English (BA/MA)
The English Department offers a five-year combined BA/MA degree. Graduates of this program will be well prepared to pursue a PhD in English, to apply to a professional school, or to seek a teaching position at the post-secondary level. The combined degree will allow promising and talented undergraduates to move quickly through the MA degree.
The program offers our best undergraduates access to the considerable strengths of our strong and highly-regarded graduate programs. It will give these English majors a significant opportunity to test their skills and develop professional insights, leading to stronger applications when it is time for them to be considered by PhD programs elsewhere or for post-secondary teaching positions, as well as in industries where an advanced degree in English is sought (marketing, communications, editing, and professional writing for example). While completing the equivalent of the requirements for the BA in English, students in the five- year program will receive significantly more training in research skills and methods than their counterparts who complete only the BA. They may also fulfill the requirement for the undergraduate capstone course (ENGL 390 Advanced Seminar) with a graduate seminar.
Students in the BA/MA program have two electives at the graduate level, which may be used to take courses in another department or an interdisciplinary program that offers a graduate degree, such as History, Philosophy, or Women’s Studies and Gender Studies. The new MA in Digital Humanities also provides opportunities for students in the BA/MA program to take courses in textual scholarship.
CURRICULUM
For the Bachelors of Arts, twelve courses (36 hours) are required, nine of which (27 hours) must be at the 300-level. Up to three elective courses (9 hours) may be drawn from UCLR-E 100 and advanced 200-level (ENGL 270 and above) courses. At least one course must be among those designated by the department as "multicultural." The Advanced Seminar (ENGL 390) is considered the capstone of the major.
The Master of Arts in English requires 30 semester hours of coursework and a written examination. The program is designed so that a full-time student can complete these requirements in a year and a half of study. Students start taking their Masters coursework in the senior year. Three to four 400-level courses may be used to count toward both Bachelors and Masters requirements.
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelors of Arts Requirements | ||
| Literary Theory | ||
| ENGL 354 | Contemporary Critical Theory | 3 |
| or ENGL 355 | Studies in Literary Criticism | |
| Shakespeare | ||
| Select one of the following: 1 | 3 | |
| Shakespeare: Selected Major Plays 2 | ||
| Studies in Shakespeare 2 | ||
| Capstone: Advanced Seminar | ||
| ENGL 390 | Advanced Seminar 3 | 3 |
| English Literature Before 1900 (See list) | ||
| Select at least one course prior to 1700 4 | 3 | |
| Select at least one course from 1700 to 1900 | 3 | |
| One additional course chosen from either of the previous categories | 3 | |
| English Literature Since 1900 (See list) | 3 | |
| Elective Courses | ||
| Complete five ENGL elective courses. Three or four 400-level courses can be used to fulfill elective requirements for the Bachelors. | 15 | |
| Master of Arts Requirements | ||
| ENGL 400 | Intro to Graduate Study | 3 |
| Select Three (3) Courses in Literary Studies Courses. | 9 | |
At least one course must be in literature before 1800, and one in literature after 1800. | ||
| Select One Course in Critical Theory | 3 | |
| History of the English Language | ||
| Contemporary Literary Criticism | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Literature and Culture | ||
| Topics in Critical Theory | ||
| Postcolonial Theory | ||
| Marxist Literary Theory | ||
| Feminist Theory and Criticism | ||
| Dramatic Theory | ||
| Select One Course in Textual Studies or Digital Humanities | 3 | |
| History of the Book to 1800 | ||
| Textual Criticism | ||
| Media and Culture | ||
| Select Four 400-Level ENGL Elective Courses 1 | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 57 | |
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Course descriptions for 400 level English courses can be found here. For students interested in taking an elective outside of the English Department, please contact the Graduate Program Director.
