English

The Graduate Certificate in TESL/TEFL consists of two prerequisites and 12 graduate credits. Courses are designed to provide basic preparation in teaching English to speakers of other languages in a variety of settings. Students may do a stand-alone certificate or apply to do a graduate certificate in addition to the masters or doctoral program.

Degrees Offered:

• Certificate

A graduate minor in linguistics permits students to investigate various aspects of linguistics, emphasizing the ability to think about language in a systematic and disciplined way and to apply the methods of the field to research problems in their own disciplines. Graduate courses for the minor may be cross-listed with courses in Anthropology, Communication Disorders, Computer Science, English, Psychology, and World Languages and Cultures.

Degrees Offered:

• Minor

The MA in TESL/Applied Linguistics prepares students for careers in teaching English to nonnative speakers of English, either in the U.S. or abroad. Students with MA degrees in TESL teach adults and younger learners in a wide variety of contexts, supervise language programs, work for testing organizations, and create language teaching materials. Students choose among optional specializations listed. The degree requires a minimum of 30 hours of graduate credits, including a final thesis or creative component (3 credits) and meeting a foreign language requirement that may be fulfilled in a number of ways.

Degrees Offered:

• Master of Arts (M.A.)

How long does it take to earn a degree?

• Median time to earn the master’s: 1.9 years (Methods)

The MA in Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Communication (RCPC) prepares students for careers in business, technical, and professional communication in the private and public sectors and for teaching writing and communication at the postsecondary level. It features a wide range of courses on the history, theory, and pedagogy of rhetoric and writing; in communication theory and professional document analysis, design, and production; and on a variety of special topics. An internship in professional communication is also available. The degree requires a minimum of 30 hours of graduate credits including a final thesis or creative component (3 credits). The English Department offers a PhD in Rhetoric and Professional Communication as well.

Degrees Offered:

• Master of Arts (M.A.)

The PhD in Rhetoric and Professional Communication focuses on the rhetorical theory, history, pedagogy, and practice of written, oral, visual, and electronic communication (WOVE) in professional communities, such as business, industry, science, and government. The degree prepares graduates for academic positions in rhetoric, in multimodal composition, and in business, professional, and technical communication, as well as for work in the private and public sectors as professional communication specialists, editors, designers, and communications managers. Candidates are required to complete 72 hours of graduate credit including a dissertation and to pass a portfolio assessment, a preliminary examination (consisting of a written comprehensive examination and a special field examination), and an oral defense of the dissertation. The English Department offers a Master of Arts in Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Communication as well.

Degrees Offered:

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

How long does it take to earn a degree?

• Median time to earn the doctorate: 4.8 years (Methods)

Iowa State University’s MA Master of Arts (MA) in English program offers two different specializations: one in Literature and one in Literature and the Teaching of Reading. Specialization in Literature: This two-year master of arts MA program offers high-quality, personalized instruction to students interested in secondary or college teaching or in pursuing further graduate study. Our courses develop students’ knowledge of major literary and cinematic trends as well as discipline-specific research skills in the analysis of literature and film; theory and criticism; as well as pedagogy and professionalization. In recent years, we have been able to support nearly every student who has sought funding. Our teaching assistantships are among the best in the Big XII conference with generous stipends, and our incoming students participate in a research apprenticeship program where each is mentored by a faculty member. Our students present at conferences, earn teaching and research awards, and some publish prior to graduation. Specialization in the Literature and the Teaching of Reading: This 30-credit master of arts MA program is designed for licensed teachers who wish to advance their study of literature as they work toward a reading endorsement. Students take graduate courses in British, American, and other areas of literature while also completing three reading courses in Iowa State’s School of Education. Many Most graduate English courses are taught in the late afternoon, evening, or online to accommodate teachers and other working professionals. In these courses, faculty regularly offer options for papers and other assessments that emphasize pedagogy. Additionally, in their 3-credit culminating project, students with this specialization can opt to produce a pedagogy-specific Creative Component or a Portfolio consisting of revised versions of some of their best seminar projects. This program is especially valuable to teachers in the upper elementary, middle school, and high school levels, including teachers of dual-enrollment courses.

Degrees Offered:

• Master of Arts (M.A.)

Area(s) of Specialization: (may appear on ISU transcripts after graduation)

• Literature (M.A.)
• Literature and the Teaching of Reading (M.A.)

How long does it take to earn a degree?

• Median time to earn the master’s: 1.8 years (Methods)

Iowa State University’s three-year MFA program in Creative Writing and Environment cultivates in its students an interdisciplinary approach to research and writing. The program's unique design allows writers to develop a heightened environmental imagination that finds expression in quality, publishable works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama. The program is designed to prepare students for careers as writers, teachers, editors, and environmental educators. The MFA degree requires 54 hours of graduate credit: a core of creative writing courses, a book-length thesis (6 credits), experiential environmental fieldwork (3 credits), and 12 credits in disciplines other than English (such as Landscape Architecture, Anthropology, Environmental Science, among many others) relevant to an individual student's research interests and thesis project.

Degrees Offered:

• Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)

How long does it take to earn a degree?

• Median time to earn the master’s: 2.8 years (Methods)

Our PhD program in Applied Linguistics & Technology (ALT) focuses on English language description, teaching, learning, and assessment, with particular emphasis on issues and practices related to technology: analysis of language using computational and corpus linguistic methods as well as the study of computer technology in English language teaching, learning, and assessment. The degree prepares students for a variety of academic appointments in departments of applied linguistics and English and for professional opportunities in research and development, international publishing, and government agencies in the U.S. and around the world where English is taught and used for specific educational, vocational, and professional purposes. Candidates are required to complete 72 hours of graduate credit including a dissertation; to meet a language requirement that may be fulfilled in a number of ways (students whose native language is other than English are considered to have met the language requirement after satisfying the Graduate College English requirement);and to pass a portfolio assessment, a preliminary examination consisting of a written dissertation proposal (which includes a section on piloting) and the preliminary oral examination, and an oral defense of the dissertation.

Degrees Offered:

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

How long does it take to earn a degree?

• Median time to earn the doctorate: 6.0 years (Methods)