Nov 23, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
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2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

English, M.A.

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Andrea Gazzaniga, Ph.D., Department Chair

Christopher Wilkey, Ph.D., Program Director

Admission

Applications for admission must be completed online. Please submit all materials to the Office of Graduate Education, AC 302, Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY 41099. For maximum consideration, submit all materials by the priority deadline of July 1 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester. If space permits, applications from qualified candidates may be considered after those dates.

Regular Admission

To be considered for regular admission to the Master of Arts in English program, applicants will need to complete and submit the following:

  1. An application for graduate admission to Northern Kentucky University
  2. An official transcript indicating a bachelor’s degree in English or a related field from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in major or cognate area coursework. Candidates with excellent writing skills and degrees outside English may be considered.
  3. Official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate work
  4. Two letters of reference (please use forms which can be downloaded at https://inside.nku.edu/graduate/admission-process/additional-forms.html).  
  5. 500-750 word Statement of Purpose explaining why you are interested in pursuing an MA in English at NKU

Other Admission Status

Applicants not meeting all criteria for regular admission to the MAE may be admitted provisionally or as a non-degree graduate student if substantial evidence suggests the candidate can succeed in the program.

Teachers’ Rank Change

For candidates who already hold a teaching certificate in Kentucky, Ohio, or Indiana, the MAE may serve as a functionally relevant master’s degree. Check with the appropriate state education board to verify requirements. The MAE does not lead to initial teacher certification. At Northern Kentucky University, the Master of Arts in Teaching is the approved master’s level program for obtaining an initial teaching certificate.

♦ Indicates prerequisite.

Program Curriculum

The Master of Arts in English degree requires at least 30 hours of coursework, distributed as follows:

Core Courses (15 credit hours)

Two of the following three courses (6 credit hours)

Two of the following three courses (6 credit hours)

Capstone

Electives (15 credit hours)

Selected from ENG OR CIN courses numbered at 500 or above.

Total Hours: 30

Course Requirements

Students need to be aware of the following requirements of the program:

  1. twenty-one credit hours must be at the 600 level or above.
  2. a maximum of 12 credit hours of transfer credit will be allowed.
  3. two graduate courses from another NKU program may be approved for credit toward the MAE.
  4. overall GPA must be a minimum of 3.0 to qualify for graduation.
  5. no more than six hours of C grade will be counted toward the MA in English. Students may retake, only once, any course. Students should be aware that a given course may be offered only infrequently.

Program of Study

New candidates for the MA in English must enroll in ENG 600 Introduction to Graduate Studies (3 credits)  during one of the first two regular semesters (spring or fall) of their enrollment in the program.

Transfer work

With some restrictions, the program may accept 12 hours of credit transferred from other institutions. The program may accept up to nine credit hours a student earns as a non-degree student at NKU.

Independent Study

Subject to approval by the graduate program director, candidates may take independent study or readings courses. The University currently limits such courses to no more than 20% of the course work (6 hours for MAE students). Capstone research hours, practicums, and internships are exceptions. Before signing up for an independent study, candidates must have the approval of both the graduate program director and the instructor. In addition, the instructor must be a member of the graduate faculty. A syllabus that describes the course topic, reading list, assignments, and learning objectives must be on file with the graduate program director before an independent study course can be approved.

Teaching Program

With approval of the graduate program director and the writing instruction program director, outstanding candidates may be permitted to work closely with the Writing Instruction Program Director and one or more experienced faculty members to gain experience teaching in the college classroom.

Capstone Presentation

At the end of their final semester, candidates will make a public oral presentation based on their work in the program. Students should check their handbook and/or with the graduate program director for details regarding the capstone presentation.

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