Literature [M.A.]

Location(s): In-person/hybrid

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The M.A. in Literature provides masters-level competence in English and American literature. The degree is appropriate for teachers on the elementary, high school, or community college level and for students planning to pursue doctoral study in English or American literature. The degree provides valuable educational background for professions where critical thinking, clear, accurate expression, and knowledge of literature are desired.

Program Admission

Admit Terms and Deadlines

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; students may start the program in the Fall. See Application Deadlines.

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

For full admission, applicants must have 1) Earned a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent degree from a non-U.S. institution, 2) a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale, or 3.0 in the last half of the undergraduate program. Conditional admission may be available to applicants not meeting minimum admission requirements.

Program Requirements

Applicants must also meet the following program requirements. Requirements may be more stringent than the minimum graduate school requirements.

A personal statement (we recommend that these statements be 1 to 2 pages in length)
An academic writing sample (preferably a piece of writing that addresses and analyzes literature)
Two letters of recommendation

Application

Your application will be submitted using GradCAS, a Centralized Application Service (CAS) hosted by Liaison. After reviewing the admission requirements, please review the application instructions and select the appropriate application.

- Go to 2023-2024 GradCAS to apply to a program beginning in Summer 2024, Fall 2024, or Winter 2025.

- Go to 2024-2025 GradCAS to apply to a program beginning in Summer 2025, Fall 2025, or Winter 2026.

Domestic Applicants Domestic applicants are required to submit only the transcript from the institution granting their bachelor’s degree if either of the following criteria is met: 1) Lists 30 or more credit hours with an overall GPA of 3.0 or over OR 2) Lists 60 or more credit hours with an overall GPA between 2.7 and 2.99. Within the application, follow the instructions to submit an official transcript. The University may ask applicants to submit additional transcripts after applying.

International Applicants Before applying, applicants must review the international application/process deadlines at emich.edu/international as they may differ from general program requirements.

For additional information regarding the application process, please see Graduate Admissions or International Admissions.

Department Information

English Language & Literature 612 Pray-Harrold, 734.487.4220

Joseph Csicsila, PhD, Department Head

Eric Acton, PhD, Graduate Coordinator

Advisor Information

Craig Dionne, PhD, 612 Pray-Harrold, 734.487.4220

Degree Requirements: 30 hours

The M.A. in Literature requires 30 hours of coursework. In addition, all students must complete either an MA Exam or MA Thesis as a capstone project to complete their degree.

Required Courses: 6 hours

Capstone Requirement and Electives: 24 hours

Students must satisfy one of the following.

Literature Exam and Electives: 24 hours

Students must take the MA exam in Literature and complete additional coursework, as follows.
A minimum of 18 credit hours of Literature (LITR) courses (500-level or above)
A maximum of 6 credit hours of cognate courses, any course offered by the English Language and Literature Department (course list ), and with advisor approval, any course offered by other departments (500-level or above).
Thesis and Electives: 24 hours

A candidate completes original research under the supervision of a faculty member. This research must be suitable for publication, written in a form acceptable to the Graduate School, and defended in an oral examination.
Required Courses: 3 hours

Select three credit hours from the following.
LITR 690 Thesis 1 hr
LITR 691 Thesis 2 hrs
LITR 692 Thesis 3 hrs
Restricted Electives: 21 hours

Students will complete additional coursework, as follows:
A minimum of 15 credit hours of Literature (LITR) courses (500-level or above)
A maximum of 6 credit hours of cognate courses, any course offered by the English Language and Literature Department (course list ), and with advisor approval, any course offered by other departments (500-level or above).

Critical Graduation Information

Each graduate student is responsible for fulfilling the requirements or equivalents of the Eastern Michigan University catalog in force at the time of their initial registration or a subsequent catalog, including the one in effect at the time of their graduation.

Master’s degree requirements must be completed within six (6) years of first enrollment in the master’s degree program.

In the event a student does not complete the master’s degree requirements within six years of the date of their original registration, the student may be required to have their credits re-evaluated by the academic department(s) of their degree in keeping with catalog requirements in force during the year of their graduation.

The following are minimum requirements for all master’s degrees awarded by Eastern Michigan University. Some programs require more than the minimum in one or more areas below.

A master’s degree must require a minimum of 30 credit hours.
No more than six credits of independent study courses and no more than 12 credit hours of special topics and independent study courses combined may be applied to a graduate degree.
Residency Requirement:
- For students admitted to master’s degree programs of 36 or fewer required hours, at least 24 new graduate hours beginning the semester of acceptance and enrollment into the degree program must be earned at EMU. The remaining program requirement hours may be met through transfer or prior degree credit (EMU or elsewhere).
- For students admitted to master’s degree programs of 37 or more required hours, at least 30 new graduate hours beginning the semester of acceptance and enrollment into the degree program must be earned at EMU. Minimum degree hours must still be met for graduation. The remaining program requirement hours may be met through transfer or prior degree credit (EMU or elsewhere).
- Residency and enrollment in multiple programs: Students enrolled in multiple master’s/specialist degree programs must have 24 unique credit hours in each degree program.
Only credits from one completed graduate certificate may be applied to a master’s or specialist degree in a relevant field of study, as determined by the Graduate School and with the approval of the degree-granting academic department, and be included in the residency hours above.
Students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in all graduate-level courses taken at EMU and in their program of study to remain in good academic standing and be eligible for graduation. Students do not need to be registered for classes during the semester of graduation.
The Graduate School does not permit the use of undergraduate courses (499 and below) to meet degree requirements on graduate programs of study.
Some master’s programs require a thesis; others require a special project or internship; others require students to pass a final exam. See the Graduate School website for Thesis and Dissertation Manuals, all forms, and information about research and human subject approval. Every completed thesis or dissertation must be submitted to Digital Commons. Any form of graduate student work submitted to Digital Commons must first be approved by a faculty advisor and the Graduate School.