| DEPARTMENT
OF ENGLISH
Chair: Sue B. Walker (460-6146)
Professors: McDonald (Emeritus), Walker, White, Wilson (Emeritus)
Associate Professors: Beason, Dorrill, McIver, Payne
Assistant Professors: Cohen, Coleman, Comstock, Guzy, Hotchkiss, Juengel,
Matheson, McLaughlin, Wellington, West Instructors: Leatherwood, Nowlin,
Spain
The curriculum in the Department of English is designed to serve
two main purposes: first, to provide for all students those basic
disciplines in composition and rhetoric, in written communication,
and in literature, which are essential to a familiarity with the cultural
past and to some understanding of the ferment in the cultural present;
second, to provide for those majoring in English a broad and intensive
study of important American and British authors, identifying them
with the mainstream of literary movements and the historical background
from which such movements grew.
The curriculum ensures the student a familiarity with the tools and
methods of scholarly endeavor. For the student interested in graduate
study in the field, it establishes a background adequate for continuing
work and specialization. It offers training for students who plan
to teach English in the secondary schools or 2-year colleges.
REQUIREMENTS
FOR A MAJOR IN ENGLISH
A minimum of 36 semester hours, exclusive of freshman English. The
British survey courses (EH 215-216) are required of all majors. The
two American Literature Survey courses (EH 225 and 226) and the two
World Literature courses (EH 235-236) may be used in fulfilling the
36 hour minimum. Remaining hours must come from courses at the 300
level or above and must include:
1. Two courses in literature prior to
1660.
2. Two courses in British or American literature from 1660-1900.
3. Two courses in twentieth-century literature.
4. One literary criticism course, EH 421 or 422.
5. A minimum of three courses at the 400-level, which may include
courses also used to satisfy requirements 1-3, but not requirement
4. Appropriate seminar and “Studies in” courses can serve to fulfill
these period requirements.
PACE DEGREE PROGRAM
01-05 General Education Requirements
See General Education Requirements for the College
of Arts and Sciences.
06 Sequence Requirement (6 HRS)
Satisfied with major requirements.
07-10 General Education Requirements
See General Education Requirements for the College
of Arts and Sciences.
11 Major (36 HRS excluding EH 101 & EH 102)
EH 215 EH 216 Select one: EH 421, EH 422
Select two: EH 311, EH 321, EH 322, EH 323, EH 324, EH 460, EH 461,
EH 465, EH 467, EH 470, EH 471, EH 472
Select two: EH 331, EH 332, EH 334, EH 340, EH 342, EH 343, EH 351,
EH 352, EH 353, EH 354, EH 462, EH 474, EH 475
Select two: EH 360, EH 361, EH 367, EH 368, EH 463, EH 468, EH 476,
EH 478, EH 479
Select three electives: EH 225, EH 226, EH 235, EH 236, EH 300 - EH
499
Four of the above courses must be at the EH 400 level
12 Major Residency/GPA
Complete at least 15 semester hours in residence in major at the
300 and/or 400 level. A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required in major.
13 Minor
See specific department.
15 University Residency Requirement/GPA
Complete at least 32 semester hours in residence at the 300 and/or
400 level. An overall GPA of 2.0 is required for graduation.
REQUIREMENTS
FOR A MAJOR IN ENGLISH WITH A CONCENTRATION IN CREATIVE WRITING
A minimum of 36 semester hours in English, exclusive of freshman English.
The two British survey courses (215-216) are required. Remaining hours
must include:
- Five creative writing courses.
- Five literature courses at the 300
level or above, including an American novel course and a Shakespeare
course. Appropriate seminar and "Studies in" courses can
serve to fulfill these requirements.
PACE DEGREE PROGRAM
01-05 General Education Requirements
See Page 45.
06 Sequence Requirement (6 HRS)
Satisfied with major requirements.
07-10 General Education Requirements
See Page 46.
11 Major (36 HRS excluding EH 101 & EH 102)
EH 215 EH 216
Select one: EH 331, EH 361
Select one: EH 322, EH 323, EH 472
Select five: EH 391, EH 392, EH 395, EH 396, EH 483-EH 488
Select three: EH 300 and/or EH 400 level (except EH 391, EH 392, EH
395, EH 396, EH 483-EH 488)
12 Major Residency/GPA
Complete at least 15 semester hours in residence in major at the
300 and/or 400 level. A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required in major.
