English
Department
of English
275 Fretwell
704-687-2296
http://www.uncc.edu/engldept/
Degree
M. A., Certificates
Coordinator
Dr. Boyd Davis
Graduate Faculty
Christiane Bongartz, Assistant Professor
Deborah Bosley, Associate Professor
Lil Brannon, Professor
Paula Connolly, Associate Professor
Boyd Davis, Professor
Christopher Davis, Associate Professor
Susan Gardner, Associate Professor
Leon Gatlin, Associate Professor
Sandra Govan, Professor
Robert Grey, Associate Professor
Tony Jackson, Associate Professor
Jay Jacoby, Professor
Cy Knoblauch, Chair, and Professor, Department of English
Jeffrey Leak, Assistant Professor
Ronald F. Lunsford, Professor
James Holt McGavran, Professor
James McVey, Assistant Professor
Margaret Morgan, Associate Professor
Anita Moss, Professor
Malin Pereira, Associate Professor
Esther Richey, Associate Professor
Blair Rudes, Assistant Professor
Anthony Scott, Assistant Professor
Daniel Shealy, Professor
Ralf Thiede, Associate Professor
Sam Watson, Professor
Mark I. West, Professor
Greg Wickliff, Associate Professor
Program of Study
The master’s program in English is designed to accommodate a wide variety of students: those seeking personal enrichment through increased knowledge and understanding; those preparing to pursue a Ph.D. in English or other advanced professional degrees; and those seeking professional advancement in such fields as writing, publishing, or teaching on the primary, secondary, or college levels. The Department offers a broad range of courses in literature, writing/rhetoric, and language, including second language studies and applied linguistics. The Department also offers concentrations in children's literature and technical/professional writing.
Additional
Admission Requirements
In addition to the general requirements for admission to the
1) Thirty hours of undergraduate coursework in English beyond the freshman level, or evidence of equivalent academic preparation for graduate study in English, as approved by the Department.
2) A satisfactory score on the Aptitude portion of the Graduate Record Examination or on the Miller Analogies Test.
Degree Requirements
The program requires a minimum of 36 semester hours of graduate credit with grades of A or B. (A course in which a graduate student receives a grade of C is not allowable as part of the 36 required hours.) At least 18 semester hours must be in English courses at the 6000-level, open only to graduate students. A student must choose one of these emphases: literature, writing/rhetoric, technical & professional writing or applied linguistics, or a concentration in children's literature and technical/professional writing.
Courses beyond 36 hours of graduate credit may be required to remove deficiencies or to satisfy requirements for graduate licensure, or may be recommended to develop areas of need, to pursue particular interests, or to gain specific experience.
Of the 36 hours of graduate credit, 30 must be in English courses; the remaining 6 hours may be taken in English or in another discipline. If the hours are to be taken outside of English, the student must submit a written request to the Coordinator of Graduate Studies, explaining how these hours will enrich his/her program.
No more than 6 hours of ENGL 6890 (Directed Reading), may be applied to the degree without written permission of the Chair of the Department.
Assistantships
A number of graduate assistantships are available each year. Applications must be submitted by March 15 for assistantships beginning the following academic year. Further information is available in the Department.
Internships
ENGL 5410. The Department of English offers a number of internships for graduate students (limited to 3 hours of credit), which provide program-related experience in local television and radio stations, non-profit and government agencies, and local businesses and corporations. Further information is available in the Department.
Advising
The graduate coordinator and other graduate faculty member acting as his/her designated assistant will advise graduate students.
Licensure
Students seeking licensure in English should refer to the requirements of the M. A. in English Education program.
Comprehensive
Examination
Students must satisfactorily complete a written examination based on a reading list keyed to their chosen emphasis. These lists are available in the Department office. The written examination may not be attempted sooner than the last semester of coursework, exclusive of thesis credits. The reading lists were revised for students entering the program in Spring 2002 and thereafter.
Thesis
The M.A. thesis is optional; it may be either scholarly or creative. See course description for ENGL 6996.
Tuition
Waivers
Each year, one one-of-state tuition waiver is available for a new graduate assistant. In-state tuition waiver funds are also available for new graduate assistants and sometimes for other outstanding applicants.
Core
Courses
All M.A. candidates, regardless of which concentration or emphasis is chosen, are required to take ENGL 6101 (Introduction to English Studies) and ENGL 6160 (Introduction to the English Language).
Emphasis
Descriptions
The Literature Emphasis
The literature emphasis includes five literature courses, at least three of which are historically oriented. Two of these courses must be in one national literature and the third in a different national literature. In addition, one writing/rhetoric course, one literary theory-intensive course, and three electives are required.
The Writing Emphasis
The writing emphasis includes four writing/rhetoric courses, one writing/rhetoric theory-intensive course, two literature courses, and three electives. The writing emphasis may focus on creative writing, technical/professional writing, or writing and pedagogy.
