DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

Acting Chair: Richard G. Vinson (460-6146)
Professors: Dendinger, McDonald (Emeritus), Vinson, Walker, White, Wilson (Emeritus) Associate Professors: Brennan, Dorrill, Lally, McIver
Assistant Professors: Cohen, Matheson, May, Payne, Prendergast
Instructors: Leatherwood, Nowlin, Spain
Lecturer: Darring

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, that 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 the important American and British authors, identifying them with the mainstream of literary movements and the historical background from which such movements grew. The curriculum insures 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 or primary schools.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAJOR IN ENGLISH
A minimum of 48 quarter hours, exclusive of freshman English. EH 211, 212, 213 are required of all majors. The two American Literature Survey courses (EH 221 and 222) may be used in fulfilling the 48 hours minimum. Remaining hours must come from courses numbered 300 or higher and must include: 1. Three courses in literature prior to 1660 (EH 321, 327, 329, 332, 333, 339, 367, 368, 369, 411, 470, 471, 475, 479). 2. Three courses in literature from 1660-1900 (EH 323, 325, 345, 346, 352, 363, 364, 412, 432, 461, 462, 472). 3. Two courses in twentieth-century literature (EH 355, 372, 374, 375, 433, 441, 463, 465, 477). The seminar course can serve to fulfill these period requirements.

SAMPLE FOUR-YEAR CURRICULUM FOR AN
ENGLISH MAJOR

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAJOR IN ENGLISH WITH A CONCENTRATION IN CREATIVE WRITING
A minimum of 56 quarter hours in English, including EH 101, 102, 211, 212, 213; twenty or more quarter hours in creative-writing courses; sixteen quarter hours in additional literature courses, with at least twelve of these to be numbered above 300 and to include one or more courses from EH 355, 372, 374, 432, 433, 462, 463, and 465.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR IN ENGLISH
A minimum of 24 quarter hours in English, exclusive of EH 101, 102. The minor requires at least three courses numbered 300 or higher.

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 various 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 quarter. The following criteria supplement the Graduate School criteria (see Categories of Admission):

REGULAR ADMISSION

1. For the Literature Concentration, an undergraduate major in English or at least 40 quarter hours of course work in English beyond the freshman level. For Creative Writing Concentration, at least 20 quarter hours of course work in English beyond the freshman level.*
2. A minimum GPA of 3.0 in junior- and senior-level courses presented in fulfillment of requirement 1.
3. A score of at least 500 on the Verbal subtest of the GRE General Test.
4. 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

1. 1. For the Literature Concentration, a minor in English or at least 28 quarter hours of course work in English beyond the freshman level, at least 16 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, 20 quarter hours of course work in English beyond the freshman level.* Provisional Admission with fewer quarter hours than those stipulated requires specific approval of the Department's Graduate Committee.
   
2. A minimum GPA of 2.50 in junior- and senior-level courses presented in fulfillment of requirement 1.
   
3. 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.
   
4. 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 as follows.

*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.

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 28 hour (20 hour 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
Graduate students holding assistantships in English are usually assigned tasks involving research, tutoring, or editing. Awards are normally made for the academic year; occasionally, assistantships become available for Winter and/or Spring Quarters. 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 quarter 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 student's individual needs and objectives. The plan must be approved by the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in English.

1. Concentration in British and American Literature
   
   1. A minimum of forty-eight quarter hours' credit is required beyond the bachelor's degree with a grade of A or B. At least thirty-six 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 sixteen quarter hours selected from the 400-level English courses may be used to meet the requirement of a minimum of forty-eight hours.
      
   2. Students may take a non-thesis degree or, upon departmental approval, eight quarter hours' credit of the required forty-eight will be granted upon successful completion and defense of the thesis, thus leaving a minimum of forty hours' credit to be accomplished in course work.
      
   3. 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.)
      
   4. At least one quarter before graduation, both thesis and non-thesis students must pass a written comprehensive examination, normally offered in mid-March and mid-September, based on a uniform study guide suggesting representative works in the field of literature and literary theory. The study guide should be obtained from the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in English as soon as the student enrolls in the M.A. program. A student who fails the examination may retake it 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. e. Demonstrated proficiency in a foreign language is required (see 4 below).
      
2. Concentration in Creative Writing
   
   1. A minimum of forty-eight hours credit in English is required beyond the bachelor's degree with a grade of A or B. This concentration requires twenty-four hours of courses in literature to include EH 501, Intro to Literary Theory, in the first year of course work, sixteen hours of courses in writing, and eight hours of credit for thesis, which will be granted on the successful completion and defense of the thesis. No more than sixteen quarter hours selected from 400-level English courses may be used to meet the requirement of forty-eight hours minimum.
      
   2. Students may concentrate on fiction, non-fiction, or poetry writing.
      
   3. This concentration is offered only as a thesis degree. For the thesis, a book-length work of fiction, non-fiction, or verse is required.
      
   4. 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.)
      
   5. At least one quarter before graduation, students must pass a written comprehensive examination, normally offered in mid-March and mid-September, based on a uniform study guide suggesting representative works in the field of literature and literary theory. The study guide should be obtained from the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in English as soon as the student enrolls in the M.A. program. A student who fails the examination may retake it 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.
      
   6. Demonstrated proficiency in a foreign language is required (see 4 below).
      
3. 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 twelve quarter hours in education at the graduate level may be incorporated into the literature emphasis as electives.
   
4. 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 either 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 48 hour credit requirement for the M.A. in English.

DESCRIPTIONS OF ALL ENGLISH (EH) COURSES BEGIN ON PAGE 235.

College of Arts and Sciences