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Academic ProgramFor detailed requirements and policies please review the Department Handbook. IntroductionYou will work in an environment that is student-centered, characterized by personal attention, small seminars, and flexibility in designing individual courses of study.
Master of Arts in LiteratureProgram RequirementsA completed B.A. degree is a prerequisite for admission to the 40-unit M.A. program. Degree requirements include the following: 40 units of coursework (ten seminars of four units each); one foreign language; and the M.A. comprehensive exam. Students are advised to take no more than twelve units per semester. See "Residence Requirement" and other institutional regulations under "Master of Arts Degree" in the "Degree Regulations" section of the CGU Bulletin. Distribution RequirementThe ten seminars must fulfill the following distribution requirement: one course in British literature before 1800; one in British literature after 1800; one in American literature before 1900; one in American literature after 1900; and one other course in British or American literature of any period. Language RequirementThe M.A. student must demonstrate a reading knowledge of one foreign language. The language exam should normally be taken in Classical Greek, Latin, French, German, Italian, or Spanish. Any student wishing to test in a different language must receive the prior approval of the chair, or of the faculty member in charge of the language exam. With prior approval, successful completion of a foreign language course (with a grade of B+ or better) while enrolled at CGU may substitute for the language exam. Coursework and exams taken prior to admission to the CGU English Department cannot fulfill this language requirement. Comprehensive ExaminationsThe student must pass the written M.A. comprehensive exam, which is designed to test the student's ability to do close readings of selected passages from British and American literature as well as the ability to place these texts in the appropriate cultural context. The M.A. comprehensive exam may not be taken if the student has more than one outstanding "Incomplete" grade. Master of Arts in Literature and Creative WritingProgram RequirementsDegree requirements for the M.A. in literature and creative writing are the same as those for the regular M.A., except that: Four of the ten seminars taken must be creative writing courses. The M.A. distribution requirement also applies. Three of the four creative writing courses must be offered by the CGU English Department. The M.A. comprehensive exam will include questions on creative writing. Master of Arts in Literature and FilmProgram RequirementsDegree requirements for the M.A. in Literature and Film are the same as those for the regular M.A., except that: Four of the ten seminars taken must be film courses. The M.A. distribution requirement also applies. Two of the three film courses taken must be offered by the CGU English Department. The M.A. Comprehensive Exam will include sections on film. Combined Baccalaureate-Master'sStudy Concurrently for your Baccalaureate-Master's Degrees Claremont Graduate University's Baccalaureate-Master's Programs provide ambitious students of the Claremont Colleges the opportunity to earn a CGU Master's degree in as little as one year. The Baccalaureate-Master's Programs are available only to qualified students of the five undergraduate colleges and draw on the unique educational environment and shared vision of The Claremont Colleges. Baccalaureate-master's students are eligible for fellowship funds that are available for the year of graduate study at CGU. Information and application procedures can be obtained through individual department offices. Many departments invite interested students to sit in on graduate classes and strongly encourage undergraduates to talk to graduate students about their experience. For further information for the BA/MA Degree Program in English, please contact: Sojourner Abdullah Gibbs, Recruiting & Marketing, School of Arts and Humanities, 121 East Tenth Street, Claremont, CA 91711, telephone 909-607-3924, email: sojourner.abdullah@cgu.edu. For the BA/MA program in English at CGU, applicants from the undergraduate colleges may apply up to 4 courses or 16 units toward the 10-course MA degree. B.A./M.A. students must pass the language exam as well as the MA comprehensive exam. Master of PhilosophyProgram RequirementsFor those students who would like to undertake graduate study beyond the M.A., but not pursue a Ph.D., the CGU English Department offers the M.Phil. degree. The M.Phil. is a terminal degree and does not lead to the Ph.D. degree. The M.A. is a prerequisite for admission to the 68-unit M.Phil. program. Degree requirements include the following:
The critique research is planned in consultation with an English faculty advisor and is designed to inform and underwrite the M.Phil. critique, a research paper of 12,000-15,000 words (40-60 pages). All 40 units of coursework from a CGU M.A., or a maximum of 24 units transferred from an M.A. granted by another institution, may be counted toward the M.Phil. Coursework, distribution requirements, and the language requirement for the M.Phil. are the same as those for the Ph.D. Doctoral programs. Doctor of PhilosophyThe M.A. is a prerequisite for admission to the 72-unit Ph.D. program. All 40 units of coursework from a CGU M.A., or a maximum of 24 units transferred from an M.A. granted by another institution, may be counted toward the Ph.D. Degree requirements include the following:
For students who earned an M.A. degree at CGU, the 64 units of coursework will include six seminars of four units each. For student who transfer in 24 units, the coursework requirement will include ten four-unit seminars, usually taken over a two-year period with no more than twelve units in any semester. The eight units of Independent Research/Dissertation Research are usually taken in the semesters immediately following coursework. Thereafter, students must register for Doctoral Study to maintain continuous registration until all degree requirements have been met. See "Residence Requirement" and other institutional regulations in the "Degree Regulations" section of the CGU Bulletin. Distribution RequirementThe 64 units of coursework (typically 16 seminars) must fulfill the following distribution requirement:
