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English and Humanities

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Teaching English at the Community College (Graduate Certificate)

English and Humanities (M.A.)

Marymount's Master of Arts in English and Humanities is a flexible, student-centered, interdisciplinary program of study that immerses students in the unique cultural resources and opportunities of the Washington, DC, area while deepening their understanding of the human condition. Graduate study in the humanities enhances historical consciousness, fosters clear and critical thinking, and hones writing and presentational skills. The program’s small seminar classes engage students with the world of ideas through close textual study, individual research, and classroom discussion.

The MA program in English and Humanities prepares students for an array of academic and alternative academic futures. The program prepares students for further advanced study and entry into competitive doctoral programs; for career development or advancement in secondary and community college teaching; or for master's-level careers invested in research, writing, editing, and the nonprofit sector.

This program requires the completion of 33 credit hours of coursework. Students can elect to cap their coursework with either a thesis or an internship practicum. Students planning to pursue advanced work in a doctoral program are encouraged to complete a thesis, which requires an oral defense, while those seeking professional enhancement and/or a career change are encouraged to complete an internship practicum, which also requires public presentation.

Degree-seeking students in the English and Humanities MA program are also eligible to pursue the Teaching English at the Community College (TECC) graduate certificate jointly. (See program details.)

The MA program allows students to build their course of study in one of three tracks:

In the literature track, students engage with and analyze texts from a variety of theoretical perspectives. Literary study enhances cultural awareness and aesthetic appreciation, fosters sensitivity and mental suppleness through the consideration of multiple viewpoints, and encourages critical thinking.
In the language and composition track, an emphasis is placed on linguistic and rhetorical study, with a practical edge. This course of study heightens understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of language and perfects students’ abilities to critique and improve their own writing in light of its purpose and audience.
In the humanities track, students engage in humanistic inquiry from a variety of disciplinary perspectives suited to their interests and professional needs, including history and politics, the history of art and architecture, philosophy, literature, and comparative religion.

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to

write and create substantial academic papers and projects in which they analyze source material, develop original arguments, and demonstrate clarity, organization, grace of expression, and audience awareness;
analyze source material with informed consideration of its historical, cultural, critical and/or theoretical context;
deliver professional and engaging oral presentations of their academic work that focus on their arguments and ideas, and that show thorough research and preparation; and
fully acknowledge the use of all forms of intellectual property.

Admission Requirements: In addition to meeting the universitywide requirements for graduate admission applicants must

provide evidence of a bachelor’s degree with a major in a humanities discipline, such as English, history, philosophy, art history, or comparative religion, comprising at least 18 credits in the discipline;
submit official transcripts of all postsecondary education reflecting a grade point average (overall or in the major) of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale;
submit a sample 8- to 10-page critical paper; and
submit two letters of recommendation.

Also, see language requirement, which follows.

Consortium Courses: A maximum of 6 semester credits, selected in conjunction with the director of the graduate program in English and Humanities, may be taken through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area. Students should not enroll in a consortium course during the semester of their anticipated graduation. Taking a course outside of Marymount during the student’s final semester may delay his or her graduation.

Language Requirement: Preference will be given during the admission process to students who demonstrate intermediate proficiency in a second language, either by transcript or by credit on a standardized test (such as CLEP). Students without the language requirement on entry are encouraged to complete 6 to 8 credits in language (broadly defined) while at Marymount in addition to the existing course requirements.

Nondegree Admission: Applicants wishing to enroll for limited coursework may do so as nondegree students for a maximum of 9 credits and two consecutive semesters. See nondegree studies for more information.

Provisional Admission: Applicants may also be admitted on a provisional basis, which requires students to maintain a 3.0 GPA in the first term of courses.

International Students: Nonnative speakers of English should review International Applicants for TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic test score requirements. Students who hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited postsecondary institution where the language of instruction is English are exempt from this requirement.

