English and Modern Languages 2011-2012
Department of English & Modern Languages
Location: 4 Maes Building, Phone:409.880.8558 Chair: Steve Zani
Director of Writing: Jim Sanderson Location: 03 Maes Building, 409.880.8555
Director of Writing Center: Melissa Hudler Location: 1st Floor, John Gray Library, 409.880.8587
Director of Lamar Language Institute: Lisa Moseley Location: Montagne 106A, 409.880.8012
Degree Coordinators: Spanish degree coordinator: Norma Zarzosa
French degree coordinator: Kenneth Rivers
Mission
The mission of the Department of English, Modern Languages and Philosophy is to provide superior teaching, research and service. The faculty seeks to develop student literary comprehension, creative and critical thinking, and writing and communicative abilities in a range of diverse intellectual and cultural traditions. The department is committed to fostering sound liberal arts academic experience and preparing graduates to meet the educational, professional and cultural needs of the region and beyond. The Department of English and Modern Languages emphasizes excellent teaching in a variety of languages and literatures. The Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees are available in English. Scholarly interests of members of the department include old and middle English, the Renaissance, Shakespeare, eighteenth century studies, English and American romanticism, the Victorian age, contemporary English and American literature, African American literature, West Indian literature and Rhetoric and Composition. In addition to the study of English and American literature through courses organized by genre, period, and individual author, the student may explore the history and structure of language and the crafts of both creative and technical writing. The Bachelor of Arts degree is available in both French* and Spanish*, enabling the student to acquire competence in conversation and composition in these languages as well as familiarity with their literature and culture. The department also offers courses in German and minors in philosophy, French, Spanish, Writing and English.
Majors frequently certify for secondary public school teaching in conjunction with earning the Bachelor of Arts degree in English, French* or Spanish*. However many others pursue the degree as part of their liberal arts educational goals and go on to careers in business or government service or to graduate study or law school. A degree in a foreign language is especially valuable for those anticipating foreign service employment in the public or private sector. The English writing concentration as well as modern languages and philosophy can combine with other majors to improve marketability.
The English program endeavors to advance the study and appreciation of the English language as a tool for scholarly analysis, criticism, creativity and communication. The program also seeks to help students understand literature as an expression of aesthetic and humanistic values.
Degrees Offered
English and Modern Languages Degree Plans
Bachelor of Arts in English -120 hrs
Teacher Certification in English Language Arts and Reading 8-12
Minor in English – 18 hrs, of which 9 hours must be chosen from certain advanced level courses.
Minor in Writing -18 hrs, of which 9 must be chosen from certain advanced level courses
Minor in Philosophy -18 hrs
Bachelor of Arts in French* -120 hrs
Minor in French -21 hrs
Teacher Certification in French 8-12
Bachelor of Arts in Spanish* -120 hrs
Teacher Certification in Spanish 8-12
Minor in Spanish -21 hrs
Master of Arts in English
Bachelor of Arts – English
Requirements for all English BA degrees:
1) ENGL 3326 – Advanced Expository Writing 2) One American Literature class: 3322, 3324, or 3392 3) One British Literature class: 3382 or 3384 4) One World Literature class: 3330 or 3332 5) Six hours of the twelve academic electives must be at the 3000 or 4000 level.
All English majors must fulfill those requirements. Then students have four options (plans) they can pursue, each with its own additional, plan-specific requirements. Those four options are as follows:
Literature Concentration Writing Concentration Rhetoric/Composition Concentration Teacher Certification
Literature Concentration: 1) Students must take correspondent second 4000-level classes in American, British, and World Literature. In other words, students must take two American, two British and two World Literature classes, one from the junior level as required (above) on all degree plans, but then another one in each category at the 4000level. 2) Students must take three additional 4000-level English electives.
