committee. It is important that students practice their presentation beforehand to ensure effective time management of their defense.

Writing Support

Each semester, students are encouraged to sign up for the informal writing sessions that meet each week for three hours. Faculty facilitate some of these; others are student-driven.

Traditional Thesis for both Literature and Linguistics Tracks

The traditional M.A. thesis, which counts for six (6) EN695 credit hours credits, represents the culminating effort of the degree program and should be at least 45 to 60 pages in length. A thesis project may evolve from course work, a seminar paper, or the professional and scholarly interests of a student. The thesis would be in literary, rhetorical, composition, or linguistic studies, and the student’s thesis committee must approve the topic.

Creative Thesis for the Literature Track

The creative thesis project, which counts for six (6) EN695 credit hours credits, represents the culminating effort of the degree program and should be at least 45 to 60 pages in length. This thesis can be a novella, book of poems, creative essays, non-fictional narrative, or dramatic/cinematic screenplay. The literary quality and scope of each project will be carefully evaluated through consultation with the student’s graduate advisor and committee. The student’s thesis committee must approve the topic.

Flexible Class Schedule

The M.A. program in English caters to the needs of non-traditional students who may be working full or part-time. Classes will typically be scheduled later in the afternoon, evenings, and weekends. Summer courses may be offered.

Full or Part-Time; Degree and Non-Degree Students

Students may select full-time or part-time enrollment, according to their needs, financial situation, and work schedule. See the Graduate Office “Instructions to Applicant” for admission details.

Graduate Writing Seminar

Master’s students will have the opportunity to develop their personal writing projects in the Graduate Writing Seminar (EN 620). The workshop structure will enable students from different walks of life to exchange valuable feedback. The topics to be studied include style and voice, narrative technique, characterization, organization of material, and audience analysis, and are suitable for writers looking toward future publication.

Graduate Teaching Instructors (GSIs)

The Master of Arts in English Graduate Teaching Instructor (GSI) Program offers qualified graduate students the opportunity for hands-on training in teaching composition courses for our division.

Before applying for a GSI position, interested students must complete 9-12 graduate course hours in DEAL and achieve the status of degree candidate. GSI applicants must also successfully complete “EN611: Seminar in Rhetoric and Composition” before applying to teach DEAL composition courses. They must also have completed or be concurrently enrolled in EN650: Teaching College Composition with Practicum. This 6-credit-hour course sequence may be counted towards the 9-12-credit-hour requirement for candidacy. GSI positions offer English graduate students valuable university teacher training and experience that will benefit them in their future career goals.