Nov 19, 2024

2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

HELP

2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

English, M.S.

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

M.S. in English with Option Concentration in English Education with Licensure
M.S. in English with Option in English Education without Licensure

M.S. in English with Literature Option

Program Requirements 33 hrs.

Required Core Courses 18 hrs.

Later British Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

ENGL 632 - Studies in British Literature II (19th Century to Today) Credits: (3)
ENGL 639 - Studies in 20th Century Literature Credits: (3) (with a focus on British literature)
ENGL 653 - Women Writers Credits: (3)
ENGL 680 - Special Topics in English Credits: Variable Credit, (1-6) (with a focus on later British literature)

Earlier American Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

ENGL 644 - Studies in American Literature I (Beginnings to the early 20th Century) Credits: (3)
ENGL 680 - Special Topics in English Credits: Variable Credit, (1-6) (with a focus on earlier American literature)

Later American Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

ENGL 639 - Studies in 20th Century Literature Credits: (3) (with a focus on American literature)
ENGL 645 - Studies in American Literature II (early 20th Century to present) Credits: (3)
ENGL 648 - Studies in Oral and Written Literature of Appalachia Credits: (3)
ENGL 653 - Women Writers Credits: (3) (with a focus on American literature)
ENGL 680 - Special Topics in English Credits: Variable Credit, (1-6) (with a focus on later American literature)

Electives 15 hrs.

Elective courses for the Literature option: 15 credit hours to be chosen from the list below.

ENGL 502 - Teaching Writing: Theories and Practices Credits: (3)
ENGL 506 - Advanced Technical Writing Credits: (3)
ENGL 507 - Technical Editing Credits: (3)
ENGL 525 - The Study of Adolescent Literature Credits: (3)
ENGL 563 - Grammar and Language for Teachers Credits: (3)
ENGL 590 - Highland Summer Conference Writers’ Workshop Credits: (3)
ENGL 601 - Diversity in English Language Arts Credits: (3)
ENGL 605 - Teaching Professional Writing Credits: (3)
ENGL 607 - Business Writing & Editing Credits: (3)
ENGL 608 - Professional Writing Credits: (3)
ENGL 609 - Digital Writing Credits: (3)
ENGL 610 - Proposal Writing Credits: (3)
ENGL 611 - Creative Writing Credits: (3)
ENGL 621 - Principles of Literary Criticism Credits: (3)
ENGL 622 - Assessment in Digital and Online Language Arts Credits: (3)
ENGL 625 - Advanced Young Adult Literature in a Digital Age Credits: (3)
ENGL 627 - Content Challenges in Digital and Online Language Arts Credits: (3)
ENGL 629 - Critical Approaches to Teaching Literature Credits: (3)
ENGL 630 - Studies in British Literature I (Beginnings through 18th Century) Credits: (3)
ENGL 632 - Studies in British Literature II (19th Century to Today) Credits: (3)
ENGL 639 - Studies in 20th Century Literature Credits: (3)
ENGL 644 - Studies in American Literature I (Beginnings to the early 20th Century) Credits: (3)
ENGL 645 - Studies in American Literature II (early 20th Century to present) Credits: (3)
ENGL 648 - Studies in Oral and Written Literature of Appalachia Credits: (3)
ENGL 651 - Teaching College Composition Credits: (3)
ENGL 652 - Advanced Teaching Writing in a Digital Age Credits: (3)
ENGL 653 - Women Writers Credits: (3)
ENGL 655 - Practicum in the Teaching of Expository Writing Credits: (3)
ENGL 659 - Digital Electronics in English Language Arts Credits: (3)
ENGL 663 - Linguistics Credits: (3)
ENGL 680 - Special Topics in English Credits: Variable Credit, (1-6)
ENGL 681 - Topics in Contemporary Theory Credits: (3)
ENGL 698 - Directed Study Credits: Variable credit, (1-4)

M.S. in English with Option Concentration in English Education with Licensure

Program Requirements 52 hrs.

Required Core Courses 18 hrs.

ENGL 600 - Introduction to Literary Scholarship Credits: (3)
ENGL 629 - Critical Approaches to Teaching Literature Credits: (3)

Earlier British Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

ENGL 630 - Studies in British Literature I (Beginnings through 18th Century) Credits: (3)
ENGL 680 - Special Topics in English Credits: Variable Credit, (1-6) (with a focus on earlier British literature)

Later British Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

ENGL 632 - Studies in British Literature II (19th Century to Today) Credits: (3)
ENGL 639 - Studies in 20th Century Literature Credits: (3)
ENGL 653 - Women Writers Credits: (3)
ENGL 680 - Special Topics in English Credits: Variable Credit, (1-6) (with a focus on later British literature)

Earlier American Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

ENGL 644 - Studies in American Literature I (Beginnings to the early 20th Century) Credits: (3)
ENGL 680 - Special Topics in English Credits: Variable Credit, (1-6) (with a focus on earlier American literature)

Later American Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

ENGL 625 - Advanced Young Adult Literature in a Digital Age Credits: (3)
(required for licensure unless comparable course was taken previously)

Required Courses 15 hrs.

ENGL 502 - Teaching Writing: Theories and Practices Credits: (3) *
OR
ENGL 652 - Advanced Teaching Writing in a Digital Age Credits: (3) *
*(required for licensure unless comparable course taken previously)
ENGL 563 - Grammar and Language for Teachers Credits: (3) (required for licensure unless comparable course taken previously)
EDUC 640 - Internship in Teaching, Secondary Education (Grades 6-12) Credits: (6)
EDEF 607 - Foundations of Education Credits: (3)

Supporting courses required for licensure but not included in the 33 hours for the B.S. non-licensure program (19 credit hrs.)