Transfer Credits: A maximum of 6 semester credits of transfer or consortium graduate credit may be applied toward the degree, if approved by the dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and the registrar.

Degree Requirements — English and Humanities

33 credits

Courses designated HUM may be taught by faculty from different disciplines. Disciplinary focus will be noted in student records, and it may affect how the course fulfills degree requirements.

Unlisted graduate courses may be taken as related electives upon approval from the dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and the director of the graduate program in English and humanities.

Literature Track

Foundation Courses (6 credits), as follows:

EN 501 Building Textual Interpretation

EN 502 Engaging Critical Theory

Program Courses: Literature (12-18 credits), chosen from the following: EN 522 Out of the '30s; EN 527 Dante’s Florence and The Divine Comedy; EN 533 Shakespeare: Text and Performance; EN 542 Origins of the "Novel": Text, Context, Critique; EN 545 Social Upheaval and Dramatic Structure; EN 549 Topics in Counter-Cultural Literary Movements; EN 572 The Canterbury Tales and the Late Medieval World; EN 576 Literary Proponents of Culture in the 19th and 20th Century; EN 580 Independent Study; EN 590 Major Author(s); HUM 524 Myth, Symbol and Language; HUM 525 King Arthur and Camelot: Interdisciplinary Perspectives; HUM 528 Visions of Freedom in the Modern World; HUM 560 Lies and Secrets; HUM 574 Gender, Race, and Empire

Program Courses: Language and Composition (3-6 credits), chosen from the following: ED 561 Teaching Language Pragmatics; EN 550 General Linguistics; EN 551 Composition: Theory and Practice; EN 552 Applied Phonology; EN 554 Applied Grammar: Syntactic Structures; EN 558 The History of the English Language; EN 559 Studies in Creative Writing; EN 561 Topics in College Composition; EN 571 Technology for College Literature and Writing; EN 580 Independent Study; HUM 524 Myth, Symbol, and Language

Program Courses: Related Electives (3-6 credits), chosen from the following: FA 502 Theories and Methods of Art History; FA 585 Art and Culture in Early Modern Northern Europe; HI 503 Foundations of Historical Thought; HI 550 The Intellectual History of the American Revolution; HUM 524 Myth, Symbol, and Language; HUM 525 King Arthur and Camelot: Interdisciplinary Perspectives; HUM 528 Visions of Freedom in the Modern World; HUM 560 Lies and Secrets; HUM 574 Gender, Race, and Empire; HUM 599 Independent Study; ID 554 Historic Preservation Seminar; IT 502 Creating Websites; IT 550 Ethics, Law, and Policy in the Information Age; MGT 537 Nonprofit Management; PH 504 Philosophy and the Humanities; TRS 565 Violence, Peacemaking, and Religion

Capstone Course (3 credits), chosen from the following: EN 690 Practicum or EN 695 Master’s Project

Language and Composition Track

Foundation Courses (6 credits), as follows:

EN 501 Building Textual Interpretation

EN 502 Engaging Critical Theory

Program Courses: Language and Composition (12 credits), chosen from the following: ED 561 Teaching Language Pragmatics; EN 550 General Linguistics; EN 551 Composition: Theory and Practice; EN 552 Applied Phonology; EN 554 Applied Grammar: Syntactic Structures; EN 558 The History of the English Language; EN 559 Studies in Creative Writing; EN 561 Topics in College Composition; EN 571 Technology for College Literature and Writing; EN 580 Independent Study; HUM 524 Myth, Symbol, and Language

Program Courses: Literature (6-9 credits), chosen from the following: EN 522 Out of the ‘30s; EN 527 Dante’s Florence and The Divine Comedy; EN 533 Shakespeare: Text and Performance; EN 542 Origins of the "Novel": Text, Context, Critique; EN 545 Social Upheaval and Dramatic Structure; EN 549 Topics in Counter-Cultural Literary Movements; EN 572 The Canterbury Tales and the Late Medieval World; EN 576 Literary Proponents of Culture in the 19th and 20th Century; EN 580 Independent Study; EN 590 Major Author(s); HUM 524 Myth, Symbol, and Language; HUM 525 King Arthur and Camelot: Interdisciplinary Perspectives; HUM 528 Visions of Freedom in the Modern World; HUM 560 Lies and Secrets; HUM 574 Gender, Race, and Empire

Capstone Course (3 credits), chosen from the following: EN 690 Practicum or EN 695 Master’s Project

Students in this track may wish to supplement their studies by completing the certificate in teaching English at the community college. See the certificate program for requirements.

