Jun 27, 2024

2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

English (M.A.)

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

Program Overview

Our program offers classes in British and U.S. literatures - from early modern drama to contemporary American poetics-and a diverse range of special topics courses and graduate level creative writing workshops in multiple genres with professional writers. Small in size, the MA program emphasizes a solid foundation in general literary studies that provides you with the broad knowledge of literary history. The degree offers excellent preparation for further graduate study or for employment in any field that values critical thinking, strong writing skills, and research experience. MA students can choose to specialize in cliterary studies: creative writing or literary studies: critical. Current USD undergraduate students may choose from an accelerated degree option. Learn more at https://www.usd.edu/Academics/Graduate-Programs/English-MA.

DELIVERY: On campus

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

Required Core 18 credit hours
ENGL 798 - Thesis (M.A.) (C) 6 credit hours
Electives 6 credit hours

Master of Arts, English (non-thesis): Total 30 credit hours

Required Core 18 credit hours
Electives Requirements 12 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)

Notes:
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.

Literature before the 20th Century ( must select 2 categories) 6 credit hours

20th and 21st Century British, American, and World Literature (must select 2 categories) 6 credit hours

Group A: American Literature since 1900

ENGL 541 - The West in American Literature 3 cr
ENGL 551 - African American Literature 3 cr
ENGL 554 - American Realism and Naturalism 3 cr
ENGL 556 - The American Novel II 3 cr
ENGL 558 - Twentieth-Century American Literature 3 cr
ENGL 568 - Contemporary Fiction 3 cr
ENGL 592 - Topics in English (C) 1 to 6 cr *
ENGL 734 - Seminar: Twentieth-Century Studies 3 cr *
ENGL 755 - Seminar: Western Regional Literature 3 cr
ENGL 792 - Topics (C) 1 to 4 cr *

Group B: British Literature since 1900

ENGL 539 - Modern English Literature 3 cr
ENGL 592 - Topics in English (C) 1 to 6 cr *
ENGL 734 - Seminar: Twentieth-Century Studies 3 cr *
ENGL 792 - Topics (C) 1 to 4 cr *

Group C: World Literature since 1900

ENGL 563 - Modern Drama and Theatre 3 cr
ENGL 564 - Contemporary Drama and Theatre 3 cr
ENGL 574 - Literature of Feminist Politics 3 cr *
ENGL 577 - Philosophy and Tragedy 3 cr
ENGL 592 - Topics in English (C) 1 to 6 cr *
ENGL 792 - Topics (C) 1 to 4 cr *

Language, Writing, and Pedagogy (select 1 category) 3 credit hours

Group A: Linguistics/History of Language

LING 503 - Introduction to Linguistics 3 cr
ENGL 592 - Topics in English (C) 1 to 6 cr *
ENGL 792 - Topics (C) 1 to 4 cr *

Group B: Composition Theory/Pedagogy/Professional Writing

ENGL 503 - Grant Writing 3 cr
ENGL 586 - Rhetorical Theory and Practice (C) 3 cr
ENGL 592 - Topics in English (C) 1 to 6 cr *
ENGL 792 - Topics (C) 1 to 4 cr *
ENGL 795 - Practicum in English 1 to 3 cr

Group C: Creative Writing

ENGL 573 - Creative Writing: Screenwriting (C) 3 cr
ENGL 575 - Creative Writing: Non-Fiction (C) 3 cr
ENGL 576 - Creative Writing: Fiction 3 cr
ENGL 578 - Creative Writing: Poetry 3 cr
ENGL 582 - Creative Writing II 3 cr
ENGL 583 - Advanced Creative Writing (C) 3 cr
ENGL 592 - Topics in English (C) 1 to 6 cr *
ENGL 593 - Workshop in English (C) 1-6 cr *
ENGL 781 - Seminar: Writing the Novel 3 cr
ENGL 782 - Seminar: Writing Fiction 3 cr
ENGL 783 - Seminar: Writing Poetry 3 cr
ENGL 784 - Seminar: Writing Non 3 cr
ENGL 785 - Seminar: Writing Theory and Craft 3 cr
ENGL 792 - Topics (C) 1 to 4 cr *

