Accelerated Master of Arts in English
The 4+1 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 and accelerated manner. The program enables qualified KU students to count 12 hours of graduate-level coursework 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 coursework toward the 4+1 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 MA program. If you are not a current undergraduate student at KU, please review the admission requirements for the regular MA program.
Admission to Graduate Studies
An applicant seeking to pursue graduate study in the College may be admitted as either a degree-seeking or non-degree seeking student. Policies and procedures of Graduate Studies govern the process of Graduate admission. These may be found in the Graduate Studies section of the online catalog.
Please consult the Departments & Programs section of the online catalog for information regarding program-specific admissions criteria and requirements. Special admissions requirements pertain to Interdisciplinary Studies degrees, which may be found in the Graduate Studies section of the online catalog.
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).
GRE scores are not required.
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 coursework 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 coursework taken in Year 4;
- successful completion of all requirements for the BA/BGS 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:
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).
ENGL 300 Introduction to English Studies (3 hours – must be taken within first year of declaring the English major):
English Studies Coursework (21 hours, 300 or above)
This includes at least one course chosen from:
Rhetoric, Language and Writing studies
Literature, Language, or Rhetoric prior to 1850
Diverse identities, communities, and texts
The remaining courses may be chosen from any 300-level or above English course offerings. For students who are interested in focusing on a specific area of study, they may follow the optional emphases path outlined below.
- One 200-level course may be counted toward English Studies coursework.
Capstone Requirements (6 hours, 500 or above)
- Students must complete ENGL 300 and 2 other 300-level courses before they proceed to the capstone requirements. All 500-level or above English courses count as capstone courses.
- Students pursuing departmental honors may use ENGL 598 to fill one capstone requirement, and must also enroll in ENGL 599 : Thesis hours.
Breadth requirements:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| Screenwriting II | ||
| Playwriting 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: _____ | ||
| Literary History I | ||
| 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 1800: _____ | ||
| Shakespeare: _____ | ||
| The Gothic Tradition | ||
| Advanced Topics in American Literature to 1865: _____ | ||
| The Literature of England to 1500 | ||
| Renaissance English Literature: _____ | ||
| Milton | ||
| British Literature, 1600-1800: _____ | ||
| Romantic Literature: _____ | ||
| At least one course emphasizing diverse identities, communities, and texts | 3 | |
| World Indigenous Literatures | ||
| Global Environmental Literature | ||
| Introduction to African Literature | ||
| Jewish American Literature and Culture | ||
| 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 | ||
| Topics in Transcultural Literature, Language, or Rhetoric: _____ | ||
| Black Feminist Theory | ||
| 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: _____ | ||
| African American Literature: _____ | ||
| African Literature: _____ | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Optional Emphases within the Major
- Students may pursue an emphasis in a particular field by taking at least 3 courses in it.
- These emphases include:
- Literary Studies: one literary history course, one theory course, and one literary studies capstone
- Creative Writing: 300-level workshops in two genres, and one creative writing capstone
- Language, Culture, and Rhetoric: ENGL 380 or ENGL 387, another RCL course, and one RCL capstone
- Students may also designate their own ‘custom’ emphasis, in consultation with a departmental advisor
- 27 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.
Major Hours & Major GPA
While completing all required courses, majors must also meet each of the following hour and grade-point average minimum standards:
Major Hours
Satisfied by 30 hours of major courses (33 for Honors English).
Major Hours in Residence
Satisfied by a minimum of 25 hours of KU resident credit in the major; exceptions by permission of Director of Undergraduate Studies only.
Major Junior/Senior Hours
Satisfied by a minimum of 27 hours from junior/senior courses (300+) in the major.
Major Junior/Senior Graduation GPA
Satisfied by a minimum of a 2.0 KU GPA in junior/senior courses (300+) in the major. GPA calculations include all junior/senior courses in the field of study including F’s and repeated courses. See the Semester/Cumulative GPA Calculator.
MA DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:
In addition to the 12 graduate credit hours completed during the senior year, MA 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 (DGS) or a member of the departmental committee on graduate studies. At least 12 hours of the 18 hours of graduate-level coursework for the MA must be taken at the 700 level or above, and the remaining hours may be taken at the 590-600 level or above. The following requirements also apply:
3 hours (1 course) on Methods or Theory appropriate to different areas of focus in Literary Studies: ordinarily ENGL 709 or ENGL 800, or another course appropriately designated by the Graduate Director. A ENGL 998 (Directed Reading) directly focused on questions of methods and theory can fulfill this requirement if approved by the Graduate Director.
3 hours on Pedagogy: ENGL 780, or other appropriate course as approved by the Graduate Director.