Language RequirementThe Ph.D. student must demonstrate a reading knowledge of two foreign languages, and is expected to take at least one language exam in Classical Greek, Latin, French, or German. Any student wishing to test in other languages on both exams must receive the prior approval of the chair, or of the faculty member in charge of the language exam. With prior approval, successful completion of a foreign language course (with a grade of B+ or better) while enrolled at CGU may substitute for the language exam. Coursework and exams taken prior to admission to the CGU English Department cannot fulfill this language requirement. Both language exams must normally be passed at least six months prior to taking the Ph.D. qualifying exams. Note: one language requirement may be satisfied by taking the Digital Humanities workshop offered in the summer. EvaluationPh.D. students will be reviewed every year until coursework has been completed. All students who are enrolled in or completing Ph.D. coursework must provide the review committee in timely fashion with a copy of a graded term paper, an explanation for any low or incomplete grades, and any other relevant data or documents requested by the review committee. Students who do not receive the review committee's permission to advance in the Ph.D. program will not be allowed to continue and could elect to work toward the M.Phil. Qualifying ExaminationsNormally, the Ph.D. qualifying exams are offered twice each year. The opportunity to take the qualifying exams is not automatic. Formal permission must be obtained from the CGU core faculty in English per the "Evaluation" section above. To be eligible to take the exams, the student must have successfully completed 64 units of coursework, satisfied all the distribution requirements, rectified all outstanding "Incompletes," and satisfied all other institutional requirements. See "Degree Regulations" in the CGU Bulletin. In preparation for the qualifying exams, the student must have selected one major field and two minor fields from among the following:
Film Studies and Critical Theory may be chosen as a minor only. The major field must include a demonstrated understanding of relevant critical theory, and one of the fields must include an interdisciplinary component, established in consultation with the professor responsible for that field. Dissertation RequirementsThe student must prepare an acceptable dissertation under the guidance of an appointed dissertation committee, and must pass an oral examination on it. See the "Degree Regulations" section of the CGU Bulletin. Teaching OpportunitiesFor those who have completed an M.A. degree, part-time teaching is available at many of the community colleges and state university campuses in the area. In addition, a number of writing centers and private learning centers employ graduate students as tutors and writing consultants. Occasionally, advanced Ph.D. students have the opportunity to teach undergraduate courses at The Claremont Colleges. Dual-Program in Management and the HumanitiesStudents who wish to pursue an M.B.A. simultaneously with an M.A. or a Ph.D. in English should consult the description of the "Dual-Degree Programs" in the "Degree Regulations" section of the CGU Bulletin. Early Modern Studies ConcentrationThe Early Modern Studies program at Claremont Graduate University was inaugurated as an informal grouping of courses within the Humanities Center in 1994. In 1998 it became a fully coordinated program supported by constitutive disciplines in the Humanities Center. Through using core faculty members, faculty from the other Claremont Colleges, and distinguished visiting professors, Claremont offers a rich scholarly experience. CGU's commitment to seminar style learning means every student has the opportunity to work closely with his or her professors. CGU also sponsors a graduate student conference each year and offers grant money for original text editing projects in the early modern field. Integral to any successful graduate program is interaction with other students, both in seminars and independent reading groups. Early Modern Studies supports scholarship on topics in cultural history, literature, and philosophy from multidisciplinary perspectives. This concentration requires a seminar in interdisciplinary methodologies as well as one additional language (usually Latin) and instruction in paleography. Interested students should discuss this possibility with Professor Lori Anne Ferrell. American Studies ConcentrationStudents who prefer a multidisciplinary approach to the study of American literature and culture may wish to obtain a concentration in American Studies. Interested students should discuss this possibility with Professor Wendy Martin. Critical Theory ConcentrationInterested students should discuss this possibility with Professor Marc Redfield. For all of these concentrations, students will work closely with an English faculty advisor to pursue an intellectually unified course of study that will include seminars cross listed with participating CGU humanities departments and The Claremont Colleges. AdmissionsApplications for fall admission should be received by February 1. Applications received after this date will be evaluated on a space-available basis. For complete information on applying to the English graduate program at Claremont Graduate University, please visit the "Prospective Students" section of this website. To apply to the English Department at Claremont Graduate University you have three options:
Financial AidInstitutional financial assistance is available in the form of fellowships. Applications submitted by February 1 have priority for the awarding of aid, although aid may be awarded to late applicants on the basis of available funds. Federal aid, in the form of loans and work study, is awarded on the basis of financial need. In addition, students may actively seek opportunities for financial support which might be available to them from foundations and other institutions. Please contact the English Department for further information on Institutional/Department aid. You may, also, contact the Office of Student Financing, Claremont Graduate University, 160 East 10th Street, Claremont, CA 91711, by telephone 909.621.8337, by fax: 909.607.7285, or by email: finaid@cgu.edu. Contact InformationIf you have more questions or are in need of assistance in applying, please contact the English Admissions Coordinator.
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The English program emphasizes breadth in American and British literatures as well as areas of concentration. At the M.A. level you may combine literature with analysis of film, or creative writing. At the Ph.D. level, you may concentrate in any period of American or British literature; special concentration are available in Critical Theory, or in one of the transdisciplinary programs in Early Modern Studies or American Studies. All degree tracks allow you to integrate topics in other humanistic disciplines with your research in literature and the cultural and historical context of literary texts.