General Information

Academic Calendar

Index

302 Minné Hall, (507) 457-5440
www.winona.edu/english/Graduate

Chairperson: Ruth Forsythe
Coordinator of Graduate Studies: Debra Cumberland
Graduate Faculty: Armstrong, Brault, Buttram, Carducci, Cumberland, Eddy, Forsythe, Hacker, Herndon, Johnson, Krase, Larsen, Michlitsch, Ripley, Oness, Shi, Weber.

James Armstrong, Associate Professor; B.A., Northwestern University; M.F.A., Western Michigan University; Ph.D., Boston University;
1999 –
Rob Brault, Associate Professor; B.A., Macalester College; Ph.D., University of Minnesota; 2000 –
Chris Buttram, Associate Professor; B.A., Emory University; M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D., Columbia University; 2000 –
Jane Carducci, Professor; B.A., Colorado College, Colorado Springs; M.A., Ph.D., University of Nevada-Reno; 1992 –
Debra Cumberland, Associate Professor; B.A., Carleton College; M.A., Ph D., University of Nebraska-Lincoln; 2002 –
Gary Eddy, Professor; B.A., State University of New York-Brockport; M.A., University of Texas-El Paso; M.F.A., University of Arizona;
Ph.D., State University of New York-Binghamton; 1988 –
Ruth Forsythe, Professor; B.A., St. Olaf College; M.A., Ph.D., University of Minnesota; 1977 –
Carol Galbus, Associate Professor; B.S., Edgewood College (Wisconsin); M.A.T., St. Mary’s College of Minnesota; 1986 –
William Hacker, Assistant Professor; B.A., Brown University; M.A., Ph.D., Cornell University; 2006 –
April Herndon, Assistant Professor; B.A., M.A., Radford University; Ph.D., Michigan State University; 2006 –
Goldie Johnson, Associate Professor; B.S., M.S., University of Wisconsin-Superior; 1988 –
J. Paul Johnson, Professor; B.S., Valley City State University; M.A., University of North Dakota; Ph.D., University of Minnesota; 1987 –
Ethan Krase, Assistant Professor; B.A., M.A., Illinois State University; Ph.D., University of Tennessee; 2004 –
Ditlev Larsen, Assistant Professor; B.A., University of Aalborg; M.A., St. Cloud University; Ph.D., University of Minnesota; 2003 –
Gretchen Michlitsch, Assistant Professor; B.A., Gustavus Adolphus; M.A., Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison; 2005 –
Elizabeth Oness, Associate Professor; B.A., James Madison University; M.F.A., University of Maryland; Ph.D., University of Missouri-
Columbia; 2001 –
Wayne Ripley, Assistant Professor; B.A., Michigan State University; M.A., University of Tennessee; Ph.D., University of Rochester; 2006 –
Holly Shi, Professor; B.A., Shanghai International Studies University; M.A., Ph.D., Indiana University of Pennsylvania; 1995 –
Myles Weber, Assistant Professor, B.A., Augsburg College; M.A., George Washington University; M.A., Syracuse University; Ph.D.,
University of Maryland-College Park; 2007 –

THE WSU ENGLISH DEPARTMENT OFFERS THE FOLLOWING GRADUATE DEGREES:

MASTER OF ARTS IN ENGLISH 30 S.H.
MA English - Literature & Language
MA English - TESOL: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ENGLISH 30 S.H. (includes studies in education)

ADMISSION TO M.A. AND M.S. PROGRAMS:
Prerequisites and Criteria for Admission to M.A. and M.S. Programs:

Undergraduate preparation:
For M.A. Literature & Language and M.S. in English programs
B.A. or B.S. in English or a closely related field of study.
For M.A. TESOL B.A. or B.S. in English, Applied Linguistics,
TESOL, or a closely related field of study.
 Applicants must have an undergraduate degree completed by the time of graduate enrollment, and the undergraduate degree should correlate to the course of study that the applicant wishes to pursue at the graduate level. In some cases, students accepted into the English Graduate Program may be required to take equivalency courses in certain subjects not covered by their undergraduate coursework. Strong application materials, as well as a minimum 3.00 GPA overall, figured on a basis of 4.0, and a minimum 3.25 GPA in undergraduate English courses.
 International student transcripts must be provided in English and reflect strong academic performance. Admission criterion for international students is a TOEFL score of 600 (paper-based test) / 250 (computer-based test) or equivalent on the internet-based test.