13 Minor
See specific department.
15 University Residency Requirement/GPA
Complete at least 32 semester hours in residence at the 300 and/or
400 level. An overall GPA of 2.0 is required for graduation.
REQUIREMENTS
FOR A MINOR IN ENGLISH
A minimum of 21 semester hours in English, exclusive of freshman English.
The minor requires at least four courses at the 300 level or above.
GRADUATE
STUDIES
The Master of Arts degree program in English is designed to meet the
needs both of students pursuing a terminal M.A. and those planning
to work toward the Ph.D. and a career in university teaching. The
terminal M.A. serves such career tracks as junior college or secondary-school
teaching and writing or editing in the business or corporate community.
Creative writers find the degree meaningful in careers both in and
out of the academic community.
REQUIREMENTS
FOR ADMISSION
Students are admitted each semester. The following criteria supplement
the Graduate School criteria (see Categories of Admission):
REGULAR
ADMISSION
- For the Literature Concentration,
an undergraduate major in English or at least 30 semester hours
of course work in English beyond the freshman level. For the Creative
Writing Concentration, at least 15 semester hours of course work
in English beyond the freshman level.*
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 in junior- and
senior-level courses presented in fulfillment of requirement 1.
- A score of at least 500 on the Verbal
subtest of the GRE General Test.
- For applicants for whom English is
a second language, a TOEFL score of at least 535 and a personal
statement of no more than 500 words in their own handwriting outlining
their interest in and goals for pursuing a master’s degree
in English, an exercise that must be acceptable to the English Department’s
Graduate Committee.
PROVISIONAL
ADMISSION
- For the Literature Concentration, a minor in English or at least
21 semester hours of course work in English beyond the freshman
level, at least 12 of these hours in upper-division literature courses.
Students lacking the literature component can qualify by completing
additional upper-division courses in literature. For the Creative
Writing Concentration, 15 semester hours of course work in English
beyond the freshman level.* Provisional Admission with fewer semesters
hours than those stipulated requires specific approval of the Department’s
Graduate Committee.
- A minimum GPA of 2.50 in junior- and senior- level courses presented
in fulfillment of requirement 1.
- Applicants presenting a score of less than 500 on the Verbal
subtest of the GRE General Test must enter in the Provisional category.
Applicants may also be admitted provisionally without submitting
a score, but one must be submitted before the student can advance
to Regular Status.
- Same as requirement 4 for Regular Admission. Students admitted
provisionally may be required to make up deficiencies in their undergraduate
course work in addition to the normal degree requirements listed
below.
*Students must specify their concentration at the time of application
and may not thereafter change concentrations without the specific
approval of the English Department’s Graduate Committee. Students
admitted provisionally may be required to make up deficiencies in
their undergraduate course work in addition to the normal degree requirements
listed below.
NON-DEGREE
ADMISSION
Applicants for non-degree status in English will normally be admitted
only if they meet regular admission standards for provisional admission.
That is, they must have a 2.5 GPA overall and in junior- and senior-level
courses presented to meet the 21 hour (15 hours for creative writing)
course work in English requirement. Following admission, non-degree
students must have the permission of the department chair and the
director of graduate studies of the College for each course in which
they wish to enroll. Enrollment will be on a space available basis
with preference being given to degree students. Non-degree students
must satisfy the same prerequisites as degree students to enroll in
a course. Non-degree students may not enroll in directed studies courses.
GRADUATE
ASSISTANTSHIPS
The English Dept. awards both teaching assistantships and research
assistantships. Teaching assistantships involve responsibility for
freshman composition classes. Graduate students holding research assistantships
are usually assigned tasks involving research, editing, administrative/clerical
tasks, or tutoring. Awards are normally made for the academic year;
occasionally, assistantships become available for Spring Semester.
Applications are taken continuously; competition for appointments
begins in May for the following year. See Coordinator for information
and application. (See also Bulletin section on Graduate School, “Assistantships
and Fellowships.”)
REQUIREMENTS
FOR DEGREE
During the second semester in the program, each student must submit
an individual plan of study with regard to adequate coverage of British
and American literature, literary theory, language, development of
writing skills, and the student’s individual needs and objectives.
The plan must be approved by the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in
English.
