The Master of Arts with a concentration in Literature and Writing provides the opportunity for intensive study in a variety of literary and related fields in the English language. Learners explore how literature intersects with contemporary historical and cultural forces and examine critical theory as it relates to their area of interest.
The structure of the program gives its learners considerable flexibility in choosing the focus of their study. Learners can pursue their literary interests, from the Renaissance to Rap, from Chaucer to Brokeback Mountain. Or any literary topic in between. Recent graduates have specialized in fields as diverse as:
• African American Literature
• Young Adult Literature
• Cinema Studies
• Shakespeare and the English Renaissance
• Feminist and Gender Studies Approaches to Literature
• Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature
• Postmodern and Postcolonial Approaches to Literature
• Composition Theory and Practice
• The Literature of the Long Eighteenth Century
• Native American Literature and Philosophy
• Sports Literature
• Ecocritical Literature and Theory
• Disability Studies in Literature
Although our Master of Arts is not a creative writing degree, this concentration does allow learners to incorporate their own creative writing into their study.
The Literature and Writing area of concentration attracts learners who have academic or work experience in a related field, as well as to those who have an interest in pursuing the master’s degree as a stage on their progress toward the Ph.D. Learners also choose this concentration for career advancement or change, or for purely personal reasons.
Learners with the Master of Arts degree with a concentration in Literature and Writing are qualified to apply for positions as teachers of English composition and literature at many community colleges. Several current learners teach at primary and secondary schools and are pursuing the M.A. either for advancement in their current jobs or to move to teaching at the college level. Learners with the M.A. also seek employment in a wide variety of industries, including publishing, public relations, advertising, radio and television, and cultural institutions such as museums and libraries. Enrolled learners have the opportunity to discuss their professional goals with a certified career counselor, free of charge.