English

College of Liberal Arts
Department of English
(907) 474-7193
www.uaf.edu/english/

B.A., M.A., M.F.A. Degrees

M.A., M.F.A. Degrees

Minimum Requirements for Degrees: M.A.: 30-36 credits; M.F.A.: 45 credits

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The English department offers core courses in writing and literature, and upper-division courses in literature, linguistics, creative writing, technical writing and literary criticism. The department also offers a two-year M.A. degree in literature and a three-year M.F.A. degree in creative writing. Teaching assistantships are available for both programs. The M.A. degree offers advanced study of literature and literary theory, as preparation for teaching or for entering a Ph.D. program. The M.F.A. degree is a terminal degree, culminating in the production of a publication-quality thesis manuscript of poetry, fiction, drama or creative non-fiction.

Graduate Program—M.A. Degree

1. Complete the following admission requirement:
   a. Submit GRE scores.
2. Complete the general university requirements.
3. Complete the master’s degree requirements.
4. Pass a written comprehensive examination based on a standardized reading list; the examination is to be taken in the student’s second year of work. The examination will be held on the Saturday ending the fourth full week of classes in the spring semester.
5. Students may advance to candidacy when their advisory committee deems that they have made satisfactory progress toward completion of their degree.
6. Pass an oral defense of the thesis or non-thesis project.
7. Complete the thesis or non-thesis requirement:
   Thesis
   a. Complete the following:
   
   ENGL 601—Bibliography, Methods, and Criticism 3 credits
   
   ENGL 685—Teaching College Composition (3)*
   or ENGL 600-level elective course (3) 3 credits
   
   b. Complete the following:
   
   ENGL 699—Thesis 6 credits
   
   ENGL electives** 18 credits
   
   c. Complete 3 of the following electives:
   
   ENGL 603—Studies in British Literature: Old and Middle English 3 credits
   
   ENGL 604—Studies in British Literature: Renaissance and 17th Century 3 credits
   
   ENGL 606—Studies in British Literature: Restoration and 18th Century 3 credits
   
   ENGL 607—Studies in British Literature: 19th Century 3 credits
   
   d. Complete 1 of the following electives:
   
   ENGL 609—Early American Literature 3 credits
   
   ENGL 611—Nineteenth Century American Literature 3 credits
   
   ENGL 612—Modern American Literature 3 credits
   
   e. Complete 1 of the following electives:
   
   ENGL 608—Studies in British Literature after 1900 3 credits
   
   ENGL 614—Studies in Comparative Literature 3 credits
   
   ENGL 615—Contemporary Literature 3 credits
   
   f. Pass an oral defense of the thesis.
   g. Minimum credits required 30
   Non-Thesis
   a. Complete the following:
   Complete required courses and distribution of electives in a, c, d and e in the thesis option. 21 credits
   Complete additional approved ENGL 600-level electives 9 credits
   Complete ENGL 698—Research (maximum) 6 credits
   Complete a research paper which the advisory committee judges to be of publishable quality.
   Pass an oral defense of the project
   b. Minimum credits required 36

* Recommended if you are a teaching assistant or planning to teach.
** To maximize breadth of study, M.A. students and their advisors will draft individualized courses of study with the following program requirements in mind. The advisor will direct students to courses covering the required areas, subject to particular exemptions based upon undergraduate course work. Exemptions and any subsequent revisions of the course of study must have the agreement of the advisor and department head. Plans can be revised to substitute an appropriate seminar for one of the courses.
Note: Students may apply up to 3 credit hours of independent study toward the English M.A. degree requirements.

Graduate Program—Creative Writing, M.F.A. Degree

1. Complete the following admission requirement:
   a. Submit GRE scores.
2. Complete the general university requirements.
3. Complete the master’s degree requirements.
4. Complete and pass a written comprehensive examination, based on a standardized reading list; examination to be taken no later than student’s fourth semester of work. Examination will be held on the Saturday ending the fourth full week of classes in the spring semester.
5. Students may advance to candidacy when their advisory committee deems that they have made satisfactory progress in both academic and writing areas.
6. Complete the following:
   
   ENGL 601—Bibliography, Methods, and Criticism 3 credits
   
   ENGL 671—Writers’ Workshop 9
   
   ENGL 685—Teaching College Composition (3)*
   or ENGL elective course 600-level (3) 3 credits
   
   ENGL 699—Thesis 6 credits
   
   ENGL approved electives 6 credits
   
   Literature seminars** 12 credits
   
7. Complete 2 of the following:
   
   ENGL 681—Forms of Poetry 3 credits
   
   ENGL 682—Forms of Fiction 3 credits
   
   ENGL 683—Forms of Drama 3 credits
   
   ENGL 684—Forms of Non-Fiction Prose 3 credits
   
8. Minimum credits required 45

* Recommended if you are a teaching assistant or planning to teach.
** Minimum of 4 to be determined by student’s advisory committee.
Note: Students may apply up to 6 credit hours of independent study toward the English M.F.A. degree requirements.
Note: The English department requires that a student receive an A or B grade for all 600-level courses that the student wishes to apply toward the master’s degree programs.