GRADUATE STUDIES IN ENGLISH

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. For more information about the Graduate program, please contact Dr. Ellen Harrington, Graduate Coordinator. Scroll down to see our program requirements and other information.

Graduate Classes: Summer and Fall 2009

GradLetter: Fall 2008

Welcome Letter
Requirements for Admission
English Department Graduate Faculty
Procedures for New Students
Plagiarism: Academic Research Integrity
Concentration in Literature
Concentration in Creative Writing
Literature Program Review

Foreign Language Proficiency
Change of Status

English M.A. Objectives
Literature Comprehensive Exam Options
Creative Writing Thesis
Graduate and Teaching Assistantships
Useful Information

WELCOME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENGLISH

We are happy that you have chosen the University of South Alabama for your graduate work. Our faculty is a diverse group of professors with a wide range of interests and experience; we strive for excellence in teaching and scholarship in order to best serve you. Each of us seeks to challenge and encourage you to do your best work and to help you succeed.

Our Master of Arts degree in English offers an emphasis in literature or creative writing. We have designed the program 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 academy. The literature emphasis offers three options to satisfy the University’s Comprehensive Examination requirement. The creative writing concentration requires a creative thesis to satisfy the University Comprehensive Examination requirement.

As your Graduate Coordinator, I am available to you for advising, questions, comments, and suggestions. Please be in touch. My office is HUMB 260, and my office phone number is 460-7326. The English Department secretary is available at 460-6146 if I’m not in and you need to schedule an appointment. I am easily accessible through email: eharrington@usouthal.edu.

Sincerely,

Dr. Ellen Burton Harrington
Coordinator of Graduate English

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION

Students are admitted each semester.
The University Graduate Application Form can be found here: http://www.southalabama.edu/admissions/grad/grappl.html
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 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.*
   
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. All applicants must submit a personal statement of no more than 500 words. For applicants for whom English is a second language, a TOEFL score of at least 535.

PROVISIONAL ADMISSION

1. 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.
   
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 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.

Research and Teaching Interests: Graduate Faculty, 2008-2009

Prof. Bruce Alford (U of Alabama): Creative Writing, including Fiction and Poetry, and Composition

Dr. Nicole Amare (U of Alabama): Technical and Professional Writing; Rhetoric and Composition

Dr. Larry Beason (Texas A&M): Director of Freshman Composition; Rhetoric and Composition; Grammar; Discourse Analysis

Dr. Pat Cesarini (Rutgers): Colonial Transatlantic Literature; American Literature; Native American Literatures; Rhetoric and Composition

Dr. Bob Coleman (Rutgers): Director of the USA Honors Program; American and African-American Literature; Critical Theory; Rhetoric; History of the Novel

Dr. Annmarie Guzy (New Mexico State): Technical Writing; Composition and Rhetoric; Gothic and Horror Fiction

Prof. Carolyn Haines (USA): Graduate and Undergraduate Creative Writing

Dr. John Halbrooks (Tulane): Medieval Literature; Chaucer; Old and Middle English; Middle Scots; History of Medieval Studies

Dr. Ellen Harrington (Tulane): Coordinator of Graduate English; British Victorian Literature; Detective Fiction; Novel and Short Story Genres; Gender and Colonial Contexts

Dr. Richard Hillyer (Michigan, Ann Arbor): Shakespeare, Poetry, Prosody, History

Dr. Cris Hollingsworth (Rutgers): 19th Century British Literature; Popular Culture; Rhetoric and Composition; World Literature

Dr. Kern Jackson (Indiana U): Director of African American Studies; African American and Southeastern United States Folklore and Oral Narrative as Culture and Performance

Dr. Becky McLaughlin (SUNY, Buffalo): Film Studies; Critical Theory; World Literature; American Literature

Dr. Linda Payne (U of Delaware): Director of Gender Studies; 18th Century British Literature; Gender and Literature; Early Modern Cultural Studies

Dr. Christopher Raczkowski (Indiana U): Late 19th and 20th Century American Literature and Culture; Critical Theory; Vision and Detection in American Literature

Dr. Justin St. Clair (Iowa): 20th Century Literature; Postmodernism; Sound Culture Studies

Dr. Sue Walker (Tulane): Chair of the English Department; American Literature; Creative Writing; Southern Literature; Gender Studies; Critical Theory; Medical Humanities and Disability Studies

PROCEDURES FOR NEW GRADUATE STUDENTS

CONCENTRATIONS

Students are admitted to the M.A. Program in English in one of two concentrations: Literature or Creative Writing. Once admitted, they may not change their concentration without the express permission of the Department's Graduate Committee. Students must petition the Committee in writing to change concentrations.