English Literature Before 1900
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| English Courses Prior to 1700 | ||
| ENGL 306A | Studies in Women Writers Before 1700 | 3 |
| ENGL 312A | Studies in World Literature in English Before 1700 | 3 |
| ENGL 313A | Border Literature Before 1700 | 3 |
| ENGL 320 | English Literature: Medieval Period | 3 |
| ENGL 321 | Intro to Anglo-Saxon | 3 |
| ENGL 322 | Chaucer | 3 |
| ENGL 323 | Studies in Medieval Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 325 | British Literature-The Renaissance | 3 |
| ENGL 328 | Studies in The Renaissance | 3 |
| ENGL 329 | Milton | 3 |
| ENGL 359A | High and Low Culture Before 1700 | 3 |
| ENGL 362A | Studies in Poetry Before 1700 | 3 |
| ENGL 363A | Major Author, Before 1700 | 3 |
| ENGL 368A | Studies in Drama Before 1700 | 3 |
| ENGL 369A | Women in Drama Before 1700 | 3 |
| ENGL 372A | Studies in Fiction Before 1700 | 3 |
| ENGL 379A | Studies in American Literature Before 1700 | 3 |
| ENGL 381A | Comparative Literature Before 1700 | 3 |
| ENGL 382A | Studies in American Culture Before 1700 | 3 |
| English Courses Between 1700 and 1900 | ||
| ENGL 306B | Studies in Women Writers 1700-1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 312B | Studies in World Literature in English 1700-1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 313B | Border Literature 1700-1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 335 | British Literature - The Romantic Period | 3 |
| ENGL 338 | Studies in The Romantic Movmnt | 3 |
| ENGL 340 | British Literature - The Victorian Period | 3 |
| ENGL 343 | Studies in the Victorian Period | 3 |
| ENGL 359B | High and Low Culture 1700-1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 362B | Studies in Poetry 1700-1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 368B | Studies in Drama 1700-1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 369B | Women in Drama 1700-1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 372B | Studies in Fiction 1700-1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 375 | American Literature to 1865 | 3 |
| ENGL 376 | American Literature 1865-1914 | 3 |
| ENGL 379B | Studies in American Literature 1700-1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 381B | Comparative American Literature 1700 - 1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 382B | Studies in American Culture 1700-1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 384B | Studies in African American Literature, 1700-1900 | 3 |
English Literature Since 1900
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 306C | Studies in Women Writers Since 1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 311 | U.S. Latino/a Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 312C | Studies in World Literature in English Since 1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 313C | Border Literature Since 1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 315C | South Asian Literature Since 1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 316C | Caribbean Literature in English Since 1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 344 | Studies in Modernism | 3 |
| ENGL 345 | British Literature Since 1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 348 | Studies in British Literature Since 1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 351 | Contemporary Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 359C | High and Low Culture Since 1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 361 | Modernist Poetry | 3 |
| ENGL 362C | Studies in Poetry Since 1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 363C | Major Author, After 1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 367 | Modern Drama | 3 |
| ENGL 368C | Studies in Drama Since 1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 371 | The Modern Novel | 3 |
| ENGL 372C | Studies in Fiction Since 1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 377 | American Literature 1914-1945 | 3 |
| ENGL 379C | Studies in American Literature Since 1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 381C | Comparative American Literature Since 1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 382C | Studies in American Culture Since 1900 | 3 |
| ENGL 384C | Studies in African American Literature Since 1900 | 3 |
Literary Studies Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 428 | Postmodernism | 3 |
| ENGL 430 | Topics in Literature Studies | 3 |
| ENGL 436 | Women Writers in English | 3 |
| ENGL 433 | Seminar in Individual Authors | 3 |
| ENGL 437 | Topics in Drama | 3 |
| ENGL 440 | Topics in Medieval Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 441 | Old English Language & Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 443 | Middle English Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 444 | Medieval Drama | 3 |
| ENGL 447 | Chaucer | 3 |
| ENGL 450 | Topics in Early Modern Literature & Culture | 3 |
| ENGL 455 | Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENGL 456 | Early Modern Drama | 3 |
| ENGL 457 | Seventeenth-Century Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 458 | Milton | 3 |
| ENGL 460 | Topics in Restoration & 18th Century Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 466 | Eighteenth-Century Novel | 3 |
| ENGL 470 | Topics in Romanticism | 3 |
| ENGL 471 | Poetry of Romantic Period | 3 |
| ENGL 475 | Topics in Victorian Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 476 | Victorian Poetry | 3 |
| ENGL 477 | Victorian Prose | 3 |
| ENGL 478 | Victorian Novel | 3 |
| ENGL 480 | Topics in Modernism | 3 |
| ENGL 481 | Modern Poetry | 3 |
| ENGL 482 | Modern Drama | 3 |
| ENGL 483 | Modern Novel | 3 |
| ENGL 484 | Literature and Culture of the Jazz Age | 3 |
| ENGL 485 | Contemporary Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 487 | Postcolonial Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 488 | 20th Century Literature in English | 3 |
| ENGL 489 | Magic Realism | 3 |
| ENGL 490 | Topics in American Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 491 | Early American Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 492 | American Romanticism | 3 |
| ENGL 493 | American Realism | 3 |
| ENGL 494 | American Literature Since 1914 | 3 |
| ENGL 495 | Latino/a Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 496 | African American Literature | 3 |
MA Qualifying Examination
All students will take a four-hour written examination at the end of their course work. The exam is given during the last week of second summer term in August, and the first day of exam week in December and May. The exam will be prepared and graded by a four-member MA examining committee using a standard set of questions, each testing a particular skill. Faculty teaching graduate seminars in any one year will submit a short list of required readings (literary, critical, and theoretical) from their courses. From that list, the examining committee will form a master list of major texts to be used by students in answering the exam questions. The short lists will be shared with students prior to the exam, the master list will not.