Writing Concentration: 1) Students must take three additional courses from among the following list: 3310 (Technical Writing), 3316 (Poetic Analysis), 3326 (Adv Expository Writing), 3350 (Creative Writing – Poetry or Fiction), 4310 (Teaching of Writing), 4312 (Studies in Language and Linguistics), 4345 (Writing Seminar), 4347 (Multimedia Writing). Some additional writing courses from outside of the department would also qualify, including COMM 3330 (Adv Journalistic Writing), etc. As listed in catalog, some courses may be taken more than once to fulfill requirement (3350, et al.) 2) Students must take three additional 4000-level English electives.
Rhetoric/Composition Concentration: 1) Students must take three additional courses from among the following list: 3327 (Advanced Argumentation), 4300 (Introduction to Linguistics), 4301 (History of the English Language), 4303 (Sociolinguistics), 4312 (Studies in Language and Linguistics), 4314 (Studies in Critical Theory), 4346 (Studies in Rhetoric), 4347 (Multimedia Writing) 2) Students must take three additional 4000-level English electives.
Teacher Certification: 1) Students must take ENGL 4321 (Issues in Language and Literature 2) Students must take two of the following “genre” courses, 3316 (Poetic Analysis), 3320 (Child and Adolescent Literature), 3340 (Mythology), 3350 (Creative Writing), 3360 (The Short Story), 3370 (The Drama), 3380 (British Novel), 3390 (American Novel). 3) Students must take three additional 4000-level English electives. 4) See below for further information about requirements in the Teacher Certification program.
Minor: Students in all concentrations except for Teacher Certification must in addition have an approved minor of at least 18 semester hours, including 9 semester hours of advanced courses. Marketable minors in areas such as business or computer science are encouraged. Students and advisers should obtain current information from individual departments about their requirements for minors in their fields.
Academic Foundations Requirements, 12 hours All students must complete a modern language, either French, German or Spanish, through the intermediate level (six hours beginning 1311, 1312 and six hours intermediate 2311, 2312)
Suggested Program of StudyBachelor of Arts in English-Total. Min. Hours: 120 Teacher Certification – English (126)
| First Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| ENGL 1301 | 3 | ENGL 1302 | 3 |
| MATH 1314 | 3 | MATH/QUANT ANALYSIS | 3 |
| PHIL 1370 | 3 | HIST 1302 | 3 |
| HIST 1301 | 3 | Lab Science | 4 |
| Lab Science | 4 | Communication | 3 |
| TOTAL | 16 | 16 | |
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| ENGL 23__ | 3 | Modern Language 1312 | 3 |
| Modern Language 1311 | 3 | POLS 2302 | 3 |
| POLS 2301 | 3 | ENGL 3326 | 3 |
| PEGA | 1 | ENGL 3382 or 3384 | 3 |
| Fine Arts | 3 | Minor | 3 |
| Social/Behavioral Science | 3 | ||
| TOTAL | 16 | 15 | |
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| Modern Language 2311 | 3 | Modern Language 2312 | 3 |
| ENGL 3322,3324, or 3392 | 3 | ENGL 3000 or 4000 elective | 6 |
| ENGL 3330 or 3332 | 3 | Academic Elective | 3 |
| ENGL 3000 or 4000 elective | 3 | Minor | 3 |
| Minor | 3 | ||
| TOTAL | 15 | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Spring | ||
| ENGL 4000 elective | 6 | ENGL 4000 elective | 3 |
| Minor | 6 | Minor | 3 |
| Academic elective | 3 | Academic elective | 6 |
| TOTAL | 15 | 12 | |
To become certified in Texas, students must complete an undergraduate degree, pass state exams in both a subject area and in pedagogy, and must comply with other state requirements. Students wishing to teach English in Texas must choose either the teacher certification program for English Language Arts/Reading Grades 4-8 or for English Language Arts/Reading Grades 8-12. The Grades 4-8 certification program is offered only in the College of Education and Human Development. The Grades 8-12 certification program is offered only in the Department of English and Modern Languages.
