Welcome to the graduate program in English at Arkansas State University. We look forward to getting to know you as you spend time in our department. To insure that students move through the program efficiently, we would like to remind you of the following department requirements and opportunities:
Programs of Study:
The M.A. in English requires 30 semester hours of course work without a thesis or, optionally, 24 hours plus a thesis. The M.S.E. in English requires 30 hours with no thesis. Both programs give students the opportunity to broaden their academic background and to develop expertise in specialized areas.
A limited graduate enrollment assures a student-professor ratio conducive to a mutual exchange of ideas outside as well as within the classroom. The department assigns an adviser to each entering graduate student and makes every effort to draw the student into the scholarly community. When former students were polled, most cited the close working relationship with the teachers as the department's greatest asset.
Admission Requirements:
Master of Arts:
Students seeking admission into the Master of Arts in English must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate School and the specific program requirements.
Applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited four-year institution with the appropriate undergraduate background in the field of the proposed academic emphasis and a grade point average of 3.00 on the last 60 hours of undergraduate work, or a 2.75 average on all undergraduate work (A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1, F-0). The appropriate undergraduate background must include a minimum of 18 semester hours of course work, exclusive of any basic education courses, in the proposed field of the graduate major. All courses attempted, including any repeated courses, are considered in the computation of the grade point average.
Students who do not meet the requirements as stated above may be granted admission at the master's degree level provided they have a grade point average of 2.50 overall or a 2.75 average on the last 60 hours.
1. Applicants for admission to the master's degree program who have not completed the appropriate undergraduate background will be assessed undergraduate course deficiencies.
2. Applicants from an unaccredited college, who have satisfactory grades and a satisfactory undergraduate program, may be admitted with an entrance condition of 12 semester hours.
Minimum hours required for this program: 30
Master of Science in Education Degree with a Major in English:
Students seeking admission into the Master of Science in English Education must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate School and the specific program requirements. In addition, applicants must have completed a minimum of 18 hours of professional education courses including the requirements for a valid teaching certificate based on a four-year teacher education program. Applicants who do not meet the requirements for a valid teaching certificate based on a four-year teacher education program will be required to complete the undergraduate courses required for such a certificate. These courses may be completed concurrently with the graduate work, but must be completed before the student takes the comprehensive exit exam for the degree.
For unconditional admission, academic proficiency must be established through satisfaction of either of the following admission selection criteria:
1. A minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 (or 3.25 on the last 60 hours) and a raw score of at least 30 on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or a minimum score of 790 on the combined verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
2. A minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 (or 3.0 on the last sixty hours) and a raw score of at least 35 on the MAT or a minimum score of 820 on the combined verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE.
For conditional admission, academic proficiency must be established through satisfaction of either of the following admission selection criteria:
1. The total undergraduate grade point average is 2.50 AND when the undergraduate grade point average is multiplied by 10 and then multiplied by the MAT score, the total is at least 600.
2. The total undergraduate grade point average is 2.50 AND when the undergraduate grade point average is multiplied by the GRE sore the total is at least 1850.
Minimum hours required for this program: 30.
Time to Fulfill Degree:
As noted in the Arkansas State University Graduate Bulletin , “The time allowed for completion of the master's degree is six years, exclusive of time spent in the armed forces of the United States. Graduate work completed prior to six years from the students' date of completion of the degree cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements. Transfer credit taken prior to admission at Arkansas State University will be included in the six-year limit.”
GRE or Miller Analogies Test:
MSE students are required to take either the GRE or the Miller Analogies Test. MA students are exempt from these exams.
Registration:
Students are required to meet with the graduate adviser every semester before registering for classes. Registration holds may be cleared only by the graduate adviser, currently Dr. Catherine Calloway. In the event that the graduate adviser is unavailable for an extended period of time, students may meet with the chair of the English department, currently Dr. Charles Carr, to seek tentative permission to register. Although the adviser requires face-to-face meetings, she may occasionally remove holds after communicating by telephone or by email, especially when a long commute may be involved. After being cleared for registration, please register immediately because the Chair must cancel classes that have low student enrollments.
Graduate Courses and Credit:
Both the MA and MSE degrees require thirty hours of course work. As the Arkansas State University Graduate Bulletin notes, students may receive graduate credit only for courses that are listed in the Bulletin “under the heading Graduate Course Descriptions. Master's degree candidates must complete a minimum of 18 semester hours in courses numbered at the 6000 level.” Graduate courses are those numbered either 5000 or 6000.
