Professors: Beard, Carmichael, Carson, Czerwiec, Dixon, Donaldson, Donehower, Harris-Behling, Huang, Kitzes, Koepke-Nelson, Koprince, Marshall, Nelson, O’Donnell (Chair), Robison, Weaver-Hightower, Williams
and Wolfe (Graduate Program Director)

Program Description

The Department offers the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy.

The University of North Dakota Department of English offers a varied program of studies in English and American literature, writing, and the English language. The academic atmosphere is intimate, class size for graduate courses is small, and students are encouraged to work closely with members of the graduate faculty. The curriculum varies from year to year and includes courses in genres, periods, specific authors, critical theory, rhetoric/composition, interdisciplinary study, creative writing, cinema/film theory, linguistics, and research methods. Faculty in the Department also work in interdisciplinary areas such as American Studies, Peace Studies, Composition Studies, American Indian Studies, and Women Studies. The Department works closely with the University’s College of Education and Human Development in the area of English Education. In all areas of work, students are encouraged to utilize a variety of critical and theoretical approaches.

The Department sponsors an annual week-long writers conference that gives graduate students a chance to hear contemporary writers read their work and discuss the writing process. Visitors have included Czeslaw Milosz, Louise Erdrich, Larry McMurtry, Leslie Silko, James Welch, August Wilson, Luisa Valenzuela, Peter Matthiessen, Tim O’Brien, Ursula Hegi, Barry Lopez and Mary Gaitskill.

Admission Requirements

Applications for admission must be completed by March 1 for full consideration and Teaching Assistantships.

Master of Arts

1. Twenty semester credits of English beyond the communication requirement with a 3.00 grade point average or better.
2. Undergraduate work in at least one language other than English equivalent to the first two college-level years or by demonstrating (by Educational Testing Service or by Languages Department examination) a reading knowledge of one language other than English or the satisfactory completion of two semesters each of two languages other than English. In some cases, students may be admitted without the language requirement and may complete it as part of the M.A. program.
3. A writing sample of 10-15 pages on topics or in modes appropriate to the proposed program of study (submitted directly to the department). Applicants who plan to major in creative writing should also submit an analytical paper.
4. Graduate Record Examination General Test required. Literature in English Advanced Test is recommended.

Doctor of Philosophy

1. The requirements listed above for the Master of Arts.
2. Ordinarily a master’s degree of at least 30 semester credits of courses in literature and English language or in an acceptable combination of these and related subjects. (Graduate courses taken elsewhere may, at the discretion of the Department, be accepted in lieu of courses that would otherwise be required at the University of North Dakota.)

Financial Assistance

Financial aid available to graduate students includes Graduate Teaching Assistantships.

Degree Requirements

Master of Arts with Thesis

1. English 500; English 501 and 501L (for Graduate Teaching Assistants only); and either English 510 or 511. Courses must be completed with grades of A or B (S for 501L).
2. Up to 4 credits of Readings and Research courses (English 590 and 593) may be used to supplement the standard graduate offerings.
3. Four credits are allowed for the thesis.
4. Thirty credit hours are needed for the M.A., including the required courses listed above, the thesis (4 credits), and any Readings/Research courses (maximum 4 credits).

Doctor of Philosophy

1. English 500; English 501 and 501L (for Graduate Teaching Assistants only); and either English 510 or 511. Courses must be completed with grades of A or B (S for 501L).
2. Up to ten credits in addition to the four credits allowed for the M.A. may be in Readings and Research courses (English 590, 591, and 593).
3. Evidence of the mastery of scholarly tools appropriate to the proposed field of studies is required, including proficiency in one language other than English plus either another language or languages.
4. Completion of the scholarly tools and the comprehensive examinations, in areas or topics relevant to a student’s individual interests as recommended by the student’s Advisory Committee. These topics and areas will normally include a combination of at least four of the following: departmentally approved historical periods or movements; authors outside these periods or movements; critical, scholarly, or pedagogical theory and practice; literary genres, modes, or themes; studies in language; special topics in literature or language. These examinations will normally be taken after the coursework is completed.
5. Fifteen (15) hours of credit may be granted for the dissertation, which may take the form of either a closely focused scholarly-critical investigation of a single topic, a creative work or group of works, or a number of related, publishable essays (critical, scholarly, bibliographical, methodological, pedagogical) which may be developed in combination with a project or projects deemed appropriate and acceptable by the student’s Advisory Committee.
   
   NOTE: Students may be recommended for advancement to candidacy for the doctoral degree only after they have satisfied the following requirements in addition to those required by the Graduate School: Completion of English 500 and either English 510 or 511 with grades of A or B; for Graduate Teaching Assistants, English 501 with a grade of A or B and 501L with a grade of S.

