The English Department has three graduate programs: Master of Arts degree (M.A.), Master of Arts Degree/Doctor of Philosophy (M.A./Ph.D.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). The M.A. program is for students who wish to pursue the M.A. degree but do not intend to go on for a Ph.D. Full-time students will be funded for two years.

Master of Art Requirements

Students are normally expected to complete the Master’s degree within two years. Students complete 32 credits, usually in this pattern: eight credits in the first semester (ENGL 5100, Theory and Teaching of Writing, three credits, ENGL 5182: Practicum in the Teaching of Writing, one credit and ENGL 5150: Research Methods, one credit, plus another three-credit course); nine credits in the second semester; six credits in the third semester; and nine credits in the fourth semester.

Required Courses: ENGL 5100, 5182, 5150; one course in theory (literary, cultural, rhet/comp) ENGL 5500, 6500, or another approved course; one course in literature in English before 1800; and one course in literature in English after 1800. In addition, students must complete a final writing project in the second year, consisting of a revision of a seminar paper as a professional article, between 7000 and 8000 words, undertaken in consultation with an appropriate faculty advisor. (An independent study to revise the paper cannot be counted toward the coursework requirements for the degree). The deadline for the submission of the final writing project is March 1. Final writing projects will be evaluated by the M.A. Committee.

M.A./Ph.D. Requirements

M.A./Ph.D. students who enter the program with a B.A. degree should be completed in six years. Students normally enroll in coursework for three years beyond the B.A. Work for the doctor of philosophy degree must be completed within eight years of the beginning of the student’s matriculation. Students are required to complete 47 credits of course work at the University of Connecticut for the M.A./Ph.D. including the 15 mandatory GRAD 6950 research credits. The usual course load for a full-time student in each semester is between six and nine credits (if the student is a teaching assistant).

Required Courses: ENGL 5100, 5182, 5150, 5160; one course in theory (literary, cultural, rhet/comp) ENGL 5500, 6500 or another approved course; one course in literature in English before 1800; one course in literature in English after 1800.

Ph.D. Requirements

Ph.D. students who enter with an M.A. degree are funded for five years. Students normally enroll in coursework for two years beyond the M.A. Work for the doctor of philosophy degree must be completed within eight years of the beginning of the student’s matriculation. Students are ordinarily required to complete 24 credits of course work at UConn for the Ph.D., and at least 39 credits total of graduate work including the 15 mandatory GRAD 6950 credits. Requirements for the doctoral degree should be completed in five years for Ph.D. students (those entering with an M.A.).

Required courses: ENGL 5100, 5182, 5160; one course in theory (literary, cultural, rhet/comp) ENGL 5500, 6500 or another approved course; one course in literature in English before 1800; one course in literature in English after 1800.

Students who feel they have fulfilled any of the requirements listed above (at another institution) may petition the graduate program office to have those requirements waived at the University of Connecticut.

The programs are offered by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.