Accelerated Master of Arts in English
The accelerated B.A.-M.A. program will offer our best undergraduate majors the opportunity to earn both the bachelor's and master's degrees in a focused manner. The program enables qualified KU students to count 12 hours of graduate-level course work toward the major requirements and the master's degree, which will be completed in the 5th year.
The course requirements for the accelerated M.A. program are fulfilled by a combination of graduate-level courses taken for both undergraduate and graduate credit in Year 4, fulfilling both B.A. major requirements and M.A. degree requirements, and graduate credit courses taken in Year 5.
- Students must be approved to begin course work toward the accelerated M.A. program prior to enrolling in any classes that are to count for both undergraduate and graduate credit.
Only current KU undergraduate students are eligible to apply to the Accelerated M.A. program. If you are not a current undergraduate student at KU, please review the admission requirements for the regular M.A. program.
Admission to Graduate Studies
Admission Requirements
- All applicants must meet the requirements outlined in the Admission to Graduate Study policy.
- Bachelor’s degree: A copy of official transcripts showing proof of a bachelor's degree (and any post-bachelor’s coursework or degrees) from a regionally accredited institution, or a foreign university with equivalent bachelor's degree requirements is required.
- English proficiency: Proof of English proficiency for non-native or non-native-like English speakers is required. There are two bands of English proficiency, including Admission and Full proficiency. For applicants to online programs, Full proficiency is required.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
Careful course selection and steady progression through the undergraduate career is necessary to ensure all requirements for both degrees may be completed within the 5-year timeframe. All prospective students should discuss their interest in admission to the accelerated master's track with both the Undergraduate Director (UGD) and the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) no later than the fall of the student’s Junior year (Year 3).
Prospective students are eligible to apply to the graduate program in the fall semester of their Senior Year. The following program requirements must be met by this time:
- Major GPA of at least 3.5
- Overall GPA of at least 3.25
- On track to complete all requirements for a BA degree in English from KU by the spring semester of Senior year (Year 4).
Applicants must complete an Application for Graduate Study online. The following information should be gathered in advance and uploaded with the application:
- 3 letters of recommendation (at least one from an English faculty member);
- resume or curriculum vitae (CV);
- one-page Statement of Purpose (maximum 750 words);
- writing samples (15 to 20 pages total; more than one paper preferred).
Upon review of the application for admission, the English Department will notify the student of her or his eligibility to begin course work in the program. Final acceptance to the graduate program will be contingent upon the following:
- grades of B or above in all English graduate-level course work taken in Year 4;
- successful completion of all requirements for the B.A./B.G.S degree.
Application and admission procedures for the Accelerated Master’s program are different from the regular master’s program. For more information, please contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
The course requirements for the accelerated MA program are fulfilled by a combination of graduate-level courses taken for both undergraduate and graduate credit in Year 4, fulfilling both BA major requirements and MA degree requirements, and graduate credit courses taken in Year 5.
The student must be approved to begin coursework toward the accelerated program prior to enrolling in any classes that are to count for both undergraduate and graduate credit.
REQUIREMENTS for the BA MAJOR:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 300 | Introduction to English Studies | 3 |
| English Studies Coursework | ||
| As part of the coursework above, students must take courses in the following areas of breadth | ||
| At least one course in Rhetoric, Language, and Writing studies | 3 | |
Creative Writing courses | ||
| Fiction Writing I | ||
| Poetry Writing I | ||
| Screenwriting I | ||
| Playwriting I | ||
| Nonfiction Writing I | ||
| Fiction Writing II | ||
| Poetry Writing II | ||
| Nonfiction Writing II | ||
Rhetoric, Composition, and Language courses | ||
| English Grammar | ||
| Topics in Writing: _____ | ||
| Foundations of Technical Writing | ||
| Introduction to Rhetoric and Composition | ||
| Topics in Rhetoric and Composition: _____ | ||
| Composing Cultures | ||
| Cultural Rhetorics | ||
| The Development of Modern English | ||
| Language and Social Justice in the US | ||
| Introduction to the English Language | ||
| Topics in English Language Studies | ||
| Postcolonial and World Englishes | ||
| Rhetoric and Writing: _____ | ||
| English Language Studies: ______ | ||
| Multimedia/Multimodal Rhetorics | ||
| Language and Style | ||
| American English | ||
| At least one course in Literature, Language, or Rhetoric prior to 1850 | 3 | |
| Topics in British Literature to 1800: _____ | ||
| Major British Writers to 1800 | ||
| Topics in American Literature to 1865: _____ | ||
| American Literature I | ||
| Chaucer | ||
| Shakespeare | ||
| The Development of Modern English | ||