The exam will be graded as High Pass, Pass, Low Pass or Fail. The minimum requirements for the MA degree will be a Low Pass on the exam and a B average in all course work. MA students who fail the exam may retake it once, at the conclusion of the following semester. PhD students who fail the exam may also retake it once, but only to complete the MA degree: they will not be allowed to continue in the program.
The MA exam serves as both a requirement for the master’s degree and a qualifying exam for students intending to proceed toward the PhD. The Committee on Graduate Programs will consider the performance of such students in all facets of the MA program; however, the MA exam is designed as a key indicator of students’ ability to continue work toward the PhD.
Guidelines for Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Programs
Terms
- Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s programs: In this type of program, students share limited credits between their undergraduate and graduate degrees to facilitate completion of both degrees.
- Shared credits: Graduate level credit hours taken during the undergraduate program and then applied towards graduate program requirements will be referred to as shared credits.
Admission Requirements
Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s programs are designed to enhance opportunities for advanced training for Loyola’s undergraduates. Admission to these programs must be competitive and will depend upon a positive review of credentials by the program’s admissions committee. Accordingly, the admission requirements for these programs may be higher than those required if the master’s degree were pursued entirely after the receipt of a bachelor’s degree. That is, programs may choose to have more stringent admissions requirements in addition to those minimal requirements below.
Requirements:
- Declared appropriate undergraduate major,
- By the time students begin taking graduate courses as an undergraduate, the student has completed approximately 90 credit hours, or the credit hours required in a program that is accredited by a specialty organization,1
- A minimum cumulative GPA for coursework at Loyola that is at or above the program-specific requirements, a minimum major GPA that is at or above the program-specific requirements, and/or appropriate designated coursework for evaluation of student readiness in their discipline.2
Students not eligible for the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program (e.g., students who have not declared the appropriate undergraduate major) may apply to the master’s program through the regular admissions process. Students enrolled in an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program who choose not to continue to the master’s degree program upon completion of the bachelor’s degree will face no consequences.3
Ideally, a student will apply for admission (or confirm interest in proceeding towards the graduate degree in opt-out programs) as they approach 90 credit hours. Programs are encouraged to begin advising students early in their major so that they are aware of the program and, if interested, can complete their bachelor’s degree requirements in a way that facilitates completion of the program. Once admitted as an undergraduate, Program Directors should ensure that students are enrolled using the plan code associated with the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program. Using the plan code associated with the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program will ensure that students may be easily identified as they move through the program. Students will not officially matriculate into the master’s degree program and be labeled as a graduate student by the university, with accompanying changes to tuition and Financial Aid (see below), until the undergraduate degree has been awarded. Once admitted to the graduate program, students must meet the academic standing requirements of their graduate program as they complete the program curriculum.
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Programs that have specialized accreditation will adhere to the admissions criteria provided by, or approved by, their specialized accreditors.
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The program will identify appropriate indicators of student readiness for graduate coursework (e.g., high-level performance in 300 level courses). Recognizing differences between how majors are designed, we do not specify a blanket requirement.
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If students choose not to enroll in the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program, they still must complete all of the standard requirements associated with the undergraduate degree (e.g., a capstone).
For more information on Admissions requirements, visit here.
