Program Overview:
The Master of Arts degree program offered by the Department of English provides students with the opportunity to study literature, critical theory, composition, and digital culture. Offerings range from the study of particular national, postcolonial, and transitional literatures in English, to special topics in literary criticism and theory, media studies, genre studies, and composition studies. Our students gain familiarity with a variety of critical approaches, exploring interconnections between and among social, cultural, political, and aesthetic frames. Classes are small and collaborative, giving students ample opportunity to participate in discussions. All students complete an Advanced Project and can opt to write a three-credit Thesis.
Our graduates pursue careers in publishing, journalism, law, business, nonprofit organizations, public service, web development, high school teaching, college teaching, and other positions in the academy.
Objectives
The English department expects that its MA recipients will leave the program with the following:
- Working knowledge of, and capacity to respond critically to, diverse literatures and discourses;
- Fluency in a variety of critical and theoretical methods;
- Ability to produce publishable scholarly work; and
- A habit of intellectual engagement with social, political, and ethical concerns.
Program Contacts:
To email the English MA Coordinator:
Dr. Eurie Dahn, English
Program Webpage:
English MA
English blog:
http://stroseenglish.wordpress.com/
Program Requirements
Once admitted to the program, students work with the English MA coordinator to plan either a part- or full-time course of study. Full-time students (taking a minimum of nine credits per semester) may complete the program in two academic years. Those who elect part-time study generally take two to four years to complete the degree, although a student may take up to six years in the program.
All students must complete 36 credits of graduate work with a grade of “B” or better (or a grade of pass in English 593) in each course. Courses are three credits each.
Certification in Adolescence Education
Students who already have initial certification in adolescence education may use the MA in English to fulfill the requirement of a master’s degree for professional certification to teach English at the secondary level.
Requirements (36 Credits)
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Either ENG 569 or ENG 589
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(3)
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9 or 10 courses in literature/theory/composition (depending on whether or not a student completes a thesis)
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(27-30)
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Advanced Project
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(3)
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Thesis (optional)
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(3)
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** Based on the student's advanced project or other interests and with the permission of the MA coordinator, a student may take up to two elective courses. These courses may be taken outside of English, and, with the permission of the MFA coordinator, one or both of those courses may be 500-level writing courses. (See the options listed in the MFA in Creative Writing.) The Practicum, ENG 593, may also be taken as an elective.
Internship/Field Experience/Service:
Practicum
Designed to provide students with opportunities to use the knowledge and skills they have gained throughout their MA studies, the Practicum is a professional experience meant to be taken near the completion of the MA program. It gives students tangible work experience they can then use to enter their respective fields of choice after graduation. This Practicum can take any number of forms, including internships in publishing and non-profit organizations or training in pedagogy for the teaching of college-level English. Application and permission of the MA Coordinator required in the semester prior. Will be offered in any semester given student interest. This course counts as an elective under the MA degree requirements. This course can only be taken Pass/Fail. (3 credits)
Culminating Academic Experiences:
Advanced Project
Within the last 15 credits of their degree, all students complete an Advanced Project—which is usually based on a researched essay begun in a graduate course. Early in the semester prior to registering for ENG 591, students submit a project proposal to their potential mentor. Once approved, the proposal is signed by the mentor and a research consultant and filed with the graduate coordinator. Students should consult the website for details about the Advanced Project.
Thesis
Students are encouraged, but not required, to write a three-credit thesis near the end of their study. The thesis allows the qualified student to write a single in-depth study based upon his or her research interests. Ordinarily, this thesis will extend the work completed for the Advanced Project. Students who wish to write a thesis must follow four steps:
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Receive a grade of at least “A-” for the Advanced Project (
ENG 591);
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Submit a thesis proposal to the thesis director and two readers for approval to continue the project;
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Submit a signed thesis proposal to the English graduate coordinator; and
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Professional Accreditation:
The College of Saint Rose, sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet, Albany Province, is chartered by the Board of Regents of New York State. All of its degrees and programs are registered and its professional programs are fully approved by the Board of Regents through the New York State Education Department.
The College of Saint Rose is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (267-284-5000). The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. http://www.msche.org.
Admissions and Financial Aid Information:
General Admission Information
Eligibility for admission to The College of Saint Rose graduate programs is typically based upon the following minimum requirements:
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Submission of a completed application and a Statement of Purpose of approximately 300 words detailing the applicant’s goals for graduate study.
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Evidence of the possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution through submission of official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended
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Academic and professional qualifications for graduate study, as indicated by two letters of recommendation.
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A grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), overall and in the undergraduate major.
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Other admission criteria specified by academic programs such as submission of resumes, writing samples, portfolios, test scores, and participation in interviews or admissions workshops.
Applicants to The College of Saint Rose are responsible for completing their applications by submitting all required components. Prospective students may wish to visit our website for online application options and downloadable forms.
See Graduate Admissions section for more information.
Financial Aid
The College of Saint Rose has long been committed to the premise that a quality education should be within the reach of qualified students. To this end, the College serves its student body through a comprehensive program of federal, state, and institutional financial aid. While the basic responsibility for financing education lies with the students and their families, scholarships, loans, and/or assistantships can supplement insufficient family resources. The amount of aid available through the College is limited and is awarded on the basis of academic merit. All financial assistance from the College is subject to adjustment if the recipients are later granted aid from other sources. Financial aid awards are contingent upon students’ maintaining good academic standing and satisfactory academic progress.
See Financial Aid section for more information.
Additional English Admission Information:
Applicants to the program must have at least 24 undergraduate credits in English (with an emphasis on literature), a grade point average of 3.2 (on a 4.0 scale) in these courses, and an overall index of 3.0. In addition, since every course offered in the program will require writing and research, applicants should have writing and research skills adequate for graduate work in the field. All students should submit a writing sample, consisting of a literary research paper of five to ten pages.
At the discretion of the MA coordinator, applicants who fall slightly below the required grade point average may be admitted to the program as non-matriculated students. Such students will ordinarily be required to finish two graduate English courses with a grade of B or better in each before changing to matriculated status, and they may register for no more than six credits in their first semester in the program. Students who lack the required 24 credits in undergraduate English courses or whose writing and research skills need improvement may be required to take undergraduate courses in preparation for reapplying to the graduate English program.
Students wishing to enroll in graduate English courses without matriculating for the English degree must satisfy the general admissions requirements for graduate study at The College of Saint Rose and must have completed 24 undergraduate credits in English. They may take up to four graduate English courses; those who later wish to change to matriculated status in the graduate English degree program may then apply to the program.
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