| Advanced Topics in British Literature Before 1800: _____ | ||
| Shakespeare: _____ | ||
| The Gothic Tradition | ||
| Advanced Topics in American Literature to 1865: _____ | ||
| Renaissance English Literature: _____ | ||
| Milton | ||
| Romantic Literature: _____ | ||
| At least one course emphasizing Cultural Engagement with US and/or Global communities and texts | 3 | |
| World Indigenous Literatures | ||
| Global Environmental Literature | ||
| Introduction to African Literature | ||
ENGL 336 | ||
| Introduction to U.S. Latino/a Literature | ||
| Introduction to African-American Literature | ||
| Introduction to Caribbean Literature | ||
| Topics in U.S. Ethnic Literature: _____ | ||
| American Literature of Social Justice | ||
| Composing Cultures | ||
| Cultural Rhetorics | ||
| Language and Social Justice in the US | ||
| Postcolonial and World Englishes | ||
| The London Review | ||
| Irish Literature and Culture: _____ | ||
| Women and Literature: _____ | ||
| English Electives or Concentration Coursework | ||
| Satisfied by one of the following: | 12 | |
Any four 300-level or above ENGL courses or | ||
One 200-level English course and three 300-level or above ENGL courses or | ||
Concentration coursework as shown below and one additional 300-level or above ENGL course | ||
| Capstone Requirement | ||
| Satisfied by any two 500-level or above ENGL course. | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
The major in English requires 30 hours (33 for Honors English). Students in the accelerated program must take 6 credit hours at the 590 level or above, and 6 credit hours at the 700 level or above. These courses may be selected from those that count toward major distribution requirements or major electives. (See the 590+ level options in the course lists below).
Concentrations within the Major
Students who receive degrees in English may pursue a concentration in a particular subfield by taking at least 3 courses in it. These concentrations will appear on transcripts and diplomas alongside your English Major.
These concentrations include
Creative Writing Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Workshops | ||
| Choose two from the following: | 6 | |
| Fiction Writing I | ||
| Poetry Writing I | ||
| Screenwriting I | ||
| Playwriting I | ||
| Nonfiction Writing I | ||
| Capstone | 3 | |
| Fiction Writing II | ||
| Poetry Writing II | ||
| Nonfiction Writing II | ||
Language, Culture, and Rhetoric Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 380 | Introduction to Rhetoric and Composition | 3 |
| or ENGL 387 | Introduction to the English Language | |
| Choose one from the following: | 3 | |
| Foundations of Technical Writing | ||
| Topics in Rhetoric and Composition: _____ | ||
| Composing Cultures | ||
| Cultural Rhetorics | ||
| The Development of Modern English | ||
| Language and Social Justice in the US | ||
| Topics in English Language Studies | ||
| Postcolonial and World Englishes | ||
| Capstone | 3 | |
| Rhetoric and Writing: _____ | ||
| English Language Studies: ______ | ||
| Multimedia/Multimodal Rhetorics | ||
| Language and Style | ||
| American English | ||
- 7 hours must be at the junior/senior level.
- No 100-level ENGL courses count toward major requirements.
Notes:
- Up to 6 credits combined of ENGL 494 Research Internship or ENGL 495 Directed Study: _____ may be applied as major electives.
- Up to 3 credit hours of ENGL 496 Internship or ENGL 497 Service Learning Internship may be applied as a major elective.
M.A. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
The program is designed so that students can complete all requirements for the accelerated masters degree within one year of receiving the B.A./B.G.S. degree. In addition to the 12 graduate credit hours completed during the senior year, M.A. students must complete an additional 18 hours of graduate-level coursework. The candidate’s program should be arranged in consultation with the director of graduate studies or a member of the departmental committee on graduate studies. At least 12 hours of the 18 hours of graduate-level coursework for the M.A. must be taken at the 700 level or above.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Coursework | ||
| ENGL 709 | Critical Theory: Problems and Principles: _____ | 3 |
| or ENGL 800 | Methods, Theory, and Professionalism | |
| ENGL 780 | Composition Studies | 3 |
| or ENGL 801 | Study and Teaching of Writing | |
| ENGL 898 | M.A. Portfolio | 3 |
| 9 hours of coursework in selected concentration | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Two concentrations are available:
Literature
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-1700 courses (Choose 1) | 3 | |
| Renaissance English Literature: _____ | ||
| Milton | ||
| Shakespeare: _____ | ||
| American Literature to 1900: _____ | ||
| 1700 to 1900 courses (Choose 1) | 3 | |
| Romantic Literature: _____ | ||
| Victorian LIterature: ______ | ||
| British Literature of the19th Century: _____ | ||
| American Literature to 1900: _____ | ||
| Seminar in 19th Century British Literature: _____ | ||
| Post-1900 courses (Choose 1) | 3 | |
| Topics in Early Modern Literature: _____ | ||
| British Literature of the 20th Century: _____ | ||
| American Literature after 1900: _____ | ||
| Other courses may qualify pending approval of the director of graduate studies | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Literature and Literary Theory
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-1800 courses (Choose 1) | 3 | |
| Renaissance English Literature: _____ | ||
| Milton | ||
| Romantic Literature: _____ | ||
