English, Southeast Missouri State University

Why should I study Master of Arts in English at Southeast?

The department of english faculty is composed of knowledgeable, energetic, and concerned teacher-scholars who take great interest in their students as well as the subjects and skills they teach. Our full-time faculty hold doctoral degrees from universities across the country, and their special interests range from creative writing, publishing and film to linguistics and women's studies as well as all periods and genres of English, American, and world literature.

Options/Areas of Emphasis: Reflecting the changing conceptions of what constitutes English studies, the Master of Arts in English offers students considerable latitude in the shaping of their program of study. The degree offers a range of courses in literature, creative writing, rhetoric, theory, and pedagogy with two areas of emphasis: Creative Writing and Literature.

Admissions Requirements: A student must have 24 hours of undergraduate credit in the field of English to be admitted into the program. He/she must also meet all the admission requirements for the graduate program. For more information, see the Graduate Bulletin.

Courses and Curriculum: The Graduate Program in English requires 36 credit hours to graduate, 18 of which must be at the 600 level. Core course requirements are EN601, Research in English Studies, one course in literature at the 600 level, one course in linguistics or one course in theory, and one course in writing. The remaining 24 hours are elective courses determined by the emphasis chosen.

Capstone Requirements: There are two options: the completion of a thesis or the completion of a comprehensive exam. Candidates who choose the exam option must also submit a graduate paper. The thesis option can be fulfilled by completing a scholarly thesis, a creative project, or a creative teaching project. If choosing the comprehensive written exam, students must enroll in GR698: Masters Comprehensive Exam in the semester they plan to take the exam. The exam will consist of one question on research methods; one question on a close reading of poetry, fiction, drama, or nonfiction; and a self-generated question to be formulated in conjunction with the advisor. Exams will be offered once in the fall, once in the spring, and once in the summer.

Career Opportunities: Students may design their programs to enhance their prospects for teaching in high school or community college, to prepare for doctoral work in English, or to prepare for a variety of non-teaching occupations.

Graduate Assistantship Opportunities: The English Department currently offers 11 teaching assistantships to qualified graduate students to

teach beginning composition and/or ESOL courses,
tutor for the Writing Center,
serve as a research assistant in the Faulkner Center,
and/or serve as a research assistant in the Southeast Missouri State University Press.

For teaching assistantship applications, contact Dr. Missy Nieveen-Phegley (E-mail: mphegley@semo.edu; Telephone: (573) 651-2633)

Student Organizations:

Sigma Tau Delta: Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society, provides exceptional English majors with opportunities for advancing the study of language and literature, for developing skills in creative and analytical writing, and for meeting with other scholars and professionals in the discipline of English. Members of Sigma Tau Delta also have the opportunity to publish their writing in The Rectangle, Sigma Tau Delta's literary publication. Student members are also eligible to compete for other writing awards. In addition, student members may compete for academic scholarships, professional internships, and teaching awards. At regional conferences and at the annual international convention, students may present original creative and analytical work as well as network with students, faculty, and professionals from around the country and abroad.
Journey Student Literary Magazine: All interested students are welcomed to join the staff, to submit their creative work for publication in the annual Journey magazine, to read their work in the reading series, to help produce Journey magazine, and to participate in other events. See the Journey website for more information.

Facilities: Instruction is delivered onsite, online, and through interactive television courses.

Research Opportunities: As part of the Teaching Assistantship, students are allowed to act as research assistants in either the University Press or the Faulkner Center. The research assistantship for the University Press includes serving as Assistant Editor of the literary magazine Big Muddy: Journal of the Mississippi River Valley, as first-reader for the annual fiction and poetry contests, and as reader of selected book-length manuscripts submitted to the University Press. The research assistantship for the Faulkner Center includes working in research and archives, editing and publishing the Teaching Faulkner newsletter, and helping to organize the bi-annual Faulkner conference.

Teaching Opportunities: The Teaching Assistantship allows you (under the guidance of the Teaching Assistant Supervisor) to practice college teaching with full classroom responsibility. This experience is valuable when applying for teaching positions. Teaching Assistants also have the opportunity to participate in practicums for teaching Creative Writing or Literature under the direction of a faculty member.