Graduate Student Manual (Handbook), Department of English (2025-2026)

3 – Master of Arts in English

Courses Required of Both Options

All students must take at least 1 credit of English 700 (thesis option) or English 702 (portfolio option) each semester for a minimum of 4 credits. More credits of 700 or 702 may be taken depending on the student’s program of study.

Courses Required of Students on Teaching Assistantships

Students on Teaching Assistantships will also need to complete the following requirements:

English 501: Seminar in the Methodology of Composition (3 credits)
English 598 (1^st semester): English 101 Preparation (1 credit)
English 598 (2^nd semester): Weekly Colloquium on First-Year Composition (1 credit)
English 598 (3^rd or 4^th semester): Mentored Teaching/Pedagogy (1 credit)
4 credits of English 600 (1 during each of their four semesters of employment.) All TAs teaching writing courses (100, 101, 105) must take English 600 during the semester in which they teach the course, which means that they must attend PDC during that semester.

Sample Program Schedule

A typical MA program will look something like this, with 24 credit hours in graded courses for the thesis option (8 seminars) or 27 credit hours in graded courses for the portfolio (9 seminars):

Year 1 (1st semester – Fall)

Seminar #1: English 501 – 3 credits
Seminar #2 – 3 credits
Seminar #3 – 3 credits
Seminar #4 – 3 credits
English 598 (English 101 Preparation) – 1 credit
English 600 (PDC) – 1 credit
English 700 or 702 – 1 credit minimum
Total: 12-15 credits. Students must enroll in at least 10 credits per semester.

Year 1 (2nd semester – Spring)

Seminar #1 – 3 credits
Seminar #2 – 3 credits
Seminar #3 – 3 credits
English 598 (FYC colloquium) – 1 credit
English 600 (PDC) – 1 credit
English 700 or 702 – 1 credit minimum; add credits as needed to get up to 10 credit hours overall per semester
Total: 10-12 credits.

Year 2 (3rd semester – Fall)

Seminar #1 – 3 credits
Seminar #2 – 3 credits
English 598 (Mentored Teaching/Pedagogy) – 1 credit
English 600 (PDC) – 1 credit
English 700 or 702 – 2 to whatever credits are needed to get to 10 per semester
Total: 10 credits.

Year 2 (4th semester – Spring)

English 600 (PDC) – 1 credit
(Seminars and ENGL 598 as needed)
English 700 or 702 – 9 credits or whatever number is needed to get to 10 per semester.
Total: 10 credits

3.1 – Master of Arts in English, Emphasis in Literary Studies: Program and Course Requirements (30-38 credit hours)

Students pursuing an MA in literary studies must choose either a thesis or a portfolio option (described below) as well as meet the following requirements:

All candidates must demonstrate competence in at least one foreign language (see Foreign Language Proficiency Requirements, Chapter 5) before proceeding to the submission and defense of the thesis.

All candidates during their final semester are required to make a 10-15 minute presentation drawn from their thesis or portfolio at the annual English Department MA Conference near the end of Spring semester.

All candidates must enroll in at least one credit hour per semester of ENGLISH 700 (MA thesis) or ENGLISH 702 (MA non-thesis). Students may always enroll in more than one credit hour of these courses if they wish, but the minimum per semester is one hour.

Please see the final pages of the manual for program checklists.

3.1.1 – The MA in Literary Studies Thesis Option

The following are the Student Learning Outcomes for graduate programs in English (MA or PhD):

Coursework

The thesis program requires a minimum of 24 semester hours of graded course work. At least 21 hours will normally be taken in 500-level seminars in English; no more than 3 hours of non-graduate coursework (300- and 400-level courses) may be included (except by permission of the DGS). In the thesis option, students must submit a thesis for the completion of the degree.

Major Project

Preparation of the thesis will require, and students must enroll in, at least 4 hours of English 700, under the direction of a faculty member serving as the chair of the advisory committee. See MA Proposal Guidelines for further information.

Timetable

The timetable is roughly as follows:

In the second semester (spring of the first year), students should

Identify a chair and committee members for the advisory committee.
With the assistance of the Graduate Academic Coordinator, prepare the Program of Study form to be submitted to the Graduate School.
Gather signatures from the committee chair, the committee members, and the English Department Chair.
Ideally, submit the Program of Study at the end of the spring semester.