GRADUATE ADVISING

The Graduate Coordinator, Dr. Ellen Harrington, works with all new students on literature course selection. Dr. Sue Walker directs the programs of students in the Creative Writing concentration.

Students may also earn the Class A certification in secondary education, provided that they are already certified at the Class B level. Students interested in this "Strengthened Subject Matter Option" should, upon admission, have their education credentials evaluated by the College of Education's records specialist, Susan Brannon. She will then advise them of any deficiencies that may require additional coursework in education.

PROGRAM FILES

All students should keep a file of graduate program information, which would include these policy statements, notes on program changes as they occur, and all issues of the Gradletter. Please bring this folder along when coming in for advising.  In addition, the English Department keeps a permanent file for each student for use in advising, which includes admissions information as well as a record of progress in the program.

MAIL BOXES

You have a mailbox for departmental mail in the main office (HUMB 240). Boxes for graduate assistants and teaching assistants will be located with the mailboxes for adjunct faculty. Please check your mail box regularly for notes from professors and fellow students. If you are only in the department for evening classes after the office is locked, please ask your professor to unlock the door for a few moments either before or after class so that you may check for mail. (Please note: boxes for the current semester may not be updated for a few weeks until we get new student rosters. So be patient, but keep checking).

DIRECTED READINGS

A proposal for Directed Readings credit must be arranged with a supervising professor prior to registration. Registration for this course is generally reserved for advanced research, perhaps in exploration of a thesis interest, with a professor with whom a student has already established a mentoring relationship. Faculty members are not remunerated for this additional teaching and undertake it for the encouragement of special projects. Registration for Directed Readings requires the Department Chair’s approval of the proposal and an override into that registration number (which shows up on the computer as having 0 spaces available). N.B. Under no circumstances is approval given for Directed Readings credit as a convenience for students in place of regularly scheduled courses. Proposals will not be approved for topics already covered by courses in the catalogue.

PLAGIARISM: ACADEMIC RESEARCH INTEGRITY
 

USA English Department’s Policy on
Academic Research Integrity for Graduate Students[1]
 
ACADEMIC RESEARCH INTEGRITY

Plagiarism is submitting material written or conceived by others without giving credit for their ideas or words.  USA’s Lowdown states: “As a community of students and scholars, the University strives to set and maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All members of the university community are expected to exhibit honesty and competence in academic work. This responsibility can be met only through earnest and continuing good faith effort on the part of all students and faculty.”[2]
 
AVOIDING PLAGIARISM
 
All sources for your papers must be clearly documented. Your use of others’ words must be represented by the use of quotation marks, and your use of others’ words and/or ideas must be represented by appropriate citations. Be sure to acknowledge all sources in your writing, including journal articles, books, lectures, and even your professors and classmates.
 
Scholarly papers you write must follow MLA guidelines for in-text citations, bibliography (Works Cited or Works Consulted pages), and footnotes and endnotes. You must cite all sources, whether they are text-based (books, journal articles, newspapers, etc.) or electronic ones (CD-ROMs, library databases, Internet, etc.). You should have ready access to the MLA Style Manual.  If you do not own it, there are copies available in our library and on mla.org: <http://www.mla.org/style>
 
Failure to follow MLA guidelines to avoid plagiarism constitutes a breach of academic integrity. For further information, please familiarize yourself with the University of South Alabama’s plagiarism policies (see The Lowdown and USA’s English Department website).  To assess your work, visit <http://www.southalabama.edu/univlib/sauer/plagiarismforstudents.html>
If you have any questions about academic integrity and research protocols, please see your professor or the Graduate Coordinator of English.
 
