English (M.A.)

Master of Arts, English Plan A (thesis): Total 30 credit hours

• Required Core 18 credit hours
• Thesis 6 credit hours
• Electives 6 credit hours
   

Master of Arts, English Plan B (non–thesis): Total 33-36 credit hours

• Required Core 18 credit hours
• Electives/Nondepartmental Requirements 15-18 credit hours
   

Required Core: Total 18 credit hours

• Literature before the 20th Century (6 credit hours)
• 20th and 21st Century British, American, and World Literature (6 credit hours)
• Language, Writing, and Pedagogy (3 credit hours)
• Literary Criticism (3 credit hours)

*At least three courses must be seminars at the 700 or 800 level
*At least one course must satisfy the Multicultural Literature, Women’s Studies, or Gender requirement.

Accelerated Master’s Program: B.A. or B.S. with M.A. (Literature specialization only-Plan B only)

Up to 12 graduate credits applied toward the B.A. program may be used to satisfy graduate credit. The following restrictions apply:

1. Dual-listed courses taken at the 500-level can be applied to both the B.A./B.S. and M.A. degrees. Dual-listed courses must be taken at the 500-level.
2. The student must apply to, and be admitted to, the accelerated program prior to taking courses to be credited toward the accelerated program.
3. No courses taken prior to admission to the accelerated program may be counted toward an accelerated graduate degree. No exceptions to this policy will be approved.
4. Only courses taken at the student’s home institution are eligible for dual credit. No transferred courses from other institutions will be allowed to count toward the accelerated master’s degree.

Sample program (4+1 English MA degree with Literature Specialization only):

Junior/Senior Year
4 courses at 500-level = 12 credits

Fifth Year
1 course at 500-level = 3 credits
6 courses at 700-level = 18 credits
Total = 33 credits

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze literary works, authors, genres, topics, and time periods.
2. Students will be able to write scholarly and/or creative works at a standard acceptable to the general academic and literary publishing communities.
3. Students will be able to apply the conventions of the discipline to their own scholarship and professional development.

State Authorization - It Matters Where You Live

If your learning placement course (internship, externship, clinical, rotation, practicum, independent study, study away, etc.) or your online course will be taken outside South Dakota, please reference the State Authorization webpage.

State Authorization