The Department of English and World Languages offers a general program of study leading to a Master of Arts (M.A.) in English.

Admission Requirements

General requirements for admission to graduate school at CSU-Pueblo are specified in the Colorado State University-Pueblo Catalog. For English, requirements include a minimum of 3.0 undergraduate grade point average on a 4.0 scale and a Bachelor’s degree in English or a related field, with advanced coursework in British and American literature. The Graduate Record Examination is recommended, but not required. Because of necessary enrollment limitations, admission will be competitive; deferred admission is possible.

1. Fill out a copy of the CSU-Pueblo Application for Graduate Admission. This is a two-page form available from the Office of Admissions and on-line. If you need help getting a copy, e-mail to the address given below.
2. Order official copies of all transcripts and send to the Graduate coordinator at the postal address below.
3. Write an application statement that gives a detailed account of your background and qualifications and your purpose in seeking the M.A. in English, both practical and intellectual. The Graduate Committee in English understands that students who apply to our graduate program share our dedication and passion for literature and language. In this application statement, we ask that candidates focus on their intellectual life, professional history, and scholarly background in order to demonstrate their potential for success in a rigorous graduate program.
4. Also submit a writing sample of at least 10 pages, such as a paper written for previous English course or another analytic or argumentative essay. If you wish to submit creative work for your writing sample, it should be accompanied by a 5-page commentary.
5. Solicit three letters of recommendation from references able to evaluate your preparation and likelihood of success in graduate study in English. For those who have recently been undergraduate students, former professors are ideal reverences. For those long past their undergraduate studies, recommendations from supervisors, colleagues, and others familiar with your work and intellectual abilities can serve as well. If you have been out of school for awhile, but have old letters of recommendations on hand, you may submit them, but please be sure to include at least one current letter. You may collect the letters and submit them with your other application materials, or, if your references prefer, you may have them sent directly to the address below.
6. Prepare a check for the application fee of $35 made out to Colorado State University-Pueblo and enclose it with your other application materials.
7. Send, or have sent, all these materials (the application form, the check for $35, the application statement, the writing sample, the three letters of recommendation, and the official transcripts) to:
   Graduate Coordinator
   Department of English and World Languages
   Colorado State University-Pueblo
   2200 Bonforte Blvd.
   Pueblo, CO  81001-4901

If you have any questions, please fee free to phone (719-549-2143) or send an email to: joann.pisciotta@csupueblo.edu.

Financial aid in the form of student loans and perhaps some need-based grants may be available. You may apply for it only after your admission to the program is official, but you may inquire about the application process, eligibility, etc. at any time by contacting Financial Aid at (719) 549-2753 or on-line at: http://www.csupueblo.edu/FinancialAid.

We accept applications once a year, for fall admission to the program. Please submit your application materials as early as possible–no later than April 1.

Program Goals

The general goals of the English M.A. program are to prepare students for success and advancement in careers in teaching, writing, and scholarship, and to develop their knowledge and skills in the discipline of English studies to professional levels in the following areas:

• The in-depth study of literature.
• Aspects of literary history and cultural studies.
• Literary criticism and theories of reading and interpretation.
• Theories of writing and rhetoric.
• Practical writing skills in a range of professional and creative genres.
• Research techniques for and understanding of the discipline of English studies.
• Pedagogical theories and techniques for various aspects and levels of English studies.

Expected Student Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate and apply traditional and contemporary knowledge in cultural contexts.
2. Conduct, analyze, evaluate, and integrate academic research and theory.
3. Construct and deconstruct arguments using a range of rhetorical strategies. 
4. Utilize innovative creative, technological, and literacy skills to foster career and community growth. 

Outcomes Assessment Activities

The following measures of learning outcomes will be employed:

• Students’ M.A. theses or independent research project essays are evaluated by the thesis director and committee members against a set of rubrics keyed to the program goals.
• All audience members at the oral defenses of theses or independent research project papers are asked to comment in writing on the student’s skills and knowledge as evidenced in their performance, and their responses are tabulated cumulatively.

Major Requirements

Exam Option

Thesis Option

Graduation Requirements

Students must maintain an overall grade-point average of 3.00 or higher in courses taken after admission to the degree program. A minimum of 24 credits must be earned at Colorado State University-Pueblo, 21 of which must be earned after admission to the graduate program. Courses from other institutions must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator and officially transferred and appear on the transcript.