(Please note that when conferring University Graduate School degrees, minors, certificates, and sub-plans, the University Graduate School’s staff use those requirements contained only in the University Graduate School Bulletin.)

Degrees Offered

Graduate Certificate in Composition Studies, Graduate Certificate in Language and Literature, Graduate Certificate in Literature, Master of Arts in English

Graduate Certificate in Composition Studies

As a student in the IU Online Graduate Certificate in Composition Studies, you explore the core principles of writing and literature. You learn to teach students to craft sound arguments using close attention to logic, context, and audience. You also develop a fluency with the current debates, schools, and theories of writing instruction.  

Areas of focus include:   

• Contemporary theory on the pedagogy of composition and literature 
• Linguistic structures and history of the English language
• Reading strategies and literary analysis, with attention to close reading, style, form, genre, and rhetorical practices 
• Approaches to composition and writing instruction, including the identification and evaluation of sources, use of evidence, generation of ideas, and the development and organization of argument 
• Developing archival research skills and facility with electronic resources 
• Developments, trends, and frontiers in the digital humanities 

Participating Campuses

IU Bloomington, IU East, IUPUI, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast

Admissions 

To be accepted to this program, you must have

1. A bachelor of arts in English (or related bachelor's degree in education with an English specialization, concentration, or outside area) or two years of secondary teaching experience in literature or composition classes
2. A 3.0 GPA or above on a 4.0 scale

Requirements

To earn the Graduate Certificate in Composition Studies, you must complete a total of 20 credit hours.

Courses 

• ENG-G 660 Stylistics OR ENG-L 646 Readings in Media/Literature/Culture (4 credits) 
• ENG-W 500 Teaching Composition: Issues & Approaches OR ENG-W 509 Writing and Literacy Studies (4 credits)  
• ENG-W 501 Teaching Composition in College OR ENG-W 600 Topics of Rhetoric and Composition (4 credits)  
• ENG-W 590 Teaching Writing: Theories and Applications OR ENG-W 620 Advanced Argumentative Writing (4 credits)  
• ENG-W 682 Sp. Topics: Rhetoric & Composition (4 credits) 

Graduate Certificate in Language and Literature

The IU Online Graduate Certificate in Language and Literature provides training in the core principles of writing and literature. As a student in this program, you learn to teach students how to craft sound arguments using close attention to logic, context, and audience. You also develop a fluency with the current debates, schools, and theories of writing instruction. 

Specific areas of focus include:  

• Contemporary theory on the pedagogy of composition and literature  
• Linguistic structures and history of the English language 
• Reading strategies and literary analysis, with attention to close reading, style, form, genre, and rhetorical practices 
• Approaches to composition and writing instruction, including the identification and evaluation of sources, use of evidence, generation of ideas, and the development and organization of argument 
• Fostering discussion and developing presentation skills in a seminar setting 
• Developing archival research skills and facility with electronic resources 
• Developments, trends, and frontiers in the digital humanities 

Participating Campuses

IU Bloomington, IU East, IUPUI, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast

Admissions 

To be accepted to this program, you must have

1. A bachelor of arts in English (or related bachelor's degree in education with an English specialization, concentration, or outside area) or two years of secondary teaching experience in literature or composition classes
2. A 3.0 GPA or above on a 4.0 scale

Requirements

To earn the Graduate Certificate in Language and Literature, you must complete a total of 20 credit hours.

Requirements are broken down as follows:

• Language and literature core courses (16 credit hours)
• Language and literature elective course (4 credit hours)

Courses

Core Courses

• Writing pedagogy for college instructors (4 credits)
  • ENG-W 600 Topics in Rhetoric & Composition OR ENG-W 682 Special Topics: Rhetoric & Composition OR ENG-W 508 Creative Writing for Teachers OR ENG-W 554 Practicum Teaching of Creative Writing
• ENG-D 600 OR ENG-G 655 History of the English Language (4 credits)
• ENG-L 503 Teaching Literature in College (4 credits)
• ENG-W 509 Writing and Literacy Studies OR ENG-W 500 Teaching Composition: Issues & Approaches (4 credits)

Electives

• Any advisor-approved 500- or 600-level ENG-L course (4 credits)

Graduate Certificate in Literature

As a student in the IU Online Graduate Certificate in Literature, you explore the core principles of literature. You learn to teach students how to read and analyze texts and contexts and to write literary analysis. You also develop a fluency with current literary debates and theories of instruction.

