English - Archived 2019-20 Graduate Catalog

Chair: Lee Nickoson
Graduate Coordinator: Kimberly Spallinger
Address: 211 East Hall
Phone: 419-372-6864
Email: english@bgsu.edu
English Web Page

Degrees Offered
Master of Arts
Master of Fine Arts
Doctor of Philosophy

Programs Offered
PhD in English with a specialization in Rhetoric and Writing
MFA in Creative Writing with a specialization in Fiction
MFA in Creative Writing with a specialization in Poetry
MA in English with a specialization in Literary and Textual Studies
MA in English with a specialization in English Teaching (offered online)
MA in English with a specialization in Professional Writing and Rhetoric (offered online)
MA in English (no specialization; offered online or blended)
Certificate in College Writing: Theory and Practice (offered online)
Certificate in Technical Writing (offered online)
Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) (blended program)

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the PhD degree, students in the English with a specialization in Rhetoric and writing program are expected to be able to:

• Appraise methodological, theoretical, and pedagogical approaches for engaging as scholars, teachers, and leaders who are responsive to the situated nature of rhetoric and to what students, campuses, cultures and society want from writing today
• Justify interventions in ongoing disciplinary conversations in rhetoric and writing studies through their own research, theory building, and pedagogies 
• Develop impactful rhetoric and writing scholarship rooted in the developing literacies, literacy technologies, and needs of diverse learners shaping higher education today.
  

Upon completion of the MFA degree, students in the Creative Writing with a specialization in Fiction or Poetry program are expected to be able to:

• Develop individual, original approaches to writing fiction and/or poetry
• Produce a book-length thesis comparable in quality to the published work of contemporary poets and fiction writers
• Develop an understanding of their work's place within the context of contemporary literature 
• Collaboratively assess literary work for publication 
• Apply craft knowledge to produce and distribute a literary journal through relevant technologies 
• Develop pedagogical skills sufficient to design and teach courses at the college level 

Upon completion of the MA degree, students in the English with a specialization in Literary and Textual Studies (Plan I Thesis or Plan II Portfolio) program are expected to be able to:

• Develop creative and critical thinking skills through intensive writing, reading, and critical/creative engagement with texts
• Develop proper analytical skills in oral and written articulation and awareness of context
• Effectively use writing to explore subject matter and to communicate in class as well as for publication and presentation at conferences
• Develop understanding of subject matter and writing in relationship to larger historical and/or cultural/multicultural contexts
• Make connections between theory and practice
• Develop a sophisticated grasp of the concept of culture as a device to organize further study of the many discrete aspects of our historical, social, intellectual and artistic heritage
• Connections with intra-and extra-departmental programs

Upon completion of the MA degree, students in the English with a specialization in English Teaching (Plan II, online) program are expected to be able to:

• Formulate and defend theories and/or practices of English teaching that draw on a sophisticated understanding of contemporary English studies and pedagogical approaches.
• Develop writing projects that integrate knowledge about audience, rhetorical structures, organization, and the process of writing and revision.
• Generate original research that evaluates and expands scholarship in contemporary English studies.
• Examine in depth and develop expertise in one or more aspects of contemporary English studies.
• Assess their learning and scholarship in English studies and further develop their own work.

Upon completion of the MA degree, students in the English with a specialization in Professional Writing and Rhetoric (Plan II, online) program are expected to be able to:

• Use writing, in print and in electronic environments, to communicate effectively with multiple audiences and to explore concepts central to the fields of technical communication and rhetoric and composition.
• Develop connections of subject matter to key underlying theoretical, and historical elements of the fields of rhetoric and composition and technical communication as well as to the cultural context of these fields.
• Develop connections between practice and theory in effective written and visual communication, the teaching of writing, and the culture of business and industry.
• Demonstrate creative approaches, critical thinking, and effective communication in the products of individual courses and in culminating program projects.
• Create a capstone portfolio reflecting what students have learned over the course of their program
  

Prerequisites to Graduate Work
Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Writing: It is expected that applicants will have completed a master’s degree. On occasion, well-prepared and motivated applicants with only baccalaureate degrees may apply for admission into a “continuing” Ph.D. program, which leads directly to the Ph.D. without the intermediate step of the MA. Such candidates do not prepare theses but qualify instead by a portfolio assessment mid-way through the second year of the program.

MFA in Creative Writing, MA in Literary and Textual Studies, MA in English (online or blended, with or without specializations): Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree to apply for admission to the master’s degree programs. Admission to the MFA in Creative Writing program is based primarily on the evaluation of sample manuscripts submitted to the Creative Writing program at the time of application. Applicants to the MA in Literary and Textual Studies and to the MA in English (online) are evaluated based on strong writing samples demonstrating critical analysis and research skills, among other criteria.

Certificate in College Writing: Theory and Practice, Certificate in Technical Writing, or Certificate in TESOL: Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree to apply for admission to the graduate certificate programs. Applicants may pursue the certificate as a standalone certificate or as part of a Masters or Doctoral degree at BGSU.

