The M.A. in Literary Studies is one of several masters-level programs offered by the English Department at the University of Iowa. The M.F.A. programs offer advanced courses in writing poetry, fiction, and essays; the M.A. in Literary Studies introduces students to the professional study of literature. It is possible to apply directly to the Ph.D. program without entering a Masterís program here or elsewhere; however, many students feel the M.A. is an appropriate step toward the Ph.D. These students may have had an undergraduate major in a different field, or may feel that more preparation is advisable for other reasons; some may intend to complete their studies elsewhere. Students interested in a career in any area of book studies (professional writing, editing, webdesign, or publishing), may wish to take the M.A. as a terminal degree, as might teachers seeking to enhance their credentials or students pursuing intellectual growth unrelated to a specific career.

M.A. and Ph.D. applicants compete in the same admissions process.  Once admitted, M.A. and Ph.D. students mix freely in graduate courses, share the same access to faculty, and meet the same standards of quality in their work.  The Director of Graduate Study acts as advisor for all graduate students.  A Master’s thesis or Master’s portfolio is the culmination of work for the M.A. in literary study.  The Director of the M.A. Program oversees this work.

Degree Requirements

Required Courses: Each student must take one course (numbered 200 or above) from each of the following five areas. Applicable credit for previous graduate coursework must be approved by the Director of Graduate Study.

• Criticism and Theory
• Plus 4 courses from the following 5 areas:
• British or American literature and culture before 1500
• British or American literature and culture 1500-1660
• British or American literature and culture 1660-1800
• British or American literature and culture 1800-1900
• Literature and culture of the 20th century

Elective Courses: Comprising half of the total credit for the degree, these courses may be chosen from graduate offerings both inside and outside the English Department. Students intending to apply to the Ph.D. program are encouraged to begin work toward the foreign language requirement for that degree. Others may wish to explore the many opportunities for inter- disciplinary study, for experience in the theory and practice of writing, or for specialization in a field of literary scholarship.

Thesis Option: Students may complete their degree by writing a thesis or by taking the M.A. exam. Students choosing the thesis option must submit to the Director of the M.A. in Literary Studies a prospectus approved by a three-member faculty committee prior to the term in which they register for thesis credit.

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The Portfolio

Students working toward the M.A. degree in literary studies may choose to submit a portfolio of work to the Director of the M.A. Program and the two-member faculty committee for the M.A.  All three must approve the portfolio.

The first step in preparing to submit a portfolio is a meeting between the candidate and the Director of the M.A. Program early in the final semester of coursework or during the penultimate semester. The portfolio of some fifty pages should contain revisions of the student’s best, written work and a self-reflective introductory statement of approximately six pages.  The work in the portfolio should demonstrate the candidate’s knowledge of literature as a broad historical and theoretical inquiry. No less than three weeks before the date set by the Graduate College for announcing the intention to graduate that term the student should submit three copies of the portfolio to the committee.

Other Requirements: The degree requires a total of 30 semester hours. Twenty-four (24) of these hours must be earned in residence with a grade-point average not lower that 3.25. Students wishing to transfer to the Ph.D. program at Iowa must complete two semesters or 15 s.h. of course work in literature (whichever comes first) before applying for admission to the doctoral program.