21 distribution hours to be selected in consultation with advisors. Two options are available:
- Option 1a, Literature: At least 1 course (3 hours) must be pre-1700; at least 1 must be 1700-1900; and at least 1 must be after 1900. 2 courses (6 hours) outside the department may be included in the distribution hours with approval of the Graduate Director.
- Option 1b, Literature and Literary Theory: At least 1 course (3 hours) must be pre-1800; at least 1 (3 hours) must be post-1800. At least 2 courses (6 hours), besides the course used to fulfill requirement 2 (Methods or Theory) must focus primarily on Literary Theory. 2 courses (6 hours) outside the department may be included in the distribution hours with approval of the Graduate Director.
ENGL 899: Portfolio Preparation: This course is completed during the last semester of the MA year (Year 5). Students prepare a portfolio of work from their graduate courses over which they will be examined at an oral defense, not to exceed 90 minutes.
PROGRESSION REQUIREMENTS:
Given the accelerated nature of this program, each student’s progress will be closely monitored at various points during the program:
- Once approved to begin graduate coursework, the student must meet with the DGS to plan the final year of undergraduate study;
- At the end of the final semester of undergraduate study (Year 4), the department will review the student’s performance in graduate-level English courses taken in Year 4. The student must earn a grade of B or better in each course to be eligible to continue in the accelerated program;
- Following the completion and award of the BA or BGS degree, the accelerated masters student will meet again with the DGS to review the course plan for the 5th year of study and update it as needed. The student’s performance in the graduate-level courses taken as an undergraduate will be evaluated;
- For students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement of 3.0 in the first semester of Year 5, the department may, at its discretion, devise a plan of study to address the student’s deficiencies, or may dismiss the student from the program;
The program is designed so that students can complete all requirements for the accelerated masters degree within one year of receiving the BA/BGS degree.
If unforeseen circumstances prevent the timely completion of the MA degree, the student must consult with the DGS and her or his graduate advisor to develop an alternative plan for finishing the program. Similarly, a student may decide to discontinue in the graduate program after finishing the bachelor’s degree, or while still completing undergraduate requirements; the student should notify the DGS of this decision. Those still completing requirements for the BA should also contact their undergraduate advisor as soon as possible to ensure timely completion of the bachelor’s degree.
If a student performs poorly in graduate coursework in Year 4 (receiving lower than a B in any graduate classes), the student will be advised to withdraw from the accelerated program. As long as the BA requirements have been met, the student will be able to graduate with a bachelor’s degree.
If the student performs poorly in Year 5 (dropping below a 3.0 GPA/“B” average in English classes), the student will fall out of Good Standing. The student’s name will be forwarded to the College and the student will be put on academic probation for one semester. The DGS and Graduate Committee senior staff will review the student’s progress regularly. If satisfactory progress is not being made, the student may be dismissed from the accelerated program. The student can also withdraw voluntarily.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 101 (Goal 2.1 Written Communication/BA Writing I)1 | 3 | ENGL 102 (Goal 2.1 Written Communication/BA Writing II)1 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | Goal 3 Social Science | 3 |
| 1st Semester Language (BA 2nd Language) | 5 | 2nd Semester Language (BA 2nd Language) | 5 |
| First Year Seminar (Goal 1.1 Critical Thinking) | 3 | Goal 2.2 Communication | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 1 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 1 |
| 15 | 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)4 | 3 |
| Goal 4.1 US Diversity | 3 | Goal 4.2 Global Awareness | 3 |
| ENGL 200+ Level Course (Major Requierment, Goal 3 Arts and Humanities) | 3 | ENGL 300 (Major Requriement) | 3 |
| Goal 1.2 Quantitative Reasoning | 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, Major Requirement) | 3 | Goal 5 Social Responsibility & Ethics | 3 |
| ENGL 300+ from Literature, Language, or Thetoric before 150 Area (Major Requirement) | 3 | ENGL 300+ from Diverse Identities, Communities, & Texts Area (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | Goal 3 Natural Science | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | BA Laboratory/Field Experience (LFE) | 1-2 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | ENGL 300+ Elective (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 16-17 | ||
| 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 (Goal 6 Integration & Creativity, 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
The BA requires completion of two courses of collegiate-level writing instruction. Students who test out of Composition will still need to complete ENGL 102 (or equivalent) and one additional Goal 2.1 course.
- 2
Hour requirements (incl. 45 jr/sr hrs) are typically met through KU core, 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 website for a list of courses that fulfill the BA Quantitative Reasoning requirement.
- 4
For students completing the language requirement via the 3+1 language option, note that many first semester languages are 5 credit hours.
Please note:
The same course cannot be used to fulfill more than one KU Core Goal. However, overlap of a KU Core course with a major or degree-specific requirement is allowed. Overlapping is recommended to allow more opportunities to explore other majors and/or minors.