M.A in Literature and Writing Studies

California State University San Marcos offers an innovative M.A. in Literature and Writing Studies that provides balanced training in both literary and writing studies, with a focus on cultural and diversity studies, theory, and history, sustained analysis, and the creation, writing, and presentation of written and visual texts in a variety of genres. Literature and Writing M.A. students receive specialized training in college-level writing instruction and pedagogy and have the opportunity to teach first-year composition.The focus on first-year writing instruction has allowed our program to establish an excellent job placement record for instructors at local community colleges. The M.A. program offers a variety of options for the culminating thesis project: in addition to traditional literary analysis, students may choose to analyze visual texts (such as films, television shows, andor graphic fiction) or take the creative thesis option. A creative thesis can take many forms (e.g., work in digital literature, fiction, poetry, drama, life writing, screen writing, hybrid forms, etc.) and includes a critical introduction.