This is the first version of the 2025–26 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.
The Master of Arts program in English introduces students to the professional study of literature.
The MA is appropriate for students who would like graduate training in English and who may have an undergraduate major in a different field or who may intend to earn a PhD at another institution. Students interested in careers in any area of book studies (professional writing, editing, web design, or publishing) may wish to earn the MA as a terminal degree, as may teachers seeking to enhance their credentials or students pursuing intellectual growth unrelated to a specific career.
MA and PhD students in English mix freely in graduate courses, share the same access to faculty, and meet the same standards of quality in their work.
Exam for the Master of Arts in Teaching
The department administers the English component of the exam for the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in coordination with the College of Education. MAT students should contact the Department of Teaching and Learning (College of Education) for information.
Learning Outcomes
- Writing skills: proficiency in writing means publishable-quality writing (e.g., what one would expect from an article placed in a scholarly or creative journal).
- Historical knowledge: comprehensive historical knowledge of literary history, reflected in courses taken across a range of literary periods and national/international traditions.
- Critical theory and approaches: rigorous study of critical methodologies and interpretive strategies.
- Research skills: familiarity with library research into secondary scholarship on primary texts, archival research methods, and field research, where applicable.
- Teaching skills: ideally, students will move from foundations-based grading positions under the supervision of tenure track faculty (introduction to the major) to rhetoric/composition coursework (rhetoric), and then on to literary analysis-focused courses (general education literature). Students learn to build their own syllabi, develop a teaching portfolio, and manage their own courses independently.
- Professional development: this includes conference presentations, curriculum vitae and résumé building, and teaching statements, along with exposure to career tracks, both academic (e.g., tenure track jobs, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, etc.) and alternative professions (e.g., digital humanities, humanities organizations, publishing, etc.).
The Master of Arts program in English requires a minimum of 31–60 s.h. of graduate credit. The program is offered with two options: the literary studies subprogram (31 s.h.) and without a subprogram (60 s.h.).The subprogram in literary studies is designed for students pursuing the MA as a standalone program or for U2G students. The MA in English without a subprogram only applies to students admitted to the English PhD program; there is no direct admission to this subprogram.
The MA in English requires the following coursework.
Literary Studies Subprogram
The Master of Arts in English with a subprogram in literary studies requires a minimum of 31 s.h. of graduate credit. Students may receive credit for up to 6 s.h. of transfer courses toward the MA. They must maintain a graduate college program grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.00. Applicable transfer courses must be approved by the director of graduate studies.
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| Required Courses | 6 |
| Seminars and Readings: Historical Distribution Courses | 6 |
| Additional Courses | 6 |
| Electives | 12 |
| Capstone | 1 |
Required Courses, Literary Studies
The criticism and theory course must be taken on an A–F graded basis.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| This course: | ||
| ENGL:5000 | Introduction to Graduate Study | 3 |
| Criticism and Theory | ||
| One of these: | ||
| ENGL:6000 | Introduction to Contemporary Theory | 3 |
| ENGL:6050 | Critical Readings in Cultural Studies: Stuart Hall's Legacy and Influences | 3 |
| ENGL:7000 | Seminar: Cultural Studies | 3 |
| ENGL:7010 | Seminar: Literary Criticism and Theory | 3 |
| ENGL:7050 | Seminar: Performance Theory and Practice | 3 |
Seminars and Readings: Historical Distribution Courses
