Online Master of Arts in English Degree Plans

The English Department offers two options leading to the Master of Arts degree online designed to prepare students for entry to the professional world or further graduate study:

  • Track A – Master of Arts degree (thesis option – 30 semester credit hours, including 3 research hours for thesis) – in literature study with an emphasis in American, African American, or British literature.
  • Track B – Master of Arts degree (non-thesis option - 30 semester credit hours for non-thesis) – with a generalist concentration in literary studies. With the approval of the Department Chair and the instructor, the student will devote three credits to a “Directed Reading and Research” course resulting in two or more longer papers.

Degree Requirements

In order to earn a Master’s degree in English online under Track A(thesis option), a candidate must complete the following departmental requirements:

  • Thirty hours of graduate work in English, including English 837 (Thesis in Progress), with an emphasis in African American, American, or British literature). Required Core Courses: English 502, 533, and 638
  • Evidence that the student either has passed at least twelve semester hours of a foreign language or has a reading knowledge of some foreign language (such competency to be certified, through examination, by the Department of Foreign Languages)
  • A written comprehensive examination
  • End of program assessment that includes a comprehensive test, portfolio, and research completion and evaluation
  • An acceptable thesis based on an investigation of a subject approved by the Department and the University Graduate School
  • An oral defense of the thesis before the committee of graduate faculty advisors
  • A completed thesis approved by the University Graduate School

In order to earn a Master’s degree in English online under Track B(non-thesis option), a candidate must complete the following departmental requirements:

  • Thirty hours of graduate work in English for a general concentration in literature, Required Core Courses: English 502, 533, and 638
  • Evidence that the student either has passed at least twelve semester hours of a foreign language or has a reading knowledge of a foreign language (such competency to be certified, through examination by the Department of Foreign Languages)
  • A written comprehensive examination
  • End of program assessment that includes the comprehensive examination, portfolio evaluation, and research completion
  • An acceptable portfolio of at least six seminar-length analyses covering each of the areas of required studies (American, African American, British, Criticism, Directed Study) with the portfolio to be evaluated by members of the graduate faculty
  • An oral defense of the thesis before the committee of graduate faculty advisors
  • An oral review of the portfolio before the committee of graduate faculty advisors

For more information: Graduate Advisor for English

Michon Benson, PhD

Phone: 713-313-7613
Email: Michon.Benson@tsu.edu
Assistant Professor of English
Director of Graduate English Program