Main Departmental Office
Auditorium Building, 112
P.O. Box 311307
Denton, TX 76203-1307
(940) 565-2050
Web site: www.engl.unt.edu
E-mail: englgrad@unt.edu
Graduate Faculty: Armintor, Baird, Benet, Bond, Chelliah, Cooke, Cukor-Avila, Duban, Foertsch, Hawkins, Holdeman, Kesterson, Larson-Hall, Marks, McCutchan, Menzer, Montler, Muyumba, Peters, Pettit, Raign, Rodman, Ross, Roy, Simpkins, Sims, Smith, Tait, Tanner, Upchurch, Vanhoutte, Velarde.
The faculty of the Department of English is a very dynamic one with divisions devoted to English literature, creative writing, technical writing, linguistics and English as a second language (ESL).
The literature division offers a range of courses in British, American and world literature from the earliest periods to the present day. Courses in literary criticism and theory educate students in orthodox and postmodern modes of analysis, and various special topics courses offer students the opportunity to study literature and culture across conventional boundaries of period and discipline. The division prides itself not only on the quality of its teaching, but also on its international scholarly reputation. Professors routinely publish their work in top academic journals and, increasingly, in monographs and editions published by university presses. The department also sponsors two literature journals, Studies in the Novel and American Periodicals. The department is also home to two on-going critical editions, The Works of Tobias Smollett (University of Georgia Press) and the Selected Works of Eliza Hawood (Pickering & Chatto) as well as to the reprint-series, British Ideas and Issues, 1660–1820 (AMS Press).
The creative writing faculty consists of several nationally recognized writers, qualified not only as creative practitioners, but also as mentors and critics. Their books have been published by Dutton, BOA Editions, University of Georgia Press, Sarabande Books and other presses. Stories, essays and poems by faculty regularly appear in such journals as The Paris Review, Story, The Yale Review, Denver Quarterly, The Ohio Review, The Georgia Review and Creative Non-Fiction. One of the distinctive strengths of graduate creative writing studies at UNT lies in how closely the literature and creative writing faculties work together, exploring ways in which knowledge of diverse literary traditions facilitates the development of one’s own craft. In addition to its form and theory classes in fiction and poetry and its graduate workshops in fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction and screenwriting, the department offers a creative thesis option (as part of its MA in creative writing) and a creative dissertation option (as part of its PhD in English). Each year the university sponsors a Visiting Writer Series in which students may attend both readings and pedagogical sessions with distinguished authors. Students also have opportunities to pursue editorial positions with the department’s national literary journal, American Literary Review, and with the local student-run journal, North Texas Review, which in turn sponsors its own reading series involving faculty and students.
The University of North Texas offers a graduate program in technical writing. Students graduating with a master’s degree with a major in technical writing have enjoyed a 100 percent job placement rate since 1990. These graduates work in a variety of industries such as manufacturing, electronics, computer software and hardware, airlines and telecommunications. Through the program, students have the opportunity to work with faculty who not only are highly qualified teachers, but are also published scholars and consultants. The faculty have published in major journals, such as the Technical Writing Quarterly, Technical Communication: Journal of the Society for Technical Communication and Journal of Business Communication. They have also published books on technical communication and write for publishers such as Houghton Mifflin and Wadsworth. Our faculty also work as consultants for companies across the United States, such as IBM, SBC, Ericsson and Centex. The technical writing program at UNT offers students the opportunity to gain the theory and practice to work as technical communicators in any industry.
The linguistics division offers the MA degree both in linguistics and in English as a second language and a graduate academic certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). All of the faculty in the division are well-known scholars with national and international reputations. They are uniquely qualified not only across the core areas of linguistics (phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics), but also in their various specializations: Native American linguistics, Southeast Asian linguistics, linguistic theory, language acquisition, sociolinguistics and applied linguistics. Students seeking the MA in linguistics receive the kind of personal attention and support that has invariably resulted in subsequent placement into PhD programs of the highest caliber. Those seeking the MA in ESL likewise receive personal attention; the extremely high placement rate of the division’s MA/ESL graduates speaks for itself.
The Department of English offers the following degrees:
The Department of English also offers a graduate academic certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.
When applying to the Master’s degree with a major in English, creative writing, technical writing, linguistics or ESL, applicants complete two parts. The applicant first files an application with the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies (available on the UNT Graduate School web site). The applicant then submits the following to the Department of English:
Applicants for the MA with a major in creative writing do not submit a current vita or resume. Instead, these applicants must submit a writing portfolio consisting of a writing sample (10 pages of poetry or 15–25 pages of fiction).
