English Degree Requirements
- A grade point average of 3.0 (B) in all coursework
- A grade of at least Pass (P) on the master's papers and master's examination
- Of the 30 credits required for students who are not pursuing professional certification as high school teachers of English, seven four-credit courses are chosen from either the Literature or Rhetoric option , three credits are chosen from linguistics, writing, or teaching of writing, and two credits of independent study (ENG 892) that are awarded after passing the master's examination.
Literature Option: seven courses (28 credits), including at least five courses in literature (700-level courses) that must include at least one course in English literature before 1800.
Rhetoric Option: seven courses (28 credits), including three in linguistics, writing, and the teaching of writing (600-level courses) that must include at least one course in English literature before 1800.
- Of the 34 credits required for students who have received initial certification and who desire professional certification as high school teachers of English, seven four-credit courses are chosen from either the Literature or Rhetoric options above, four credits are taken in the Department of Education, and two credits of independent study (ENG 892) are awarded after passing the master's examination.
Within the seven four-credit courses, students must take eight credits of English courses linking content and pedagogy.
Four credits taken in the Department of Education:
EDS 692 Advanced Methods of Teaching Secondary School English (3 credits)
Independent Study in Education (1 credit)
Eight credits of English courses linking content and pedagogy
chosen from the following:
ENG 686 The Teaching of Writing (4 credits);
ENG 630 Writing Across the Curriculum (4 credits);
ENG 682 Modern Grammar (4 credits);
ENG 683 Sociolinguistics (4 credits);
ENG 687 Models of Second Language Acquisition (4 credits).
- Two master's papers
The two master's papers will be course papers. Candidates will choose them in consultation with their instructors and submit them to the coordinator of the English MA Program. The papers will be read by two faculty members and graded Honors, Pass, or Fail. The first paper is to be submitted before enrolling in a fifth graduate course, the second before taking the master's examination.
- Master's examination (2 credits)
The master's examination is intended to provide candidates an opportunity for further reading and independent study and to test their ability to read, interpret, and synthesize. They will select three of their courses for this examination and will be expected to answer questions with reference to works both assigned in those courses and on the supplementary reading lists provided by their instructors. Candidates with the Rhetoric Option may elect linguistics or writing for two of their three courses.
The master's examination is a three-hour written examination and is graded Honors, Pass, or Fail. Credit for two hours of independent study will be awarded upon passing.
- Honors
To earn the degree with Honors, a grade point average of 3.5 and grades of Honors on the master's examination and at least one of the master's papers are required.
The MA in English at CSI is not a research-oriented degree.
There is no foreign language requirement for the MA in English at CSI. Students planning to continue graduate studies beyond the MA, however, should take note that most doctoral programs in English require a reading knowledge of at least two foreign languages, and The City University Graduate Center requires three, one ancient (Greek or Latin) and two modern.
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