CONSEQUENCES
 
Violations of academic integrity may result in a failing grade on the plagiarized assignment(s), a failing grade in the course, and/or your actions being reported to the English Department Chair and to the Graduate School Dean for further action.  In order to discourage plagiarism in English classes, some of your professors may use plagiarism detection software such as TURNITIN or otherwise investigate your academic research integrity.

[1] Portions of this policy were adapted from “USA Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures Academic Integrity Policy.” Available at www.southalabama.edu/usa/languages/documents/Academic_Integrity_Policy_FLL.pdf.
[2] Page 249 of The Lowdown, available at http://www.southalabama.edu/lowdown/studentgrievances.pdf.

CONCENTRATION IN BRITISH AND AMERICAN LITERATURE

A. Thirty-six semester hours of credit is required beyond the bachelor’s degree with a grade of “A” or “B,” including EH 501, Intro to Literary Theory. Two courses are to be taken from different periods of literature written before 1800, and at least 2 courses are to be taken from different periods of literature written after 1800. No more than twelve semester hours may be selected from the 400-level English courses and no more than twelve hours from dual-listed 400/500 level seminars, and no more than 18 hours from the two categories combined may be used to meet the requirement of a minimum of thirty-six hours.

B. By the end of the semester in which the student completes eighteen hours, a Literature Program Review will be scheduled with members of the departmental graduate faculty. This consultation will focus on the student's progress toward the degree, and will produce a projection of the student's exit evaluation path (from options 1 or 2 below).

C. At least one semester before graduation, literature students must successfully complete a comprehensive examination. Students choose one of three paths to comprehensive evaluation.

1. Thesis and oral exam. Students may choose to write a Thesis, an extensive research project, which may draw on a student's previous written work in courses, but which must also involve substantial further research under the supervision of a Thesis director. Students choosing this option take 3-6 semester hours of credit toward the graduation requirement, which 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 exam, which will situate the Thesis in the comprehensive objectives of the literature concentration, 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).
   
   
2. Written examination. A written exam divided into two sections of two hours each, based on research areas that the student has prepared with one English faculty advisor per section. Please see the Comprehensive Examination Options section for further details and requirements.

CONCENTRATION IN CREATIVE WRITING

A. A minimum of thirty-six hours credit in English is required beyond the bachelor's degree with a grade of A or B. This concentration requires eighteen hours of courses in literature and twelve hours of courses in writing. No more than twelve semester hours selected from 400-level English courses may be used to meet the requirement of thirty-six hours minimum. Six Thesis Hours and a successful Thesis Defense complete the degree.

B. Students may concentrate on fiction, non-fiction, or poetry writing.

C. This concentration requires a thesis. For the thesis, a book-length work of fiction, non-fiction, or poetry is required. There are two options for completing the thesis:

1. The thesis and oral exam most often function as the student's comprehensive exam exit requirement. In the oral comprehensive the student demonstrates the thesis to be the culmination of the writing experience and situates the original work in the context of contemporary literature and trends in critical and audience reception; or
   
2. The thesis and oral exam may instead substitute for one literature course and one writing course, with the comprehensive exam being a written exam in two literature research areas (see Literature Concentration requirements for more details about the exam).

D. Some creative writing students, particularly those intending to pursue a Ph.D. in English, may choose the second option above, taking the written comprehensive exam in two literature research areas and using the thesis to substitute for one writing course and one literature course. At least one semester before graduation, those students must pass the written examination.

E. Demonstrated proficiency in a foreign language is required.

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 coursework in education.Up to nine semester hours in education at the graduate level may be incorporated into the literature emphasis as electives.

 LITERATURE PROGRAM REVIEW

The Literature Program Review takes place when a student in the literature concentration has completed at least one-half of the coursework (at least 18 hours) for the M.A. degree, and it is required to proceed with the degree. The student must request the review from his or her thesis director or comprehensive exam mentors in the first month of thesis hours or examination preparation. This review will be conducted as a meeting between the student and at least two members of the graduate faculty (either the thesis director and one prospective committee member or the two comprehensive exam mentors). Two weeks before the LPR, the student will submit to the reviewing faculty an essay from coursework that the student feels is representative of her or his writing and research. At the LPR, the student and faculty members will discuss the paper, the student’s progress, and strategies for completing the Master’s degree in English. The LPR will help each student assess her or his strengths and any weaknesses; additionally, it allows each student to discuss grades, faculty comments, and other concerns such as post-degree options. When necessary, Graduate Faculty will recommend either a general course of action designed to help the student continue to build skills, or sometimes a specific course or task may be prescribed for further improvement. The faculty will submit a brief one-paragraph description of the LPR to the Graduate Coordinator for the student’s file.