In the third semester (fall of the second year), students should

Before September 1. If it hasn’t already been submitted, submit the signed Program of Study to the WSU Graduate School by turning it in to the Academic Coordinator. The Program of Study can be changed after this date but must be submitted if the student wishes to graduate in the spring.
September-October. Submit a thesis proposal (see end of Chapter 2 for more details) to the chair of the committee and committee members. Once the proposal is approved, a copy should be sent by the student to the Academic Coordinator by October 31.

In the fourth and final semester (spring of the second year), students should

Mid-March. Submit a full draft of the thesis to the thesis director.
Early to mid-March. Consult with the Academic Coordinator about a date for the final examination. Final exams for students pursuing the thesis option are usually scheduled in late March and early-to-mid April. The Graduate School must be notified ten working days in advance of the proposed examination date.

3.1.2 – The MA in Literary Studies Portfolio Option

Coursework

The portfolio (non-thesis) program requires at least 27 hours of graded coursework. At least 24 of these hours will normally be taken in the 500-level series of seminars; no more than 3 hours on non-graduate coursework (300- and 400-level courses) may be included. In the non-thesis program, students are required to submit a portfolio of professional writing for the completion of the degree.

Major Project

The portfolio consists of the following items:

One revised, publishable seminar paper (with a cover letter addressed to the editor of a suitable journal; and with a list of other potential journals for submission);

One conference paper, usually a ten-page revision and condensation of a different seminar paper (with a cover letter addressed to the organizers of a suitable conference; and with a list of other potential conferences at which the paper might be presented);

A statement of intent that articulates an intellectual rationale for the selection of these two papers, describes the processes of revision, provides a retrospective commentary on the portfolio and its intellectual coherence, and indicates future directions for scholarship and writing. Usually this statement is expected to be about 4-5 pages in length.

Preparation of the portfolio will require, and students must enroll in, at least 4 hours of English 702, under the direction of a faculty member serving as the chair of the advisory committee.

Timetable

The timetable is roughly as follows:

In the second semester (spring of the first year), students should

Identify a chair and three or four committee members for the advisory committee.
With the assistance of the English Department’s Academic Coordinator, prepare the Program of Study form to be submitted to the Graduate School.
Gather signatures from the committee chair, the committee members, and the English Department Chair.
Ideally, submit the Program of Study at the end of the spring semester.

In the third semester (fall of the second year), students should

Before September 1. If it has not yet been submitted, submit the signed Program of Study to the WSU Graduate School by turning it in to the Academic Coordinator. The Program of Study can be changed after this date but must be submitted if the student wishes to graduate in the spring.
September-October. Once the plan or proposal for the portfolio is approved by the committee chair, a copy should be sent by the student to the Academic Coordinator by October 31.

In the fourth and final semester (spring of the second year), students should

Provide a copy of the revised portfolio to the members of his or her advisory committee. Under the guidance of the chair of this committee, the faculty members will work with the student to develop, evaluate, and approve a professional portfolio.
Revise the portfolio to the satisfaction of all committee members.
Complete a portfolio cover form with committee signatures and provide a copy of the revised portfolio to all committee members and to the Academic Coordinator. Samples are available from the Academic Coordinator.
Consult with the Academic Coordinator about a date for the final examination. Final exams for students pursuing the thesis option are usually scheduled in late March and early-to-mid April. The Graduate School must be notified ten working days in advance of the proposed examination date.

3.1.3 – Oral Examination

Final oral examinations are normally administered by all members of the student’s MA advisory committee. The final oral examination for the thesis candidate will deal principally (though not necessarily exclusively) with the thesis. For the non-thesis candidate, the final oral examination will deal principally with the portfolio.

