M.A. in English
The English Department’s online Master of Arts program is designed to make the UNO M.A. in English more accessible to students. It provides students with advanced subject-matter expertise in American literature, British literature, and rhetoric/professional writing. To earn this degree, students must complete 33 credit hours of coursework, all of which can be completed online. Beginning in Spring 2023, all of our MA courses will be offered online, in a variety of synchronous and asynchronous formats, including but not limited to Zoom. The MA degree can be completed in 2-3 years, depending on how many hours a student takes and whether or not summer courses are taken.
Concentrations
The Master of Arts program features advanced study in Literary and Cultural Studies, as well as Professional Writing. The program requires students to complete one of two areas of concentration.
Literary and Cultural Studies
This concentration enriches the student’s understanding of culture and literature and can serve as a stepping stone for a Ph.D. in literary studies. Courses may focus on U.S. literature, British Literature, Global and/or Comparative Literatures, Transnational Literatures, Film and Media Studies, Digital Humanities, and more.
Professional Writing
The Professional Writing concentration accommodates those who plan to pursue careers outside education in professional or creative writing. Courses may focus on technical writing, editing, print journalism, journalism for 21-st century audiences, writing for social media and online audiences, the study of rhetoric, and more.
Degree Requirements | Course Descriptions | (PDF)
Student Learning Outcomes
Student Learning Outcomes specify what students will know, be able to do, or be able to demonstrate when they have completed a program of study.
Students
Beginning Spring 2023, all of our graduate courses will be available online in a variety of synchronous and asynchronous formats, including but not limited to Zoom. Many M.A. students work off-campus and pursue degrees part-time by taking courses in Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Most of our MA students hold undergraduate degrees in English, but students with degrees in other fields may be admitted upon condition that they take additional coursework to provide sufficient background.
Careers
The Master of Arts program is sufficiently flexible to accommodate a range of academic interests and to help prepare students for several different career paths. Our graduates have gone on to choose one of four options: to pursue the doctoral degree; to teach in secondary schools, junior colleges, colleges, and universities; to undertake further professional training, such as in law or library science; or to work as professional or technical writers.
Dr. Elizabeth Steeby
Coordinator of Graduate Studies
Phone: 504-280-5422
Email: esteeby@uno.edu
Graduate English Office
Phone: 504-280-6276
Email: gradenglish@uno.edu
What Our Graduates Are Doing Now
- Pursuing Ph.D.s in a variety of fields at universities such as the University of Mississippi, Ohio State University, Miami University in Florida, Oxford University, Loyola University at Chicago, Bowling Green State University, University of Houston, and many others.
- Teaching at local high schools (such as McGehee, Ben Franklin, Jesuit, Rummel, and Cabrini) and local colleges (such as Nicholls State, Dillard, Delgado, and Southeastern).
- Working as technical writers, journalists, educational administrators, freelance writers and editors, and marketing professionals.