Students wishing teacher certification in English must fulfill all requirements for the major as listed above, specifically those requirements listed under the Teacher Certification plan. In addition, these students must complete all required courses in professional pedagogy, including student teaching, must comply with all current departmental/university state preparation/remediation policies, and must pass appropriate local and state qualifying examinations.
Suggested Program of StudyBachelor of Arts in English-with Teacher Certification-Total. Min. Hours: 126 hrs
| First Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| ENGL 1301 | 3 | ENGL 1302 | 3 |
| MATH 1314 | 3 | MATH/QUANT ANALYSIS | 3 |
| PHIL 1370 | 3 | HIST 1302 | 3 |
| HIST 1301 | 3 | Lab Science | 4 |
| Lab Science | 4 | Communication | 3 |
| TOTAL | 16 | 16 | |
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Spring |
| ENGL 23__ | 3 | Modern Language 1312 | 3 |
| Modern Language 1311 | 3 | POLS 2302 | 3 |
| POLS 2301 | 3 | ENGL 3326 | 3 |
| PEGA | 1 | ENGL 3382 or 3384 | 3 |
| Fine Arts | 3 | PEDG 2310 | 3 |
| Social/Behavioral Science | 3 | ||
| TOTAL | 16 | 15 | |
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| Modern Language 2311 | 3 | Modern Language 2312 | 3 |
| ENGL 3322,3324, or 3392 | 3 | ENGL 3000 or 4000 elective | 3 |
| ENGL 3330 or 3332 | 3 | Academic Elective | 3 |
| Academic elective | 6 | ENGL 3316, 3320, 3340, 3360, 3370, 3390, 3380, or 3350 | 6 |
| TOTAL | 15 | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| ENGL 4000 elective | 6 | ENGL 4000 elective | 3 |
| PEDG 3310 | 3 | PEDG 3380 | 3 |
| PEDG 3320 | 3 | ENGL 4321 | 3 |
| READ 3326 | 3 | PEDG 4380 | 3 |
| TOTAL | 15 | 12 | |
| Fifth Year | |||
| Fall | |||
| PEDG 4620 | 6 | ||
| TOTAL | 6 |
Minor in English (no grade less than a “C”) A minor in English requires 18 hours above the 9-hour core composition and sophomore literature requirements, with at least 6 hours at the advanced 4000-level.
- may include 1 additional sophomore literature course
- must include 1 advanced 3000 or 4000-level British literature course
- must include 1 advanced 3000 or 4000-level American literature course
- must include 1 advanced 3000 or 4000-level Genre or World literature course
- must include 2 additional advanced 3000 or 4000-level literature and/or linguistics courses
Minor in Writing (No grade less than “C”) A minor in writing requires 18 hours above 6-hour core curriculum composition requirement, of which 9 hours must be chosen from the following advanced level creative, technical, or critical writing courses:
- ENGL 3326 Advanced Expository Writing
- ENGL 3350 Creative Writing: Poetry
- ENGL 3350 Creative Writing: Fiction
- ENGL 4345 Writing Seminar: Poetry
- ENGL 4345 Writing Seminar: Fiction
- ENGL 3310 Technical Report Writing
- ENGL 4347 Multimedia Writing
With departmental approval, advanced writing classes from English or other disciplines may substitute for the classes listed above for the minor.
Minor in Philosophy (No grade less than “C”) Students who wish to minor in philosophy must complete 18 hours of course in philosophy while adhering to the following guidelines:
- PHIL 1370 or PHIL 1360 Philosophy of Knowledge (or approved transfer core curriculum equivalent)
- PHIL 2303 Logic
- PHIL 2306 Ethics
- Nine hours of advanced 3000-or 4000-level Philosophy course work
With departmental approval, these may include classes with philosophical content taught in other disciplines.