5000 Level Courses:
English graduate students may take twelve hours of courses at the 5000 level. Students who received an undergraduate degree from ASU may not repeat at the 5000 level any course previously completed at the 4000 level. Students are not required to take any courses at the 5000 level; such courses are an option, not a requirement. Students wishing to take extra 5000-level courses that do not count toward graduation may do so.
Required Methods Course:
All graduate students are required to take one of the three methods of literature study courses: ENG 6133: Methods of World Literature Study, ENG 6153: Methods of British Literature Study, or ENG 6173: Methods of American Literature Study. Students may take all three courses if they wish, but they must take at least one. The Graduate Committee strongly recommends that students take a methods course during their first enrollment period. Crucial to overall success in the graduate program, the methods course develops skills in explication, research, and the practice of criticism. Students must complete at least one methods course with a grade of “B” or better in order to satisfy the methods requirement.
Preceptorship:
Graduate assistants who teach Basic Writing and/or Composition I or II classes must enroll in a one-hour course–ENG 6911 Preceptorship: Teaching Composition–during the first semester that they teach. The Preceptorship is normally taught by the Director of Composition.
Graduate Student Load:
As noted in the Arkansas State University Graduate Bulletin , “The load of full-time graduate students may not exceed 15 semester hours, including any undergraduate courses, per regular semester and seven semester hours during a summer term without special overload permission. (Nine graduate hours and above is considered full-time).”
(For graduate assistantship load, see below.)
Foreign Language Requirement:
MA students must satisfactorily complete the equivalent of two years of the same foreign language if they did not complete twelve hours of that foreign language as an undergraduate. This requirement may be met in several ways. Students may take twelve hours of one foreign language, complete a three-hour upper-level translation course, or pass a competency test administered by the language department. The completion of at least six hours of foreign language in high school can count toward the twelve-hour requirement provided that the student completes six hours of intermediate foreign language in college or graduate school. Students must complete their foreign language requirement before they may take their comprehensive examinations.
MSE students are not required to complete a foreign language requirement.
Independent Study:
Students have the option of completing three hours of course credit through an independent study course (ENG 6803). Students wishing to complete an independent study must first obtain a copy of the written guidelines from the graduate adviser. The Graduate Committee strongly recommends that students complete at least twelve hours of graduate level work (including the required course in the methods of literary study) before submitting an application for an independent study. A clear rationale is required for taking such a course. Students should, with input from their instructors, thoughtfully design independent studies that cover areas of study not readily available to them through regular course work. The student is responsible for seeking out a member of the graduate faculty who is both qualified and willing to supervise the project. The graduate adviser can help identify a faculty member who specializes in the area of study that interests the student. All Independent Studies must be formally approved by the Graduate Committee. Applying for an Independent Study does not necessarily mean approval; the student must follow the guidelines carefully and present the application in a timely manner.
These are the deadlines for submitting all paperwork to the graduate adviser:
Fall semester: no later than April 7th.
Spring semester: no later than November 7th.
Either summer term: no later than April 7th.
The drafting of the proposal should begin long before these dates.
Thesis:
Both MA and MSE students have the option of writing a six-hour thesis in place of taking six hours of regular course work. The graduate adviser can help identify a faculty member who specializes in the area in which a student wishes to write a thesis. The thesis must meet the requirements for a thesis that are set forth in the Arkansas State University Graduate Bulletin .
Course in a Related Area:
Students have the option of taking one three-hour course outside of the English department as part of the 30 hours for their degree. This course must be in an area specifically related to English. For instance, a student might take a course in nineteenth century British history or in theatre. This course must be approved in advance by the graduate adviser. Do not register for a course in another department without the adviser's prior approval.
Transfer Work:
Graduate students may transfer up to nine hours of graduate work with a grade of “B” or better from another accredited academic institution. Such work must appear on an official college transcript and must be approved by the graduate adviser and/or the Graduate Committee. A syllabus for each course transferred may be required. Students may not necessarily receive transfer credit for online courses. Correspondence courses may not be transferred.
Grading System:
As noted in the Arkansas State University Graduate Bulletin , “The letters, A, B, C, P, D, F, I and CR are used in grading, indicating the following qualities: A–Excellent, B–Good, C–Fair, P–Pass, D and F–Failure, I–Incomplete, CR–Credit awarded for completed thesis/dissertation.” Grades below “C” will not be accepted for graduate credit.
Explication:
Newly admitted students must take a preliminary examination after completing six to nine hours of graduate course work. This preliminary examination is a proctored, impromptu written explication of a relatively brief poem or prose passage, the text of which will be presented to the student at the time of the examination. Students will have two hours in which to write this explication, which will be administered once each semester during the regular academic year. For information on the exam schedule, contact the graduate adviser.