DEMONSTRATING LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

Prior to registering for the department's comprehensive exam option (for the Literature Concentration, a Thesis or Written Comprehensive; for the Creative Writing Concentration, a Thesis), all M.A. students must demonstrate reading proficiency in French, Spanish, German, or Latin. International students for whom English is not native may offer their native language. Three methods are available for satisfying this requirement: undergraduate coursework taken within five years of completing the M.A. degree, intermediate-level readings courses in French, German, Latin, and Spanish (specializing in translation) offered by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature, and a locally administered translation test (in French, German, Latin, and Spanish).  

 

The first method requires the student to provide evidence of undergraduate coursework in an acceptable foreign language, showing completion of the second-year (intermediate) level with a minimum grade-point average of 2.5 in all work attempted in the language. The coursework must have been completed not earlier than five years before the date of graduation from the Master's Program. Transcripts already on file in the English Department may be used to substantiate the coursework, but the student must request, in writing, that the coursework be accepted for this purpose. Students who enter the program with sufficient undergraduate coursework, but who may not complete the degree within five years of the undergraduate coursework, are encouraged to avail themselves of the written translation options while their experience is still fresh. Graduate students may take undergraduate courses to satisfy the language requirement, but, of course, they will not carry graduate credit nor be included in the thirty-six semester hours of the program.  

 

The Department of Foreign Language and Literature occasionally offers special intermediate-level readings courses in French and Spanish. These courses are designed for students with elementary knowledge of the language to gain facility in translation. Passing the course examination will satisfy the English Department language proficiency requirement. In other words, if the course is offered, a student can pass this one-semester, 3-credit hour course, in lieu of two-course, 6-semester hour intermediate language sequence. Credit does not count toward the 36-hour credit requirement for the M.A. degree. Students with significant proficiency may negotiate to fulfill the language requirement by passing the final exam with the class, even if they have not completed the course. If these courses are not offered for some reason, the individual exam option described below will be arranged. Similar courses may be added in additional languages if sufficient demand is demonstrated.  

 

The final option requires the student to pass an examination administered by the Department of Foreign Languages. This exam asks the student to translate a two-to-three-page passage from the selected language into English in two hours, using a dual-language dictionary for assistance. The material, according to the Graduate School, should be from the student's subject area, which, in the case of students in the English program, usually means something of a general critical nature. Students will not be asked to translate poetry or other imaginative literature. The test will be limited to reading ability and will not ask the student to answer grammatical questions, supply conjugations, or otherwise address the details of the language being translated. This exam must not pre-date graduation by more than five years.

CHANGING FROM PROVISIONAL TO REGULAR STANDING

Students come into the M.A. Program in Provisional Standing for one or more of four reasons--their undergraduate GPA is below that required for Regular Standing (3.0), their score on the Verbal Section of the GRE General Test is below 500, they have not taken the GRE, or they lack sufficient undergraduate hours in English. Once admitted as Provisional, they must present nine semester hours of graduate work in English with grades of A or B and GRE scores on the General Test before they are eligible to be upgraded to Regular Standing. The Graduate School also limits to fifteen the number of hours taken in Provisional Standing that can be applied to the student's overall program. Consequently, students have a window of only six hours, between twelve and twenty, in which to make the change of standing.

The English Department makes every effort to identify students eligible to be moved to Regular Standing at the end of each semester and initiate the necessary paperwork. Its efforts do not, however, relieve students of the basic responsibility for seeing that their status is changed in a timely fashion. As soon as they believe that they have satisfied the requirements for Regular Standing, they should makes sure that the Graduate Advisor is aware of their eligibility.