Specific areas of focus include:

• Contemporary theory on the pedagogy of composition and literature
• Linguistic structures and history of the English language
• Reading strategies and literary analysis, with attention to close reading, style, form, genre, and rhetorical practices
• Approaches to composition and writing instruction, including the identification and evaluation of sources, use of evidence, generation of ideas, and development and organization of argument
• Fostering discussion and developing presentation skills in a seminar setting
• Developing archival research skills and facility with electronic resources
• Developments, trends, and frontiers in the digital humanities

Participating Campuses

IU Bloomington, IU East, IUPUI, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast

Admissions 

To be accepted to this program, you must have

1. A bachelor of arts in English (or related bachelor's degree in education with an English specialization, concentration, or outside area) or two years of secondary teaching experience in literature or composition classes
2. A 3.0 GPA or above on a 4.0 scale 

Requirements

 To earn the Graduate Certificate in Literature, you must complete a total of 20 credit hours.

Requirements are broken down as follows:

• Literature core courses (12 credit hours)
• Two literature elective courses (8 credit hours)

Courses

Core Courses

• ENG-D 600 OR ENG-G 655 History of the English Language (4 credits)
• ENG-L 503 Teaching Literature in College (4 credits)
• ENG-L 553 Studies in Literature (4 credits)

Electives

• Any two advisor-approved 500- or 600-level ENG-L courses (8 credits)

Master of Arts in English

The IU Online Master of Arts in English provides broad training in the primary areas of English studies.

As a student in the program, you explore the core principles of writing and literature pedagogy, the linguistic structure and history of English literature, and a wide variety of reading strategies associated with genre and close reading. You gain skills and knowledge to conduct archival research, develop analytical and presentation skills through the focused study of literature in a seminar format, and acquire an appreciation of current trends in the field of digital humanities.

Specific areas of focus include:

• Linguistic structures and history of the English language
• Reading strategies and literary practices, such as close reading, analysis of style, form and genre, and rhetorical practices
• Approaches to composition and writing instruction, including the identification and evaluation of sources, use of evidence, generation of ideas, and the development and organization of argument
• Fostering discussion and developing presentation skills in a seminar setting
• Developing archival research skills and facility with electronic resources
• Developments, trends, and frontiers in the digital humanities

Participating Campuses

IU Bloomington, IU East, IUPUI, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast

Admissions 

To be accepted to this program, you must successfully complete one of the following IU Online English graduate certificates:

• Composition Studies
• Language and Literature
• Literature.

You must complete at least three courses in one of the above certificate programs with a 3.5 or higher GPA before transitioning into the MA in English. 

Requirements

To earn the MA in English, you must complete a total of 36 credit hours.  

Requirements are broken down as follows:  

• English graduate certificate (20 credit hours)  
• MA core courses (8 credit hours) 
• MA elective courses (8 credit hours) 

Courses

English Graduate Certificate 

• You must complete one of the following IU Online English graduate certificates: literature, literature and language, or composition studies. (20 credits)

Core Skills and Methods of Advanced Literary Study

• ENG-L 506 Intro to Methods of Criticism and Research OR ENG-L 646 Readings in Media/Literature/Culture OR ENG-W 509 Writing and Literary Studies OR ENG-G 600 Introduction to the English Language. (8 credits)

Electives

• Any advisor-approved 500- or 600-level English course (4 credits)
• ENG-W 609 Independent Writing Project (4 credits)