Students failing the preliminary examination must retake it in the next consecutive full semester. Students who fail the explication a second time must complete a non-credit Independent Study in explication until they can pass an explication graded by three members of the English graduate faculty. Students may not take comprehensive exit exams for the degree until the explication requirement has been satisfied.
Please remember that an explication is not merely a summary or a paraphrase of a poem or prose passage; rather, an explication should argue and develop a thesis about the central theme or meaning by analyzing the elements of the poem or prose passage.
Students who have little previous experience with explication should consider auditing ENG 2103: Introduction to Poetry and Drama and/or writing sample explications that faculty members can read, evaluate, and discuss with them. We strongly advise students not to wait until a few weeks before the explication to seek help.
Comprehensive Examinations:
Comprehensive examinations can be taken any time after students complete the foreign language requirement and the majority of the course work for the degree, although most students wait until their last semester of enrollment. The comprehensive exam consists of two parts: a short list centered upon a theme or motif that is determined by the exam committee for that semester and a long list question on an area of the student's choice.
Short List:
The MA student will receive a literature-based short list. The list, which will consist of four to six literary works, most of them short, will be distributed four to five weeks prior to the exam. The MSE student will receive a short list that is based on teaching composition. The MSE list will consist of four to six articles or a combination of articles and books or book chapters on composition theory; the list will be distributed four to five weeks prior to the exam. Exception: MSE students who select Area VIII: Composition and Linguistics as their long list area will have the same short list as MA students and will write an essay on a literature-based topic.
Long List:
Upon first entering the program, students will receive from the adviser a copy of the long list that has been prepared by the graduate faculty. Students should read through this list and decide on the included areas in which they wish to specialize. For instance, one might wish to concentrate on American Literature after 1900, Medieval Literature, or Nineteenth Century British Literature. Please keep in mind that the works on the long list are merely suggestions. Students can use authors that are not on the reading list when answering exam questions as long as they fall within the proper area. The Classical Literature section at the beginning of the reading list is for background information only; it may not be selected as a long list area.
Exam Preparation:
When studying for the comprehensive examination, students should be careful to read a variety of works by different authors from their chosen area. Students should know specific literary works and be able to discuss them in depth. In addition, students should know the main literary movements within that time period and their characteristics or traits as well as main themes and motifs. Students should also read and study works of different genres; for example, poetry should not be neglected in favor of fiction or drama or vice-versa. Also, students should select a fairly lengthy poem, if possible, and not attempt to base a major portion of the discussion upon a poem only a few lines in length. Students may, however, employ a group of related short poems by the same author.
For each section of the exam, students will receive two questions. Of the two, test takers must answer only one. Test takers have four hours total in which to answer the short list and long list questions, so the test taker is advised to divide the blocks of time accordingly. The order in which the questions are addressed is, of course, up to the test taker.
Exam Dates:
Exam dates are determined by the Graduate School's deadline for receipt of examination scores. If, for instance, the Graduate School requires that scores be reported to its office by Friday, November 1 st , then the exam will usually be given two or three Saturdays before that date. See the graduate adviser to obtain the exam date for a particular semester and/or check the graduate bulletin boards located outside of Wilson 315 and Wilson 320. Comprehensive examinations are offered three times a year, once each regular semester and once during the summer, usually in June. Students must take the exam at one of the regularly scheduled times. If taking the exam during a fall or spring term, students must meet with their adviser no later than the end of the first week of classes for that semester in order to officially register to take the exam and be placed on the list of test takers. For a summer exam, students should register no later than April 15th.
Exam Committees:
Exam committees consist of at least three members of the English graduate faculty; they administer and grade the exam. Area of specialization is considered when exam members are assigned. If a faculty member who specializes in a student's long list area is not an official member of an exam committee, then that individual may be assigned to serve as a fourth reader for the exam. Exam members rotate from semester to semester.
Exam Grading:
Exams are graded anonymously. Students' names are removed from their papers, and random numbers are assigned to the different sections of each test. Students' names are not matched up with the exams until after final grades are determined.
Exam committees make every effort to grade exams quickly. Since the exam is scheduled for two or three Saturdays before the Graduate School's deadline, students are ensured that committees will grade their exams in less than two weeks. Written comments are provided to students who fail one or both sections of the exam.
Exam Results:
Students are not permitted to receive their exam results until the scores have been reported to the Graduate School. Once the Graduate School has been notified, students may receive their scores from the graduate adviser or from one or more members of the exam committee. Federal guidelines prohibit giving students their exam results over the telephone or by email. Students should not ask faculty members to violate federal law. Exam results may be mailed to students by the Department of English and Philosophy. Students who change their mailing addresses should notify the graduate adviser promptly.