Courses

500. Introduction to Graduate Studies. 2 credits. Required of all candidates for advanced degrees in English. An introduction to graduate study and the profession.

501. Teaching College English. 3 credits. An introduction to theories and methods of teaching college English. Required of Graduate Teaching Assistants in English.

501L. Teaching College English Lab. 1 credit. The practicum part of English 501. Required of Graduate Teaching Assistants in English.

510. History of Literary Criticism. 3 credits. A history of European criticism from the Classical Greek period to the present day, with emphasis on major texts.

511. Problems in Literary Criticism. 3 credits. A course in applied criticism. Repeatable when topics vary.

516. Creative Writing: Fiction Workshop. 3 credits. Prerequisite: upper-division undergraduate work in creative writing or permission of the instructor. Allows students to receive graduate-level instruction in a workshop setting, meeting regularly with other students, sharing their work, and critiquing one another’s work. The purpose of this course is to enable the student to produce fiction of professional quality, such as that needed for a graduate thesis in creative writing.

517. Creative Writing: Poetry Workshop. 3 credits. Prerequisite: Engl 413 or 414, upper-division undergraduate work in creative writing or permission of the instructor. This course allows students to receive graduate-level instruction in a wokshop setting, meeting regularly with other students, sharing their work, and critiquing one another’s work. The purpose of this course is to enable the student to produce poetry of professional quality, such as that needed for a graduate thesis in creative writing. Repeatable once by M.A. students, three times by Ph.D. students.

520. Studies in English Literature. 1 to 3 credits. The subject of study will vary from semester to semester, and the course may be repeated for credit when the subject of study differs.

521. Studies in American Literature. 1 to 3 credits. The subject of study will vary from semester to semester, and the course may be repeated for credit when the subject of study differs.

522. Studies in English Language. 1 to 3 credits. The subject of study will vary from semester to semester, and the course may be repeated for credit when the subject of study differs.

524. Studies in Creative Writing. 3 credits. Prerequisite: Engl 516 or 517, or instructor’s permission. Topics vary, such as advanced workshops in different genres and “reading for writers,” studying the works of published writers as models for students’ own creative work.

525. Studies in Composition and Rhetoric. 3 credits. This course investigates selected topics in composition and rhetorical studies. The subject of study will vary from semester to semester, and the course may be repeated for credit when the subject of study differs.

531. Seminar in English Literature. 3 credits. Prerequisite: English 500. This class requires the preparation and delivery of a long research paper on an appropriate topic. Repeatable.

532. Seminar in American Literature. 3 credits. Prerequisite: English 500. Similar in method to English 531. Repeatable.

533. Seminar in English Language. 3 credits. Prerequisite: English 500. Similar in method to English 531. Repeatable.

590. Readings. 1 to 4 credits. American Literature; Cinema; English Literature; English Language; or Creative Writing. Prerequisite: English 500 and the consent of the Department. Supervised independent study. Repeatable.

591. Readings for Ph.D. Comprehensive Examinations. 1 to 4 credits. Prerequisite: Consent of the Department. Supervised independent study on approved topics. Repeatable for a maximum of 6 credits. This course is exempt from the normal “Incomplete” reversion schedule. A grade is assigned upon completion of the appropriate comprehensive examination.

593. Research. 1 to 4 credits. American Literature; Cinema; English Literature; English Language; or Creative Writing. Prerequisites: English 500 and the consent of the Department. Independent study of a problem in the field resulting in a long research paper or a series of short reports. Repeatable.

599. Special Topic. 1 to 3 credits. A course on varying topics. F,S.

998. Thesis. 1-4 credits.

999. Dissertation. 1-15 credits.

The following undergraduate courses are eligible for inclusion on graduate programs of study with permission. Additional assignments are required of students taking these courses for graduate credit.

401. Studies in Medieval Literature. 3 credits.

403. Studies in Colonial American Literature. 3 credits.

404. Studies in Renaissance Literature. 3 credits.

405. Studies in Restoration and Eighteenth Century Literature. 3 credits.

406. Studies in Nineteenth Century Literature. 3 credits.

407. Studies in Twentieth Century Literature. 3 credits.

408. Advanced Composition II. 3 credits.

409. Art of the Cinematic Drama. 3 credits.

413. The Art of Writing: Poetry. 3 credits.

414. The Art of Writing: Fiction. 3 credits.

415. Special Topics in Literature. 1 to 4 credits.

417. Special Topics in Language. 1 to 4 credits.

418. Second Language Acquisition. 3 credits.

419. Teaching English as a Second Language. 3 credits.

442. History of the English Language. 3 credits.