To be eligible for admission to the MA with a major in English, creative writing, technical writing, linguistics or ESL, applicants must have at least a 3.0 GPA on the last 60 hours of undergraduate semester hours prior to receiving a bachelor’s degree or a 2.8 GPA on all undergraduate work. The applicant must also submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The student must have taken the examination prior to or during the first term or semester of graduate study. A student who fails to comply with this requirement will not be allowed to re-register as a master’s degree candidate with a major in English, creative writing, technical writing, linguistics or ESL. Applicants accepted into the MA with a Major in English or creative writing have presented verbal scores ranging from the 50th to the 98th percentile and analytical writing scores ranging from 3.0 to 6.0. Applicants accepted into the MA with a major in technical writing, linguistics and ESL have presented verbal scores ranging from the 50th to the 98th percentile and analytical writing scores ranging from 4.0 to 6.0. Applicants whose native language is not English must also submit a score on the TOEFL examination. Scores on the computer-based TOEFL examination have ranged from 231 to 255.
Applicants for the MA with a major in English or creative writing must have completed up to 24 hours of undergraduate course work in English. The Chair of Graduate Studies will determine the prerequisite course work based on the applicant’s educational background and area of scholarly interest. Applicants for the MA in a major in technical writing, linguistics or ESL must have completed up to 9 hours of undergraduate course work in technical writing, linguistics or ESL. The Chair of Graduate Studies will determine the prerequisite course work based on the applicant’s educational background and area of scholarly interest.
Beginning full-time students who meet all qualifications may apply for financial assistance in the form of the academic assistantship; those who have already completed 18 graduate hours in an area offered by the Department of English may apply for a teaching fellowship. Applications for both may be requested from the department by telephone at (940) 565-2050, e-mail at englgrad@unt.edu, or the department web site at www.engl.unt.edu.
All candidates pursuing a master’s degree in the Department of English must have a reading knowledge of at least one foreign language. As evidence of such foreign language, a student may present the results of a standardized examination or have completed the sophomore year of a foreign language, or the equivalent, provided that the grade point average on all language courses is 2.75 or higher. A student who has permission to write a thesis or to enroll in ENGL 5920-5930 will not be allowed to register for the courses until the foreign language requirement has been met.
During the second term/semester of graduate work toward the Master of Arts degree, the student is required to file a degree plan in the office of the chair of graduate studies in English. Students should obtain an appointment as soon as possible after the registration period during their second term/semester’s work.
Candidates for the MA with majors in English, creative writing and technical writing and candidates for the MA with majors in linguistics and ESL who chose Option III must pass the master’s comprehensive examination. Candidates for the MA with a major in linguistics who choose Option I or Option II do not take the master’s comprehensive examination. This examination is administered by the graduate committee of the Department of English and is given every February, June and October. Students must register for this examination at the appropriate time in the office of the chair of graduate studies in English. Students should consult with the graduate adviser early in their programs to learn of the specific nature of the comprehensive examination. The comprehensive examination may be taken twice. If the candidate fails the examination on both occasions, then permission for any retake of the examination must be granted by the graduate committee.
Candidates for the MA program in linguistics who choose Option I or II must pass an oral defense of the written project prospectus as well as a defense of the completed project (thesis or two scholarly papers).
The following materials should be sent directly to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies.
1. A completed graduate application form with the intended major indicated in the appropriate blank.
2. Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores sent from the Educational Testing Service. Candidates applying for all MA programs in English must take the GRE verbal and analytical writing sections.
3. Official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOFEL) examination for students whose native language is not English.
4. Official transcripts for all previous undergraduate and graduate academic work.
5. For the major in creative writing only, a writing samples portfolio consisting of a creative writing sample (10 pages of poetry or 15–25 pages of fiction) and a critical writing sample (a paper of 10–20 pages).
6. For the major in creative writing only, admission is granted at the beginning of each fall and spring term/semester. The deadlines for application are as follows:
Candidates also applying for an academic assistantship or teaching fellowship should send the following directly to the Department of English:
1. Required courses:
2. Area courses (non-thesis option): in addition to the required courses listed above, the student who is not given permission to write a thesis or to enroll for ENGL 5920-5930 (Research Problems in Lieu of Thesis) must complete 27 semester hours of additional course work.
