The Literary, Cultural and Textual Studies track in the Master of Arts in English program prepares students for both academic and nonacademic careers.
The program encourages students to make connections among texts (critical, theoretical, scholarly, literary, etc.), to engage in research and critical thinking at an advanced level, and to write scholarship of merit and distinction.
Each student must complete at least 33 credit hours, including three core courses. Near the end of the degree program, each candidate must complete a Capstone Course and choose either the thesis option or the nonthesis option, which requires 3 additional credit hours of a 6000-level Literary, Cultural and Textual Studies course.
The program teaches research methods in one or more courses and requires a research study and final report focusing on literary criticism in a student's particular specialization.
Total Credit Hours Required: 33 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree
Track Prerequisites
A bachelor's degree in English or its equivalent.
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
9 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
Core - 6 Hours- Complete the following:
- ENG5009 - Methods of Bibliography and Research (3)
- ENG6078 - Contemporary Movements in Literary, Cultural, and Textual Theory (3)
Capstone - 3 Hours- Complete all of the following
- Complete the following:
- ENG6950 - Capstone Course (3)
- Students must take a Capstone Course after completing at least 18 credit hours in the program. The Capstone Course is a systematic and comprehensive revision of previous graduate research, with special attention to the use of theory and to professionalization and with the goal of publication and/or conference presentation.
Foreign Language Proficiency
0 Total Credits
- Students must also prove proficiency in a foreign language at the first-year level prior to completing the degree program.
Elective Courses
21 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
Restricted - 15 Hours- Complete all of the following
- Complete at least 5 of the following:
- ENG6074 - Historical Movements in Literary, Cultural, and Textual Studies (3)
- LIT6216 - Issues in Literary Study (3)
- LIT6936 - Studies in Literary, Cultural, and Textual Theory (3)
- LIT6276 - Teaching College Literature (3)
- LIN5137 - Linguistics (3)
- TSL6250 - Applied Linguistics in ESOL (3)
- LIT 6216 and/or LIT 6936 can be taken four times for credit when course content is different.
Unrestricted - 6 Hours- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: In consultation with the graduate adviser, students will choose two graduate-level English courses.
Thesis/Nonthesis Option
3 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
Thesis Option- Earn at least 3 credits from the following types of courses: Students will complete a formal thesis on a topic selected in consultation with an advisory committee and will meet both departmental and university requirements for the thesis. LIT 6971 Thesis 3 Credit Hours
Nonthesis Option- Earn at least 3 credits from the following types of courses: Students will complete 3 additional hours of 6000-level Literary, Cultural, and Textual Studies courses. Elective 3 Credit Hours
Independent Learning
0 Total Credits
- All courses in the Master's in English, Literary, Cultural and Textual Studies Track require students to complete substantial independent research projects and thus provide students the opportunity to engage in independent learning.
Grand Total Credits: 33
Application Requirements
For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline.
In addition to the Admissions, applicants to this program must provide:
- One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
- A bachelor's degree in English or its equivalent.
- The GRE is not required for admission to this program.
- Two letters of recommendation from faculty members or others familiar with applicant's academic potential.
- One year of a foreign language at the university level (may be taken while in graduate residence).
- A one to two-page goal statement (300-1000 words) providing a narrative of your educational progress and how a Master's degree fits into this trajectory. In other words, tell us where you have been, where you are, and where you wish to go.
- A researched literary analysis or equivalent essay of approximately ten pages, with an explanatory cover memo of no more than one page that explains why you chose to submit this particular academic essay and how you would revise if you had the opportunity. All statements and essays should be revised writing (i.e., not written under timed conditions). Writing should be "cleaned": typed, error-free, with no teacher comments. The essay should demonstrate an ability to follow a scholarly format such as MLA or APA.
- A computer-based score of 233 (or 91 internet-based score) on the Test of English as a Foreign language (TOEFL) if an applicant is from a country where English is not the official language, or if an applicant's degree is not from an accredited U.S. institution, or if an applicant did not earn a degree in a country where English is the only official language or a university where English is the only official language of instruction. Although we prefer the TOEFL, we will accept IELTS scores of 7.0.
- A résumé is required for applicants seeking assistantship positions.
- Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.
Meeting minimum UCF admission criteria does not guarantee program admission. Final admission is based on an evaluation of the applicant's abilities, past performance, recommendations, match of this program and faculty expertise to the applicant's career/academic goals, and the applicant's potential for completing the degree
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
