Master of Arts in English and Master of Library and Information Science

This joint degree program in English and Library and Information Science requires 55 hours of course work and culminates in two compatible and highly marketable degrees.

• Admission
• Advisement
• Curriculum
• Thesis

Admission

Prospective students must apply independently to the Department of English and to the School of Library and Information Science. Neither the M.A. in English nor the M.L.I.S. will be awarded separately. Students who wish to change from the joint program to a single program must reapply to the program they wish to enter.

Applicants for admission to this M.A. program in English must have completed a minimum of 24 semester hours of upper-division undergraduate courses in English or a closely-related field.

Applicants should submit directly to The Graduate School

• online application forms,
• at least two letters of recommendation from teachers familiar with your academic achievement,
• transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions, and
• satisfactory scores on the GRE general test and subject test.
  
  Successful applicants will have GRE verbal scores at or above the 70th percentile and an undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or better.

You should send directly to the Department of English, attention Graduate Studies (address at left)

• a sample of academic writing (approximately 8-10 pages) and
• a statement of purpose.

Your application is not complete until all materials are received by The Graduate School and the Department. Admission decisions are based on all parts of an application, with especially close attention given to writing samples.

Deadline for applications to the English M.A. portion of this joint degree program is April 15.

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Advisement

M.A./M.L.I.S. students will be assigned academic advisors in both the Department of English and the School of Library and Information Science. Prior to registering for classes each semester, you should make an appointment to talk with both advisors. Your M.A. advisor will help you plan and file a program of study.

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Curriculum

M.A. in English (28 hours)

• ENGL 700 (3 hours)
• 15 hours of distribution requirements (one course from each of the following groups)

  a. Medieval and Renaissance, non-dramatic: ENGL 703, 705, 708, 710, 715, 716
  b. Drama: ENGL 711, 712, 713, 718, 728
  c. British literature, 1660-1900: ENGL 717, 720, 723, 724, 725, 726, 727
  d. American literature before 1900: ENGL 742, 744, 745, 751, 758
  e. Twentieth-century literature: ENGL 729, 730, 752, 755, 760

• 3 hours in an allied field (e.g., ENGL 776, ENGL 870-872, HIST 790, CLIS 719)
• 6 hours of electives
• 1 hour of ENGL 799 (thesis writing)
• reading knowledge of a foreign language

M.L.I.S. (27 hours)

• 18 hours of required courses: CLIS 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, 706
• 9 hours of library and information science electives

See also Course Descriptions, Residency, Language Competence, Time Limits for Degrees, and Frequently Asked Questions.

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Thesis

The thesis is a project of approximately 50 pages that demonstrates mastery of research methods in both English and library and information science. Typically the M.A./M.L.I.S. thesis is a bibliographical study of a figure, text, movement, problem, or current question in literature. The director of the thesis and thesis writing (ENGL 799) will be a member of the graduate faculty in English. The second reader should have credentials in the field of library and information science. No thesis defense is required, and there is no comprehensive exam.

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