English Department Programs
Logical Starting Points [Sites that can do a BETTER job of answering your questions about each program!]:
VT's Graduate School
Masters Program in English
Master of Arts in English Program
Master of Fine Arts in English Program
What graduate programs does the English Department offer?
The English Department's oldest established graduate program is the Master of Arts in English. A more recent addition is the Master of Fine Arts in English Program for creative writers. The Department also has a PhD in Rhetoric and Writing, which will accept its first class of students in Fall 2007.
What is the MA Program like?
The Masters in English (MA) Program requires 36 graduate credit hours of coursework, to include a capstone project, either an independent study or a thesis. The programprepares you for (1) teaching on the college level, (2) continuation of your graduate career (with a PhD, at the present earned elsewhere), or (3) entry into a career. The web site indicates that the program "offers an opportunity to develop broad competence--'mastery' of the subject matter, methods, and theories of English Studies. Thus, some courses will fill gaps in historical periods, genres, theories, or methods based on the student’s prior study. The master’s degree also offers the opportunity to explore new areas of English Studies."
Am I certified to teach on the high school level with an MA in English?
No, the MA in English does not provide state certification for middle and high school teachers. If you want an MA program that does this, you would want to check out the School of Education's Middle and Secondary Language Arts Program, which will earn you an MAED and certification in Virginia and several other states and territories.
What is the MFA Program like?
The MFA Program requires 48 hours of graduate coursework, including 6 thesis hours, 15 hours of creative writing workshops, an independent study tutorial course for students in the Writers-in-Residence Program, an independent study tutorial course for students who serve as editors of the New River hypertext journal, and a variety of courses. The MFA involves selection of an option in one of 3 areas: Fiction, Poetry, or Playwriting.
How long will it take to get an MA or an MFA in English at Tech?
For information regarding length of study, please consult the individual program pages.
I'm going to be getting my BA in English with a focus on Professional Writing. So does this mean I can apply to the English Department's PhD Program in Rhetoric and Writing?
Short answer: no. A PhD is pursued after a master's degree is earned, so you have to get the latter under your belt before you go for the former. Consult the PhD Program site for more info.
How can I apply for one of the English Department's graduate programs?
Some application materials must be submitted to the university's Graduate School, while some you must submit directly to the Department. Begin your journey with the Graduate Program's online application.
Whom should I contact to find out more information about our graduate programs in English?
The current Director of the Graduate Program in English is Joe Eska. However, before you contact him to ask him a random question, please visit the MA, MFA, and PhD sites to see if your question can be answered by good, old-fashioned logical research.