Curriculum
Level and progression of courses. The Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s programs are designed to be competitive and attractive to our most capable students. Students admitted to Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s programs should be capable of meeting graduate level learning outcomes. Following guidance from the Higher Learning Commission, only courses taken at the 400 level or higher (including 300/400 level courses taken at the 400 level) will count toward the graduate program.1,2 Up to 50% of the total graduate level credit hours, required in the graduate program, may come from 300/400 level courses where the student is enrolled in the 400 level of the course. Further, at least 50% of the credit hours for the graduate program must come from courses that are designed for and restricted to graduate students who have been admitted to a graduate program at Loyola (e.g., enrolled in plan code that indicates the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program, typically ending with the letter “D”).3
In general, graduate level coursework should not be taken prior to admission into the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program. Exceptions may be granted for professional programs where curriculum for the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program is designed to begin earlier. On the recommendation of the program’s Graduate Director, students may take one of their graduate level courses before they are admitted to the Accelerated Bachelors/Master’s program if they have advanced abilities in their discipline and course offerings warrant such an exception.4 Undergraduate degree requirements outside of the major are in no way impacted by admission to an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program.5
Shared credits. Undergraduate courses (i.e., courses offered at the 300 level or below) cannot be counted as shared credits nor count towards the master’s degree. Up to 50% of the total graduate level credit hours, required in the graduate program, may be counted in meeting both the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. Of those shared credits, students in an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program should begin their graduate program with the standard introductory course(s) for the program whenever possible. So that students may progress through the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program in a timely manner, undergraduate programs are encouraged to design their curriculum such that a student can complete some required graduate credit hours while completing the undergraduate degree. For instance, some of the graduate curriculum should also satisfy electives for the undergraduate major.
The program’s Graduate Director will designate credit hours to be shared through the advising form and master’s degree conferral review process. Shared credit hours will not be marked on the undergraduate record as having a special status in the undergraduate program. They will be included in the student’s undergraduate earned hours and GPA. Graduate credit hours taken during the undergraduate program will not be included in the graduate GPA calculation.
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If students wish to transfer credits from another university to Loyola University Chicago, the program’s Graduate director will review the relevant syllabus(es) to determine whether it meets the criteria for a 400 level course or higher.
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Programs with specialized accreditation requirements that allow programs to offer graduate curriculum to undergraduate students will conform to those specialized accreditation requirements.
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In rare cases, the Graduate Director may authorize enrollment in a 400-level course for a highly qualified and highly motivated undergraduate, ensuring that the undergraduate's exceptional participation in the graduate class will not diminish in any way the experience of the graduate students regularly enrolled.
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For example, if a particular course is only offered once every 2-3 years, and a student has demonstrated the necessary ability to be successful, the Graduate Director may allow a student to take a graduate level course to be shared prior to the student being formally admitted to the graduate program. See, also, footnote 3.
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Students should not, for example, attempt to negotiate themselves out of a writing intensive requirement on the basis of admission to a graduate program.
Graduation
Degrees are awarded sequentially. All details of undergraduate commencement are handled in the ordinary way as for all students in the School/College/Institute. Once in the graduate program, students abide by the graduation deadlines set forth by the graduate program. Students in these programs must be continuously enrolled from undergraduate to graduate degree program unless given explicit permission by their program for a gap year or approved leave of absence. In offering the option of an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program, the university is making possible the acceleration of a student’s graduate degree completion. It should be understood that students may not request deferral of their matriculation into the Master’s degree program. If students would like to delay their graduate studies after earning the undergraduate degree, they may apply for admission to the traditional master’s degree program. Any application of graduate credit earned while in the undergraduate program is subject to the policies of the graduate degree granting school.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Graduates of the program will be able to:
- perform close readings of literature and other kinds of texts, paying careful attention to textual detail. [BA]
- demonstrate an understanding of human diversity as it is represented in literature and other kinds of texts. [BA]
- communicate their ideas clearly, in writing that employs appropriate word choice, diction, structure, and mechanics. [BA]
- create focused and well-supported arguments and analyses. [BA]
- where applicable, demonstrate their understanding of literary and cultural theories by incorporating them into their work in precise and effective ways. [BA]
- where applicable, demonstrate their ability to employ in their own creative works their understanding of the conventions and techniques of particular literary genres. [BA]
- where applicable, demonstrate their knowledge of textual genres, histories, movements, traditions, and innovations. [BA]
- demonstrate an understanding of how texts reflect and affect societies and cultures. [BA]
- Write effectively about a broad range of texts in English using effective compositional and rhetorical techniques. [MA]
- Assess and intervene in existing scholarly discourses in the field as a literary critic. [MA]
- Distinguish and interpret diverse experiences across various social formations (race, class, gender, sexuality, ability, etc.) as registered in literary works. [MA]
- Evaluate and apply the principles of a range of critical and textual theories, including those emerging from communities that have been historically underrepresented, in order to produce a sustained analysis of literary works. [MA]