English, M.A.

Saint Louis University’s Master of Arts in English provides students with scholarly training in a variety of literary fields and in the study of rhetoric and composition.The non-thesis option for the Master of Arts in English degree requires 30 credits of coursework beyond the B.A. The article option permits students to submit a polished, article-length essay for three of the 30 credits of coursework. The thesis option permits students to substitute a thesis for six of the 30 required credits of coursework. All three options are typically completed in two years.M.A. students planning to teach at Saint Louis University are required to take a class in the teaching of writing and all must take courses in the methods of literary research and critical theory, as well as courses in four out of five required areas.At the conclusion of their coursework, students take a one-and-a-half-hour oral exam. Students pursuing the essay and thesis options select a topic in consultation with a director. A board consisting of the director and two other faculty members reviews each student's completed thesis.Learning Outcomes-Graduates will be able to demonstrate a foundational knowledge of literaryrhetorical histories, aesthetics, cultures and emerging areas of inquiry, including an awareness of cultural diversity within literary traditions.Graduates will be able to demonstrate knowledge of research expectations and theoretical approaches, requisite for advanced study in English, including appropriate research resources and tools.Graduates will be able to demonstrate an ability to engage productively with relevant critical debates through written and spoken arguments.