Students complete one course from two of the three historical areas for a total of 6 s.h. These courses must be taken on an A–F graded basis.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-1700 | ||
| ENGL:6100 | Readings in Medieval Literature and Culture | 3 |
| ENGL:6110 | Medieval Authors | 3 |
| ENGL:6200 | Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century Authors | 3 |
| ENGL:6210 | Readings in Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century Genres | 3 |
| ENGL:6220 | Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENGL:7100 | Seminar: Medieval Literature and Culture | 3 |
| ENGL:7200 | Seminar: Early Modern Literature and Culture | 3 |
| 1700-1900 | ||
| ENGL:6300 | Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature | 3 |
| ENGL:6400 | Romantic Literature | 3 |
| ENGL:6500 | Victorian Literature | 3 |
| ENGL:7300 | Seminar: Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature | 3 |
| ENGL:7400 | Seminar: Romantic Literatures | 3 |
| ENGL:7500 | Seminar: Victorian Literature | 3 |
| 1900-Present | ||
| ENGL:6720 | Twentieth-Century Literatures | 3 |
| ENGL:6730 | Modernist Studies | 3 |
| ENGL:6760 | Topics in Contemporary Literature | 3 |
| ENGL:6800 | Readings in Postcolonial Literature and Theory | 3 |
| ENGL:6850 | Topics in Creative Writing | 3 |
| ENGL:7700 | Seminar: Studies in the 20th and 21st Century | 3 |
| ENGL:7800 | Seminar: Postcolonial Studies | 3 |
Additional Courses
Students complete two additional seminar or readings courses for a total of 6 s.h. Courses must be taken on an A–F graded basis. A course applied to the historical distribution requirement may not also count toward this requirement.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 6 s.h. from these: | ||
| ENGL:6020 | Literature as Letters | 3 |
| ENGL:6080 | New Media Poetics | 3 |
| ENGL:6090 | Topics in Interdisciplinary Studies | 3 |
| ENGL:6100 | Readings in Medieval Literature and Culture | 3 |
| ENGL:6110 | Medieval Authors | 3 |
| ENGL:6200 | Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century Authors | 3 |
| ENGL:6210 | Readings in Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century Genres | 3 |
| ENGL:6220 | Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENGL:6300 | Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature | 3 |
| ENGL:6315 | MA Seminar: English Education | 3 |
| ENGL:6400 | Romantic Literature | 3 |
| ENGL:6500 | Victorian Literature | 3 |
| ENGL:6601 | Readings in American Literature | 3 |
| ENGL:6602 | Readings in American Literature II | 3 |
| ENGL:6603 | Readings in American Literature III | 3 |
| ENGL:6610 | Studies in African American Literature | 3 |
| ENGL:6620 | Readings in Native American Literatures | 3 |
| ENGL:6630 | Readings in Latina/o/x Literary and Cultural Studies | 3 |
| ENGL:6640 | Readings in American Literary Genres | 3 |
| ENGL:6670 | American Literary Magazines | 3 |
| ENGL:6720 | Twentieth-Century Literatures | 3 |
| ENGL:6730 | Modernist Studies | 3 |
| ENGL:6760 | Topics in Contemporary Literature | 3 |
| ENGL:6765 | Literature, Culture, and Environment | 3 |
| ENGL:6800 | Readings in Postcolonial Literature and Theory | 3 |
| ENGL:6850 | Topics in Creative Writing | 3 |
| ENGL:7000 | Seminar: Cultural Studies | 3 |
| ENGL:7010 | Seminar: Literary Criticism and Theory | 3 |
| ENGL:7050 | Seminar: Performance Theory and Practice | 3 |
| ENGL:7100 | Seminar: Medieval Literature and Culture | 3 |
| ENGL:7200 | Seminar: Early Modern Literature and Culture | 3 |
| ENGL:7300 | Seminar: Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature | 3 |
| ENGL:7400 | Seminar: Romantic Literatures | 3 |
| ENGL:7500 | Seminar: Victorian Literature | 3 |
| ENGL:7600 | Seminar: American Literature and Culture | 3 |
| ENGL:7700 | Seminar: Studies in the 20th and 21st Century | 3 |
| ENGL:7800 | Seminar: Postcolonial Studies | 3 |
Electives
Students complete an additional 12 s.h. of English courses (prefix ENGL) numbered 5000–7899, excluding ENGL:5990 MA Portfolio in Literary Studies, ENGL:5999 MA Thesis in Literary Studies, ENGL:6950 Colloquium: Teaching Foundations of the English Major, and ENGL:6960 Colloquium: Teaching Literature. Elective courses must be taken on an A–F graded basis. With the permission of the program, students may select elective courses outside of the Department of English. Students may wish to explore opportunities for interdisciplinary study, language study, experience in theory and practice of writing, or specialization in a field of literary scholarship.
