Program Overview
English - Creative Writing Specialization
| Program Coordinator | Cyrus Mulready, (845) 257-2739, mulreadc@newpaltz.edu |
| Program ID | 204C |
| Credits | 30 |
| Program Length | MA can be completed in one year if enrolled full-time, but degree must be completed within 7 years |
| Modality | In-person |
| Full-time/Part-time | Full-time |
| Transfer Credits | 6 |
| Capstone | Comprehensive Exam or Thesis |
English - Literature Specialization
| Program Coordinator | Cyrus Mulready, (845) 257-2739, mulreadc@newpaltz.edu |
| Program ID | 204L |
| Credits | 30 |
| Program Length | MA can be completed in one year if enrolled full-time, but degree must be completed within 7 years |
| Modality | In-person |
| Full-time/Part-time | Full-time |
| Transfer Credits | 6 |
| Capstone | Comprehensive Exam or Thesis |
Program Description
A Master of Arts (MA) degree in English can be a passport to any number of careers where employers value communication and research skills, proficiency with digital technologies, and the ability to think critically to solve complex programs. Our MA English alumni work in publishing, journalism, education, marketing, law, and politics, among other fields.
The Creative Writing Concentration in the MA in English is designed to help writers find their voices and find their audiences. It is built around poetry and prose workshops led by award-winning published authors. Faculty take a holistic approach to teaching that merges rigorous literary study with a communal, writer’s retreat-style experience. Students take a combination of literature courses and creative writing workshops. A special seminar on Teaching Creative Writing will help prepare students interested in future instruction careers. Each student completes a significant final thesis work of prose or poetry during a semester-long one-on-one collaboration with our instructors.
Admission Requirements
- One official copy of a baccalaureate transcript from a regionally accredited institution with at least 36 credits in English, exclusive of freshman composition. (Applicants who present fewer than 36 undergraduate credits in English may remedy this deficiency by taking additional courses as recommended by the English graduate committee.)
- A 3.0 overall cumulative undergraduate grade point average. (Applicants whose undergraduate grade point average in English is less than 3.0 may be admitted on the basis of GRE scores.)
- A sample of the applicant’s critical writing, either one or two essays totaling about 10 pages in length.
- Three letters of recommendation
- International applicants must provide an internet-based TOEFL score of at least 85. GREs are recommended.
Application Deadlines
| Rolling Admissions | Fall Admission |
| Rolling Admissions | Spring Admission |
Accepting on a rolling basis until the program is full.
Creative Writing Specialization
All course selection is done in consultation with a faculty advisor.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete ONE of the following pre-1800 courses: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Old English | ||
| English Literature of the Sixteenth Century | ||
| Shakespeare | ||
| English Drama through the Jacobean Period | ||
| English Literature of the Seventeenth Century | ||
| Milton | ||
| Forms of Autobiography 1 | ||
| Studies in Middle English Literature | ||
| Studies in Sixteenth-Century English Literature | ||
| Studies in Seventeenth-Century English Literature | ||
| Studies in Eighteenth-Century English Literature | ||
| Studies in English Romanticism | ||
| Studies in Comparative Literature 1 | ||
| English Selected Topic 1 | ||
| Complete THREE of the following Post-1800 courses | 9 | |
| Modern Theories of Writing Annual/Fall | ||
| Modernity and Modernism in Britain | ||
| Virginia Woolf | ||
| Postmodern Literature | ||
| Twenty-First Century Literature | ||
| American Fiction in the Twentieth Century to 1945 Annual/Fall | ||
| American Poetry in the Twentieth Century to 1945 | ||
| Studies in Victorian Literature | ||
| Studies in Nineteenth-Century American Literature | ||
| Studies in Twentieth-Century American Fiction to 1945 | ||
| Studies in Twentieth-Century British Literature | ||
| Studies in Contemporary Literature | ||
| Studies in Comparative Literature 2 | ||
| From Gutenberg to Google Books: Studies in Books, Readers, and Culture | ||
| English Selected Topic 2 | ||
| Fieldwork in English | ||
| Indep Study English | ||
| Literary Criticism | ||
| ENG585 | Studies in Contemporary Criticism and Theory | 3 |
| Complete THREE Creative Writing Workshops | 9 | |
| Workshop in Fiction and Memoir 3 | ||
| Workshop in Poetry 3 | ||
| ENG544 | Seminar in Teaching Creative Writing | 3 |
| Culminating Experience | ||
| ENG590 | Thesis in English | 3 |
| ENG599 | Graduate Comprehensive Exam Registration 4 | 0 |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
- 1
If the majority of texts are pre-1800.
- 2
If the majority of texts are post-1800.