Modern Languages
The modern languages program strives to promote the study of languages, literature and communication, to develop cultural awareness, and to encourage an appreciation of international values.
Bachelor of Arts – French* (120 hours)
The degree of Bachelor of Arts in French* combines general requirements, including the Core Curriculum with its emphasis on ways of knowing, and the more specialized study within the major:
- Core curriculum Requirements, 48 hours: Note: French majors must take COMM 1315, 1360, 2373, or 3310
- Academic Foundation Requirements, 6 hours: Three additional hours from ENGL 3330, or 3332 HIST 4310 or HIST 4324
- Major, 33 hours: FREN 1311 and 1312 Beginning French I and II FREN 2311 and 2312: Intermediate French I and II FREN 3300: French Conversation FREN 3370: Advanced Grammar and Composition FREN 3380: French Phonetics FREN 3390: French Culture and Civilization Three advanced (3000-or 4000-level) French courses, one of which must be at the 4000 level.
- Minor: 18 hours, including at least nine hours of advanced courses.
- Academic Electives: 15 hours, including at least nine hours of advanced courses. Minor in French (No grade less than “C”) Students who wish to minor in French must take 18 hours beyond FREN 1311, including the following:
- FREN 1312 Beginning French II
- FREN 2311 Intermediate French I
- FREN 2312 Intermediate French II
- 9 hours Advanced (3000-or 4000-level) French Electives
- Academic Electives: 15 hours, including at least nine hours of advanced courses. Minor in French (No grade less than “C”) Students who wish to minor in French must take 18 hours beyond FREN 1311, including the following:
Suggested Program of Study Bachelor of Arts in French*-Total. Min. Hours: 120 Teacher Certification – French (120 hours)
| First Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| FREN 1311 | 3 | FREN 1312 | 3 |
| ENGL 1301 | 3 | ENGL 1302 | 3 |
| Mathematics | 3 | PHIL 1370 | 3 |
| Communication | 3 | Lab Science | 4 |
| Fine Arts | 3 | Mathematics | 3 |
| TOTAL | 15 | 16 | |
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| FREN 2311 | 3 | FREN 2312 | 3 |
| ENGL 2000 literature | 3 | ENGL 3330 or 3332 | 3 |
| HIST 1301 | 3 | HIST 1302 | 3 |
| Lab Science | 4 | POLS 2301 | 3 |
| Social/Behavioral Science | 3 | Academic elective | 3 |
| PEGA | 1 | ||
| TOTAL | 17 | 15 | |
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| FREN 3300 | 3 | FREN 3370 | 3 |
| POLS 2302 | 3 | FREN 3380 | 3 |
| Minor | 6 | Minor | 6 |
| Academic Elective | 3 | Academic Elective | 3 |
| TOTAL | 15 | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| FREN 3390 | 3 | FREN 3000 or 4000 elective | 3 |
| Academic elective | 6 | FREN 4000 elective | 3 |
| FREN 3000 or 4000 elective | 3 | Minor | 3 |
| Minor | 3 | HIST 4310 or 4324 | 3 |
| TOTAL | 15 | 12 |
Students wishing to certify with French as the primary teaching field should major in the Department of English and Modern Languages and receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in French*.
Those receiving the Bachelor of Arts in French* with a certificate-secondary take the same core curriculum and departmental foundations outlined in Bachelor of Arts-French* and similar “major” studies.
Students majoring in French with Teacher Certification do not need to have a minor. In addition, these students must complete FREN 4350 – Teaching Methods EC-6 and FREN 4360 – Teaching Methods 6-12.
In addition, these students must complete all required courses in professional pedagogy, including student teaching, must comply with all current departmental/university state preparation/remediation policies, and must pass appropriate local and state qualifying examinations.