Department of English graduate courses are repeatable with the written approval of the department's director of graduate studies.
Capstone
Completion of the MA in English with a literary studies subprogram requires either a thesis or a portfolio. Students submit a written description of their choice to the director of the program before the semester in which they plan to graduate.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| One of these: | ||
| ENGL:5990 | MA Portfolio in Literary Studies | 1 |
| ENGL:5999 | MA Thesis in Literary Studies | 1 |
MA Thesis
The thesis entails a 25- to 35-page essay of literary criticism consonant in form and content with the variety of articles published in journals and periodicals. The essay may not be submission-ready; rather, it must be a body of writing that looks toward possible publication. If the essay originated in a course taken during the program, it should be substantially revised per input from the thesis director and possibly the original course instructor.
The thesis may also assume a form that diverges from a traditional literary critical article. Alternate thesis projects must be approved by the director of graduate studies.
Students who choose to write a thesis must submit a brief prospectus approved by their thesis director before they register for ENGL:5999 MA Thesis in Literary Studies and at least one semester before they submit the thesis. See Academic Plans in this section of the catalog for detailed timelines for the submission and defense process. The thesis committee consists of the thesis director, the director of the MA program, and one other faculty member. The thesis is evaluated by the committee as either satisfactory (S) or unsatisfactory (U).
A copy of the thesis must be presented to the Graduate College for approval. For information about Graduate College deadlines and policies, see the Manual of Rules and Regulations on the Graduate College website.
MA Portfolio
Near the end of their coursework, students who do not choose the thesis option must submit a portfolio of work to the MA examination committee, which consists of the director of the MA program and two other English faculty members. All three read the full portfolio. To pass, the candidate must have a majority vote of the committee members.
Students take the first step toward preparing to submit a portfolio by meeting with the director of the MA program to discuss the portfolio, early during the semester in which they plan to graduate. After fulfilling all distribution and eligibility requirements and clearing all incomplete grades, students present the director with a draft of the portfolio’s introductory statement. Students planning to graduate at the end of the fall semester should present the statement by the first week of October; those who plan to graduate at the end of the spring semester should present the statement by the first week of March. Once the director approves the statement, the student must submit three copies of the full portfolio; the submission deadline is Nov. 1 for students planning to graduate at the end of the fall semester and April 1 for those who will graduate at the end of the spring semester.
The work in the portfolio should demonstrate the student’s knowledge of literature as a broad historical and theoretical inquiry. Students submit approximately 50 pages (12,500 words) of their best work, along with a self-reflective introductory statement of five to seven pages. The body of the portfolio should contain revised versions of papers originally produced for classes. The introduction should detail the student’s trajectory in the program and the literary-critical or methodological skills gained. It should also explain the contents of the portfolio, contextualize each paper, and give a brief overview of the writing. Students are expected to describe the research methods used in assembling their portfolios and the critical practices that ground their work.
MA Without Subprogram
The Master of Arts in English without a subprogram requires a minimum of 60 s.h. of graduate credit. Students may receive credit for up to 18 s.h. of transfer courses toward the degree. They must maintain a graduate college program GPA of at least 3.00.
There is no direct admission to this subprogram; it is only open to students accepted into the English PhD program.
Each student must satisfy a portion of the course requirements of the PhD program. For the MA, the students must have completed the coursework that would normally be expected by that point in the program.