When planning the timeline for the oral examination, candidates must observe the following guidelines:

Minimum of 10 working days before the oral exam: As described above, the Graduate School must be notified. Submit your exam form and upload a complete draft of your dissertation to ProQuest at least 10 working days prior to the proposed exam date. Since all forms must be submitted electronically, your form must be given to the Graduate Coordinator with sufficient time to submit it so that it can be accepted.
Minimum of 5 working days before the oral exam: The candidate is expected to deposit the thesis or portfolio in the Department at least five working days before the oral examination.
Minimum of 5 working days after the oral exam: If the candidate passes the examination, the thesis, in final form as approved by the committee, is to be deposited at the WSU Graduate School within five working days. Also, you must email your Hold Harmless form to gradschool@wsu.edu. Your myWSU upload of your thesis title, abstract, and signature pages must be approved by your committee and delivered to the Graduate School.
Departmental deadlines: The English Department requires that the thesis or portfolio be submitted in final form no later than December 14 for completion of the degree in Fall Semester, no later than May 2 for completion of the degree in Spring Semester, and no later than August 1 for completion during the Summer.
No exams during Finals Week: Final oral examinations may not be scheduled during Finals Week; the last eligible day is the Friday of the previous week (“Dead Week”).

3.2 – Master of Arts in English, Emphasis in Rhetoric and Composition: Program and Course Requirements (30-38 credit hours)

This program allows students to specialize in the theory and pedagogy of composition. The degree is designed to prepare candidates for teaching positions at the college level or for doctoral programs with a specialization in composition and rhetoric. Candidates for this degree may prepare either a thesis or a portfolio: the thesis option requires 24 graded seminar hours; the portfolio option requires 27. Either way, students must fulfill the following requirements:

All candidates must meet the Foreign Language Requirement (see Foreign Language Proficiency Requirements, Chapter 5). Note that for Rhetoric and Composition MA students, the language proficiency requirements are based on the candidate’s expected needs and may be met by linguistics or other language studies. This requirement must be met before proceeding to the submission and defense of the thesis.
All candidates must enroll in at least one credit hour per semester of English 700 (MA thesis) or English 702 (MA non-thesis). Students may always enroll in more than one credit hour of these courses if they wish, but the minimum per semester is one hour.
All candidates must take the following (6 credits):
- English 501 (Seminar in the Teaching of Writing: Methodology of Composition)
- English 502 (Seminar in the Teaching of Writing: Contemporary Theories)
All candidates must take three of the following eight courses (9 hours):
- English 508 (Seminar in Assessment of Writing)
- English 509 (Seminar in Classical Rhetoric and its Influences)
- English 515 (Contemporary Theories of Rhetoric)
- English 531 (Administering a Writing Program)
- English 532 (Teaching Writing to Non-Traditional Students)
- English 534 (Theories and Methods of the Teaching of Technical and Professional Writing)
- English 597 (Topics in Composition and Rhetoric)
All candidates must take one course in linguistics or TESOL (3 hours):
- English 543: Phonology
- English 544: Syntax
- English 546: Topics in Teaching English as a Second Language
- English 554: History of the English Language
- English 554: History of the English Language

The director of the student’s program may allow the student to substitute other graded courses for this 3-hour requirement if the student’s individual program would benefit from specialized work in another related area, e.g., computer programming or the teaching of reading.

Literature courses. After consultation with the student, the student’s advisor may recommend that the student take one or two courses in literature, but the final decision about this requirement rests with the advisor. Depending upon the advisor’s recommendation, students pursuing the thesis option would take one course; students pursuing the portfolio option would take two. Ideally, these literature courses should cohere as a unit (e.g., a series of courses focused on gender issues, on twentieth-century literature, on drama, etc.).

3.2.1 – The MA in Rhetoric and Composition Portfolio Option

The WSU Graduate School requires all graduate students to complete the Responsible Conduct of Research online training, which takes about 20 minutes. Students awarded an assistantship must take the training before their appointment paperwork can be processed. International Students awarded an assistantship will have a grace period of one semester to complete the training.

Project

The portfolio consists of the following items:

One revised, publishable seminar paper. This paper may derive from any graduate seminar taken at WSU.
An annotated bibliography in the student’s area of interest, developed in consultation with the student’s advisor and committee members. This bibliography will be used as the basis for the three-day take-home examination.
A statement of intent that explains how the student’s course of study and intended focus for the take-home examination relates to his or her professional goals and interests.
A cover letter or memo that describes the contents of the portfolio.

The Master’s Committee will read, evaluate, and provide comments to the student over a two- or three-week period. The chair of this committee is responsible for making sure that all members give comments to the student, and that the student has ample time to make revisions.

Timetable

The MA examination in Rhetoric and Composition for the portfolio option involves a process that begins during the second semester of the program.

