Mar 29, 2024  
2021-2022 General Catalog 
    
2021-2022 General Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: To search archives, MUST use search box to left. Current catalog: catalog.usu.edu.

English - MA/MS


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Graduate Majors

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of English

Master of Arts/Master of Science in English Requirements

Applicants will be admitted to either the General MA/MS in English degree or the Specialization in Creative Writing (30 credits).

General MA/MS in English


The general Master of Arts or Master of Science degree in English allows students to do advanced work in the fields of literary criticism, composition, and/or rhetoric. The aim is to professionalize students, helping them to become scholars and teachers of English. Any student with a strong undergraduate education in English and a desire to pursue that education further is welcome to pursue the master’s degree in English. The program aims to provide students with substantial knowledge in the areas of literature, culture, and composition while opening the path to more intensive study in one of the three areas. The degree caters directly to future PhD students in English, future two-year college instructors, and secondary educators. Under the guidance of a faculty committee, students are required to write a thesis as the culmination of their studies.

Although most of their courses will be completed within the English MA/MS curriculum, students may also take courses in the department’s other master’s programs (Folklore and American Studies, and Technical Communication). Coursework may include some online courses; however, the MA/MS in English is an on-campus degree and may not be completed by taking only online classes. For more details about the general MA/MS in English curriculum, see the Department of English’s website at english.usu.edu.

Specialization in Creative Writing


The MA/MS in English with a Specialization in Creative Writing allows students to do advanced work in creative writing, concentrating on poetry, fiction, and/or creative nonfiction. Students with a strong background in creative writing who desire to continue on that path are encouraged to apply. In this specialization, students take creative-writing workshops in all three of the genres, and then concentrate on one genre for their thesis, working with a faculty member and their thesis committee. Hybrid theses that cross genre boundaries are also welcome. The aim of this specialization is to allow students additional time after their undergraduate work to hone their craft, continue their apprenticeship as a writer, complete a substantial body of work, and pursue publication. The degree caters especially to those who plan to continue their studies in creative writing by seeking a PhD or MFA in creative writing, as well as to future two-year college instructors and secondary educators. Under the guidance of a faculty committee, students are required to write a thesis as the culmination of their work. For more details about the Creative Writing specialization, see the Department of English’s website at english.usu.edu.

Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Graduate Majors