Master of Arts in English

Please note: At the current time, the English Department is no longer accepting applications for this cohort.  If you are interested in finding out about future application opportunities for this program, please contact Gwynn Lemler, lemlerg@uwyo.edu or (307) 766-6453.

About the Program

The English Department and the Outreach School at the University of Wyoming are pleased to announce that, beginning in summer 2011, they will offer a cohort master’s degree in English. Students in the cohort will take one class a semester from summer 2011 through summer 2013. After they complete their coursework, they will write their master’s thesis under the direction of a faculty thesis adviser.

The program will focus on delivering classes with smaller numbers of students to offer more discussion and interaction between students and faculty.

Program Requirements

For a Master of Arts degree in English, students will write a master’s thesis under the direction of a faculty adviser once they complete the required coursework, listed below. The program’s curriculum offers a wide range of courses that appeal to a variety of interests, while providing a well-rounded background in English Studies. Classes are taught by award-winning faculty of the Department of English.

Required Coursework

Summer 2011

ENGL 5250: Studies in Shakespeare and Theory; Instructor: Susan Frye

Class taught via videoconferencing from 7 to 10 p.m. June 22, June 29, July 6 and July 17.
Summer residency for this class will take placed June 13-17 in Laramie.

Fall 2011

ENGL 5310: Studies in Early American Literature; Instructor: Jeanne Holland

Class will meet via videoconference 7 to 10 p.m. Thursdays throughout the semester.

Spring 2012

ENGL 5280: Studies in 19th c British Literature; Instructor: Caroline McCracken-Flesher

Class will meet via videoconference 7 to 10 p.m. Thursdays throughout the semester.

Summer 2012

ENGL 5220: Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Literature; Instructors: Susan Aronstein and Peter Parolin

Class will meet via videoconference 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesdays throughout the semester.

Fall 2012

English 5000: Studies in Composition and Rhetoric: Literacies; Instructor: Mary P. Sheridan-Rabideau

Spring 2013

English 5000, The Rhetoric of Video Games; Instructor: Jason Thompson

Summer 2013

ENGL 5320: Studies in 19c American Literature; Instructor: Erin Forbes

Fall 2013

English 5960: Thesis Research

Graduation will be in December or May, depending on when a student completes and defends his/her thesis.

Admission Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
• Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0
• Evidence of ability to do graduate-level work in English

Admissions Process

• Visit the UW Admissions site and click on the “graduate students” tab to complete the online application to UW and pay the $50 graduate application fee
• Submit an official copy of your undergraduate transcript
• Submit three letters of recommendation
• Submit a 500-word statement of purpose, and outline your reasons for wishing to pursue graduate studies in English as well as how your background prepares you to do so
• Submit a seven- to 12-page critical writing sample, either a paper you have already written or a response to the prompts provided here. This paper should demonstrate your ability to construct a sophisticated argument supported by textual analysis.
• Application review process begins Feb. 1, 2011. The final deadline for completed applications is March 15.

The letters of recommendation, statement of purpose and writing sample may be mailed, e-mailed or faxed to:

Career Opportunities

Students who have earned their M.A. in English have gone on to: complete Ph.D. programs and secured tenure tracks, teach in community colleges, become lawyers, teach high school, become grant writers, work in public relations and marketing, and work in radio, business and non-profit organizations.

Delivery Method:

Realizing that not all students are able to travel to Laramie to take college courses, UW’s division of Outreach Credit Programs offers outreach students the chance to complete their degrees in or near their hometowns. Courses are offered using video conferencing technology and hybrid instruction with a one-week residency each summer.

Tuition & Fees:

Entrepreneurial tuition of $249 per credit hour + fees, textbooks, and packets

General Program Information

(800) 448-7801

e-mail: outreach@uwyo.edu

UW English Department