3. Area courses (thesis option): the student who is given permission to write a thesis or to enroll in ENGL 5920-5930 will complete 21 hours of course work (including 6 hours of thesis) in addition to the required courses listed above. Course work to complete the additional requirements may be taken in the traditional areas of literature, writing or linguistics, as approved by the chair of graduate studies. No student who has permission to write a thesis will be allowed to register for the courses until the foreign language requirement has been met.
All students must complete 36 hours of course work as follows:
3 hours:
6–12 hours:
3 hours:
9–15 hours:
0–3 hours:
6 hours:
The candidate for the MA with a major in creative writing must write a thesis. A student is permitted to write a thesis only with the permission of the chair of graduate studies and a major professor. No student who has permission to write a thesis will be allowed to register for the courses until the foreign language requirement has been met.
Core Courses, 15 hours selected from the following:
Topics Courses, 6 hours selected from the following:
Practicum, 6 hours:
Cognate Field: 9 hours:
Comprehensive examination
Core Courses, 15 hours selected from the following:
Topics Courses, 3–6 hours selected from the following:
Thesis, 6 hours:
Cognate Field, 6–9 hours:
Comprehensive examinations and oral prospectus defense
The candidate for the MA degree with a major in technical writing must write a thesis under Option II. A student is permitted to write a thesis only with the permission of the chair of graduate studies and a major professor. No student who has permission to write a thesis will be allowed to register for the courses until the foreign language requirement has been met.
A student is permitted to write a thesis or scholarly papers only with the permission of the chair of graduate studies and a major professor. Before registering for thesis hours (LING 5950) or problems in lieu of thesis (LING 5920 and LING 5930), a student must have met the foreign language requirement.
Admission to the doctoral program in English is highly competitive. At the beginning of each academic year, no more than 15 students are admitted. Admission is granted only at the beginning of each fall and spring terms/semesters. The deadlines for application are as follows:
All applicants must meet the following minimum standards.
1. Graduate Record Examination. Applicants must submit scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) verbal and analytical sections. Applicants accepted have presented verbal scores ranging from the 69th to the 99th percentile and analytical writing scores ranging from 4.0 to 6.0. The student must also meet GRE requirements established by the Graduate Council and must comply with general regulations concerning the GRE in relevant sections of this bulletin. Applicants whose native language is not English must meet the GRE requirements above and present a score on the TOEFL. Applicants accepted have presented verbal computer-based test scores ranging from 233 to 293.
2. Academic record.The applicant must have at least a 3.5 overall GPA on all undergraduate semester hours of work prior to receiving the bachelor’s degree. An applicant who has completed any graduate-level work must have at least a 3.5 overall GPA on such graduate work.
3. Toulouse School of Graduate Studies admission. The applicant must meet the qualifications for admission set by the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies of the University of North Texas.
To apply to the doctoral program in English, applicants must submit all of the following:
All application materials may be requested from the department by telephone, e-mail or web site. If you require assistance in filling out the application, or if you have questions about the degree or application process, please contact the chair of graduate studies in English at (940) 565-2115 or e-mail englgrad@unt.edu.
Full-time students who meet all qualifications for both the doctoral program and for instructional positions will be offered employment as graders, academic assistants or teaching fellows in the Department of English, thus receiving financial support for a five-year period in the pursuit of the doctoral degree. Financial support will normally not be awarded beyond the fifth year of graduate studies. Students are not required to perform any instructional services if they do not want to receive this form of financial aid. Part-time students will normally be employed elsewhere, but, if qualified, they are not precluded from performing instructional services at some time during their studies.
Scholarships may be awarded to incoming graduate students who show unusual promise as indicated by their application credentials. These will normally be one-year scholarships for students not yet eligible to be teaching fellows. Similar scholarships may also be awarded to students in their fifth year, principally to help defray the costs of producing a dissertation.
The student must meet the doctoral residence requirement described in the general section of this bulletin dealing with requirements for the doctoral degree.
Students must demonstrate a reading knowledge of at least one foreign language other than his or her own native language. The student will work with his or her major adviser to decide what foreign language is most appropriate for his or her graduate program and scholarly interests. Some advisers may require additional foreign language work. The student’s adviser may also set specific requirements based on individual and scholarly needs. The student may demonstrate reading knowledge of a single foreign language in any of the following ways: (1) by showing proof of completion of 12 hours (through the sophomore level) of a single foreign language at the undergraduate level or graduate level with a minimum GPA of 3.0 via transcript(s) or (2) by passing the appropriate competency test as administered by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at UNT.