Suggested Program of Study Bachelor of Arts in French-Teacher Certification-Total. Min. Hours:120
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Spring | ||
| FREN 1311 | 3 | FREN 1312 | 3 |
| ENGL 1301 | 3 | ENGL 1302 | 3 |
| Mathematics | 3 | PHIL 1370 | 3 |
| Communication | 3 | Lab Science | 4 |
| Fine Arts | 3 | Mathematics | 3 |
| TOTAL | 15 | 16 | |
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| FREN 2311 | 3 | FREN 2312 | 3 |
| ENGL 2000 literature | 3 | ENGL 3330 or 3332 | 3 |
| HIST 1301 | 3 | HIST 1302 | 3 |
| Lab Science | 4 | POLS 2301 | 3 |
| Social/Behavioral Science | 3 | PEDG 2310 | 3 |
| PEGA | 1 | ||
| TOTAL | 17 | 15 | |
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| FREN 3300 | 3 | FREN 3380 | 3 |
| POLS 2302 | 3 | FREN 3000 or 4000 elective | 3 |
| FREN 3370 | 3 | FREN 3390 | 6 |
| HIST 4310 or 4324 | 3 | PEDG | 3 |
| Academic elective | 3 | PEDG | 3 |
| TOTAL | 15 | 3 | |
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| FREN 4350 | 3 | FREN 4000 elective | 3 |
| PEDG 3380 | 3 | READ 3326 | 3 |
| FREN 3000 or 4000 elective | 3 | PEDG 4360 | 6 |
| PEDG 4340 | 3 | ||
| FREN 4360 | |||
| TOTAL | 15 | 12 |
Bachelor of Arts – Spanish* (minimum 120 hours)
The degree of Bachelor of Arts in Spanish* combines general requirements, including the Core Curriculum with its emphasis on ways of knowing, and the more specialized study within the major:
- Core Curriculum Requirements, 48 hours: Note: Spanish majors must take COMM 1315, 1360, 2373, or 3310
- Academic Foundations Requirements, 15 hours:
Three additional hours selected from ENGL 3330, or 3332
SPAN 1311 and 1312 Beginning Spanish I and II
SPAN 2311 and 2312 Intermediate Spanish I and II - Major, 30 hours advanced Spanish
SPAN 3300: Spanish Conversation
SPAN 3310: Advanced Grammar and Composition
SPAN 3315 Advanced Expository Writing
SPAN 3320: Culture and Civilization of Spain
SPAN 3330: Culture and Civilization of Spanish America
SPAN 4310: Survey of Spanish Peninsular Literature I
SPAN 4320: Survey of Spanish-American Literature I
SPAN 4330: Survey of Spanish Peninsular Literature II
SPAN 4340: Survey of Spanish-American Literature II
SPAN 4380: Special Topics: Advanced Conversation
- Minor, 18 hours, including at least nine hours of advanced courses.
- Electives: 9 hours, including at least 3 hours of advanced courses.
Suggested Program of Study Bachelor of Arts in Spanish*-Total. Min. Hours: 120 Teacher Certification – Spanish
| First Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| SPAN 1311 | 3 | SPAN 1312 | 3 |
| ENGL 1301 | 3 | ENGL 1302 | 3 |
| Mathematics | 3 | Mathematics | 3 |
| Communication | 3 | Lab Science | 4 |
| Fine Arts | 3 | PHIL 1370 | 3 |
| TOTAL | 15 | 16 | |
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| SPAN 2311 | 3 | SPAN 2312 | 3 |
| ENGL 2000 literature | 3 | ENGL 3300 or 3332 | 3 |
| HIST 1301 | 3 | HIST 1302 | 3 |
| Lab Science | 4 | POLS 2301 | 3 |
| Social/Behavioral Science | 3 | PEGA | 1 |
| Academic Elective | 3 | ||
| TOTAL | 16 | 16 | |
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| SPAN 3300 | 3 | SPAN 3320 | 3 |
| SPAN 3310 | 3 | SPAN 3330 | 3 |
| POLS 2302 | 3 | Academic elective | 3 |
| Minor | 3 | Minor | 6 |
| SPAN 3315 | 3 | ||
| TOTAL | 15 | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| SPAN 4310 | 3 | SPAN 4340 | 3 |
| SPAN 4320 | 3 | SPAN 4380 | 3 |
| SPAN 4330 | 3 | Academic elective | 3 |
| Academic elective | 3 | Minor | 3 |
| Minor | 3 | ||
| TOTAL | 15 | 12 |
Students wishing to certify with Spanish as the primary teaching field should major in the Department of English and Modern Languages and receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish*.
