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1999-2000 Catalog

Degrees and Programs

English

College of Liberal Arts
Department of English
(907) 474-7193

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

Minimum Requirements for Degrees: B.A.: 120 credits; M.A.: 30 credits; M.F.A.: 45 credits

The English department offers courses in writing, survey, advanced English, and American and world literature. The department also offers courses in English linguistics and Alaska literature. Courses are designed for English majors and minors, and students in other fields who choose English electives.

Both programs require a large portion of literature courses, research and writing. The M.A. program focuses on scholarly research in British and American literature, and candidates write theses in literary scholarship. The M.F.A. program centers on writing original, imaginative work in poetry, fiction, drama and/or nonfiction, and candidates write original creative works as theses. Teaching assistantships are available.

Undergraduate Program

Major

English -- B.A. Degree

  1. Complete the general university requirements.
  2. Complete the B.A. degree requirements.
  3. Complete the following:*
    1. Complete the following:
      ENGL 310 -- Literary Criticism (3 credits)
    2. Complete 1 of the following:
      ENGL 301 -- Continental Literature in Translation: The Ancient World (3 credits)
      ENGL 302 -- Continental Literature in Translation: Medieval and Renaissance (3 credits)
    3. Complete 3 of the following:
      ENGL 306 -- Survey of American Literature: Beginnings to the Civil War (3 credits)
      ENGL 307 -- Survey of American Literature: Civil War to the Present (3 credits)
      ENGL 308 -- Survey of British Literature: Beowulf to the Romantic Period (3 credits)
      ENGL 309 -- Survey of British Literature: Romantic Period to the Present (3 credits)
    4. Complete 1 of the following:
      ENGL 422W,O/2 -- Shakespeare: History Plays and Tragedies (3 credits)
      425W,O/2 -- Shakespeare: Comedies and Non-Dramatic Poetry (3 credits)
    5. Complete 1 of the following:
      ENGL 317 -- Traditional English Grammar (3 credits)
      ENGL 318 -- Modern English Grammar (3 credits)
      ENGL 462 -- Applied English Linguistics (3 credits)
      ENGL 472 -- History of the English Language (3 credits)
    6. Complete 5 ENGL 300- and 400-level courses (at least 3 at the 400-level).
    7. Minimum credits required (120 credits)

* Student must earn a "C" grade or better in each course.

Recommended Courses for Those Interested in Creative Writing:

  • ENGL 313W -- Writing Non-Fiction Prose (3 credits)
  • ENGL 371W,O -- Intermediate Creative Writing (3 credits)
  • ENGL 471W -- Undergraduate Writer's Workshop (3 credits)

Recommended Courses for Those Interested in Teaching:

  • ENGL 472 -- History of the English Language (3 credits)
  • ENGL 485 -- Teaching Composition in the Schools (3 credits)

Minor

  1. Complete 2 of the following:
    ENGL 301 -- Continental Literature in Translation: The Ancient World (3)
         or ENGL 302 -- Continental Literature in Translation: Medieval and Renaissance (3) (3 credits)
    ENGL 306 -- Survey of American Literature: Beginnings to the Civil War (3 credits)
    ENGL 307 -- Survey of American Literature: Civil War to the Present (3 credits)
    ENGL 308 -- Survey of British Literature: Beowulf to the Romantic Period (3 credits)
    ENGL 309 -- Survey of British Literature: Romantic Period to the Present (3 credits)
  2. Complete the following:
    ENGL 422W,O/2 -- Shakespeare: History Plays and Tragedies (3)
         or 425W,O/2 -- Shakespeare: Comedies and Non-Dramatic Poetry (3) (3 credits)
    ENGL electives at the 300- or 400-level (9 credits)
  3. Minimum credits required (18 credits)

Graduate Program

English -- M.A. Degree

  1. Complete the general university requirements.
  2. Complete the master's degree requirements.
  3. Pass a written comprehensive examination based on a standardized reading list; the examination is to be taken no later than the student's third semester of work. The examination will be held on the Saturday ending the fourth full week of classes.
  4. Students may advance to candidacy when their advisory committee deems that they have made satisfactory progress toward completion of their degree.
  5. Pass an oral defense of the thesis.
  6. 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)
    ENGL 699 -- Thesis (6 credits)
    ENGL electives** (18 credits)
  7. Complete 3 of the following:
    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)
  8. Complete 1 of the following:
    ENGL 609 -- Early American Literature (3 credits)
    ENGL 611 -- Nineteenth Century American Literature (3 credits)
    ENGL 612 -- Modern American Literature (3 credits)
  9. Complete 1 of the following:
    ENGL 608 -- Studies in British Literature: 20th Century
    ENGL 615 -- Contemporary Literature (3 credits)
    A seminar in contemporary or comparative literature (3 credits)
  10. Minimum credits required (30 credits)

* 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 coursework. 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.

Creative Writing -- M.F.A. Degree

  1. Complete the general university requirements.
  2. Complete the master's degree requirements.
  3. 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.
  4. Students may advance to candidacy when their advisory committee deems that they have made satisfactory progress in both academic and writing areas.
  5. Complete the following:
    ENGL 601 -- Bibliography, Methods, and Criticism (3 credits)
    ENGL 671 -- Writers' Workshop (9 credits)
    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)
  6. 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)
  7. Minimum credits required (45 credits)

* 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 a grade of "A" or "B" for all 600-level courses that the student wishes to apply toward the master's degree programs.