After admission to PhD study, a graduate student will be accepted for candidacy for the PhD after accomplishing all of the following:
1. successful completion of all required courses, including foundation and distribution requirements, and elective courses;
2. successful completion of foreign language requirements; and
3. successful completion of the PhD examinations.
All students in the doctoral program must complete 90 semester hours of graduate work beyond the bachelor’s degree.
Students must select a faculty adviser and determine a degree focus within the first 27 hours of course work.
The student will focus in one or more of the following areas:
Students will take courses in the following areas:
Students will satisfy the required courses by taking foundation courses and distributed requirements. Students must take foundation courses within the first three terms/semesters.
Students take 36 hours of elective courses (from within the Department of English). Students are limited to two Special Problems courses, except by permission of the chair of graduate studies in English and the student’s major adviser.
The student must take 12 hours of Directed Research (ENGL 6941 and 6942). With permission of the student’s major adviser and the chair of graduate studies in English, the student may take up to 6 hours of organized classes in lieu of Directed Research. The student may not enroll in Directed Research until the PhD examination and the foreign language requirements have been met.
The student must take 12 hours of dissertation (ENGL 6950). The student may not enroll in dissertation until the PhD examination, the foreign language requirement and the directed research requirements have been met.
The student must take the PhD qualifying examination during the last term/semester of organized course work. The PhD examination will be administered by the student’s dissertation committee in either November or in April.
The PhD examination may be taken twice. If the student fails the examination on both occasions, then permission for any retake of the examination must be granted by the graduate committee.
The student must pass the following:
The student must pass these examinations before being permitted to register for directed research and dissertation hours.
The student’s major adviser and committee will determine the nature of the examinations and prepare and administer them. The student will be expected to have expert knowledge of the primary area and general comprehensive knowledge of the secondary area.
After the student passes the written comprehensive examinations in both the primary and the secondary area, the student will then take one two-hour oral examination. The oral examination will touch on all of the written exams, both in the primary and in the secondary area.
Each student is required to provide an extended and detailed dissertation prospectus to his or her dissertation committee. The prospectus, developed while the student is enrolled for ENGL 6941 and/or 6942, must be turned in to the dissertation committee no later than the end of April of the fourth year.
The dissertation prospectus must be approved by all members of the student’s dissertation committee. The approved prospectus, along with a prospectus cover sheet and approval form, must be turned in to the chair of graduate studies. The faculty committee that approves the prospectus must be the same as the dissertation committee. Any changes in the constitution of the dissertation committee must be approved by the graduate committee. Students may not enroll for dissertation until the prospectus has been approved by the dissertation committee and turned in to the chair of graduate studies.
1. A dissertation is required of all candidates for the doctorate. The dissertation must be a work of original research and writing justifying the awarding of the doctoral degree. Students can enroll for dissertation credit only when
2. Students enrolled for dissertation credit must comply with the continuous enrollment policy set forth in appropriate sections of this bulletin.
3. The dissertation committee is composed of three faculty members. The dissertation will be directed by a qualified faculty member whose area of expertise is in the student’s major area. Two other faculty members from the Department of English constitute the rest of the dissertation committee. Area advisers and the chair of graduate studies will assist students in the selection of the dissertation committee.
4. When the dissertation is completed and has received the preliminary approval of the dissertation committee, the dissertation director will schedule the final comprehensive examination (dissertation defense) and notify the chair of graduate studies in English and the dean of the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies of the date and time of the examination. The dissertation will be submitted to the chair of graduate studies in English only after this examination has been passed. After the approval of the chair of graduate studies in English has been secured, the dissertation will then be transmitted to the graduate dean’s office and finally approved by the graduate dean.
5. Instructions for submitting the dissertation may be obtained from the graduate dean’s office. Students should consult the Academic Calendar in the annual Graduate Catalog for deadlines.
All Courses of Instruction are located in one section at the back of this catalog.
The “Course and Subject Guide,” found in the Courses of Instruction section of this book, serves as a table of contents and provides quick access to subject areas and prefixes.
Date of initial release: July 1, 2006 — Copyright © 2006 University of North Texas
Page updated:
July 14, 2006
— Comments or corrections: catalog@unt.edu
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