Exam Retake Policy:
Students who fail all or part of the comprehensive examination may retake the examination once during the regularly scheduled exam time in a future semester.
Students who fail both parts of the exam must retake the entire examination, while students who fail only one need retake only the part that they failed. Students who fail the Short List section will retake that section using the new Short List that is assigned for the semester in which they retake the test.
Students who fail one or both sections of the exam are highly encouraged to meet with their committee members to discuss their strengths and weaknesses. Common errors made by students include not addressing the question given, summarizing instead of analyzing, not reading the question carefully, failing to provide a clear thesis, not developing ideas fully, discussing works from the wrong area, and second-guessing what the committee will ask. Skimpy or incomplete essays obviously will not pass.
Intent to Graduate Card:
Students must complete and turn in to the Graduate School an Intent to Graduate card at the beginning of the semester in which they intend to graduate. The Graduate School sets a date each semester for the receipt of these cards, and it is the responsibility of students to find out that date, usually by consulting the university's official calendar, and then adhere to it. The card requires the signature of the graduate adviser; therefore, failure to meet with her in advance of that deadline could result in a delay in graduation.
Students who turn in an Intent to Graduate card and then change their dates of graduation must turn in another intent card for the next semester in which they plan to graduate. Failure to resubmit a new card may result in a delayed graduation date.
Graduation Check Sheet
After completing an Intent to Graduate card, students must also complete a graduation check sheet for the graduate adviser to turn in to the Graduate School. MA and MSE students each have a different form–see the graduate adviser for the appropriate check sheet.
Graduate Assistantships:
Graduate assistantships are available for qualified students on both a nine-month and/or a summer term basis. Graduate assistants work in the Writing Lab (Wilson 314) where they help undergraduates with their writing; they teach Basic Writing (ENG 002) under faculty supervision; and they assist department professors with research projects and departmental activities such as those listed under Student Opportunities, below. Occasionally, advanced graduate assistants may be assigned to teach their own sections of freshman composition. The Director of Composition, currently Dr. Bryan Moore, works closely with graduate assistants. The application for assistantships may be obtained in the department office (Wilson Hall, Room 313), Dr. Calloway's office (Wilson 320), or in the Graduate School office in the Dean B. Ellis Library building. Completed forms should be returned either to Dr. Calloway or to Wilson 313.
Graduate assistants must visit the Human Resources office in the Administration Building to arrange to receive paychecks. Students should take a copy of their social security card and drivers license. If students wish direct deposit, then they should provide Human Resources with a voided copy of a personal blank check. New graduate assistants should also see the secretaries and/or administrative assistants in the English office to receive their copy machine code, mailbox, and a key to their assigned office space.
Graduate Assistant Load:
As noted in the Arkansas State University Graduate Bulletin , “Graduate assistants must complete a minimum of six hours of graduate credit during a regular semester and will not be permitted to enroll for more than twelve hours of credit including both graduate and undergraduate courses. Students enrolling for fewer than six hours of graduate credit in a regular semester are not eligible to hold a full graduate assistantship. Part-time graduate assistantships may be awarded to students if they enroll for a minimum of three hours.” For a five-week summer term, “graduate assistants will be permitted to enroll in a maximum of seven semester hours at the graduate level . . . They must complete at least three semester hours at the graduate level each term.” Do not drop a graduate course without first consulting with your adviser to determine the effect on your graduate assistantship status.
Career Placement:
The English department aids in helping its graduates secure employment or enter doctoral programs. Members of the department write recommendations, provide contacts, and secure job interviews. To date the department record has been outstanding. ASU graduates have been employed throughout the country in business, industry, and education. Though we recognize that one of our important tasks is to prepare high school and community college teachers, some of our students have been accepted in Ph.D. programs at such universities as Iowa, Arizona, Tennessee, Texas Christian, Kentucky, and Missouri.
Graduate Bulletin:
The Arkansas State University Graduate Bulletin is available online at www.astate.edu. All graduate students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with and adhering to the policies set forth in this guide.
Misinformation: Occasionally misinformation circulates in regard to comprehensive exams and other degree requirements. For correct information, see the graduate adviser. Do not rely on gossip or other unofficial sources.
Student Opportunities:
Arkansas Review: A Journal of Delta Studies is a scholarly journal, published three times a year, that focuses on Delta Studies. It publishes interdisciplinary scholarly articles, creative work, art and photography involving the natural and cultural experience of the seven-state Mississippi River Delta region (Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana).
