Admission Requirements

An undergraduate English major is strongly recommended. A writing sample and general GRE test results are required. We encourage personal interviews.

Degree Requirements

1. Eight courses, including Seminar in Literary/Critical Theory (ENLS 600) and the thesis workshop (or appropriate substitute in creative writing). One of the eight courses may be taken outside the department with permission of the adviser.
2. A master's thesis proposal.
3. A master's thesis and an oral examination.
4. Intermediate reading proficiency in a foreign language to be determined by testing or by four courses in a foreign language, two of which must be university courses at the intermediate level.

Graduate students in English may not enroll in more than one independent study (ENLS 619) course without special written permission from the Graduate Committee and should propose independent studies only if the material they wish to cover is not available in regularly offered seminars.

Courses

Students are required to have the permission of the instructor to enroll in all English 600-level courses. The sequence of courses normally taken by master's degree candidates is as follows.

First year, fall semester:

• ENLS 600: Introduction to Graduate Studies
• One elective

First year, spring semester:

• Two electives

Second year, fall semester:

• ENLS 678: Thesis Workshop — a course on the formulation of a thesis proposal, development of a bibliography, and the writing of a scholarly thesis
• One elective

Second year, spring semester:

• ENLS 680: Thesis Writing Credit
• One elective

Electives are chosen from among the 600-level English courses, courses on language in translation, appropriate courses in history or the social sciences, humanities courses (philosophy, religion, history, comparative humanities, classics or art history), or modern language literature courses. Graduate students in English may enroll in no more than one independent study (ENLS 619) course without special written permission from the Graduate Committee and should propose independent study only if the material they wish to cover is not available in regularly offered seminars.

Thesis/Exam

A thesis (typically 90–120 pages, including notes and bibliography; critical, creative or theoretical) is required. A thesis proposal, developed with the approval of the adviser, should be submitted by October 15 of the student's second year. The oral examination will be conducted by the thesis adviser, and at least two other members of the faculty (in English or another appropriate department).