Those receiving the Bachelor of Arts in French* with a certificate-secondary take the same core curriculum and departmental foundations outlined in Bachelor of Arts Spanish* and similar “major” studies, with the exceptions listed below.
Students majoring in Spanish with Teacher Certification do not need to have a minor, nor are they required to take ENGL 3330 or 3332. Students are also not required to take 9 hours of academic electives. In addition, these students must complete three additional classes, SPAN 2300 – Study Abroad, SPAN 4350 – Teaching Methods EC-6 and SPAN 4360 – Teaching Methods 6-12.
In addition, these students must complete all required courses in professional pedagogy, including student teaching, must comply with all current departmental/university ExCET preparation/remediation policies, and must pass appropriate local and state qualifying examinations.
For requirements for elementary teacher certification with Spanish specialization, consult the College of Education and Human Development.
Suggested Program of Study
Bachelor of Arts in Spanish-Teacher Certification-Total. Min. Hours: 123
| First Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| SPAN 1311 | 3 | SPAN 1312 | 3 |
| ENGL 1301 | 3 | ENGL 1302 | 3 |
| Mathematics | 3 | Mathematics | 3 |
| Communication | 3 | Lab Science | 4 |
| Fine Arts | 3 | PHIL 1370 | 3 |
| TOTAL | 15 | 16 | |
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| SPAN 2311 | 3 | SPAN 3310 | 3 |
| SPAN 2312 | 3 | SPAN 3300 | 3 |
| HIST 1301 | 3 | HIST 1302 | 3 |
| ENGL 2000 literature | 3 | Social/Behavioral Science | 3 |
| Lab Science | 4 | PEGA | 1 |
| POLS 2301 | 3 | ||
| TOTAL | 16 | 16 | |
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| SPAN 3315 | 3 | SPAN 4310 | 3 |
| SPAN 3320 | 3 | SPAN 4330 | 3 |
| POLS 2302 | 3 | PEDG 3310 | 3 |
| PEDG 2302 | 3 | PEDG 3320 | 3 |
| SPAN 3330 | 3 | ||
| TOTAL | 15 | 12 | |
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| SPAN 4320 | 3 | SPAN 4360 | 3 |
| PEDG 3380 | 3 | SPAN 4380 | 3 |
| READ 3326 | 3 | PEDG 4340 | 3 |
| SPAN 4340 | 3 | Academic elective | 3 |
| SPAN 4350 | 3 | ||
| TOTAL | 15 | 12 | |
| Fifth Year | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| PEDG 4630 | 6 | ||
| TOTAL | 6 |
Developmental Writing (DWRT)
0371 Developmental Writing The improvement of basic composition skills as required by the state’s Success Initiative Plan. The course is a prerequisite to ENGL 1301 for all students who do not pass the writing component of the Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA) exam; students must enroll in developmental writing until they pass the course with a grade of C or better or pass their retake of the writing component of the THEA exam. The course neither satisfies general degree requirements for freshman English nor counts toward graduation hours. However, a student’s final grade in the course is both computed into the student’s GPA and recorded on the student’s official transcript.
Graduate Program
The graduate program of the Department of English and Modern Languages offers opportunity for intensive study of language and literature. Scholarly interests of members of the department include old and middle English, the Renaissance, Shakespeare, eighteenth century studies, English, German, and American romanticism, the Victorian age, modern English and American literature, African American and Caribbean literatures, rhetoric and composition studies, and comparative literature. In addition to the study of literature through courses organized by genre, period and individual author, the student may explore the history and structure of language and language acquisition and the crafts of both creative and technical writing.
