The Department of English has offered an MA in English since 1965. Its graduates have earned a reputation for disciplinary competence unusual for holders of the degree. Since Clemson does not offer the PhD in English, MA students receive the full attention of the graduate faculty. Another attractive feature of Clemson's graduate program is that qualified MA candidates may have the opportunity to teach freshman composition, with the guidance of an experienced faculty member.
The MA program is traditional, emphasizing a historical approach to the study of literature through seminars, lecture courses, and independent study. Students also have the opportunity to include the study of linguistics, creative writing, rhetoric, and critical theory in their program.
Contact Dr. Alma Bennett, Graduate Program Coordinator with any questions you might have.
Curriculum
Thesis Option: Twenty-five semester credit hours (eight courses). Includes completion and defense of a thesis, which may count for up to six credit hours.
Non-thesis Option: Thirty-seven semester credits. Acceptance by the student's advisory committee of a paper, offered for credit in an English course, demonstrating competent scholarly writing.
Admission Requirements
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited undergraduate college or university. A 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale is required for full status admission; a student may be considered for admission on a provisional basis with a GPA of 2.5 or above.
An official report indicating a satisfactory score on the general portion of the GRE. A score of 500 on the verbal and quantitative sections and a score of 4.5 on the writing is required for full status admission; a student with lower scores may be considered for provisional admission in some instances. Students interested in the MA in English are encouraged but not required to submit scores on the Literature Subject test.
Two letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the candidate's academic work and/or work experience.
All of the above documents should be sent directly to the Graduate School. If, however, an applicant is interested in financial assistance, he or she should send the following documents directly to the Director of the MA in English program:
• a writing sample (preferably a critical essay from an English course of ten or more pages, or two shorter essays);
• a brief personal statement, in the form of an intellectual autobiography that articulates what the applicant has studied, why he or she is seeking an advanced degree, what eras, authors, and approaches he or she is particularly interested in, and what special circumstances, if any, should be considered.
Financial Aid
The Department of English currently offers a number of research and teaching assistantships to qualified applicants in the Department of English. Students receiving these assistantships do assigned research for faculty members, serve as editorial assistants, and/or teach introductory writing courses under the direct supervision of faculty.