Graduate Handbook - Master's Program
The M.A. degree at UWM involves course work, a master's project and an oral exam. All degree requirements must be completed within five years of initial enrollment. The project must be completed and the exam taken within one year after completing 24 credits.
Course Work
Students must complete a minimum of 24 credits of course work as listed below for the individual plans. A maximum of 27 credits earned at the Master's level are counted towards the 54 credit (i.e. 54 credits beyond the B.A.) requirement for the Ph.D. See the 'Doctoral Program Course Work' section in this Handbook for more information. Refer also to the Student and Faculty Handbook published by the Graduate School.
Plan A: Literary Studies
- 12 credits in literature courses at the 600- and 700-level, with at least 6 credits at the 700-level
- 6 credits in theories and methods courses at the 700- or 800-level
- 3 credits in a literature seminar (800-level)
- 3 credits of electives
Plan B: Rhetoric and Composition
A minimum of 24 credits, including one course in each of the following areas:
- Teaching Seminar (English 701).
- Rhetoric (English 750, 751, or 753).
- Composition Theory (English 755).
- Issues in Rhetoric and Composition Pedagogy (English 812, 850, 853, 854, or 856).
- 12 credits electives.
One course is strongly recommended in each of the following areas:
- Computers and Pedagogy (an English Dept. course at the 700 level).
- Research Methods.
Note: Students who take these courses and plan to apply to the Ph.D. program are advised to take 6 credits in literature or language.
Plan C: Creative Writing
- 6 credits in 600- or 700-level literature courses (at least 3 credits at 700-level.)
- 6 credits in either 715/815 or 716/816
- 6 credits in writing courses at 600- or 700-level
- 6 credits electives
Note: No more than 12 credits may be earned in 600-level courses.
Note: When selecting their literature courses and electives, students intending to continue on to the doctoral program should be aware that the doctoral degree requires 24 credits of literature at the 700- or 800-level (excluding 715, 716).
Plan D: English Language and Linguistics
(Note that there are three tracks of study from which the student may choose one)
- Linguistics Specialization
Prerequisites
- English 400 (introduction to English Linguistics) or Linguistics 350 (Introduction to Linguistics) or the equivalent.
- Linguistics 370 (General Phonetics and Phonetic Practicum) or the equivalent.
Required Coursework
- Linguistics 460 (Sounds and Sound Systems)
- Linguistics 464 (Word and Sentence Structures)
One of the following three courses
- Linguistics 466 (Semantics)
- English 765 (Semantics and Pragmatics)
- English 806 (Seminar in Linguistics) when offered on a topic in semantics
One of the following three courses
- Linguistics 470 (Historical/Comparative Linguistics)
- English 731 (History of the English Language)
- English 806 (Seminar in Linguistics) when offered on a topic in historical Linguistics
One of the following three courses
- Linguistics 560 (Advanced Phonology)
- English 407 ( Functional Syntax)
- Linguistics 564 (Advanced Syntax)
- English 760 ( Research Methods in Linguistics and ESL)
One of the following two courses
- English 761 (Discourse Analysis)
- English 764 (Sociolinguistics)
One for the following two courses
- English 805 (Seminar in English Language)
- English 806 (Seminar in Linguistics)
- TESOL Specialization
Prerequisites:
- English 400 (Introduction to English Linguistics) or Linguistics 350 (Introduction to Linguistics) or the equivalent
- English 403 (Modern English Grammar) or the equivalent
Required Coursework:
- Linguistics 370 (General Phonetics & Phonetics Practicum)
- Linguistics 420 (Introduction to Second Language Acquisition)
- English/Linguistics 565 (Introduction to Adult/University Level TESOL)
- English 567 (Materials Development for ESL Instruction)
- English 761 (Discourse Analysis)
Two of the following four courses:
- English 738 (When topic concerns second language writing)
- C&I 503 (Language in the Bilingual Classroom)
- English 760 (Research Methods in Linguistics and ESL)
- English 764 (Sociolinguistics)
One of the following three courses:
- English 805 (Seminar in English Language)
- English 806 (Seminar in Linguistics)
- English 812 (Seminar in Theories of Composition and Rhetoric)
Final Project: Internship in English 789, and pedagogical project (see 'M.A. Project' below)
- Composition in a Second Language Specialization
Prerequisites:
- English 400 (Introduction to English Linguistics) or Linguistics 350 (Introduction to Linguistics) or the equivalent
- English 403 (Modern English Grammar) or the equivalent
Required Coursework:
- Linguistics 420 (Introduction to Second Language Acquisition)
- English 565 (Introduction to Adult/University Level TESOL)
- English 738 (when topic is Teaching L2 Writing)
One of the following three courses:
- Linguistics 464 (Syntax)
- English 407 (Functional Syntax)
- English 738 (when topic concerns second language writing)
One of the following five courses:
- English 753 (Contemporary Rhetorical Theory)
- English 754 (Post - secondary Composition: topics in pedagogical theory)
- English 755 (Issues in Composition Studies)
- English 756 (Research and Methodology in Rhetoric and Composition)
- English 767 (Linguistic Perspectives on Composition)
One of the following three courses:
- English 761 (Discourse analysis)
- English 764 (Sociolinguistics)
- English 766 (Theory of Second Language Acquisition)
One of the following three courses:
- English 805 (Seminar in English Language)
- English 806 (Seminar in Linguistics)
- English 812 (Seminar in theories of Composition and Rhetoric)
Plan E: Modern Studies
- 3 credits of English 740 or 741 (Backgrounds of Modernism)
- 3 credits in 700- or 800-level courses in literature since 1800, that cover a variety of authors and a substantial historical period
- 3 credits in 700- or 800-level courses that focus on theories or methods in the analysis of literature, culture, criticism, or the arts
- 3 credits in an 800-level seminar
- 12 credits electives
Plan G: Professional Writing
- 6 credits in 700-level professional writing courses or 6 credits from the following courses if taken for graduate credit: English 435, 436, 437, or 439*
- 3 credits in a 700-level research methods course or equivalent (such as usability testing or information science)
- 3 credits 800-level seminar in professional writing
- 6 credits taken for graduate credit in related interdisciplinary areas, such as linguistics, rhetoric, creative writing, translation, psychology, and computer science
- 3 credits in English 449 or another approved internship program for students with little workplace experience or a 700-level research methods course for students with substantial workplace experience
- 3 credits electives
* English 435 (Advanced Professional and Technical Writing), English 436 (Writing for Information Technology), English 437 (Document Planning and Evaluation), and English 439 (Document Design).