Application Process: 

Annual receipt deadline of all application materials is March 1. All application forms can be downloaded from the WSU Graduate Studies website, www.winona.edu/graduatestudy. The Application for Admission, Immunization Form, Certificate of Baccalaureate, and academic transcripts should be sent to:
WSU Graduate Studies Office, Somsen Hall, 114F
P.O. Box 5838
Winona State University
Winona, MN 55987-5838
International applicants must provide the following additional admissions materials:
1. Application for admission as an international student to the International Student Services office: Forms are available on the WSU International Student Services website: www.winona.edu/internationaloffice.
2. Official TOEFL Score: An official TOEFL score should be sent to Chairperson Ruth Forsythe, English Department, 3rd Floor, Minné Hall, Winona State University, Winona, MN 55987.
 All applicants must, in addition, send a statement of purpose, a writing sample, and three letters of recommendation to the Director of Graduate Studies in English (3rd Floor, Minné Hall, Winona State University, Winona, MN 55987) by the March 1 receipt deadline.
 A statement of purpose: A one to two-page essay addressing topics such as why the applicant would like to pursue graduate studies in English, why the applicant believes he or she will succeed in conducting advanced work in this field, and how the applicant envisions the shape that his or her studies and endeavors will take within our program.
 A writing sample: Treating a subject related to literature or language study, a substantial analytical paper at least five pages, with multiple sources written for an upper-level English, linguistics, or related course. It must include the grades and comments of the professor, whose name and phone number must be indicated. If the applicant is interested in pursuing creative writing, he or she may also include a short sample of his or her work in this area.
 Three letters of recommendation from undergraduate professors (or, if applicable, graduate professors or teaching supervisors): These letters should consider, among other relevant matters, the applicant’s academic performance and promise in the field of literature, language studies, and/or TESOL. Applicants for admission who are also applying for a teaching assistantship should have each recommender add a section about how well the applicant is likely to handle the responsibilities and challenges associated with tutoring and teaching.

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS:
Each year the Department of English offers a number of graduate assistantships that involve teaching, tutoring, and related work for a total of twenty hours per week. A separate Graduate Assistantship Application form, which may be downloaded from the WSU Office of Graduate Studies website (www.winona.edu/graduatestudy), is required and should be sent by March 1 to:
Director of Graduate Studies in English
Dept. of English, 3rd Floor, Minné Hall
Winona State University
Winona, MN 55987
Assistantships are awarded for one year; students may reapply for a second appointment. All new graduate assistants must take 611 in their first semester.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR M.A.AND M.S. PROGRAMS: 

All forms required by the English Graduate Program and the WSU Office of Graduate Studies must be submitted in a timely manner. See the two websites for further information. All WSU Academic Policies for Graduate Programs apply to English Department graduate students.

1. Admission to Candidacy: Before completing 16 graduate credit hours, students must submit the original and 3 copies of the Application for Admission to Candidacy form, which may be downloaded from the English Graduate website, to the WSU Office of Graduate Studies. A copy must be given to the Director of Graduate Studies in English. 

On the Candidacy form, students may transfer towards their degree up to 10 credit hours of approved, pertinent graduate coursework from other institutions and up to 12 graduate credit hours of approved, pertinent coursework from WSU Graduate Special Student coursework. Relevant transcripts must be included for such transferred graduate credit. 

If any changes are made to the Application for Admission to Candidacy form, a Supplement to Candidacy form, which may be downloaded from the WSU Office of Graduate Studies website, must be filed with the Office of Graduate Studies, and a copy must be given to the Director of Graduate Studies in English.
2. Coursework and Credit Requirements: 
All graduate students must complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate coursework. Only graduate courses completed with a grade of A or B (or Pass, for P/NC courses) will count towards the degree. Each of the three Master’s degrees in English has distinctive requirements.
• M.A. Literature & Language and M.S. students must take 612 and 613 in their first semester and 693 in the semester preceding their Comprehensive Exam, and they must complete half of their minimum of 30 graduate credits at the 600 level.
• M.A. Literature & Language students must take at least 24 of their graduate credits in English.
• M.S. students must take at least 18 of their graduate credits in English courses and must take 6 credits in graduate Education courses, and they may take the remaining 6 credits in either or another field.
• M.A. TESOL students must complete 17 semester hours of required graduate English TESOL courses (Eng. 580, 581, 582, 583, 584, 614), and at least 6 additional semester hours from other graduate courses (not including English 699) in the English Department. The remaining 7 semester hours may be graduate courses in the English or Education Departments.
3. Comprehensive Examination:
All graduate students must pass either the literature or the TESOL version of the Comprehensive Exam. These exams are administered during the spring semester each year.
  At the beginning of the fall term preceding the exam, students must submit the Notification of Intent to Take Comprehensive Exams, a form that may be downloaded from the WSU Office of Graduate Studies. The form must be sent to the WSU OGS, and a copy must be given to the Director of Graduate Studies in English.
 One retake is allowed for students who do not pass, and this retake is scheduled with the Director of Graduate Studies.
  Students taking the literature Comprehensive Exam are required to take 693 in the fall preceding the exam term. More information on the Comprehensive Exams may be found on the English Graduate Website.
4. Thesis / NonThesis Option:
 All graduate students must fulfill the graduate research requirement through taking either 612 or 614 and through writing a Master’s thesis or fulfilling the Non-Thesis Option.
 During their second fulltime semester, students must submit to the Director of Graduate Studies in English the Thesis/Non-Thesis form.

