Degrees Offered:

Program Title	Ph.D.	Ed.D.	M.S.	M.A.	Master  of	M.Ed.	MFA
Creative Writing							Y
English				Y
Technical Communication			Y

GRADUATE FACULTY

A. H. Harrison, Department Head

Directors of Graduate Programs:
C. A. Prioli, Box 8105, 54107, prioli@ncsu.edu, English
R. S. Dicks, Box 8105, 37354, sdicks@unity.ncsu.edu, English

Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor:  J. M. Grimwood
Distinguished Professor:  M. T. Hester
Distinguished University:  A. H. Harrison
Distinguished University Professor:  C. M. Anson
SAS Institute Distinguished Professor of Rhetoric and Technical Communication:  C. R. Miller
William C. Friday Distinguished University Professorship:  W. A. Wolfram

Professors: J. Balaban, M. P. Carter, A. M. Davis-Gardner, B. D. Faber, C. Gross, W. J. Jordan, H. D. Kellner, J. J. Kessel, Y. R. Kim, D. L. Laux, T. D. Lisk, L. H. MacKethan, J. C. McCorkle, J. M. Nfah-Abbenyi, M. E. Orr, A. M. Penrose, M. T. Pramaggiore, C. A. Prioli, L. R. Severin, A. F. Stein, E. R. Thomas, J. F. Thompson, M. H. Thuente, J. N. Wall, R. V. Young; Emeritus Professors: B. J. Baines, G. W. Barrax, P. E. Blank, L. S. Champion, J. W. Clark, J. D. Durant, M. Halperen, L. T. Holley, H. G. Kincheloe, A. S. Knowles, B. G. Koonce, W. E. Meyers, F. H. Moore, J. J. Small, L. Smith, J. J. Smoot, W. B. Toole, M. C. Williams, P. Williams; Associate Professors: A. Baker, W. W. Barnhardt, B. A. Bennett, A. Bolonyai, H. G. Braunbeck, D. H. Covington, R. S. Dicks, N. Halpern, S. M. Katz, R. C. Kochersberger, L. S. May, S. K. Miller-Cochran, J. D. Morillo, D. A. Orgeron, M. G. Orgeron, J. Packer, S. M. Setzer, S. Smith McKoy, J. Swarts; Emeritus Associate Professors: E. P. Dandridge, M. F. King, C. E. Moore, H. C. West; Assistant Professors: B. Blackley, J. C. Charles, C. J. Crosbie, R. M. Dodsworth, M. K. Dudley, D. A. Hooker, M. E. Lamont, W. J. Miller, J. L. Reaser, D. J. Reavis, D. M. Rieder, T. L. Stinson, R. A. Walsh, M. L. Welch; Teaching Assistant Professors: S. L. Joffe

MASTER OF ARTS (MA)

The Master of Arts program offers instruction in English and American literature, world literature, film studies, rhetoric and composition, and linguistics. It can serve either as a complete course of study or as the first phase of study toward a doctoral degree at another institution.

Admission Requirements: Overall GPA of 3.0 or higher. Applicants should submit GRE scores (general aptitude and analytical writing); one official transcript of all undergraduate and graduate work; three letters of recommendation; a personal statement; and a writing sample. 

Requirements for MA in English: The program requires 32 credit hours. American/British literature and world literature students take a distribution of four courses, one each in English literature before 1660, English literature after 1660, American literature and a fourth category including composition theory, rhetoric, linguistics, or literary theory. Linguistics and rhetoric/composition students take two literature classes of their choice to fulfill the distribution requirement. Film studies students take four literature courses of their choice. In addition, all students (except those in linguistics) must take an introduction to research and bibliography (ENG 669).  All students must pass a foreign language reading requirement, and complete a Master's capstone project.

Beyond these basic requirements, the program comprises five concentrations in British and American literature, film studies, composition and rhetoric, world literature, and linguistics. Each concentration requires five additional courses, of which three must pertain to the area of concentration. The capstone project will be in the area of the concentration and directed by a specialist in the field. 