| Shakespeare: _____ | ||
| American Literature to 1900: _____ | ||
| Post-1800 courses (Choose 1) | 3 | |
| Victorian LIterature: ______ | ||
| Topics in Early Modern Literature: _____ | ||
| British Literature of the19th Century: _____ | ||
| British Literature of the 20th Century: _____ | ||
| American Literature after 1900: _____ | ||
| Seminar in 19th Century British Literature: _____ | ||
| Literary Theory courses (Choose 1) | 3 | |
| Critical Theory: Problems and Principles: _____ | ||
| Seminar in Literary Criticism: _____ | ||
| Other courses may qualify pending approval of the director of graduate studies | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Portfolio and Oral Exam
This is completed during the last semester of the M.A. year (Year 5). Students prepare a portfolio of work from their graduate courses over which they will be examined at an oral defense with a faculty committee. The committee must meet the standards outlined in the Office of Graduate Studies' Master's Student Oral Exam Committee Composition policy.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 101 (Core 34: English (SGE))010 | 3 | ENGL 102 (Core 34: English (SGE))010 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE)050 | 3 |
| 1st Semester Language (BA 2nd Language) | 5 | 2nd Semester Language (BA 2nd Language) | 5 |
| Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE)050 | 3 | Core 34: Communications (SGE)020 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 1 | ||
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| 3rd Semester Language (BA Second Language) | 3 | 4th Semester Language, or 1st semester of Another Language, unless req for mjr (BA Second Language)1 | 3 |
| Core 34: US Culture (SGE)070 | 3 | Core 34: Global Culture (SGE)070 | 3 |
| ENGL 200+ Level Course (Major Requierment, Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE))060 | 3 | ENGL 300 (Major Requriement) | 3 |
| Core 34: Math and Statistics (SGE)030 | 3 | ENGL 300+ Elective (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 300+ Elective (ENGL 308 or ENGL 508 recommended) | 3 | ENGL 300+ from Cultural Engagement Area | 3 |
| ENGL 300+ from Literature, Language, or Rhetoric before 1850 Area | 3 | ENGL 300+ Elective (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | Core 34: Natural and Physical Sciences (SGE)040 | 4-5 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | BA Laboratory/Field Experience (LFE) | 1 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 17-18 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| BA Quantitative Reasoning (QR)3 | 3 | ENGL Elective 700+ (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| ENGL 700+ from Individual Authors/Movements (Major Requirement) | 3 | ENGL 590+ from Forms & Genres (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| ENGL 590+ Elective (Capstone Requirement, Major Requirement) | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 1-2 |
| 15 | 13-14 | ||
| Year 5 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Graduate Distribution Hours | 3 | Graduate Distribution Hours | 3 |
| Graduate Distribution Hours | 3 | ENGL 709 or 800 (Methods or Theory (or other agreed upon course)) | 3 |
| ENGL 780 (Pedagogy (or other appropriate course as approved by the Graduate Director)) | 3 | ENGL 899 | 2-3 |
| 9 | 8-9 | ||
| Total Hours 136-139 | |||
- 1
For students completing the language requirement via the 3+1 language option, note that many first semester languages are 5 credit hours.
- 2
Hour requirements (incl. 45 jr/sr hrs) are typically met through Core 34, degree, major, second area of study and/or elective hours. Students completing the BGS with a major must choose a secondary area of study. Individual degree mapping is done in partnership with your advisor.
- 3
Visit this page for a list of courses that fulfill the BA Quantitative Reasoning requirement.
At the completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Recognize and be able to draw on the main methods and fields of English studies, including writing (creative, technical/professional, scholarly) and literary and cultural studies using the texts, genres, and approaches appropriate to the field.
- Demonstrate understanding of methods of interpretation and analysis, including but not limited to close reading, rhetorical analysis, and reading for craft.
- Write clearly and proficiently in more than one genre / rhetorical context (e.g. academic, creative, public, professional, multimedia, etc.); demonstrate competence with the elements of form appropriate to the genre.
- Organize, develop, and sustain critical arguments with a clear, complex thesis supported with textual evidence drawn from close reading and scholarly methodologies current in English Studies; also demonstrate ability to address potential objections or contradictory viewpoints.
- Undertake independent research using scholarly methodologies current in English studies; work with the KU library and other resources for pursuing research; cite research in an accepted citation style.
- Understand and produce writing with an awareness of relevant social and historical contexts.
- Demonstrate knowledge of several major fields of literary, cultural, and/or rhetorical expression.
- Write clearly and effectively in various scholarly modes and contexts.
- Apply relevant theories, methodologies, and analytical practices that address fundamental questions in their primary area of study.
- Understand and appreciate the development, culture, and diversity of societies, past and present, through the study of primary and secondary texts.