Easy Access for Working Professionals and Educators
The Joint MA Program in English hosted by the College of Charleston and The Citadel is pleased to announce the launch of an online pathway for our established MA in English. All courses will be taught by faculty at CofC and The Citadel.
There are no letters of recommendation, GRE, or writing sample required for summer courses when you apply as a non-degree student. And you can, of course apply for the full degree program in the future if you feel like it is a good fit. Please note that non-degree students are not eligible for federal financial aid.
This program will appeal to a range of working professionals, from those who are seeking intellectual enrichment to those looking to sharpen their research and writing skills. The program is a particularly good fit for English Language Arts teachers, since those working towards an MA can earn recertification credits and gain credentials necessary to teach college-level and dual-enrollment courses, as well as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes.
Online Convenience with a Sense of Community in the Lowcountry
Our online courses will be offered in a range of modalities: synchronous, asynchronous, and HyFlex formats. In some cases, online students will attend the same class virtually alongside students taking the class through a traditional face-to-face modality.
Although much of the coursework will unfold online, we plan to host conference-style gatherings at the end of the summer, fall, and spring terms that offer opportunities to share our scholarship and deepen our connections with one another and with the city of Charleston.
Literary Studies and Beyond
The majority of our coursework is in the field of literary studies. In addition to traditional English literature classes, however, we will also offer courses in film. Each year, we will offer courses in creative writing and the fields of writing studies, including courses such as “Advanced Composition” and “Theory and Practice of Composition.”
More about the MA in English
You can learn more about our program by exploring other pages on this joint program website, but here is a quick overview:
Program Length:
You can earn an MA degree with 30 credits–that’s 10 classes, split between CofC and The Citadel
Program Structure:
All students are required to take our Introduction to English Graduate Studies course (ENGL 511) to start the program. You will also have one of three capstone options: an ePortfolio tutorial (3 credits), a guided tutorial in revising a seminar paper for publication (3 credits), or a more traditional thesis (6 credits). The other courses are all open electives, and at least one must focus on literature written prior to 1800.
Program Costs:
Although tuition rates and fees charged by CofC and The Citadel will be directly affected by the action of the legislature and are therefore subject to change, the current part-time residential tuition rates per course are as follows (note that each institution has a few smaller fees as well, which are not included):
- College of Charleston: $1,722 (3 credits)
- The Citadel: $1,785 (3 credits)
Course Offerings for Fall 2023:
We consider this year to be a soft launch; we welcomed a few students over the summer, and hope to introduce more in the fall. This means that we will offer a slightly reduced selection of courses during the 2023-24 academic year. ENGL 511 is the recommended gateway course, though you are welcome to take it concurrently with another course.
- CofC Fall 2023| ENGL 511: Introduction to Graduate Studies in English. Synchronous online meeting ever other week + online tasks. Every other Wednesday 5:30 – 815.
Plans for the 2023-24 Academic Year and Beyond:
We plan to offer at least one course per semester during the 2023-24 academic year. In the future, we also plan to develop an 18-hour English Educators Certificate.
Beginning in Summer 2024, we plan to offer 8-10 courses across the academic year: six courses over the summer (including two sections of our gateway ENGL 511) and at least four additional courses across the Fall and Spring semesters.
Apply by August 15
We encourage students interested in exploring our coursework to apply as a non-degree student through the institution offering the course you want to take. For fall 2023, you would apply through CofC to take our introductory course, ENGL 511. Students can take up to four courses as a non-degree-seeking student. All courses taken in non-degree status can be transferred into the degree program.
The non-degree application also makes the application process easier: it does not require test scores, writing samples, or letters of recommendation. The only requirements are a simple online application, a transcript, and a one-page statement of intent indicating your relevant background, the basis of your interest in the MA in English program, and your personal and professional goals related to undertaking the coursework.
As part of this introductory course, students will be guided through the process of applying for formal admission to the joint program should they choose to continue.
Applying to Take a Course at CofC
First, access the CofC application. You will be prompted to create an account. After setting up your account and entering the required demographic information, select “English (Non-degree)” under the question about the major you would like to pursue. For “degree” choose “Non-degree Graduate.”
Send your one-page Statement of Intent to the Graduate Program Director at CofC, Dr. Anton Vander Zee.
Please reach out to Dr. Vander Zee as well if you have any difficulty navigating the application.
Applying to Take a Course at The Citadel
First, access the Citadel application. You will be prompted to create an account. After setting up your account and entering the required demographic information, please select “undeclared graduate, non-degree” in the dropdown menu under “Academic Program.”
Send your one-page Statement of Intent to the Graduate Program Director at The Citadel, Dr. Licia Hendriks.
Please reach out to Dr. Hendriks as well if you have any difficulty navigating the application.