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Graduate English Association
Graduate School Forms
The Department of English enrolls more than forty students in its Master of Arts Program. Students, in consultation with their advisor, tailor their course schedules to their own career objectives and interests, selecting a variety of courses in literature, linguistics, rhetoric and composition, literary theory, cultural studies and professional writing.
Teachers in secondary schools who wish to obtain graduate level teacher certification (M.Ed.) or inquire about the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) should consult the Graduate Coordinator in the Watson School of Education (telephone: 910-962-4142) or visit the Watson School’s website: uncw.edu\ed.
Admission
For admission to the graduate program in English, applicants must do the following:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in this country or its equivalent from a foreign university;
- Have a strong overall academic record with a B average or better in the undergraduate major;
- Submit satisfactory scores, attained within the last five years, on the Graduate Record Examination;
- Write a satisfactory response to the essay question appearing on the application form; and
- Submit a writing sample of ten pages that involves critical analysis of a text or texts.
Students who are taking or have taken graduate work elsewhere must be in good standing at that institution to be eligible to take graduate work at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Admission decisions are based on a flexible evaluation of the student’s complete record.
Documents to be submitted for graduate admission include the following: |
- An application for graduate admission
- Official transcripts of all college work (undergraduate and graduate)
- Official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) not more than five years old
- Three recommendations (forms are provided with the application) from individuals in professionally relevant fields, addressing the applicant’s demonstrated academic skills and/or potential for successful graduate study
- An essay that addresses the applicant’s purpose for graduate study (English Essay Form is included with the application)
- Evidence of a Bachelor’s degree at the time of entrance
- A ten-page analytical writing sample
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The deadline for receipt of applications by the Graduate School is March 1 if the student wishes to enroll in the Fall term and be considered for a Teaching Assistantship and other financial aid. The deadline for the Spring term is November 1.
Teaching Assistantships and Scholarships
Teaching Assistantships in the amount of $9000 are available and are awarded on a competitive basis each Spring to the top four or five candidates among the applicants who submit their credentials by the March 1 deadline and plan to enter the program the next Fall. These Assistantships are renewable for a second year, assuming satisfactory performance. Teaching Assistants receive training in the teaching of writing and literature and work approximately 20 hours per week, tutoring students in the Writing Place, assisting in faculty’s 101/103/201/110 classes, and eventually teaching English 101/103/201/110. Assistantships are awarded for two years. Applicants interested in being considered for an Assistantship should check the appropriate box on the application form. In addition, there are some modest scholarship funds, which are awarded to outstanding applicants.
Alton Yates Lennon Graduate Fellowship
Awarded each year to an incoming graduate student of English working toward an M.A. degree, the award provides funds to be used towards in-state tuition, fees, and books. The award shall be evenly divided between fall and spring semesters.
List of Alton Yates Lennon Graduate fellows
Degree Requirements
- The program requires a minimum of 30 semester hours in graduate-level (500-level) courses, including six hours for the thesis. A maximum of six credit hours may be transferred from another accredited institution or from courses taken at UNCW prior to admission to the graduate program. Grades earned on transfer work must be equivalent to “B” or better. Students must complete a minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate study at UNCW. A student enrolled in the UNCW graduate program who wishes to take one or more courses elsewhere for graduate degree credit must obtain prior approval from the Graduate Coordinator of the English Department and the Dean of the Graduate School.
- The student must successfully complete a qualifying written comprehensive examination no earlier than during the semester prior to the one in which the student plans to write the thesis. Normally, the examination is taken in the third semester of full-time enrollment.
- Each student will present and defend a thesis acceptable to the student’s committee of three faculty members, prior to graduation. The thesis defense is open to the public.
- All degree requirements must be completed within five calendar years of the student’s first registration in the graduate program.
Course Requirements
The Department recognizes two broad areas of interest: (1) Literature and (2) Critical Literacy (rhetoric and literacy studies). All students are required within English Studiesto take English 501 (Introduction to Research Methods in English). In addition, those who wish to emphasize literature are required to take English 502 (Introduction to Literary Theory), and those who wish to emphasize rhetoric and literacy studies are required to take 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.
Please address all inquiries to:
Barbara Waxman
Graduate Coordinator
Department of English
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
601 South College Road
Wilmington, NC 28403
910-962-3334 voice
910-962-7186 fax
email: waxmanb@uncw.edu
Do not send any application materials to the graduate coordinator or
the department; these should be sent to the The Graduate School
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