Degree Requirements
The degree of Master of Arts in English requires the completion of 30 semester hours of graduate work: 24 in English (or 18 with an approved six-hour minor), and six in thesis. In general, students are encouraged to emphasize graduate seminars (courses numbered 5000 or above) in their graduate coursework. In the non-thesis alternative, 12 semester hours of coursework may be substituted for the thesis. The creative thesis, as well as the traditional critical thesis, is an option.
All students must have a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 2.5/4.0 overall or on the last 60 hours of undergraduate courses. In addition, international students must score at least 550 on the TOEFL before admission. Students interested in pursuing an M.A. degree in English whose undergraduate major was not English should consult the English department chair.
Graduate Work
Undergraduates planning to go on to graduate study in English at Lamar should consider taking ENGL 4314 Literary Criticism, 4301 History of the English Language, or 4300 Linguistics while working on their bachelors. Undergraduates wishing to be considered for a graduate assistantship within Lamar’s English Department should consider taking ENGL 4310 Teaching English and 4312 Studies in Language and Linguistics (Grammar). ENGL 5310 Teaching English and 5312 Studies in Language and Linguistics (Grammar) are strongly encouraged for graduate assistants or those wishing to teach at the college or high school level, unless satisfied at 4000-level (see above) or through experience.
Graduate Program Review: The Chair and the Writing Director (or an equivalent appointed committee within the department) will monitor students’ progress and advise and approve students’ study and course choices. After students complete 4 courses (12 hours), the Chair and/or the Writing Director will review students’ progress. Among other criteria, the chair and/or Writing Directing, consulting with other Graduate Faculty, will assess a student’s overall GPA (3.0 minimum), ability to meet deadlines, ethical integrity, respect for colleagues and peers, evolving awareness of professional opportunities, and the likely potential either for generating a scholarly/creative thesis or command of the coursework necessary for passing the Oral Examination. Satisfactory progress must be demonstrated for a student to be permitted to continue in the program.
M.A. Tracks:
Track 1: Concentration in traditional study of Literature, Writing, or Linguistics. This track is intended for students who plan to pursue a Ph.D. or who wish pursue a traditional M.A. degree with a focus on Literature, Writing, or Linguistics. These students should have completed the 12 hour language requirement for the B.A., or should be able to otherwise exhibit a “reading knowledge” of a language by examination. Students may write a thesis (which also requires an oral thesis defense) OR take the 36 hour non-thesis option (which requires an oral examination based on coursework). Students should consult with an advisor each semester for an exact plan of study.
1) Students must take one of the following: ENGL 5314 Literary Criticism, 5301History of the English Language, or 5300 Linguistics.
2) Students must take ENGL 5335 —Introduction to profession course.
3) Students must take at least 12 hours of Literature courses.
4) With written justification and approval from the department chair, students may take up to 6 graduate hours outside of the department.
Track 2: Concentration in an applied M.A. in English. This track is intended for students who are not planning to pursue a Ph.D. in English or other terminal degree, who are planning to pursue vocational interests, or who are primarily interested in writing and/or pedagogy or rhetoric. Students pursuing this track need not complete the language requirement. Students must take the 36 hour non-thesis option (which requires an oral examination based on coursework). Students should consult each semester with an advisor for an exact plan of study.
1) Students must take ENGL 5335 – Introduction to the Profession
2) As determined by their individual degree focus, students must take 3 of the following classes: ENGL 5301 History of the English Language, 5300 Linguistics, 5310 Teaching of Writing, 5312 Studies in Language and Linguistics (Grammar), or 5314 Critical Theory.
* Degree program phased out effective Spring 2012, contact advisor