Graduate Catalog
Degree Programs

Master of Arts
English and English with TESL option

Dr. Carl Brucker, Head
Witherspoon Hall, Room 142
(479) 968-0256
cbrucker@atu.edu

The Master of Arts in English is a flexible program designed to prepare students for doctoral-level study or for careers in post-secondary teaching, and to provide secondary teachers with a content-specific program to enhance their credentials.

Tech's MA in English with Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) option offers graduate students an opportunity to include the four courses prescribed by the Arkansas Department of Education for ESL endorsement within a structured degree program. The English with TESL option can prepare students for doctoral-level study or for careers in post-secondary teaching and the degree can also be used to enhance the credentials of secondary teachers.

Unconditional Admission

Students are eligible to apply for unconditional admission to the MA degree program in English if they meet the admission requirements for The Graduate College.

Conditional Admission

Applicants who fail to meet the grade point requirement specified for unconditional admission may be admitted conditionally to enroll for a maximum of twelve (12) semester hours. If a student was admitted conditionally based on grade point average, the condition will be met if upon completion of twelve (12) semester hours a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or better is achieved.

Academic Advisors

The Head of the English Department will assign a faculty advisor to each student admitted to the MA degree program. The advisor will assist the student in the design of a curriculum of study that leads to the fulfillment of degree requirements. Subsequently, the academic advisor and the Graduate College monitor the student's progress. It remains, however, the student's responsibility to understand and to satisfy all degree requirements.

Admission to Candidacy

Students who have been granted conditional admission are eligible for admission to candidacy for the degree upon the completion of twelve (12) hours with a 3.00 grade point average or better and completion of all deficiencies. Students who have been granted unconditional admission are eligible for admission to candidacy upon completion of twelve (12) hours with a 3.00 grade point average or better. Students who do not submit an "Application for Admission to Candidacy" prior to the end of the semester in which the student becomes eligible will not be allowed to register for subsequent graduate classes.

Students who complete the English program should be able to:

  1. Demonstrate mastery of significant American and British literary works.
  2. Generate writing that demonstrates an advanced ability to analyze and synthesize.
  3. Conduct original research.
  4. Demonstrate familiarity with a variety of interdisciplinary critical approaches.

Degree Requirements for English

  1. The completion of at least 30 semester hours of graduate course work, at least 15 semester hours at the 6000 level.
  2. Satisfactory completion of ENGL 6003 Introduction to English Graduate Study.
  3. The satisfactory completion of 27 semester hours of graduate English electives (non-thesis option), or 21 semester hours and six (6) hours of ENGL 6991-6 Thesis Research or ENGL 6996 Thesis Research (thesis option).
  4. The satisfactory completion of a comprehensive examination based on the MA in English Examination Reading List. (http://www.atu.edu/english/ma_exam.shtml)
  5. The maintenance of a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00 in all graduate work attempted at Arkansas Tech University with a maximum of six (6) hours of "C" grades.
  6. The completion of a minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate course work in residence at Arkansas Tech University. Full-time residence is not required.
  7. The completion of all degree requirements within six (6) years of admission.

Degree Requirements for English with TESL Option

  1. The MA with TESL option requires 30 semester hours with at least 15 semester hours at the 6000 level.
  2. The satisfactory completion of the following graduate English courses

    ENGL 5023 Second Language Acquisition
    ENGL 5703 Teaching English as a Second Language
    ENGL 5713 ESL Assessment
    ENGL 5723 Teaching People of Other Cultures
    ENGL 6003 Introduction to Graduate English Study
    ENGL 6013 Structure of the English Language
    ENGL 6023 Composition Theory and Practice
  3. The satisfactory completion of nine (9) semester hours of graduate English or TESL electives.
  4. The satisfactory completion of a comprehensive examination based on material covered in the seven prescribed courses.
  5. The maintenance of a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00 in all graduate work attempted at Arkansas Tech University with a maximum of six (6) hours of "C" grades.
  6. The completion of a minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate course work in residence at Arkansas Tech University. Full-time residence is not required.
  7. The completion of all degree requirements within six (6) years of admission to the program.

Students completing the English with the TESL option program should be able to:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the theory and practice of teaching English as a second language.
  2. Generate writing that demonstrates an advanced ability to analyze and synthesize.
  3. Conduct original research.

Special Conditions of Graduate Credit

Graduate Credit Taken Prior to Admission to Arkansas Tech University

A maximum of six (6) semester hours of graduate credit with a grade point average of "B" or better may be transferred from an accredited graduate school if deemed appropriate to the graduate program by the head of the student's major department and the Graduate College Dean. Students must send a written request to the head of their major department to petition an acceptance of the transfer credit prior to requesting admission to candidacy to the graduate program. Graduate credit earned six (6) years prior to the completion date of all degree requirements may not be applied toward the degree without the approval of the appropriate program director and the Graduate College Dean. Credits earned for remedial purposes will not apply toward the graduate degree. No undergraduate course may be repeated for graduate credit.

Graduate Credit Taken After Admission to Arkansas Tech University

If after admission to graduate study, a student wishes to take a course at another institution to count toward degree requirements at Arkansas Tech University, the student must (in advance of enrollment) obtain written approval from the program director and the Graduate College Dean.

Master's Thesis Option

Students who elect the thesis option will work with a faculty advisor to prepare a thesis plan. After this thesis plan is approved by the Head of the Department of English and the Graduate College Dean, the student may enroll for thesis credit. Students may complete their theses over two semesters by enrolling twice in ENGL 6993 Thesis Research or complete their theses in a single semester while enrolled in ENGL 6996.