Graduate students in English are offered the opportunity to work as editorial assistants for Arkansas Review , with the possibility of moving up to editorial positions. Tasks fulfilled by editorial assistants include typing and proofreading of copy, managing business correspondence, meeting weekly with the general editor, assigning book reviews, screening manuscripts, preparing mailings, delivering copies to the post office and local bookstores, working with authors, and attending regional and statewide conferences and festivals to promote the journal. The experience gained as an editorial assistant can prepare a student for work at other scholarly journals or in the commercial magazine and other publishing areas.
Explorations in Renaissance Culture is a multidisciplinary biannual journal sponsored by the Department of English and Philosophy and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the South-Central Renaissance Conference. Graduate students in English are offered the opportunity to assist the journal's editor, Dr. Frances Malpezzi. Editorial assistants proofread, copy-edit, and supervise the bulk-mailing process. The experience gained as an editorial assistant can prepare a student for work at other scholarly journals or in the commercial magazine and publishing worlds.
The Delta Blues Symposium is an annual interdisciplinary conference held at Arkansas State. For three days, ASU's campus features panel discussions, scholarly presentations, readings, musical performances, and workshops, featuring some of the finest scholars, musicians, writers, and artists whose work involves the Mississippi River Delta Region.
English graduate students are deeply involved in organizing and supporting the Symposium in a variety of ways. Each year students are needed to help the organizers prepare the conference schedule. Once the week of the Symposium arrives, students are needed to escort participants (both from airports to ASU and to and from local hotels) to monitor panels, staff desks, and generally be of assistance to organizers and participants. Students also participate in workshops and often present their own papers.
Literature Club
The Literature Club meets twice a month during the fall and spring semesters. Both undergraduate and graduate students are offered the opportunity to participate in the activities of this student organization. Students meet to discuss literature, hear guest speakers and presenters, attend regional literary festivals and other events, perform service projects, help with the Delta Blues Symposium, and publish the Scribe , a literary magazine.
Scribe
The Scribe is a literary magazine published twice a year by the Literature Club and largely funded by the Department of English and Philosophy. Its contents include original poetry, short fiction, dramatic excerpts , nonfiction prose, photography, and artwork created expressly by students at ASU. All students are welcome to submit work for consideration for publication in the Scribe . There is no submission fee.
Tributary
The Tributary is an award-winning literary magazine that is published once a year by the ASU Literary Society and largely funded by the ASU Student Government Association. Its contents include original poetry, short fiction, dramatic excerpts, nonfiction prose, and photography created expressly by ASU students. All students are welcome to submit work for consideration for publication in the Tributary . The magazine has a nominal submission fee.
Graduate Faculty:
Graduate professors interests range from medieval romance to the contemporary American novel and from Chaucer to creative writing. Faculty have earned doctorates at such universities as Indiana, Duke, Texas, SUNY, and Nebraska. In addition, our teachers are productive scholars and writers; in fact, a number have won awards for excellence in teaching and research. Current members of our staff have published over twenty books and several hundred articles.
The Graduate Faculty in English
Jerry Ball (Ph.D., Tennessee) Assistant Chair
Medieval Literature, Linguistics
Richard Burns (Ph.D., Texas)
Folklore
Catherine Calloway (Ph.D., South Florida) Director of Graduate Studies
Contemporary Literature, American Literature
Deborah Chappel Traylor (Ph.D., Duke)
Southern Literature, Gender Studies
William Clements (Ph.D., Indiana)
Mythology, Folklore, Native American Literature
Janelle Collins (Ph.D., Washington State)
Minority Literature
Gloria Gibson (Ph.D., Indiana) Dean of the College
Folklore
Gregory Hansen (Ph.D., Indiana)
Folklore, Southern Studies
Jeane Harris (Ph.D., Texas Christian)
Composition
George Horneker (Ph.D., Mississippi)
Victorian Literature, Restoration Literature
Rick Lott (Ph.D., Florida State)
Creative Writing
Frances Malpezzi (Ph.D., Nebraska)
Early Modern British Literature
Bryan Moore (Ph.D., Texas Christian) Director of Composition
Rhetoric and Composition, American Literature
Wayne Narey (Ph.D., CUNY)
Shakespeare
Robert Schichler (Ph.D., SUNY)
Medieval Literature
Victoria Spaniol (Ph.D., Southwestern Louisiana)
Victorian Literature
Michael Spikes (Ph.D., Indiana)
Critical Theory, Comparative Literature
For further information:
Professor Catherine Calloway, Wilson Hall, Room 320 (870-972-3043)
ccather@astate.edu
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