- Concentration in British
and American Literature
- A minimum of thirty-six semester hours of credit is required
beyond the bachelor’s degree with a grade of “A” or “B”. At
least twenty-seven of these hours must be in literature, to
include EH 501, Intro to Literary Theory, in the first year
of course work. No more than twelve semester hours selected
from the 400-level English courses may be used to meet the requirement
of a minimum of thirty-six hours.
- Students may take a non-thesis degree or, upon departmental
approval, six semester hours of credit of the required thirty-six
will be granted upon successful completion and defense of the
thesis, thus leaving a minimum of thirty hours of credit to
be accomplished in course work.
- An oral defense of the thesis will be required at least four
weeks prior to the anticipated graduation date. (For final submission
of the thesis to the Graduate School, see the Bulletin section
on General Information.)
- At least one semester before graduation, both thesis and non-thesis
students must pass a written comprehensive examination, normally
offered between semesters, based on a uniform study guide suggesting
representative works in the field of literature and literary
criticism. The study guide should be obtained from the English
Graduate Coordinator as soon as the student enrolls in the M.A.
program. A student who fails the examination may retake the
failed sections after six months have elapsed from the date
of the first examination. The comprehensive examination may
be taken only twice and must be passed in its entirety.
- Demonstrated proficiency in a foreign language is required
(see 4 below).
- Concentration in Creative
Writing
- Thesis as exam option: A minimum of thirty-six hours credit
in English course work, to include twenty-one hours of courses
in literature, and fifteen hours of courses in writing, is required
beyond the bachelor’s degree with a grade of A or B. No more
than twelve semester hours selected from 400-level English courses
may be used to meet the requirement of thirty-six hours minimum.
The required thesis (six hours thesis credit to be granted on
successful completion and oral defense of the thesis) will serve
as the student’s exit evaluation and no written comprehensive
examination is required. Exam and Thesis option: A minimum of
thirty hours credit in English course work, to include eighteen
hours of courses in literature and twelve hours of courses in
writing, along with six hours of thesis credits to be granted
on the successful completion and defense of the thesis, are
required beyond the bachelor’s degree with a grade of A or B.
No more than twelve semester hours selected from 400-level English
courses may be used to meet the requirement of thirty hours
minimum. At least one semester before graduation, students pursuing
this option must pass one-half of the written comprehensive
examination as described under the literature concentration.
- Students may concentrate on fiction, non-fiction, or poetry
writing.
- This concentration is offered only as a thesis degree. For
the thesis, a book-length work of fiction, non-fiction, or poetry
is required.
- An oral defense of the thesis will be required at least four
weeks prior to the anticipated graduation date. (For final submission
of the thesis to the Graduate School, see the Bulletin section
on General Information.)
- At least one semester before graduation, students must pass
a written comprehensive examination, normally offered between
semesters, based on a uniform study guide suggesting representative
works in the field of literature and literary criticism. The
study guide should be obtained from the English Graduate Coordinator
as soon as the student enrolls in the M.A. program. A student
who fails the examination may retake the failed sections after
six months have elapsed from the date of the first examination.
The comprehensive examination may be taken only twice and must
be passed in its entirety.
- Demonstrated proficiency in a foreign language is required
(see 4 on the next page).
- M.A. in English with
Alabama Class-A Professional Teaching Certification.
Students holding Class-B Professional Teaching Certification may,
in many cases, complete the regular graduate program in English
with the literature emphasis in order to qualify for Class-A certification.
Most students with an undergraduate degree in education will already
have taken those education courses required for certification.
Upon admission, however, all
students planning to pursue this certification must have their transcripts
reviewed by the records specialist in education in order to ascertain
whether the education requirements have been met or will require
further course work in education. Up to nine semester hours in education
at the graduate level may be incorporated into the literature emphasis
as electives.
- Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement
All students pursuing the M.A. in English must demonstrate a reading
proficiency in one foreign language before registering for the comprehensive
exam. Those concentrating in literature may offer French, German,
or Latin, and those concentrating in creative writing may offer
Spanish, French, German, or Latin. Foreign nationals for whom English
is not native may offer their native language. Credit in reading
courses in acceptable languages may not count toward the 36 hour
credit requirement for the M.A. in English.
Descriptions
of all English (EH) courses
College
of Arts and Sciences
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