In the second semester (spring of the first year), students should

Identify a chair and three committee members to supervise the examination and portfolio.
With the assistance of the English Department’s Academic Coordinator, prepare the Program of Study form to be submitted to the Graduate School.
Gather signatures from the committee chair, the committee members, and the English Department Chair.
Ideally, submit the Program of Study at the end of the spring semester.

In the third semester (fall of the second year), students should

Before September 1. If it has not already been submitted, submit the signed Program of Study to the WSU Graduate School by turning it in to the Academic Coordinator. The Program of Study can be changed after this date but must be submitted if the student wishes to graduate in the spring.
September-October. Once the plan or proposal for the portfolio is approved by the committee chair, a copy should be sent by the student to the Academic Coordinator by October 31.

In the fourth and final semester (spring of the second year), students should

Enroll in at least two credits of English 702
By the end of the second week of the semester, submit the portfolio.
By the end of the sixth week of the semester, take the three-day comprehensive written examination based on an annotated bibliography
By mid-March, Consult with the Academic Coordinator about a date for the final examination. The Graduate School must be notified ten working days in advance of the proposed examination date.
Defend both the portfolio and the written exam at a final oral examination.

See also the detailed fourth-semester timeline below.

Comprehensive Examination (MA in Rhetoric and Composition Portfolio Option Only)

The comprehensive examination is a three-day take-home exam administered by the members of the student’s committee. It is based on the annotations in the student’s annotated bibliography.

Normally the examination is given to the student at the end of the sixth week of his or her final semester: the student picks up the exam on Friday morning and returns it the following Monday morning.
The examination usually has just one question, but it is up to the chair and the committee members to decide the precise format.
The student’s written response to the exam question(s) must be no longer than fifteen double-spaced pages using a 12-point type font.

Within two weeks of the submission of the examination, the student’s committee members should have evaluated the students’ answer(s) and provided their recommendations (of pass or failure) to the committee chair. If the committee agrees that the student has submitted passing work, the student may schedule a final oral examination. If the committee members believe the student has failed the exam, they may ask the student to retake the exam.

Oral Examination (Portfolio Option)

The student schedules a final oral examination with his or her Master’s Committee. The oral is not so much an examination as a discussion with the committee of the take-home examination and the revised essay in the portfolio. It is, in essence, a conversation among colleagues, one in which the student has a chance to discuss his or her professional goals and may ask as well as answer questions.

Suggested Timeline for Final Semester of MA Program in Rhetoric and Composition (Portfolio Option)

End of Week 2: Submit portfolio to the members of your committee. The portfolio includes the following components:
- A cover letter or memo outlining the content of the portfolio;
- A statement of intent regarding your professional goals;
- An annotated bibliography on your specific area of interest (this bibliography will be used by your committee members in designing the question for the take-home exam);
- One revised, publishable seminar paper.
End of Week 6: Begin three-day take-home examination.
Beginning of Week 7: Submit take-home examination
End of Week 8: Last day to apply for graduation
No later than Week 10: Schedule M.A. oral examinations (do this with the Academic Coordinator)
Weeks 12-15: Take oral (final) examinations
Week 14 and 15: Departmental conference for all MA students

Note: the final version of your portfolio must be submitted to your committee members at least two weeks before your oral examination. In other words, you’ll need to submit it around the same time that you see the Academic Coordinator to schedule the exam.

When planning the timeline for the oral examination, candidates must observe the following guidelines:

Minimum of 10 working days before the oral exam:. Submit your exam form and upload a complete draft of your dissertation to ProQuest at least 10 working days prior to the proposed exam date. Since all forms must be submitted electronically, your form must be given to the Graduate Coordinator with sufficient time to submit it so that it can be accepted.
Minimum of 5 working days before the oral exam: The candidate is expected to deposit the thesis or portfolio in the Department at least five working days before the oral examination.
Minimum of 5 working days after the oral exam: If the candidate passes the examination, the thesis, in final form as approved by the committee, is to be deposited at the WSU Graduate School within five working days. Also, you must email your Hold Harmless form to gradschool@wsu.edu. Your myWSU upload of your thesis title, abstract, and signature pages must be approved by your committee and delivered to the Graduate School.
Departmental deadlines: The English Department requires that the thesis or portfolio be submitted in final typed form no later than December 14 for completion of the degree in Fall Semester, no later than May 2 for completion of the degree in Spring Semester, and no later than August 1 for completion during the Summer.
No exams during Finals Week: Final oral examinations may not be scheduled during Finals Week; the last eligible day is the Friday of the previous week.