Student Financial Support: Teaching assistantships are available for a limited number of promising students. Applications for assistantships are due February 1 for those entering in the fall, and November 1 for those entering in the spring. (New assistantships are rarely available for the spring semester.) During their first year those selected to teach composition must take ENG 511 (Theory and Research in Composition), be mentored by a composition instructor, and attend a second workshop (ENG 624) in their third semester. 

TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION (MS)

The Master of Science in technical communication is designed to prepare professional communicators for advanced positions in industry and research organizations; with appropriate electives, students can prepare for careers in web design and development, software documentation, environmental communication, medical writing, industrial training in writing and editing, publications management and related areas.

Admission Requirements: Applicants should submit a resume and a writing sample. Prerequisites for the program are basic editing (ENG 214) and technical writing (ENG 314, 317, 331, 332, or 333) or equivalent courses and/or work experience. The application deadline is June 15 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester. Those who wish to be considered for teaching assistantships should complete the application by February 1 for fall.

Requirements for MS in Technical Communication: The program requires 33 semester hours: 15 hours in the fields of technical writing, publication management, rhetoric and a projects course; the remaining hours are taken in applications, theory and methods and cross-disciplinary courses. Students must also satisfy a requirement for one semester of professional work experience.

Student Financial Support: Teaching assistantships are available for a limited number of promising students. These students work with an experienced teacher in their first year to assist in 300-level writing courses. They devote half time in subsequent semesters to teaching technical communication.

CREATIVE WRITING (MFA)

The Department of English offers a two-year studio/academic program in fiction or poetry leading to the Master of Fine Arts degree.  The program provides an opportunity for students of superior and demonstrated ability in imaginative writing to develop their skills and critical judgment through the practice of writing and the study of literature.  The aim of the program is to prepare talented students for careers in writing. Degree candidates are expected to produce a book-length work of literary value and publishable quality. 

 Admission Requirements: Overall GPA of 3.0 or higher; applicants should submit GRE scores (general aptitude and analytical writing); one official transcript of all undergraduate and graduate work; three letters of recommendation; and two writing samples, one creative, one critical. Creative sample: for fiction, two short stories, or for a novel, three chapters (or one chapter and a short story) totaling 25-40 pages; for poetry, 12 complete poems. Critical sample: no more than 15 pages of writing demonstrating your ability to succeed in graduate-level literature classes, a required part of the MFA curriculum

Requirements for the MFA in Creative Writing: Candidates for the MFA degree must complete a total of 36 credits. Eighteen of these are taken in the area of writing specialization.  These include workshop courses (12 credits) and thesis (6 credits).  The remaining credits are taken in literature and directed readings (12 credits), elective (3 or 6 credits), and, for those on a composition teaching assistantship, ENG 511, Theory and Research in Composition (3 credits).

In their final semester, students must pass a comprehensive written examination on writing craft, based on a book list selected jointly by the student and the faculty. The final thesis must be a book-length manuscript in the student's field of interest. In fiction, an approximate 200 pages are expected; in poetry, 60 pages.

Student Financial Support: Teaching assistantships are available for a limited number of promising students. Selected new Teaching Assistants are also eligible for fellowship money awarded as an increase in assistantship stipend. TAs in the MFA train to teach undergraduate creative writing classes or composition classes.

Other Relevant Information: Application deadline is April 1 for both U.S. and  international students; February 1 for those seeking assistantships. Students are admitted for the fall semester only.

The English department has a long tradition of academic and literary excellence, including its heritage of writers from Guy Owen to Lee Smith, its publishing of the Southern Poetry Review, The John Donne Journal, Free Verse, and Obsidian. The strength of NCSU in the sciences offers students the opportunity to do creative work that engages with issues of technology and its effect on individuals and institutions that are not typically addressed in fine arts programs.

Through its Owen/Walters Readings Series, the department sponsors readings and residencies by distinguished poets, fiction and non-fiction writers, and has initiated a semester-long Visiting Distinguished North Carolina Writers program.

Click on Graduate Courses for current course information.

NCSU Graduate Catalog