Admission Procedures
Applicants seeking admission to the graduate programs in English should follow the instructions outlined in the Graduate Admission section of this catalog. In addition, applicants should review the admissions requirements specific to the program to which they seek admission. Visit the English website for links to specific programs and their application processes and requirements.

Competitive funding is available for applicants to the on-campus MA, MFA and Ph.D. programs.

Degree Requirements

Ph.D. in English with a specialization in Rhetoric and Writing
The central objective of the doctoral program in English is to recruit and equip applicants with a broad range of skills whose interests in rhetoric and writing move them to seek careers as teacher-scholars at a variety of institutions of higher education. This nationally respected program emphasizes rhetoric and composition as its core curriculum and provides students with a thoroughgoing foundation in rhetorical theory and history, composition pedagogy, research methods, digital rhetorics, and scholarly publishing. Special topics courses address current interests within the discipline, such as writing assessment, feminist methodologies, and cultural rhetorics. In addition, students take electives in rhetoric and writing, other areas of English (critical theory and literature, teaching English to English language learners, scientific and technical communication), or in other departments.

Total credit hours: 90 hours (30 hours MA credit plus 60 hours beyond the MA).

Requirements:

1. (24 hours) Core coursework
2. (9 hours) Electives
3. (3-6 hours) readings for Preliminary Exam
4. (21 hours) dissertation research
5. (30 hours) general/university MA credit (granted)
6. Satisfactory completion of preliminary examinations, including the oral exam.
7. Satisfactory completion of an approved dissertation graduate lecture, the dissertation manuscript, and the dissertation defense.
8. Candidacy for the Ph.D. begins following successful completion of the graduate lecture. Candidacy is completed following approval of the dissertation by the student’s dissertation committee, the department, and the Graduate College; and the successful uploading of the electronic dissertation. Details regarding the preliminary examinations and the dissertation process are available from the department.

For a list of the approved Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Writing program courses visit the Rhetoric and Writing website.

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
One of the oldest established programs in the country, Creative Writing at Bowling Green State University emphasizes the fine arts element of its degree and gives a comprehensive and rigorous education in the professional writing, editing, and marketing of poetry and fiction. The program fosters personal and artistic development, emphasizing craft knowledge and professional presentation. Courses are taught by an award-winning faculty of published authors and poets. The program consists primarily of writing workshops, including a minimum of one course in techniques, one in literary editing, one in pedagogy, and the remainder in recommended courses or electives. Writers complete a thesis and a comprehensive examination.

Total credit hours: 36 hours.

Requirements:

1. (12 hours) graduate writers’ workshop in the area of specialization
2. (3 hours) techniques in the area of specialization
3. (6 hours) thesis research
4. (3 hours) desktop publishing
5. (3 hours) pedagogy
6. (6 hours) in either recommended courses or electives
7. (3 hours) advanced workshop in the area of specialization

For a list of the approved MFA in Creative Writing program courses, please see:
http://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/english/creative-writing/master-of-fine-arts/mfa-roadmap.html

Master of Arts in English with a specialization in Literary and Textual Studies
This face-to-face MA degree is a flexible, student-centered two-year program that provides a foundation in research methods and literary theory. Coursework in Literary and Textual Studies offers students an opportunity to engage with a variety of texts across historical periods as well as some of the most recent developments in literary studies and cultural criticism. Our faculty is made up of scholars whose research and teaching interests focus on a range of approaches to textual analysis such as critical race theory, deconstruction, feminism and gender studies, new historicism, postcolonial studies, psychoanalysis, and queer theory. We offer seminars in British, American, and Anglophone literatures. Furthermore, the program presents students with numerous opportunities to develop their own research projects, including the MA Thesis, based on their unique interests. Plan I (thesis) and Plan II (portfolio) options are available.

Plan I: MA in English with a specialization in Literary and Textual Studies (with MA Thesis)

Total credit hours: 33 hours (excluding ENG 6020)

Requirements:

1. (6 hours) Core courses: Literature seminars
2. (12 hours) Electives: Four or more 6000- or 7000­level in Literature
3. (12 hours) Electives: up to four elective courses may be taken outside of the Literature Program, including but not limited to courses in Philosophy; World Languages and Cultures; Ethnic Studies; American Culture Studies; Media and Communication; Theatre and Film; History; Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. All courses must be chosen in consultation with and are subject to approval by the Literature Program Coordinator.
4. An approved thesis and completion of 3-6 hours of ENG 6990. Only 3 credits of ENG 6990 count toward graduation. In addition, ENG 6990 requires “continual enrollment”: once enrolled in ENG 6990, the student must remain enrolled in it in each semester until graduation at a minimum of one credit hour per semester in later semesters.
5. An oral examination given by the candidate’s thesis committee based on the thesis.
6. ENG 6020, for graduate assistants. Required course for funded first-year students teaching in the University Writing Program (UWP); credits do not count toward graduation.