Literary Criticism Requirement (3 credit hours)

ENGL 574 - Literature of Feminist Politics 3 cr
ENGL 584 - Literary Criticism (C) 3 cr
ENGL 587 - Aesthetics 3 cr
ENGL 592 - Topics in English (C) 1 to 6 cr *
ENGL 733 - Seminar: Nineteenth-Century Studies 3 cr *
ENGL 786 - Seminar: Literary Criticism 3 cr
ENGL 792 - Topics (C) 1 to 4 cr *

Multicultural/Gender Requirement (0-3 credit hours required)

May overlap with distribution requirement above.

ENGL 551 - African American Literature 3 cr
ENGL 574 - Literature of Feminist Politics 3 cr
ENGL 587 - Aesthetics 3 cr
ENGL 592 - Topics in English (C) 1 to 6 cr *
ENGL 725 - Seminar: Sixteenth-Century Studies 3 cr *
ENGL 727 - Seminar: Eighteenth-Century Studies 3 cr *
ENGL 733 - Seminar: Nineteenth-Century Studies 3 cr *
ENGL 771 - Seminar: Gender Studies 3 cr
ENGL 792 - Topics (C) 1 to 4 cr *

Notes:

*For a list approved section titles and courses see: USD Department of English MA Seminar and Topics Courses document

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 (may overlap with other distribution requirement).
Transferred courses or courses from other disciplines may count toward distribution requirements with graduate coordinator approval.
Note: 50% of the program of study must be taken at the 700-level

Electives or Specialization (6 or 12 credit hours)

Specialization: Literary Studies: Critical (Thesis) 6 credit hours

** (Seminars or Topics courses with Critical content)

ENGL 504 - Classical Mythology 3 cr
ENGL 520 - The Arthurian Tradition 3 cr
ENGL 521 - The Heroic Age 3 cr
ENGL 522 - The Age of Chaucer 3 cr
ENGL 525 - The Age of Milton 3 cr
ENGL 531 - Shakespeare I 3 cr
ENGL 532 - Shakespeare II 3 cr
ENGL 533 - Studies of Shakespeare 3 cr
ENGL 534 - Eighteenth-Century English Literature 3 cr
ENGL 537 - English Romantic Literature 3 cr
ENGL 539 - Modern English Literature 3 cr
ENGL 541 - The West in American Literature 3 cr
ENGL 546 - American Indian Literature II 3 cr
ENGL 551 - African American Literature 3 cr
ENGL 552 - Colonial American Literature 3 cr
ENGL 553 - The American Renaissance 3 cr
ENGL 554 - American Realism and Naturalism 3 cr
ENGL 555 - The American Novel I 3 cr
ENGL 556 - The American Novel II 3 cr
ENGL 558 - Twentieth-Century American Literature 3 cr
ENGL 563 - Modern Drama and Theatre 3 cr
ENGL 564 - Contemporary Drama and Theatre 3 cr
ENGL 568 - Contemporary Fiction 3 cr
ENGL 569 - Contemporary Poetry 3 cr
ENGL 572 - Film Criticism (C) 3 cr
ENGL 574 - Literature of Feminist Politics 3 cr
ENGL 577 - Philosophy and Tragedy 3 cr
ENGL 592 - Topics in English (C) 1 to 6 cr **
ENGL 724 - Seminar: Studies in Medieval Literature 3 cr
ENGL 725 - Seminar: Sixteenth-Century Studies 3 cr
ENGL 727 - Seminar: Eighteenth-Century Studies 3 cr
ENGL 733 - Seminar: Nineteenth-Century Studies 3 cr
ENGL 734 - Seminar: Twentieth-Century Studies 3 cr
ENGL 746 - Seminar: American Naturalism 3 cr
ENGL 755 - Seminar: Western Regional Literature 3 cr
ENGL 771 - Seminar: Gender Studies 3 cr
ENGL 792 - Topics (C) 1 to 4 cr **