The Applied Linguistics Emphasis
The Applied Linguistics emphasis includes two writing/rhetoric courses, two literature courses, and four courses selected from the following:
ENGL 5161 Modern Grammar
ENGL 5165 Language and Culture
ENGL 5166 Comparative Language Studies for Teachers
ENGL 5260 History of the English Language or:
ENGL 6162 History of the English Language
ENGL 5263 Linguistics and Language Learning
ENGL 6163 Language Acquisition
ENGL 6161 Introduction to Linguistics
ENGL 6070 Topics in English (Approval of Graduate Coordinator required)
In addition, students will choose one course from the following:
ENGL 5050 Topics in English (linguistics topics only)
ENGL 5254 Teaching English/Communications Skills to Middle and Secondary School Learners
ENGL 5400 English Composition Practicum
ENGL 5264 Literacy in Community/Family
ENGL 6195
The Technical/Professional Writing
Concentration
Students accepted into the MA in English program may elect a writing track with a concentration in Technical/Professional Writing. The curriculum includes 1) working for real clients; 2) learning Internet and Webpage design; 3) building project management and teamwork skills; and 4) learning applications such as Adobe PageMaker, Powerpoint, authoring tools, and word-processing systems.
Students will learn new computing applications, how to work as members of development teams how to design and manage complex publication projects, both online and print, and how to assemble professional portfolios.
ENGL 6116 Technical/Professional Writing (this class should be taken in the first year)
ENGL 5180 Theories of Technical Communication
ENGL 5410 Professional Internship
ENGL 6008 Topics in Technical Communication (may be repeated for credit)
ENGL 6166 Rhetorical Theory
15 hours selected from: 5181, 5182, 5183, 5204, 5205, 5008 (may be repeated for credit),
5852, 6062 (maybe repeated for credit), 6890, 6996,up to 6 hours of Creative Writing, Literature, or Linguistics courses
The Children's Literature
Concentration
This concentration is premised on the assumptions that children's literature is an integral part of many literary traditions and that students studying children's literature should develop an understanding of the connection between children's literature and other forms of literature. Students will take:
6 hours in literature (not Children’s Literature)
6 hours in writing/rhetoric
ENGL 6103 Juvenile Literature
12 hours selected from: 5102, 5103, 5104, 6104, 6890, 6996, 6070 (Children’s Literature Winners),
5050 (topics that relate to Children’s Literature), READ 6100, EDUC 5000 (Children’s Literature across the Curriculum)
3 hours of an English elective
Certificates
Graduate
Certificate In Applied Linguistics
The Graduate Certificate Program in Applied linguistics enables professionals to focus and solidify or update their work with language teaching and research applications. As technology-supported applications of language theory increase, and as teaching and research opportunities change in response to demographic and educational demands, both in the U.S. and in the global community, this Certificate grounds the participants in both current theory and practice and makes courses in the Applied Linguistics Concentration available to persons with related degrees and professional aspirations.
Admission
Requirements
Students are admitted to the
Certificate Requirements
The Graduate Certificate in Applied linguistics requires 12 hours in approved courses, including at least 6 hours at the 6000-level. A typical program might include 4 of the following courses: ENGL 5161 (Modern English Grammar), ENGL 5165 (Language and Culture), ENGL 6161 (Introduction to Linguistics), ENGL 6163 (Language Acquisition), ENGL 6195 (Teaching College English). Students must earn a grade of “B” or better in all courses presented for the certificate, and must complete the program within four years from the time of first enrollment in a certificate course.
Substitutions from the broader linguistics emphasis and graduate program will be allowed with approval of the Certificate Coordinator, who will act as adviser for those enrolled in the Certificate program.
Students whose dominant language is not English will elect coursework in Second Language Writing: Theory and Applications.
Transfer credits are not accepted in the Certificate
program. Students seeking licensure for the teaching of English at levels K-12
should consult the
Graduate
Certificate In Technical/Professional Writing
The
Admission
Requirements
Students must apply for admission to the graduate school and must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75. Applicants will be required to submit: 1) a current GRE score; 2) a current MAT score; or 3) a portfolio of professional documents. Only graduate courses taken at UNC Charlotte will count towards this Graduate Certificate.
Certificate Requirements (9 hours):
ENGL 6166 Rhetorical Theory
ENGL 6008 Topics in Advanced Technical Communication
ENGL 5410 Professional Internship
Electives (12 hours)
ENGL 5180 Theories of Technical Communication
ENGL 5181 Writing User Documents
ENGL 5182 Writing & Designing Computer-based Documents
ENGL 5183 Editing Technical Documents
ENGL 5008 Topics in Technical Communication
Other Courses: as appropriate and approved by the Department