- 3
These workshops are repeatable for credit.
- 4
ENG599 Graduate Comprehensive Exam Registration is a non-credit enrollment taken in your final semester as you complete this degree requirement. The Comprehensive Exam may be fulfilled by a "culminating experience" as approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.
For a complete listing of graduate-level English courses, please visit: https://catalog.newpaltz.edu/graduate/course-descriptions/eng/
No more than six credits may be transferred from another institution. No more than six credits taken before admission to the MA program may be credited to the degree.
Curriculum Requirements
All course selection is done in consultation with a faculty advisor.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select three courses of Literature Before 1800 | 9 | |
| Introduction to Old English | ||
| English Literature of the Sixteenth Century | ||
| Shakespeare | ||
| English Drama through the Jacobean Period | ||
| English Literature of the Seventeenth Century | ||
| Milton | ||
| Forms of Autobiography 1 | ||
| Studies in Middle English Literature | ||
| Studies in Sixteenth-Century English Literature | ||
| Studies in Seventeenth-Century English Literature | ||
| Studies in Eighteenth-Century English Literature | ||
| Studies in English Romanticism 1 | ||
| Studies in Comparative Literature 1 | ||
| English Selected Topic 1 | ||
| Select three courses in Literature After 1800 | 9 | |
| Modernity and Modernism in Britain | ||
| Virginia Woolf | ||
| Postmodern Literature | ||
| Twenty-First Century Literature | ||
| American Fiction in the Twentieth Century to 1945 Annual/Fall | ||
| American Poetry in the Twentieth Century to 1945 | ||
| Forms of Autobiography | ||
| Studies in English Romanticism 2 | ||
| Studies in Victorian Literature | ||
| Studies in Comparative Literature 2 | ||
| Studies in Nineteenth-Century American Literature | ||
| Studies in Twentieth-Century American Fiction to 1945 | ||
| Studies in Twentieth-Century British Literature | ||
| Studies in Contemporary Literature | ||
| From Gutenberg to Google Books: Studies in Books, Readers, and Culture | ||
| Literary Criticism and Theory | 3 | |
| Studies in Contemporary Criticism and Theory | ||
| Select three electives - to be chosen in consultation with your Advisor. | 9 | |
| Culminating Experience | ||
| Graduate Comprehensive Exam Registration 3 | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
- 1
If pre-1800 texts are the majority.
- 2
If the majority of texts are post-1800.
- 3
ENG599 Graduate Comprehensive Exam Registration is a non-credit enrollment taken in your final semester as you complete this degree requirement. The Comprehensive Exam may be fulfilled by a "culminating experience" as approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.
NOTE: The Thesis in English (ENG590) is an optional course which may be used to fulfill pre-1800, post-1800 or elective categories.
For a complete listing of graduate-level English courses, please visit: https://catalog.newpaltz.edu/graduate/course-descriptions/eng/
No more than six credits may be transferred from another institution. No more than six credits that are taken before admission to the MA program may be credited to the degree.
Assistantships
Teaching Assistantships are available for students in the MA program. The Assistantship pays a stipend plus tuition for two graduate English courses per semester; recipients of the Assistantship teach one section of Composition and enroll in two graduate English courses per semester. Teaching Assistants are supported through a maximum of 33 credits. Modern Theories of Writing, ENG515, is required and is usually taken in the first semester of the Assistantship. Applications are made through the English Department office.
A limited number of other stipendiary positions are sometimes available within the English Department and elsewhere on campus. Check regularly with the English Department to learn of these opportunities.
Program Requirements
- Complete prescribed course work within seven years after matriculation.
- Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better, with no more than two grades below B-.
- Satisfactory performance on the English Department’s comprehensive examination or approved culminating experience.
Graduate Checklist
-
Apply for graduation via my.newpaltz.edu under “Graduation” tab according to the schedule in the academic calendar.
-
Resolve any pending admission conditions (outlined in your acceptance letter) and/or missing documents if applicable.
-
Review your progress report via my.newpaltz.edu to ensure that you have completed all program requirements.
-
Remember that only two grades below a B- may be applied to your plan of study.
-
Contact your advisor if you need to amend your plan or process transfer credit.
-
Ensure that you are in good academic standing with a GPA (Grade Point Average) of 3.0 or higher.
-
Pass your capstone or culminating assessment.
-
Complete your degree within the specified time limit outlined in the Program Overview.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Proficiency in the critical and/or theoretical reading of literary texts.
- Mastery of the conventions of discipline-specific academic discourse.
- Ability to conduct advanced research.
- Effective oral communication skills through intensive class discussion and formal presentations.
- Knowledge of premodern literary cultures.
- Knowledge of modern literary cultures.
