English and Humanities (M.A.)
Marymount's Master of Arts in English and Humanities is a flexible, student-centered, interdisciplinary program of study that immerses students in the unique cultural resources and opportunities of the Washington, DC, area while deepening their understanding of the human condition. Graduate study in the humanities enhances historical consciousness, fosters clear and critical thinking, and hones writing and presentational skills. The program’s small seminar classes engage students with the world of ideas through close textual study, individual research, and classroom discussion.
The MA program in English and Humanities prepares students for an array of academic and alternative academic futures. The program prepares students for further advanced study and entry into competitive doctoral programs; for career development or advancement in secondary and community college teaching; or for master's-level careers invested in research, writing, editing, and the nonprofit sector.
This program requires the completion of 33 credit hours of coursework. Students can elect to cap their coursework with either a thesis or an internship practicum. Students planning to pursue advanced work in a doctoral program are encouraged to complete a thesis, which requires an oral defense, while those seeking professional enhancement and/or a career change are encouraged to complete an internship practicum, which also requires public presentation.
Degree-seeking students in the English and Humanities MA program are also eligible to pursue the Teaching English at the Community College (TECC) graduate certificate jointly. (See program details.)
The MA program allows students to build their course of study in one of three tracks:
- In the literature track, students engage with and analyze texts from a variety of theoretical perspectives. Literary study enhances cultural awareness and aesthetic appreciation, fosters sensitivity and mental suppleness through the consideration of multiple viewpoints, and encourages critical thinking.
- In the language and composition track, an emphasis is placed on linguistic and rhetorical study, with a practical edge. This course of study heightens understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of language and perfects students’ abilities to critique and improve their own writing in light of its purpose and audience.
- In the humanities track, students engage in humanistic inquiry from a variety of disciplinary perspectives suited to their interests and professional needs, including history and politics, the history of art and architecture, philosophy, literature, and comparative religion.
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to
- write and create substantial academic papers and projects in which they analyze source material, develop original arguments, and demonstrate clarity, organization, grace of expression, and audience awareness;
- analyze source material with informed consideration of its historical, cultural, critical and/or theoretical context;
- deliver professional and engaging oral presentations of their academic work that focus on their arguments and ideas, and that show thorough research and preparation; and
- fully acknowledge the use of all forms of intellectual property.
Admission Requirements: In addition to meeting the universitywide requirements for graduate admission applicants must
- provide evidence of a bachelor’s degree with a major in a humanities discipline, such as English, history, philosophy, art history, or comparative religion, comprising at least 18 credits in the discipline;
- submit official transcripts of all postsecondary education reflecting a grade point average (overall or in the major) of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale;
- submit a sample 8- to 10-page critical paper; and
- submit two letters of recommendation.
Also, see language requirement, which follows.
Consortium Courses: A maximum of six (6) semester credits, selected in conjunction with the director of the graduate program in English and Humanities, may be taken through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area. Students should not enroll in a consortium course during the semester of their anticipated graduation. Taking a course outside of Marymount during the student’s final semester may delay his or her graduation.
Language Requirement: Preference will be given during the admission process to students who demonstrate intermediate proficiency in a second language, either by transcript or by credit on a standardized test (such as CLEP). Students without the language requirement on entry are encouraged to complete six to eight (6-8) credits in language (broadly defined) while at Marymount in addition to the existing course requirements.
Nondegree Admission: Applicants wishing to enroll for limited coursework may do so as nondegree students for a maximum of nine (9) credits and two consecutive semesters. See nondegree studies for more information.
Provisional Admission: Applicants may also be admitted on a provisional basis, which requires students to maintain a 3.0 GPA in the first term of courses.
International Students: Nonnative speakers of English should review International Applicants for TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic test score requirements. Students who hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited postsecondary institution where the language of instruction is English are exempt from this requirement.
Transfer Credits: A maximum of six (6) semester credits of transfer or consortium graduate credit may be applied toward the degree, if approved by the dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and the registrar.
Degree Requirements — English and Humanities
33 credits
Courses designated HUM may be taught by faculty from different disciplines. Disciplinary focus will be noted in student records, and it may affect how the course fulfills degree requirements.
Unlisted graduate courses may be taken as related electives upon approval from the dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and the director of the graduate program in English and humanities.