HUMD 300 or EDEF 600
EDUC 440 - Teaching Methods (3)
EDUC 441 - Field Experience (3)
EDET 445 or EDET 620
EDSP 404 or EDSP 504
ENGL 423 - Teaching Reading in the English Classroom (3)
ENGL 428 - Student Teaching Seminar (1)

Also required for licensure:

Passing scores for Virginia on the Core Praxis Math, VCLA, and Praxis II tests prior to being admitted to the blocking semester supporting courses. SAT scores of 1100 or higher, with scores of at least 530 on both the critical reading and mathematics section may be submitted in lieu of passing Praxis Core scores. Students must also meet qualifications for acceptance and retention in the Secondary Education Licensure Program in English.

M.S. in English with Option in English Education without Licensure

Program Requirements 33 hrs.

[Results in the M.S. in English with a Teaching Language Arts in the Digital Age Certificate]

Required Core Courses 18 hrs.

ENGL 600 - Introduction to Literary Scholarship Credits: (3)
ENGL 629 - Critical Approaches to Teaching Literature Credits: (3)

Earlier British Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

ENGL 630 - Studies in British Literature I (Beginnings through 18th Century) Credits: (3)
ENGL 680 - Special Topics in English Credits: Variable Credit, (1-6) (with a focus on earlier British literature)

Later British Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

ENGL 632 - Studies in British Literature II (19th Century to Today) Credits: (3)
ENGL 639 - Studies in 20th Century Literature Credits: (3) (with a focus on British literature)
ENGL 653 - Women Writers Credits: (3) (with a focus on British literature)
ENGL 680 - Special Topics in English Credits: Variable Credit, (1-6) (with a focus on later British literature)

Earlier American Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

ENGL 644 - Studies in American Literature I (Beginnings to the early 20th Century) Credits: (3)
ENGL 680 - Special Topics in English Credits: Variable Credit, (1-6) (with a focus on earlier American literature)

Later American Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

ENGL 625 - Advanced Young Adult Literature in a Digital Age Credits: (3)
(required for licensure unless comparable course was taken previously)

Required Courses 15 hrs.

*Note that all requirements apply to Teaching Language Arts in the Digital Age Certificate.

ENGL 601 - Diversity in English Language Arts Credits: (3)
ENGL 622 - Assessment in Digital and Online Language Arts Credits: (3)
ENGL 627 - Content Challenges in Digital and Online Language Arts Credits: (3)
ENGL 652 - Advanced Teaching Writing in a Digital Age Credits: (3)
ENGL 659 - Digital Electronics in English Language Arts Credits: (3)

Masters Final Exam: Goals of a Comprehensive Exam

A Radford University graduate student seeking an M.A. or M.S. in English will complete the Comprehensive Exam in accordance with the following criteria. The exam must:

provide an opportunity for the candidates to demonstrate through a written argument a significant level of scholarly or critically literate knowledge gained through classwork and independent scholarship, and
provide an opportunity for candidates to demonstrate knowledge sufficient to be successful in year one of a PhD program, or to teach a college-level literature or composition class, or the subject area of high school English, or to be proficient as a professional writer or editor.

Process and Breadth

Format and administration
The English Graduate Comprehensive Exam is a 48-hour open-book test. It will be given on a single weekend each semester, with the date to be announced at the beginning of the preceding semester. A student who has an unresolvable conflict that weekend may petition the Graduate Program Coordinator for a change of date.
Subject Matter
The student’s committee will devise a comprehensive examination consisting of a single question. The purpose of this examination will be to give students the opportunity to synthesize and to make connections from the student’s program of study.
Committee composition and function
The composition of the committee will be reported by the student to the Graduate Program Coordinator by the end of the third week of the semester in which the comprehensive examination is to be taken. Based on his or her major interest, each student will ask a professor to serve as chair of the comprehensive examination committee; the remaining members of the committee will be selected jointly by the student and the committee chair.
The role of the committee will be to read the student’s written examination and evaluate it as satisfactory, marginal, or unsatisfactory.

Satisfactory: If the written examination is satisfactory, there will be no follow-up.

Marginal: If the written examination is marginal, the committee will ask the student to complete either an oral examination or a written follow-up, depending on the deficiencies in the original. At that time, the committee will determine whether the comprehensive exam is satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
Unsatisfactory: If the written examination is unsatisfactory, there will be no follow-up. According to the policies of the Graduate College, the student will have one opportunity to retake the comprehensive exam.

English, M.S.

M.S. in English with Literature Option

Program Requirements 33 hrs.

Required Core Courses 18 hrs.

Scholarly Methods: (3 credit hrs. required)

Theory: (3 credit hrs. required)

Earlier British Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

Later British Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

Earlier American Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

Later American Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

Electives 15 hrs.

M.S. in English with Option Concentration in English Education with Licensure

Program Requirements 52 hrs.

Required Core Courses 18 hrs.

Earlier British Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

Later British Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

Earlier American Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

Later American Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

Required Courses 15 hrs.

Supporting courses required for licensure but not included in the 33 hours for the B.S. non-licensure program (19 credit hrs.)

Also required for licensure:

M.S. in English with Option in English Education without Licensure

Program Requirements 33 hrs.

Required Core Courses 18 hrs.

Earlier British Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

Later British Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

Earlier American Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

Later American Literature: (3 credit hrs. required)

Required Courses 15 hrs.

Masters Final Exam: Goals of a Comprehensive Exam

Process and Breadth