Specialization: Literary Studies: Creative (Thesis) 6 credit hours

*** (Seminars or Topics courses with Creative content)

ENGL 573 - Creative Writing: Screenwriting (C) 3 cr
ENGL 575 - Creative Writing: Non-Fiction (C) 3 cr
ENGL 576 - Creative Writing: Fiction 3 cr
ENGL 578 - Creative Writing: Poetry 3 cr
ENGL 582 - Creative Writing II 3 cr
ENGL 583 - Advanced Creative Writing (C) 3 cr
ENGL 592 - Topics in English (C) 1 to 6 cr ***
ENGL 593 - Workshop in English (C) 1-6 cr
ENGL 781 - Seminar: Writing the Novel 3 cr
ENGL 782 - Seminar: Writing Fiction 3 cr
ENGL 783 - Seminar: Writing Poetry 3 cr
ENGL 784 - Seminar: Writing Non 3 cr
ENGL 792 - Topics (C) 1 to 4 cr ***
*** See Section 3C of the department’s listing under creative writing.

Specialization: Literary Studies: Critical (Non-thesis) 12 credit hours

ENGL/LING Electives 3 credit hours
Electives 9 credit hours (see full course list above in Literary Studies: Critical-Thesis section)

** (Seminars or Topics courses with Critical content)

Accelerated Master’s Program: B.A. or B.S. with M.A. (Literary Studies: Critical only-non-thesis only)

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

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.
Courses taken at the 700-level can be applied to both the B.A./B.S. and M.A. degrees.
The student must apply to, and be admitted to, the accelerated program prior to taking courses to be credited toward the accelerated program.
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.
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 Literary Studies: Critical non-thesis only):

Junior/Senior Year
4 courses at 500-level or 700-level = 12 credits

Fifth Year
6 courses at 500-level or 700-level = 18 credits

Total = 30 credits

Master of Arts with Concurrent Juris Doctor, English (thesis)

Admissions Information
Student Learning Outcomes M.A.
Student Learning Outcomes J.D.

The J.D./M.A. is available only to candidates who are concurrently enrolled in the School of Law.

Ordinarily, students complete the first year of the J.D. before beginning the M.A. in English. It takes less time for students to complete than if they earned both degrees separately.

Major Area Coursework - 30 Credit Hours

Literature before the 20th Century (6 credit hours)
20th and 21st Century British, American, and World Literature (6 credit hours)
Literary Criticism (3 credit hours)
Multicultural/Gender Requirement; may overlap with distribution requirement above (0-3 credit hours)
ENGL 798 - Thesis (M.A.) (C) (6 credit hours)
Law courses 9 credit hours

Location Matters for Non-Licensure Track Programs

This program is not designed or advertised to lead to a professional license or certification required for employment.

USD is permitted to operate under the terms of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA) policies and standards in offering online courses/degree programs to residents in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Online courses/programs may also be offered to residents of California (a non-SARA state) because it does not regulate out-of-state public institutions.

Additionally, this program is authorized to offer supervised field study experiences (internship, externship, clinical, rotation, practicum, independent study, study away, etc.) in South Dakota. Please be aware that there may be some restrictions on your ability to engage in supervised field study outside of South Dakota. Please contact a program representative if you have questions regarding supervised field study.

Distance education courses or programs will not be offered outside of the United States without prior written approval from the University, which may be withheld for any reason. If you taking distance courses while physically located outside of the United States, it is your responsibility to confirm the following: (a) if the country will recognize an online degree; (b) the availability of supervised field study opportunities in the country; and (c) if the country charges any additional taxes, withholdings or fees associated with online distance education programs.

For more information, please visit USD’s State Authorization page or contact your admissions counselor.

Questions?

Department of English
605-658-6850 | english@usd.edu | usd.edu/english

Graduate Admissions
605-658-6140 | gradadmissions@usd.edu | usd.edu/grad