Literature Track
Foundation Courses
Six (6) credits as follows:
| EN 501 | Building Textual Interpretation | 3 |
| EN 502 | Engaging Critical Theory | 3 |
Program Courses: Literature
12-18 credits, chosen from the following:
| EN 522 | Out of the '30s: Literature, Social Advocacy, and the Great Depression | 3 |
| EN 527 | Dante's Florence and the Divine Comedy | 3 |
| EN 533 | Shakespeare: Text and Performance | 3 |
| EN 542 | Origins of the Novel: Text, Context, and Critique | 3 |
| EN 545 | Social Upheaval and Dramatic Structure | 3 |
| EN 549 | Topics in Counter-Cultural Literary Movements | 3 |
| EN 572 | The Canterbury Tales and the Late Medieval World | 3 |
| EN 576 | Literary Proponents of Culture in the 19th and 20th Centuries | 3 |
| EN 580 | Independent Study | 3 |
| EN 590 | Major Author(s) | 3 |
| HUM 524 | Myth, Symbol, and Language | 3 |
| HUM 525 | King Arthur and Camelot: Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 3 |
| HUM 528 | Visions of Freedom in the Modern World | 3 |
| HUM 560 | Lies and Secrets | 3 |
| HUM 574 | Gender, Race, and Empire | 3 |
Program Courses: Language and Composition
Three to six (3-6) credits, chosen from the following:
| ED 561 | Teaching Language Pragmatics | 3 |
| EN 550 | General Linguistics | 3 |
| EN 551 | Composition: Theory and Practice | 3 |
| EN 552 | Applied Phonology | 3 |
| EN 554 | Applied Grammar: Syntactic Structures | 3 |
| EN 558 | History of the English Language | 3 |
| EN 559 | Studies in Creative Writing | 3 |
| EN 561 | Topics in College Composition | 3 |
| EN 571 | Technology for College Literature and Writing | 3 |
| EN 580 | Independent Study | 3 |
| HUM 524 | Myth, Symbol, and Language | 3 |
Program Courses: Related Electives
Three to six (3-6) credits, chosen from the following:
| FA 502 | Theories and Methods of Art History | 3 |
| FA 585 | Art and Culture in Early Modern Northern Europe | 3 |
| HI 503 | Foundations of Historical Thought | 3 |
| HI 550 | The Intellectual History of the American Revolution | 3 |
| HUM 524 | Myth, Symbol, and Language | 3 |
| HUM 525 | King Arthur and Camelot: Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 3 |
| HUM 528 | Visions of Freedom in the Modern World | 3 |
| HUM 560 | Lies and Secrets | 3 |
| HUM 574 | Gender, Race, and Empire | 3 |
| HUM 599 | Independent Study | 3 |
| ID 554 | Historic Preservation Seminar | 3 |
| IT 502 | Creating Websites | 3 |
| IT 550 | Ethics, Law, and Policy in the Information Age | 3 |
| MGT 537 | Nonprofit Management | 3 |
| PH 504 | Philosophy and the Humanities | 3 |
| TRS 565 | Violence, Religion, and Peacemaking | 3 |
Capstone Course
Three (3) credits, chosen from the following:
Language and Composition Track
Foundation Courses
Six (6) credits, as follows:
| EN 501 | Building Textual Interpretation | 3 |
| EN 502 | Engaging Critical Theory | 3 |
Program Courses: Language and Composition
12 credits, chosen from the following:
| ED 561 | Teaching Language Pragmatics | 3 |
| EN 550 | General Linguistics | 3 |
| EN 551 | Composition: Theory and Practice | 3 |
| EN 552 | Applied Phonology | 3 |
| EN 554 | Applied Grammar: Syntactic Structures | 3 |
| EN 558 | History of the English Language | 3 |
| EN 559 | Studies in Creative Writing | 3 |
| EN 561 | Topics in College Composition | 3 |
| EN 571 | Technology for College Literature and Writing | 3 |
| EN 580 | Independent Study | 3 |
| HUM 524 | Myth, Symbol, and Language | 3 |
Program Courses: Literature
Six to nine (6-9) credits, chosen from the following:
| EN 522 | Out of the '30s: Literature, Social Advocacy, and the Great Depression | 3 |
| EN 527 | Dante's Florence and the Divine Comedy | 3 |
| EN 533 | Shakespeare: Text and Performance | 3 |
| EN 542 | Origins of the Novel: Text, Context, and Critique | 3 |
| EN 545 | Social Upheaval and Dramatic Structure | 3 |
| EN 549 | Topics in Counter-Cultural Literary Movements | 3 |
| EN 572 | The Canterbury Tales and the Late Medieval World | 3 |
| EN 576 | Literary Proponents of Culture in the 19th and 20th Centuries | 3 |
| EN 580 | Independent Study | 3 |
| EN 590 | Major Author(s) | 3 |
| HUM 524 | Myth, Symbol, and Language | 3 |