Students entering without having taken the GRE are particularly at risk in this regard. When GRE scores are reported to the University after a student has been admitted, they go directly into the student's file in the Registrar's Office to furnish copies to the English Department as soon as available. The GRE must be taken by the close of the semester in which the student accumulates 15 hours in order for the student to go on accumulating credit. Program credit for additional hours will be lost. Students who enter the program without having taken the GRE should arrange to take it as soon as they can adequately prepare, and after receiving their scores should double check to ascertain that the English Department has received a report. Test information and registration materials are available from University Testing, 325 Alpha East, 460-6271.

CHANGING FROM THESIS TO NON-THESIS OPTION

Students who have declared their intention to write a thesis, have had a thesis committee identified, or have taken any Thesis hours (EH 599) and subsequently decide not to write a thesis must petition the Department and the Graduate School in writing to be allowed to change to the Non-Thesis Option. Forms are available in the English Department Office. Once the Department and the Graduate School approve the petition, the named committee will be dissolved, and any Thesis hours taken will be recorded as WD rather than P.

COMPREHENSIVE OBJECTIVES: ENGLISH M.A.

Goal #1: Graduates of our Masters program will be able to defend in clear, coherent writing their interpretations of literature with textual evidence based on close reading and the application of a critical methodology or theory as an analytic framework.

Goal #2: Graduates of our Masters Program will be able to demonstrate that they are conversant with acknowledged scholars, primary and secondary texts, and research tools of a defined scholarly field.

Goal #3: Each graduate of our Masters Program with a concentration in Creative Writing will be able to provide a satisfactory oral defense of his or her techniques of writing narrative, fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry.

Goal #4: Graduates of our Masters Program with a concentration in Creative Writing will demonstrate in writing a high level of craft and mastery of the conventions of their thesis genre(s).

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION OPTIONS: LITERATURE CONCENTRATION

Option #1: Procedures for the Literature Thesis and Oral Examination

Thesis Checklist for the English M.A.

Candidates for the M.A. in English with a concentration in literature may choose, as an exam option, to write a Thesis, an extensive research project which may draw on students' previous written work in courses, but which must also involve substantial further research under the supervision of the Thesis director. Students who have chosen the Thesis option will take 3-6 credit hours of thesis work towards the graduation requirement, leaving a minimum of 30 credit hours of course work.

The Thesis should be a sustained piece of writing, at least 50 pages, containing original scholarly work and an explicit discussion of methodology and of relevant critical history.   After completion of the Thesis, an oral examination will be scheduled with the Thesis committee, to serve as a defense of the Thesis and to demonstrate that the student's M.A. work has fulfilled the comprehensive objectives for the literature concentration. In addition to articulating the assumptions and objectives of the Thesis project, the Thesis writer should be prepared to demonstrate a broad knowledge of the fields relevant to the Thesis at her/his defense.

According to the graduate school’s Guide for Preparing Theses and Dissertations,

The master’s thesis and the doctoral dissertation represent major achievements in graduate study. The thesis/dissertation is a learning experience for the student and contributes to the body of existing knowledge in a given field. Students completing the thesis/dissertation research project or creative endeavor demonstrate a mastery of their fields that reflects the ability to function effectively and independently in the creative or problem solving process.

The quality of the thesis/dissertation is a reflection of the standards of the Graduate School and the University. While creativity and individuality are encouraged, there is a need for the format to be internally consistent.

Procedures
The thesis is generally undertaken after the student has completed most course work. After identifying a Thesis director who can support the Thesis project, the student will write a prospectus, which must be approved by the Thesis committee, made up of three members from the English department, including the Thesis director, and one outside member. In addition to a description of the thesis project and an outline of research, the prospectus should include a justification of the contribution the thesis will make to the field of study in which it participates, and a discussion of how the thesis addresses the stated goals of the literature concentration.

When the student is actually ready to begin devoting regular work to the thesis, “thesis hours” are taken as a course, a 3-6 semester hours, which may be taken in any combination over a period of four semesters. N.B., thesis credit ceases to be current after two years, and the student must be registered for at least one hour of credit during the semester in which the oral defense is conducted.

