English

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

Program Description

To be admitted into the M.A. Program in English, the applicant should have a minimum of 24 semester hours of undergraduate credit in English or receive the consent of the department head. Admission to the English Department’s graduate program must include a minimum GPA in English of 3.25. A full-time student can complete the course requirements in one academic year. Graduate assistants should be able to complete these requirements in four semesters. Students may choose either Option A (thesis) or Option C (non-thesis).

Under Option A (thesis), the candidate is required to present a minimum of 30 hours of graduate work in one of the emphases listed, including 6 hours of thesis (ENGL 798); at least 20 hours must be taken in residence. The candidate will present a thesis which reports the results of research directed by a member of the faculty in English. The thesis may reflect scholarship in literary or cultural studies, language and rhetoric, or linguistics; or in conjunction with appropriate coursework, it may include a creative component. In an oral examination the candidate will be required to defend the thesis and to demonstrate knowledge relative to coursework in the chosen emphasis.

Available Options for Graduate Degrees

Master of Arts	Option A
	Option C

Core Requirements

The two emphases of study for the MA degree in English are:

Studies in Literature: 24 semester credits mostly in literature with at least two courses in English literature and two in American Literature, plus six hours of thesis. This emphasis is well suited to those who plan to continue toward the PhD degree in literature or to enter college or community college teaching.

Studies in Language and Rhetoric: 24 semester credits mostly in composition, rhetoric, criticism, and linguistics, plus six hours of thesis. This emphasis is well suited to those who plan to teach in a community college or to pursue a PhD degree in rhetoric or linguistics.

Either the literature emphasis or the language/rhetoric emphasis would offer appropriate advanced work for continuing secondary school teachers.

Under Option C, the candidate is required to complete 36 hours of coursework in English followed by successful completion of written examinations under the direction of the Graduate Coordinator.

All graduate students in English are required to take English 704: Introduction to Graduate Studies and to demonstrate reading knowledge of a modern foreign language or to have two years of undergraduate credit in a modern foreign language on their transcript. Students who receive Graduate Teaching Assistantships also are required to take English 705: Seminar in Teaching Composition.

Additional Admission Requirements

GRE: Not required
TOEFL: Department requirement of 600 paper-based, 250 computer-based, 100 Internet-based

Minimum GPA of 3.25 in English courses

The Department of English requires applicants to have two (2) letters of recommendation sent directly to:

Graduate Advisor
Department of English
South Dakota State University
Scobey 014, Box 504
Brookings, SD 57007

All applicants are required to submit both a writing sample and a brief statement of interest, goals, etc., to the Graduate Advisor. All applicants will also need to have two letters of recommendation by their recommendors to the Graduate Advisor.

In addition, applicants who wish to apply for a Teaching Assistant position need to send - to the address listed above - a scholarly writing sample (8-10 pages) along with a brief letter stating the applicant’s intention to apply for the position. Note: Teaching Assistants begin their duties in the fall semester of the academic year; therefore, applications for Teaching Assistants are due on or before April 15.

General Requirements (Master’s Degree)

Graduate students should consult with their advisor before registering for graduate work.

See Master’s Degree Requirements.

Course Offerings

English (ENGL, LING) Courses