| HUM 525 | King Arthur and Camelot: Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 3 |
| HUM 528 | Visions of Freedom in the Modern World | 3 |
| HUM 560 | Lies and Secrets | 3 |
| HUM 574 | Gender, Race, and Empire | 3 |
Program Courses: Related Electives
Three to six (3-6) credits, chosen from the following:
| FA 502 | Theories and Methods of Art History | 3 |
| FA 585 | Art and Culture in Early Modern Northern Europe | 3 |
| HI 503 | Foundations of Historical Thought | 3 |
| HI 550 | The Intellectual History of the American Revolution | 3 |
| HUM 524 | Myth, Symbol, and Language | 3 |
| HUM 525 | King Arthur and Camelot: Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 3 |
| HUM 528 | Visions of Freedom in the Modern World | 3 |
| HUM 560 | Lies and Secrets | 3 |
| HUM 574 | Gender, Race, and Empire | 3 |
| HUM 599 | Independent Study | 3 |
| ID 554 | Historic Preservation Seminar | 3 |
| IT 502 | Creating Websites | 3 |
| IT 550 | Ethics, Law, and Policy in the Information Age | 3 |
| MGT 537 | Nonprofit Management | 3 |
| PH 504 | Philosophy and the Humanities | 3 |
| TRS 565 | Violence, Religion, and Peacemaking | 3 |
Capstone Course
Three (3) credits, chosen from the following:
Students in this track may wish to supplement their studies by completing the certificate in teaching English at the community college. See the certificate program for requirements.
Humanities Track
Foundation Courses
Six (6) credits, chosen from the following:
| EN 501 | Building Textual Interpretation | 3 |
| FA 502 | Theories and Methods of Art History | 3 |
| HI 503 | Foundations of Historical Thought | 3 |
| PH 504 | Philosophy and the Humanities | 3 |
Additional foundation courses beyond the first 6 credits may be taken as program courses.
Program Courses: Humanities
12-15 credits, chosen from the following:
| FA 502 | Theories and Methods of Art History | 3 |
| FA 585 | Art and Culture in Early Modern Northern Europe | 3 |
| HI 503 | Foundations of Historical Thought | 3 |
| HI 550 | The Intellectual History of the American Revolution | 3 |
| HUM 524 | Myth, Symbol, and Language | 3 |
| HUM 525 | King Arthur and Camelot: Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 3 |
| HUM 528 | Visions of Freedom in the Modern World | 3 |
| HUM 560 | Lies and Secrets | 3 |
| HUM 574 | Gender, Race, and Empire | 3 |
| HUM 599 | Independent Study | 3 |
| PH 504 | Philosophy and the Humanities | 3 |
| TRS 565 | Violence, Religion, and Peacemaking | 3 |
Program Courses: Related Electives
Nine to twelve (9-12) credits, chosen from the following:
| ED 561 | Teaching Language Pragmatics | 3 |
| EN 502 | Engaging Critical Theory | 3 |
| EN 522 | Out of the '30s: Literature, Social Advocacy, and the Great Depression | 3 |
| EN 527 | Dante's Florence and the Divine Comedy | 3 |
| EN 533 | Shakespeare: Text and Performance | 3 |
| EN 542 | Origins of the Novel: Text, Context, and Critique | 3 |
| EN 545 | Social Upheaval and Dramatic Structure | 3 |
| EN 549 | Topics in Counter-Cultural Literary Movements | 3 |
| EN 550 | General Linguistics | 3 |
| EN 551 | Composition: Theory and Practice | 3 |
| EN 552 | Applied Phonology | 3 |
| EN 554 | Applied Grammar: Syntactic Structures | 3 |
| EN 558 | History of the English Language | 3 |
| EN 559 | Studies in Creative Writing | 3 |
| EN 561 | Topics in College Composition | 3 |
| EN 571 | Technology for College Literature and Writing | 3 |
| EN 572 | The Canterbury Tales and the Late Medieval World | 3 |
| EN 576 | Literary Proponents of Culture in the 19th and 20th Centuries | 3 |
| EN 580 | Independent Study | 3 |
| EN 590 | Major Author(s) | 3 |
| HUM 524 | Myth, Symbol, and Language | 3 |
| HUM 525 | King Arthur and Camelot: Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 3 |
| HUM 528 | Visions of Freedom in the Modern World | 3 |
| HUM 560 | Lies and Secrets | 3 |
| HUM 574 | Gender, Race, and Empire | 3 |
| ID 554 | Historic Preservation Seminar | 3 |
| IT 502 | Creating Websites | 3 |
| IT 550 | Ethics, Law, and Policy in the Information Age | 3 |
| MGT 537 | Nonprofit Management | 3 |
Capstone Course
Three (3) credits, chosen from the following: