Are you a student in the Master of Arts in English program? Find information you need to know about your thesis, as well as other helpful information for graduate students.
Degree Requirements
The M.A. in English requires 37 hours of graduate coursework. These hours must be distributed according to the following guidelines:
Typically, 24 of the required 37 hours must be taken in residence.
All students are required to take English 501: Introduction to Research Methods in English. In addition, all students are required to take either English 502: Introduction to Literary Theory or English 552: Rhetoric and Culture. Beyond the two required courses, students are encouraged to consult with the Graduate Coordinator to tailor their program of study to their personal and professional needs.
Students may select a thesis or non-thesis option. Students pursuing the thesis option must complete 30 semester hours of graduate course work, register for ENG 599 thesis (6 hours) in their last two semesters, and present and defend a thesis, acceptable to the student's thesis committee, prior to graduation. Students pursuing the non-thesis option will complete 37 hours of graduate course work.
A student enrolled in the UNCW English Graduate Program who wishes to take one or more graduate English courses elsewhere for graduate credit must obtain prior approval from the Graduate Coordinator and the Dean of the Graduate School.
Students may substitute one course (3 hours) from outside the department for an English course with the prior approval of the Graduate Coordinator.
Students must take a portfolio course and successfully complete a portfolio. This should be done after completing 18 credit hours.
All degree requirements must be completed within five calendar years.
The proposal should be developed in consultation with the chair and thesis advisory committee; the thesis advisory committee will signify its approval of the proposal in its final form by each committee member signing a cover sheet and giving a copy of the approved proposal and signed cover sheet to the Graduate Coordinator, who will place it in the student's master folder.
Thesis Format
The format of the proposal is as follows:
Proposals are generally three to five pages long and include a statement of the research question; a description of the theoretical approach and/or methodologies employed; and some indication of the anticipated structure/organization of the finished thesis.
The proposal should also stipulate the form that the project will take.
Finally, the proposal should explain to readers clearly and succinctly what the student hopes to demonstrate through writing the thesis.
A working bibliography of appropriate length that includes relevant secondary as well as primary sources.
Please consult the Graduate Handbook for more information about writing the thesis.
Travel
The Graduate Student Association and the Graduate School provide allocations to fund travel opportunities not otherwise available to graduate students to present at professional conferences and, in some cases, to engage in other research activities.
On our support site use your UNCW email to find essential resources to help you succeed. You can find information for travel grants, upcoming events and also find our thesis and dissertation guide.