Humanities Track

Foundation Courses (6 credits), chosen from the following: EN 501 Building Textual Interpretation; FA 502 Theories and Methods of Art History; HI 503 Foundations of Historical Thought; PH 504 Philosophy and the Humanities. Additional foundation courses beyond the first 6 credits may be taken as program courses.

Program Courses: Humanities (12-15 credits), chosen from the following: FA 502 Theories and Methods of Art History; FA 585 Art and Culture in Early Modern Northern Europe; HI 503 Foundations of Historical Thought; HI 550 The Intellectual History of the American Revolution; HUM 524 Myth, Symbol, and Language; HUM 525 King Arthur and Camelot: Interdisciplinary Perspectives; HUM 528 Visions of Freedom in the Modern World; HUM 560 Lies and Secrets; HUM 574 Gender, Race, and Empire; HUM 599 Independent Study; PH 504 Philosophy and the Humanities; TRS 565 Violence, Peacemaking, and Religion

Program Courses: Related Electives (9-12 credits) chosen from the following: ED 561 Teaching Language Pragmatics; EN 502 Engaging Critical Theory; EN 522 Out of the '30s; EN 527 Dante’s Florence and The Divine Comedy; EN 533 Shakespeare: Text and Performance; EN 542 Origins of the "Novel": Text, Context, Critique; EN 545 Social Upheaval and Dramatic Structure; EN 549 Topics in Counter-Cultural Literary Movements; EN 550 General Linguistics; EN 551 Composition: Theory and Practice; EN 552 Applied Phonology; EN 554 Applied Grammar: Syntactic Structures; EN 558 The History of the English Language; EN 559 Studies in Creative Writing; EN 561 Topics in College Composition; EN 571 Technology for College Literature and Writing; EN 572 The Canterbury Tales and the Late Medieval World; EN 576 Literary Proponents of Culture in the 19th and 20th Century; EN 580 Independent Study; EN 590 Major Author(s); HUM 524 Myth, Symbol, and Language; HUM 525 King Arthur and Camelot: Interdisciplinary Perspectives; HUM 528 Visions of Freedom in the Modern World; HUM 560 Lies and Secrets; HUM 574 Gender, Race, and Empire; ID 554 Historic Preservation Seminar; IT 502 Creating Websites; IT 550 Ethics, Law, and Policy in the Information Age; MGT 537 Nonprofit Management

Capstone Course (3 credits), chosen from the following: HUM 690 Practicum or HUM 695 Master's Project

Teaching English at the Community College (Graduate Certificate)

This certificate program prepares graduates to be theoretically informed and reflectively engaged teacher-researchers in U.S. community colleges. Graduates are prepared to teach English and writing studies with pedagogical practices continually shaped by emerging research, theories, and reflection. Title IV federal financial aid is available for this certificate program.

Admission Requirements: Students interested in earning this certificate must be enrolled in the M.A. in English and humanities program.

Program Completion Requirement: All coursework must be completed at Marymount within five years of the date of matriculation. Students completing the M.A. in English and Humanities program will be eligible for the certificate. The certificate will be awarded at the same time as the master's degree.

Certificate Requirements

15 credits

EN 554 Applied Grammar: Syntactical Structures

EN 551 Composition: Theory and Practice

EN 561 Topics in College Composition

EN 571 Technology for College Literature and Writing

EN 690 Practicum

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