The plan listed below is designed to provide suggestions for sequencing your major courses, but there are also other ways to sequence most majors. This plan is meant to provide aid in early, provisional planning. Please consult with your academic advisor to make strategic academic decisions about which courses to take each semester.
Sample Plan: English (MA)
The English (MA) program offers spring, summer, and fall entry terms. Students can pursue their degree part-time, full-time, or alternate as needed between the two. A total of 36 credit hours is required to graduate from the program. A mix of synchronous and asynchronous courses are available. This plan was made under the assumption that a student is beginning coursework in the Fall semester and plans to pursue courses full-time, but a close examination will show the flexibility of the program, including notes for part-time students to consider.
FALL - Semester 1
- ENG 504G: Advanced Creative Writing Topics (4 cr) OR ENG 6XXG (4 cr)*
- ENG 6XXG (4 cr)*
If you are a first-year GTRA, take:
- ENG 698G: Teaching Practicum - Writing as Critical Thinking (1 cr)
If you are not a GTRA, take:
- ENG 610G: Seminar in Literary Studies (1 cr)
SPRING - Semester 2
- ENG 504G: Advanced Creative Writing Topics (4 cr) OR ENG 6XXG (4 cr)*
- ENG 6XXG (4 cr)*
If you are a first-year GTRA, take:
- ENG 698G: Teaching Practicum - Writing as Critical Thinking (1 cr)
If you are not a GTRA, take:
- ENG 610G: Seminar in Literary Studies (1 cr)
SUMMER - Semester 3
Summer ENG 504G and limited ENG 6XXG* courses available if you are taking courses part-time or wish to graduate early.
FALL - Semester 4
Students must choose a culminating project, of which there are four options: a critical portfolio, a critical thesis, a creative portfolio, or a creative thesis. See English MA program in the University Catalog for details.
Thesis Option (10 cr)
- ENG 611: Thesis Hours (2 cr)
- ENG 504G: Advanced Creative Writing Topics (4 cr) OR ENG 6XXG (4 cr)*
- ENG 610G: Seminar in Literary Studies (2 cr)
- ENG 610G: Seminar in Literary Studies (2 cr) (different topic)
Portfolio Option (9 cr)
- ENG 504G: Advanced Creative Writing Topics (4 cr) OR ENG 6XXG* (4 cr)
- ENG 610G: Seminar in Literary Studies (1 cr)
- ENG 6XXG (4 cr)*
SPRING - Semester 5
Students must choose a culminating project, of which there are four options: a critical portfolio, a critical thesis, a creative portfolio, or a creative thesis. See English MA program in the University Catalog for details.
Thesis Option (10 cr)
- ENG 611: Thesis Hours (2 cr)
- ENG 504G: Advanced Creative Writing Topics (4 cr) OR ENG 6XXG (4 cr)*
- ENG 610G: Seminar in Literary Studies (2 cr)
- ENG 610G: Seminar in Literary Studies (2 cr) (different topic)
Portfolio Option (9 cr)
- ENG 504G: Advanced Creative Writing Topics (4 cr) OR ENG 6XXG* (4 cr)
- ENG 625G: Graduate Portfolio Seminar (1 cr)
- ENG 6XXG (4 cr)*
SUMMER - Semester 6
Summer ENG 504G and limited ENG 6XXG* courses available if you are taking courses part-time or wish to graduate in summer.
NOTES:
- The English MA degree program is delivered online with the following exceptions:
- Anyone with a GTRA position will need to be on campus to attend teaching practicum courses and teach their in-person classes.
- Anyone also completing the MAE program will need to be on campus for those education classes, as the MAE is not an online program.
- 500-level courses (which are sometimes offered along with a parallel undergraduate section and taught on campus); and special topics courses taught in parallel with undergraduate sections offered on campus.
- Note: The English MA program does offer enough classes online that you can complete the program without taking any classes in-person.
- Note: The English MA program does not offer enough in-person courses to be completed entirely in-person, on campus. Many of your courses will be online, even if you are on campus (e.g., due to a GTRA position).
- Courses are taught online unless otherwise marked (IP) for in-person instruction.
- Most courses may be repeated under different topics. See the full University Catalog description for each course for details. Specific topics are listed each semester in open course lists.
- (*) = Many of our 600-level courses are offered with 1-, 2-, or 4-credit variations. See the semester open course list for details.
- No more than 12 combined credits of ENG 609G and ENG 650G may count toward the MA in English.
- All first-year English GTRAs are required to take 2 credits of ENG 698G - Teaching Practicum: Writing as Critical Thinking (IP); 1 credit in the fall and 1 credit in the spring to coincide with their first year of teaching ENG 190.
- It is possible to pursue both the English MA and the English MAE at the same time (note: MAE program is in-person only). If interested in this option, questions about pursuing the English MA degree at the same time as the MAE English Secondary Education may be directed to Dr. Rebecca Dierking, program coordinator (rdierking@truman.edu).
Program Director: Please contact the Center for Academic Excellence (advise@truman.edu) with any updates to the plan above. Updated 3-36-2025
This is a sample course sequence to illustrate class offerings for this major. The Office of the Registrar is responsible for certifying completion of degree requirements based on requirements specified in Truman's Official Catalog.