Master of Arts in English
The Master of Arts degree program in English at Western Connecticut State University is a three pronged program designed for those individuals who wish to extend their knowledge of English and American literature beyond the baccalaureate degree, who desire to develop their writing skills, and who would like to gain expertise in TESOL (Teaching of English as a Second Language). The literature courses in this program will primarily be "inter-contextual" courses; i.e., courses based on contrast--at least half of the course grounded in the literature of a historical period while the rest of the course is grounded in something else (a contrasting historical period, culture, philosophy, etc.). Thus, the program offers a historically based curriculum that is grounded in faculty strengths and interests and made relevant to contemporary issues. This program offers courses of study that students can apply toward advanced course work or toward careers as writers or as teachers at the primary and secondary levels. To prepare students for these (and other) careers, the graduate curriculum emphasizes a comparative approach that encourages students to make conceptual connections between literary genres, national literatures within a specific literary historical period, or between texts from different periods. Research, critical thinking, and writing skills are integral components of all course work.
Admission to the Program
Theses and Comprehensives
Degree Requirements
