The Graduate Program

Program Components

Any English Department includes faculty interested in a broad range of cultural issues, including aesthetic, linguistic, historical, cultural, psychological, and philosophical approaches to the history and practice of literature. As discussed in our overview, the English Department at Missouri offers students the opportunity to pursue specific areas of specialization while remaining grounded in a broad approach to "writing." Students specialize in one of the following fields: British and American Literature, Critical Theory, Creative Writing, Folklore and Oral Tradition, African Diaspora Studies, Rhetoric and Composition, and Language and Linguistics.

The department also works with programs and fields outside of its immediate purview. Students have the opportunity to pursue a graduate certificate in Women's and Gender Studies, and the department works closely as well with Black Studies, Medieval Studies program, Film Studies, and the departments with faculty in these interest areas.

For new applicants, the department offers three degree programs: the MA, the MA/PhD, and the PhD, all in English with specializations in the areas noted above.

MA Program

The MA is a two-year program offering students the opportunity to pursue advanced degrees in any of the specializations offered by the department. In their first year, students generally work for ten hours per week in the Writing Lab while taking three courses per semester. In their second year they teach two sections of English 1000, Mizzou's first-year writing course. For doing this work, students receive a tuition waiver and stipend. In their second year of study, students complete coursework and take either the MA Comprehensive Examination or write an MA Thesis.

Students interested in receiving their certification in teaching English at the secondary level can apply for a joint program currently being developed by the English Department and the College of Education. These students will receive a third year of funding (through teaching English 1000 or other courses) for the English Department, allowing them to use their tuition waiver to complete requirements set by the State of Missouri and the College of Education.

For further information on the MA program, see the MA Requirements section of this handbook.

MA/PhD Program

The MA/PhD program is intended for especially well-prepared students who have BA degrees and know they wish to pursue the PhD. It offers enhanced financial aid and an accelerated time to degree. In their first year in the program, students take three courses per semester and work ten hours per week in the Writing Center, receiving a substantial stipend to ensure that they complete their work in a timely manner. In their second, fifth, and sixth years in the program, MA/PhD students teach a reduced schedule of two classes in the fall and one class in the spring without a reduction in pay from our regular PhD package. The latter two years of fellowship are offered contingent upon successful completion of PhD comprehensive examinations. Students complete MA requirements and begin taking PhD course work in their second year in the program. Academic requirements for the two degrees are identical with the academic requirements for the separate MA and PhD degrees.

PhD Program

The PhD in English allows students to receive the terminal degree in the study of English and its associated disciplines in a four to five-year program that provides professional experience in teaching along with classroom instruction and the opportunity to pursue independent scholarly and creative work with the PhD dissertation. The English Department offers the PhD in any of the fields mentioned above. Students work closely with a faculty adviser to lay the groundwork for the dissertation in coursework and independent reading for the PhD Comprehensive Examination. By the end of the program, students should be fully prepared to enter the academic job market. For further information please consult the PhD Requirements section of this handbook.

Graduate Minors

The English Department encourages students to explore opportunities outside of the department, including graduate minors in related fields. The Women's and Gender Studies program offers a minor. Students can also pursue a minor in college teaching.