Registration for Thesis Hours Credit

Thesis Hours EH 599 Request Form

In order to register for thesis credit, students must first obtain authorization from their supervising faculty member, then the approval of the Graduate Coordinator or Department Chair. The English department requires that the Thesis Committee Form be completed in order for any MA student to sign up for thesis hours.  The form is available here:  http://www.southalabama.edu/graduateprograms/GSForm4T-DCommittee.pdf  The English Department requires that the Prospectus Approval Form be completed in order for any MA student to sign up for a second semester of thesis hours.  http://www.southalabama.edu/graduateprograms/ThesisDissertationGuide.pdf These course designations will show 0 spaces open on the computer but will actually be available by an override obtained in the manner described above.

Submission Procedures and Deadlines
Each semester, the Graduate School publishes a deadline for submission of theses, generally about a month before the end of the semester. The departmental oral examination must be completed at least two weeks in advance of the Graduate School deadline. To that end, copies of the thesis must be in the hands of all committee members at least two weeks prior to the oral exam.

N.B.: However, the student is eligible for a courtesy check by the graduate school office for format and style if the deadlines are all pushed up two weeks to provide for one final draft to be brought in at least two weeks prior to the final deadline, so that any required changes can be made before the final submission deadline.

Failure to submit the thesis for the courtesy check puts the thesis in peril of not being approved in time for the degree to be awarded in the semester it is submitted.


Option #2: Procedures for the Written Comprehensive Examination

Candidates for the M.A. in English with a concentration in literature may choose, as an exam option, to take a comprehensive written examination on British and American literature. Each student will have two English faculty advisors for the Comprehensive Exam; each advisor will work with the student on one of the two exam fields.  Each field, worth 50% of the exam, is chosen by the student with the approval of the advisor. 

Each field must be in a different rubric (Period, Genre, Topic) and will cover a list of 15-25 primary and secondary texts, approved by the advisor.  Fields should not overlap.  For example, a student could choose the period modernism and the genre poetry, but the poetry list should not favor modernist poets.  List will be approved by the Graduate Committee and filed in the department for reference.  The advisors will assist the student in preparing for the exam. 

The Comprehensive Exam is a written exam will be given at the end of the fall and spring semesters: the exams will be administered twice per academic year, no later than four weeks before the date when grades are due each semester. Students will write their exams on offline computers at a location to be determined by the program.  Students who prefer not to use a computer may petition the Graduate Committee for exemption.  In case of failure, the exam can be retaken once, generally at the end of the following semester. 

Each advisor will prepare essay questions for his or her area to test the student.  The total exam time is four hours; the student will answer two out of three questions provided in each field.  The entire examination will be scored by the two advisors and an additional faculty member selected by chair or the Graduate Coordinator within three weeks of the exam. The specific criteria for exam evaluation are: clear, coherent writing, close reading, coherent application of a critical method/theory, and synthesis of appropriate scholarly sources.  Evaluation of exams will be on a 3-point scale, viz.:  4–Excellent, 3–Good, 2–Weak, 1–Unsatisfactory.  (4) and (3) are passing scores, (2) and (1) are failing scores.  Students must receive a passing score on both exams (i.e., in both fields, though not necessarily on all four questions).  If a student receives an average score below (2) in a field, the student must re-take the exam for that field, answering two new questions.

THE CREATIVE WRITING THESIS

Thesis Checklist for the English M.A.

A creative thesis is required of all students in the Creative Writing concentration. The creative thesis will be a book-length work of fiction, non-fiction, poetry or a combination. An oral defense is required at least four weeks prior to the anticipated graduation date. For students pursuing the 12-course option, this defense will constitute their Comprehensive Examination evaluation.
According to the graduate school’s Guide for Preparing Theses and Dissertations,

The master’s thesis and the doctoral dissertation represent major achievements in graduate study. The thesis/dissertation is a learning experience for the student and contributes to the body of existing knowledge in a given field. Students completing the thesis/dissertation research project or creative endeavor demonstrate a mastery of their fields that reflects the ability to function effectively and independently in the creative or problem solving process.

The quality of the thesis/dissertation is a reflection of the standards of the Graduate School and the University. While creativity and individuality are encouraged, there is a need for the format to be internally consistent.