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| Introduction to Graduate Study | 3 |
| Historical Distribution and Upper-Level Courses | 27 |
| Electives | 21 |
| Additional Courses | 9 |
Introduction to Graduate Study
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| This course: | ||
| ENGL:5000 | Introduction to Graduate Study | 3 |
Historical Distribution and Upper-Level Courses
Historical Distribution
Students complete one course from each of the three historical areas for 9 s.h. total. See the preceding list titled Seminars and Readings: Historical Distribution Courses for available courses. A grade of B-plus or above is required for each course.
Upper-Level English Courses
Students complete an additional 18 s.h. of English courses (prefix ENGL) numbered 5000–7899, excluding ENGL:5990 MA Portfolio in Literary Studies, ENGL:5999 MA Thesis in Literary Studies, ENGL:6950 Colloquium: Teaching Foundations of the English Major, and ENGL:6960 Colloquium: Teaching Literature. These courses must be taken on an A–F graded basis.
Seminars
Of the 18 s.h. in upper-level courses and 9 s.h. in historical distribution courses, 9 s.h. must come from seminars. A grade of B-plus or above is required for each seminar.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL:7000 | Seminar: Cultural Studies | 3 |
| ENGL:7010 | Seminar: Literary Criticism and Theory | 3 |
| ENGL:7050 | Seminar: Performance Theory and Practice | 3 |
| ENGL:7100 | Seminar: Medieval Literature and Culture | 3 |
| ENGL:7200 | Seminar: Early Modern Literature and Culture | 3 |
| ENGL:7300 | Seminar: Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature | 3 |
| ENGL:7400 | Seminar: Romantic Literatures | 3 |
| ENGL:7500 | Seminar: Victorian Literature | 3 |
| ENGL:7600 | Seminar: American Literature and Culture | 3 |
| ENGL:7700 | Seminar: Studies in the 20th and 21st Century | 3 |
| ENGL:7800 | Seminar: Postcolonial Studies | 3 |
Electives
Students complete 21 s.h. of elective coursework taken on an A–F graded basis.
In consultation with their advisor, students select English courses (prefix ENGL) numbered 3000 and above, excluding ENGL:5990 MA Portfolio in Literary Studies, ENGL:5999 MA Thesis in Literary Studies, ENGL:6950 Colloquium: Teaching Foundations of the English Major, ENGL:6960 Colloquium: Teaching Literature, ENGL:7910 Advanced Studies in a Literary Period, ENGL:7920 Advanced Studies in a Literary Form, and ENGL:7960 Advanced Studies in a Literary Theme.
Elective coursework also includes courses numbered 3000 or above from the following subjects.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Africam American studies (prefix AFAM) | ||
| American studies (prefix AMST) | ||
| Arabic studies (prefix ARAB) | ||
| Art (prefix ART) | ||
| Art history (prefix ARTH) | ||
| American sign language (ASL) | ||
| Cinema studies (prefix CINE) | ||
| Chinese (prefix CHIN) | ||
| Latin (prefix CLSL) | ||
| Creative nonfiction writing (prefix CNW) | ||
| Creative writing, writers' workshop (prefix CW) | ||
| Dance (prefix DANC) | ||
| Education teaching and learning (prefix EDTL) | ||
| Educational policy and leadership studies (EPLS) | ||
| French (prefix FREN) | ||
| Graduate studies (prefix GRAD) | ||
| German (prefix GRMN) | ||
| Gender, women, and sexuality studies (prefix GWSS) | ||
| History (prefix HIST) | ||
| Italian (prefix ITAL) | ||
| Korean (prefix KORE) | ||
| Japanese (JPNS) | ||
| Latin American studies (LAS) | ||
| Latina/o/x studies (prefix LATS) | ||
| Linguistics (prefix LING) | ||
| Music (prefix MUS) | ||
| Philosophy (prefix PHIL) | ||
| Portuguese (prefix PORT) | ||
| Psychological and quantitative foundations (prefix PSQF) | ||
| Rhetoric (prefix RHET), excluding RHET:5350 | ||
| Russian (prefix RUSS) | ||
| Library and information science (prefix SLIS) | ||
| Spanish (prefix SPAN) | ||
| Swahili (prefix SWAH) | ||
| Theatre arts (prefix THTR) | ||
| Translation (prefix TRNS) | ||
| Center for the Book (prefix UICB) | ||
| World languages, literatures, and cultures (prefix WLLC) | ||
With the permission of the program, students may be able to select additional courses from other subjects.
