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

1. Introductory Course--Graduate Composition Studies—

Complete one of: ENG W509 Introduction to Writing and Literacy Studies, or
ENG W500 Teaching Composition

2. Stylistics

Complete one of: ENG G660 Stylistics
ENG L646 Readings in Media, Literature, and Culture

3. Applied Writing Pedagogy

Complete one of: ENG W510 Computers in Composition
ENG W553 Theory and Practice of Exposition
ENG W590 Teaching Composition: Theories & Applications
ENG W620 Advanced Argumentative Writing

4. Writing Pedagogy for College Instructors

Complete one of: ENG W501 Practicum on Teaching of Composition in College
ENG W600 Topics in Rhetoric and Composition

5. Rhetoric Seminar or Capstone

Complete one of: ENG R546 Rhetoric and Public Culture
ENG W600 Topics in Rhetoric and Composition
ENG W682 Special Topics in Rhetoric and Composition 

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, students must complete 20 credit hours of coursework as follows:   

1. Introductory Course: Graduate Composition Studies (4 credits) 

Complete one of the following:  
ENG-W 509 Introduction to Writing and Literacy Studies
ENG-W 500 Teaching Composition  

2. Introductory Course: Teaching Literature at the College Level (4 credits) 

ENG-L 503 Teaching of Literature in College 

3. History and Development of English Language and Literature (4 credits) 

Complete one or the following: 
ENG-D 600/ENG-G 655 History of the English Language 
ENG-L 639 English Fiction To 1800 
ENG-L 641 English Literature 1790-1900 
ENG-L 660 Studies In British and American Literature 
ENG-L 681 Genre Studies 

4. Writing Pedagogy for College Instructors (4 credits)   

Complete one or the following:    
ENG-W 600 Topics in Rhetoric and Composition 
ENG-W 682 Special Topics in Rhetoric and Composition 
ENG-W 508 Graduate Creative Writing for Teachers 
ENG-W 554 Practicum: Teaching of Creative Writing 

5. Certificate Elective (4 credits) 

Complete one additional course in English Literature (ENG-L 500/600) 

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, students must complete 20 credit hours of coursework as follows:   

1. Introductory Course: Teaching Literature at the College Level (4 credits)

ENG-L 503 Teaching of Literature in College  

2. History, Methods, and Practice of Literary Study (4 credits)

ENG-L 553 Studies in Literature  

3. History and Development of the English Language or English Literature (4 credits)

Complete one of the following: 
ENG-D 600/ENG-G655 History of the English Language 
ENG L639 English Fiction To 1800 
ENG L641 English Literature 1790-1900 
ENG L660 Studies In British and American Literature 
ENG L681 Genre Studies  

4. Certificates Electives (8 credits)

Complete two additional courses in English Literature (ENG-L 500/600) 

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

Students pursuing the collaborative M.A. in English will complete a two-part degree program that includes a 20-credit stand-alone graduate certificate chosen from the following three options, Literature, Language & Literature, or Composition Studies (Part I), and 16 credits of additional master’s degree coursework (Part II).

Required courses for the online M.A. in English will run using the ENG subject code and carry 4 credits.

Part I: Completion of one following three Graduate Certificate options (20 credits)

Option #1 Graduate Certificate in Literature

To earn the Graduate Certificate in Literature, students must complete five graduate courses for 20 credits.

Course requirements are as follows:

1. Introductory Course—Teaching Literature at the College Level

ENG-L 503 Teaching of Literature in College

2. History, Methods, and Practice of Literary Study

ENG-L 553 Studies in Literature

3. Course on the History and Development of the English Language or English Literature

Complete one of:
ENG-D 600/ENG-G655 History of the English Language
ENG L639 English Fiction To 1800
ENG L641 English Literature 1790-1900
ENG L660 Studies In British and American Literature
ENG L681 Genre Studies

4. & 5. Two Electives—any two ENG-L courses (in addition to L503 and L553)

ENG-L class at the 500/600 level
ENG-L class at the 500/600 level

Option #2 Graduate Certificate in Language and Literature

To earn the Graduate Certificate in Language and Literature, students must complete five graduate courses for 20 credits.

Course requirements are as follows:

1. Introductory Course—Graduate Composition Studies—

Complete one of:
ENG W509 Introduction to Writing and Literacy Studies, or
ENG W500 Teaching Composition

2. Introductory Course—Teaching Literature at the College Level

ENG L503 Teaching of Literature in College

3. Course on the History and Development of the English Language or English Literature

Complete one of:
ENG-D 600/ENG-G655 History of the English Language
ENG L639 English Fiction To 1800
ENG L641 English Literature 1790-1900
ENG L660 Studies In British and American Literature
ENG L681 Genre Studies

4. Writing Pedagogy for College Instructors

Complete one of:
ENG W600 Topics in Rhetoric and Composition
ENG W682 Special Topics in Rhetoric and Composition
ENG W508 Graduate Creative Writing for Teachers
ENG W554 Practicum: Teaching of Creative Writing

5. Certificate Elective

Complete an additional ENG-L 500/600

Option #3 Graduate Certificate in Composition Studies

To earn the Graduate Certificate in Composition Studies, students must complete five graduate courses for 20 credits.

Course requirements are as follows:

1. Introductory Course--Graduate Composition Studies—

Complete one of: ENG W509 Introduction to Writing and Literacy Studies, or
ENG W500 Teaching Composition

2. Stylistics

Complete one of: ENG G660 Stylistics
ENG L646 Readings in Media, Literature, and Culture

3. Applied Writing Pedagogy

Complete one of: ENG W510 Computers in Composition
ENG W553 Theory and Practice of Exposition
ENG W590 Teaching Composition: Theories & Applications
ENG W620 Advanced Argumentative Writing

4. Writing Pedagogy for College Instructors

Complete one of: ENG W501 Practicum on the Teaching of Composition in College
ENG W600 Topics in Rhetoric and Composition

5. Rhetoric Seminar or Capstone

Complete one of: ENG R546 Rhetoric and Public Culture
ENG W600 Topics in Rhetoric and Composition
ENG W682 Special Topics in Rhetoric and Composition

Part II: Additional Coursework for the M.A. in English (16 credits)

To earn the Master of Arts in English, students must complete an additional four graduate courses for 16 credits.

1. Courses in Core Skills and Methods of Advanced Literary Study

Complete two courses chosen from the following list (8 credits) (cannot duplicate certificate enrollments):
ENG L506 Introduction to the Methods of Criticism and Research
ENG L646 Readings in Media, Literature, and Culture
ENG R546 Rhetoric and Public Culture
ENG W509 Introduction to Writing and Literacy Studies
ENG G500 Introduction to the English Language

2. Electives Courses (8 credits)

Complete any two ENG-X 500/600 level courses.
May include by permission only, ENG-W 609 Independent Writing