Procedures
The thesis is generally undertaken after the student has completed most coursework. The first step is to find a supervising professor to act as the thesis director, and with that director to enlist a committee (3-4 members, one of whom must be from a department other than English). The student then works with the director and committee to develop a prospectus.

When the student is actually ready to begin devoting regular work to the thesis, “thesis hours” are taken as a course, a total of 6 semester hours which may be taken in any combination over a period of four semesters. N.B., however, thesis credit ceases to be current after two years, and the student must be registered for at least one hour of credit during the semester in which the oral defense is conducted.

Registration for Thesis Hours Credit

In order to register for thesis credit, students must first obtain authorization from their supervising faculty member, then the approval of the Graduate Coordinator or Department Chair: Thesis Hours EH 599 Request Form The English department requires that the Thesis Committee Form be completed in order for any MA student to sign up for thesis hours.  The form is available here: http://www.southalabama.edu/graduateprograms/GSForm4T-DCommittee.pdf  The English Department requires that the Prospectus Approval Form be completed in order for any MA student to sign up for a second semester of thesis hours: http://www.southalabama.edu/graduateprograms/ThesisDissertationGuide.pdf These course designations will show 0 spaces open on the computer but will actually be available by an override obtained in the manner described above.

Submission Procedures and Deadlines
Each semester the Graduate School publishes a deadline for submission of theses, generally about a month before the end of the semester. The departmental oral defense must be completed at least two weeks in advance of the Graduate School deadline. To that end, copies of the thesis must be in the hands of all committee members at least two weeks prior to the oral defense.

N.B.: However, the student is eligible for a courtesy check by the graduate school office for format and style if the deadlines are all pushed up two weeks to provide for one final draft to be brought in at least two weeks prior to the final deadline, so that any required changes can be made before the final submission deadline.

Failure to submit the thesis for the courtesy check puts the thesis in peril of not being approved in time for the degree to be awarded in the semester it is submitted.

APPLYING FOR A GRADUATE OR TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIP

If you are a graduate student or are considering a graduate degree in English, the Department of English encourages you to apply for a Teaching Assistantship or Graduate Assistantship.

Teaching Assistants (TAs) must have 18 hours of graduate coursework in English; they teach college-level writing courses. TAs receive a tuition waiver, a salary, office space, and individual guidance on teaching composition. Graduate Assistants (GAs) do not need prior coursework in English. The duties of GAs vary but usually involve one-on-one tutoring in the Writing Center. GAs receive a tuition waiver and a salary. Normally, an assistantship can be renewed for a maximum of two years depending on department needs in terms of GAs and TAs.

Students who are (or will be) enrolled in the English graduate program with regular status or provisional status (not probationary) by August 15, 2009, are eligible for a Graduate Assistantship. All applicants must submit GRE scores.

Complete applications for the next academic year must be submitted by April 21, 2009. To apply, follow the steps below, but see the attached information sheets for details about the two types of assistantships.

To apply for a Teaching Assistantship or Graduate Assistantship, you should …

1. Submit a cover letter indicating whether you are applying for just a Graduate Assistantship, for just a Teaching Assistantship, or for either (if the latter, indicate your preference). In addition, indicate the semester when you plan to graduate with an MA.

2. Submit a writing sample (preferably, an analytical paper or creative writing sample from an upper-division or graduate-level English course).

3. Complete the standard USA form for an assistantship. The form requires applicants to submit other materials: transcripts (official or unofficial); three letters of recommendation, and GRE scores. You can find the form here: http://www.southalabama.edu/graduateprograms/forms.html

To apply for a Teaching Assistantship, you should also …

4. Write a one- to two-page explanation of your interest in being a TA and what you have to offer composition students.

5. Ask individuals who write the three letters of recommendation (see Step 3 above) to address your potential as a composition teacher.

Send all applications materials to Dr. Ellen Harrington, Department of English, by April 21, 2009. Applications will still be considered after that date if positions are still available. NOTE: Applications to be admitted to the graduate program must be sent to the USA Admissions Office; only GA and TA applications go to Dr. Harrington.