Plan II: MA in English with a specialization in Literary and Textual Studies (with MA Portfolio)

Total credit hours: 31 hours (excluding ENG 6020)

Requirements:

1. (6 hours) Core courses: Literature seminars
2. (12 hours) Electives: Four or more 6000- or 7000­level courses in Literature
3. (12 hours) Electives: up to four elective courses may be taken outside of the Literature Program, including but not limited to courses in Philosophy; World Languages and Cultures; Ethnic Studies; American Culture Studies; Media and Communication; Theatre and Film; History; Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. All courses must be chosen in consultation with and are subject to approval by the Literature Program Coordinator.
4. An approved Portfolio (one credit hour of ENG 6910)
5.  ENG 6020, for graduate assistants. Required course for funded first-year students teaching in the University Writing Program (UWP); credits do not count toward graduation

For a list of the approved MA in Literary and Textual Studies program courses, please see:
http://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/english/graduate-programs/m-a-in-english/plan-overview.html

Master of Arts in English (Online Programs)

Master of Arts in English (online) with a specialization in English Teaching
Designed for those involved in or preparing for middle school English teaching, secondary school English teaching, or two-year college teaching, this totally online specialization for the MA provides a combination of courses in language, literature, and writing, as well as the teaching of writing and of literature. This MA specialization offers a Plan II capstone (the MA Portfolio).

Master of Arts in English (online) with a specialization in Professional Writing and Rhetoric
Designed to prepare students for successful employment as writers, editors, and writing instructors in various industries and institutions, including business, technology, science, and two­ year colleges, the specialization in Professional Writing and Rhetoric provides a combination of courses in rhetoric, writing, and the teaching of writing, while allowing students the flexibility of selecting a focus on Rhetoric and Writing, or a focus on Scientific and Technical Communication. This MA specialization offers a Plan II capstone (the MA Portfolio).

Total credit hours: 31 credits

Requirements:

1. (15 hours) Core courses
2. (15 hours) Electives: up to 12 elective credit hours of relevant coursework may be taken outside of the English Department; students must meet or correspond with the English Graduate Coordinator or their advisor to determine options. Students who are geographically close enough to do so may substitute face-to-face versions of these courses if they so choose. Any such substitutions must be cleared with the English Graduate Coordinator before enrolling.
3. (1 hour) Capstone experience (portfolio)

For a list of the approved MA in English (Online) program courses, please see:
English Teaching Specialization
http://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/english/graduate-programs/ma-english-online/MA-English-Online-Teaching.html

Professional Writing and Rhetoric Specialization
http://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/english/graduate-programs/ma-english-online/MA-English-Online-PWR.html

Master of Arts in English (online or blended)

Total credit hours: 31-33 hours (excluding ENG 6020)

Requirements:

1. (6 hours) Core courses
2. (12 hours) Professional concentration of four courses, with no more than two in English
3. Completion of a portfolio of work that includes an extensive annotated bibliography in the field of concentration and representative seminar papers
4. ENG 6020, for graduate assistants. Required course for first-year students teaching in the University Writing Program (UWP); credits do not count toward graduation.

Graduate Certificate Programs

Graduate Certificate in College Writing: Theory and Practice (available online)

Total credit hours: 18 hours.

The College Writing: Theory and Practice program is available fully online and may be pursued as a stand-alone certificate program or as part of a Master's or Doctoral program. Some programs outside of the English Department may accept this certificate as part of their graduate degree program; interested students should discuss whether this is possible with their program’s graduate coordinator. Students must take four required courses and two elective courses in contemporary research and best practices in teaching writing.

For a list of the approved Certificate in College Writing: Theory and Practice program courses, please visit their page.

Graduate Certificate in Technical Writing (available online)

Total credit hours: 12 hours.

The Technical Writing program is available fully online and may be pursued as a stand-alone certificate program or as part of a Master's or Doctoral program. Some programs outside of the English Department may accept this certificate as part of their graduate degree program; interested students should discuss whether this is possible with their program’s graduate coordinator. Students must take four required courses in professional/technical writing and editing, research and resources, and ethics in professional/technical writing.

For a list of the approved Certificate in Technical Writing program courses, please see the webpage.

Graduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Total credit hours: 12 hours

Graduate students at Bowling Green State University have the opportunity to earn a certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). The Certificate provides excellent preparation for those who wish to teach English overseas or for those wishing to pursue further studies in linguistics. Some programs outside of the English Department may accept this certificate as part of their graduate degree program; interested students should discuss this option with their graduate coordinator. Students must take four required TESOL courses in linguistics, syntax, phonology and theories and methods.

For a list of the approved Certificate in TESOL program courses, please see:
http://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/english/graduate-programs/tesol-certificate-program.html.

Graduate Courses
Please access a list of graduate courses online by clicking the “Browsing Course Catalog” button found here: http://www.bgsu.edu/registration-records/courses-and-classes/class-course-information.html. Graduate courses offered by the Department of English use the prefix ENG.