 Students enrolled in the graduate program through an agreement with an international partner institution may be required to select the Non-Thesis Option.

 Students who opt not to write a thesis must take, in lieu of 699 thesis credits, two additional 600level courses.
 Students who have taken thesis credits may switch to the Non-Thesis Option, but they must submit a Supplement to Candidacy form and a Request for 699 Withdrawal form.
5. Master’s Thesis: 
Students who select the Master’s thesis option may choose to write a scholarly thesis on a literary topic, a scholarly thesis on a linguistics or TESOL topic, or a creative thesis with a scholarly introduction. Descriptions of various types of theses may be found on the English Graduate Website, as may further information about the thesis prospectus, the thesis forms, and the typical thesis-writing schedule. Students who intend to write a Master’s thesis must secure a director, finish a prospectus, find two thesis readers, have the prospectus approved by the director and two readers, and submit to the Director of Graduate Studies in English the Prospectus Submission & Thesis Committee form before the summer between their first and second fulltime academic years.

 A student may not register for 699: Arranged Course: Thesis Credits until this form has been filed.

 After writing and revising the thesis in consultation with their director and readers, thesis students must defend their theses and complete the bindery process at least one month before the anticipated graduation date.
6. The Application for Graduation and related paperwork must be submitted before the deadlines indicated on the WSU Academic Calendar, and all English Department requirements for graduation must be met no later than one month prior to graduation.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS 

Courses listed as 500/400 classes are open to both graduates and undergraduates, but the former are assigned additional, more advanced reading and writing and are held to higher academic standards. Only graduate students may register for courses at the 500 and 600 level. M.S. and M.A. Literature & Language students are required to take at least half of their coursework credit hours at the 600 level. Current and upcoming graduate offerings are listed on the website www.winona.edu/english/Graduate.
 504/404 Advanced Creative Writing: Nonfiction - 3 S.H.
Advanced practice in writing and revising creative nonfiction, with an emphasis on the development of the student’s individual style. Variable content depends on the discretion of the instructor. Examples of other topics may include nature writing, the spiritual memoir, and travel writing. Grade only.
 505/405 Chaucer - 3 S.H.
A study of Chaucer’s major works (including The Canterbury Tales) read in Middle English. Grade only.
510/410 Advanced Creative Writing: Prose - 3 S.H.
Opportunity to produce a significant body of new fiction or creative nonfiction and to develop a literary aesthetic and philosophy. Application of various expressive, imitative, and experimental writing techniques. Grade only.
 512/412 Advanced Creative Writing: Poetry - 3 S.H.
Advanced study of selected poets and poetics; advanced practice in poetry writing. Permission of instructor required. Grade only.
 514/414 Shakespeare: Comedies and Histories - 3 S.H.
Study of Shakespeare’s major comedies and history plays. Grade only.
 517/417 Shakespeare: Tragedies - 3 S.H.
Study of Shakespeare’s major tragedies. Grade only.
 523/423 – Shakespeare in Performance 3 S.H.
This intensive two-week course is based on careful reading and discussion of Shakespeare’s plays and their performances; the choice of plays for the course will correspond to the offerings of the Great River Shakespeare Festival. This course entails extra fees. Grade only.
 532/432 Comparative Literature - 3 S.H.
Examination of texts within their cultural contexts and exploration of strategies for comparing texts from various cultural traditions. Grade only.
 539/439 Technical Writing - 3 S.H.
The theory and practice of creating technical documents with text and graphics such as proposals, reviews, reports, newsletters, descriptions, instructions, manuals, websites, and/or correspondence. Using available technology (hardware and software), students will develop these documents with attention to their personal, organizational, cultural, legal, and ethical consequences. Grade only.
 547/447 Literary Criticism: Theory and Practice - 3 S.H.
Following students’ introduction to literary-critical methodologies in ENG 290 and coinciding with students’ exercise of those approaches in various upper-division classes, this course covers—through readings in and about 20th century literary theory and criticism—major figures, ideas, and movements from New Criticism to the present. In this reading- and writing-intensive course, students produce papers that, from defined critical perspectives, interpret literary works by applying theoretical paradigms. Grade only.
 570/470 - Seminar in American Literature - 3 S.H.
This reading- and writing-intensive course offers advanced study of a period, genre, figure, or theme in American literature and includes seminar-style presentations by students. Variable content: semester schedules announce each section’s subject. Grade only.
 571/471 - Seminar in British Literature - 3 S.H.
This reading- and writing-intensive course offers advanced study of a period, genre, figure, or theme in British literature and includes seminar-style presentations by students. Variable content: semester schedules announce each section’s subject. Grade only. 