For information about being a GA, contact Dr. Harrington (460-7326). For information about being a TA, contact Dr. Larry Beason (460-7861). The attached information sheets explain more about duties, requirements, and other details.

TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS FOR 2009-2010

Overview:

A teaching assistantship (TA) requires that the TA serve in this capacity a minimum of 20 hours per week each semester. The TA’s instructional duty will involve teaching EH 101 (Composition I): one section in fall, and two sections in spring. TAs must have 18 hours of graduate coursework in English

This assistantship is for fall and spring of 2009-2010, assuming satisfactory performance as a TA. Normally, a student can be awarded an assistantship (regardless of whether it is a teaching or graduate assistantship) for a total of two years depending on department needs in terms of GAs and TAs. Renewal of an assistantship for a second year is contingent on remaining in good standing in the MA in English program, satisfactory performance of TA duties, and financial exigency of the University.

TA Supervision and Coursework:

The TA will perform his/her instructional duties under the supervision of the Director of Freshman Composition and will be required to attend a two-day, pre-fall workshop (the week before fall semester), enroll in EH 505 (three credits) in fall, meet with the Director regularly, and enroll in a one-credit training course in the spring. All TAs are expected to follow program guidelines and syllabi for EH 101.

TAs normally enroll for at least six hours of English coursework per semester. TAs taking more than nine hours should consult with the Director of Composition and the Graduate English Coordinator.

Other Employment:

Graduate Assistants may not be employed in any other positions on campus. Because of the time-consuming nature of being a graduate student and a teaching assistant, it is not advisable for TAs to be employed in other positions off campus.

Response and Paperwork:

Contact Dr. Larry Beason (460-7861 or lbeason@usouthal.edu) within ten days of the date of any offer letter you receive for a TA; after ten days, the offer will be void.

Should you receive an official letter, you will receive the Graduate School’s official offer letter and paperwork only after you have contacted Dr. Beason with your intent to accept.

Compensation:

Each semester, a TA receives a stipend of $4,000 per semester, and each semester, a TA has a tuition waiver for up to ten hours of coursework within her/his degree program. Some fees, such as computer and student activity fees, are the student’s responsibility. Failure to complete a given semester’s duties will necessitate reimbursement of tuition fees to the university.

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS FOR 2009-2010

Overview:

A Graduate Assistantship (GA) requires that the GA serve in this capacity a minimum of 20 hours per week each semester. GA duties can vary; typically, however, GAs tutor in the Writing Center or assist in English Graduate Faculty research.

This assistantship is for fall and spring of 2009-2010, assuming satisfactory performance as a GA. Normally, a student can be awarded an assistantship (regardless of whether it is a teaching or graduate assistantship) for a total of two years depending on department needs in terms of GAs and TAs. Renewal of an assistantship for a second year is contingent on remaining in good standing in the MA in English program, satisfactory performance of GA duties, and financial exigency of the University.

GA Supervision:

The GA will perform his/her tutoring duties under the supervision of the Director of the Writing Center and the Graduate English Coordinator. GA duties begin August 15, 2009 (one week before school starts). To be a GA one must commit to the start date.

GAs will enroll for at least six hours of English coursework per semester. GAs taking more than nine hours must consult with the Graduate English Coordinator.

Other Employment:

Graduate Assistants may not be employed in any other positions on campus. Because of the time-consuming nature of being a graduate student and a Graduate Assistant, it is not advisable for GAs to be employed in other positions off campus.

Response and Paperwork:

Phone Dr. Ellen Harrington at 460-7326 or email her at the following address, eharrington@usouthal.edu, within ten days of the date of any offer letter you receive for a GA; after ten days, the offer will be void.

Should you receive an official letter, you will receive the Graduate School’s official offer letter and paperwork only after you have contacted Dr. Harrington with your intent to accept.

Compensation:

Each semester, a GA receives a stipend of $4,000 per semester, and each semester, a GA has a tuition waiver for up to ten hours of coursework within her/his degree program. Some fees, such as computer and student activity fees, are the student’s responsibility. Failure to complete a given semester’s duties will necessitate reimbursement of tuition fees to the university.

USEFUL INFORMATION

The degree requirements for the Department of English as stated in the current Bulletin.