Additional Courses
Students complete 9 s.h. of additional coursework that may be taken either on an A–F or satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) graded basis. They are required to complete the following three comprehensive exam preparation courses, each for a minimum of 1 s.h.
Students consult with their advisor on the number of credits they are required to enroll in for each course. In consultation with their advisor, students may select courses from the preceding list of elective subjects to complete the 9 s.h. as needed.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| At least 1 s.h. from each of these: | ||
| ENGL:7910 | Advanced Studies in a Literary Period | 1-3 |
| ENGL:7920 | Advanced Studies in a Literary Form | 1-3 |
| ENGL:7930 | Advanced Studies in a Literary Genre | 1-3 |
Applications and all supporting documents for graduate admission must be submitted electronically by Dec. 14. Applicants should submit their applications and supporting materials to the University of Iowa Admissions website.
Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations on the Graduate College website.
The Master of Arts in English degree helps prepare students for careers in professional writing, editing, web design, and publishing. It is also desirable for teachers seeking to enhance their credentials.
Sample Plan of Study
Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor. For additional sample plans, see MyUI.
English, MA
literary studies subprogram
| Academic Career | ||
|---|---|---|
| Any Semester | Hours | |
| 31 s.h. of graduate level coursework must be completed; up to 6 s.h. of graduate transfer credits allowed upon approval. More information is included in the General Catalog and on department website. a | ||
| Graduate College program GPA of at least 3.00 is required. b | ||
| Hours | 0 | |
| First Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL:5000 | Introduction to Graduate Study c | 3 |
| Criticism and theory course d | 3 | |
| Historical distribution course e | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| Historical distribution course e | 3 | |
| Additional seminar or readings course f | 3 | |
| Elective course g, h | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Additional seminar or readings course f | 3 | |
| Elective course g, h | 3 | |
| Elective course g, h | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL:5990 | MA Portfolio in Literary Studies i | 1 |
| Elective course g, h | 3 | |
| Exam: Master's Final Exam | ||
| Hours | 4 | |
| Total Hours | 31 | |
- a
- Students must complete specific requirements in the University of Iowa Graduate College after program admission. Refer to the Graduate College website and the Manual of Rules and Regulations for more information.
- b
- Graduate College program GPA is comprised of all courses that are approved degree requirements. If a student takes more than the minimum required number of semester hours to complete the degree, but all courses taken are eligible to count toward the degree, those courses will be included in the Graduate College program GPA.
- c
- Typically this course is offered in fall semesters only. Check MyUI for course availability since offerings are subject to change.
- d
- Must be taken on an A-F graded basis. See the General Catalog for list of approved courses.
- e
- Students complete one course from two of the three historical areas for a total of 6 s.h.; must be taken on an A-F graded basis. See the General Catalog for list of approved courses.
- f
- Students must complete two additional seminar or readings courses for a total of 6 s.h.; must be taken on an A-F graded basis. See the General Catalog for list of approved courses. A course applied to the historical distribution requirement may not also count toward this requirement.
- g
- Students may wish to explore opportunities for interdisciplinary study, language study, experience in theory and practice of writing, or specialization in a field of literary scholarship. Work with faculty advisor to determine appropriate coursework and sequence.
- h
- Students complete an additional 12 s.h. of English courses (prefix ENGL) numbered 5000-7899, excluding ENGL:5990, ENGL:5999, ENGL:6950, and ENGL:6960; courses must be taken on an A-F graded basis.
- i
- Present the director with a draft of the portfolio's introductory statement by the first week of March. Once the director approves the statement, the student must submit three copies of the full portfolio by April 1.