 572/472 Seminar in Language and Discourse - 3 S.H.
Advanced study of topics in language and linguistics. Topics may include history of the English language, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, language and social context, contrastive rhetoric, pragmatics, and language and culture. Variable content: semester schedules announce each section’s subject. Grade only.
 580/480 Theories of Second Language Acquisition - 3 S.H.
This course introduces students to core issues in second language acquisition and research. Students work to understand what is occurring linguistically, cognitively, and socially as humans learn languages beyond their native language. The course focuses on both theoretical and pragmatic interactions among learner, language, and context. Grade only.
 581/481 TESOL Theory and Methods - 3 S.H.
The course examines theories, methods and techniques of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) including psychological, socio-cultural, political, and pedagogical factors affecting learning and teaching and the influence of these factors on current teaching methods. Grade only.
 582/482 Second Language Composition Studies - 3 S.H.
The course is a survey of theories of second language writing, including analysis of theoretical perspectives and pedagogical materials. This may also include application of TESOL theory and methods to the teaching of composition. Grade only.
 583/483 Pedagogical Grammar - 3 S.H.
In this course students examine the structural features of English as they apply to the teaching and learning of English as a second or foreign language. The primary focus is on explaining grammatical concepts within pedagogical contexts. Prior experience in the formal study of English grammar is necessary background for this course. Grade only.
 584/484 ESL Materials, Resources, and Assessment - 3 S.H.
The major focus of this course is the examination of theories and principles guiding successful ESL material development and language test creation. Students typically practice developing their own course materials, evaluate their suitability in a sample lesson, and prepare tests for a variety of student levels. Grade only.
 602-603-604 Seminar in Literary Themes, Topics, Genres - 3 S.H. each. Intensive study of a literary theme, topic, genre, or other aspect of literature. Grade only.
 605-606-607 Seminar in English Literature - 3 S.H. each
Intensive study of one English writer or of a small group of writers whose works represent a significant movement or aspect of English literature. Grade only.
 608-609-610 Seminar in American Literature - 3 S.H. each
Intensive study of one American writer or of a small group of writers whose works represent a significant movement or aspect of American literature. Grade only.
 611 Teaching Writing: Theory and Practice - 4 S.H.
Theories and practice of teaching writing. Includes classroom observations and preparation of teaching materials. Required of all new graduate assistants. Grade only.
 612 Graduate Research Methods - 1 S.H.
This course is designed to allow graduate students to learn to use the specialized tools of literary research (bibliographies, indexes, online sources, etc.). Required of all entering M.A. Literature & Language and M.S. students. Grade only.
 613 Literature: Analysis and Pedagogy - 3 S.H.
Advanced critical analysis of and pedagogical approaches to prose, poetry, drama, and film. Includes observations of and practice teaching in undergraduate literature courses. Required of all entering M.A. Literature & Language and M.S. students. Grade only.
 614 TESOL Research Methods - 2 S.H.
This course prepares graduate students in applied linguistics to evaluate scholarly suitable research question generation, data collection and analysis procedures, the relationship between theory and research, the ethics and politics of conducting research, genre conventions of scholarly research, and both qualitative and quantitative research design research in their field and to design their own research studies. Grade only.

 621 Internship - 1-6 S.H.
An internship in areas determined by the needs of the individual student in consultation with advisor. Must be arranged well in advance of the registration period. Grade only. 


 690 Independent Studies - 1-3 S.H.
Independent studies in areas determined by the needs of the individual student. Must be arranged well in advance of the registration period. Students may apply a maximum of three credits toward the degree. The consent of the instructor is required. Grade only.
 693 Exam Tutorial - 1 S.H.
Preparation for the Comprehensive Examination through intensive review of genre and literary history. Required of all M.A. Literature & Language and all M.S. students. Pass/No credit.
 699 Thesis - 1-5 S.H.
Thesis research and writing. Credit to be arranged in consultation with thesis director. Students may apply a maximum of five credits toward the degree. Pass/No Credit.

Last Modified: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 12:47 by Holly Sutton