3.2.2 – MA Program in Rhetoric and Composition Thesis Option

The thesis program requires a minimum of 24 semester hours of graded course work. At least 21 hours will normally be taken in 500-level seminars in English; no more than 3 hours of non-graduate coursework (300- and 400-level courses) may be included. In the thesis option, students must submit a thesis for the completion of the degree.

Project

See MA Proposal Guidelines for further information.

Timetable

In the second semester (spring of the first year), students should

Identify a chair and committee members for the advisory committee.
With the assistance of the Graduate Academic Coordinator, prepare the Program of Study form to be submitted to the Graduate School.
Gather signatures from the committee chair, the committee members, and the English Department Chair.

In the third semester (fall of the second year), students should

Before September 1. Submit the signed Program of Study to the WSU Graduate School by turning it in to the Academic Coordinator before September 1. The Program of Study can be changed after this date but must be submitted if the student wishes to graduate in the spring.
September-October. Submit a thesis proposal (see end of Chapter 2 for more details) to their committee members by September or early October. Once the proposal for the thesis is approved by the committee chair, a copy should be sent to the Academic Coordinator by October 31.

In the fourth and final semester (spring of the second year), students should

Submit a full draft of the thesis to their director no later than about mid-March.
Consult with the Academic Coordinator about a date for the final examination. Final exams for students pursuing the thesis option are usually scheduled in late March and early-to-mid April. The Graduate School must be notified ten working days in advance of the proposed examination date.

3.3 – MA Thesis Proposal Guidelines

The following guidelines pertain equally to MA theses in literary studies and in rhetoric and composition. As with all questions about MA or PhD proposals, the best recommendations and the final decisions will rest with your committee and especially your primary advisor. In particular, you should check with your advisor regarding expectations about format, length, voice, audience, timeline, number of drafts, and so forth.

Why Write a Proposal?

When properly prepared, a thesis proposal is helpful both to students and their advisors. The benefits extend beyond simply “getting started,” though that’s not to be disregarded. Detailing your project, its approach, critical context, and organization will help you clarify your own research and writing, hopefully allowing you to spot both good ideas and problems when it’s easiest to deal with them. Getting an early glimpse of your work will allow your advisor to provide important early advice regarding both writing and research, and it will ensure that your project has the originality, scope, and significance necessary for a strong thesis. Should you choose to go on for a PhD (either here or elsewhere), it will also allow your advisor to write a more detailed letter of recommendation. Finally, the proposal provides both you and your advisors a mutually-agreed-upon structure for your thesis work.

The Rhetorical Point

A proposal is generally designed to answer the following questions:

What is your project?
Who is your audience? How will you address this audience?
Why should people take an interest in your project?
How do you propose to go about completing this project?

Together the answers to these questions will help you and your advisor answer two broader question: “Should this project be undertaken?” and “Can this project be successfully completed given the temporal constraints of MA work?”

Organizing the Proposal

While the particular format and organization of the proposal will vary, you should generally address each of the following items:

Topic and Thesis: This is the core issue or question you wish to investigate, as well as your proposed answer. You should establish good reasons for pursuing these ideas, particularly with respect to how your work fits into past, present, and potential future scholarly conversations in the field.
Current State of the Field: Essentially this is an analytical literature review. You don’t necessarily need to have read everything you cite here, but you should be able to offer a sense of the key arguments and authors in the field, as well as current critical and historiographical debates. Depending on your individual project, part of your challenge here may be to bring together disparate disciplines or approaches that will contribute to your own thinking. Together this section and the “topic/thesis” help you establish how your work relates to what has already been done in the field.
Sources and Methodology: What will be your “data” for this project – i.e., what texts, theoretical statements, literary works, examples of student writing, etc., will you use, and why are these appropriate choices? Additionally, how do you expect to approach and handle this material?
Organization: Provide a brief outline of what you expect the thesis might look like. This is not a firm contract, but rather a sense of how you imagine you will pursue your argument. How will you begin? Will there be separate sections? How will your disparate thoughts come together? This might also be the place to provide a projected timeline if you haven’t discussed this with your advisor.

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