2021-2022 Humboldt State University Catalog 
    
    Nov 21, 2024  
2021-2022 Humboldt State University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Applied English Studies, M.A.


The M.A. in English offers a broad curriculum meant to prepare students for a range of pursuits. The program fosters the development of critical reading, writing, teaching, research and other scholarly skills through focused study of literary and cultural texts, pedagogical theory, curriculum development, composition and rhetoric, digital humanities, linguistics, and ESL/EFL. Students gain an advanced understanding of current disciplinary knowledge, including how texts circulate among audiences and how language shapes the world. We offer a variety of opportunities for hands-on learning in the form of teaching assistantships, tutoring positions, and internships in teaching, editing, library curating and archiving, digital humanities, tutoring, and ESL/EFL. With an emphasis on professional development, the program expands opportunities for K-12 teachers and prepares students for Ph.D. programs and jobs in college teaching as well as careers in publishing, editing, professional writing, librarianship, digital scholarship, and teaching English abroad. Students have considerable latitude in designing master’s projects that match their interests and the expertise of graduate faculty.

Program Admission Requirements

In addition to the general CSU requirements for graduate admissions, candidates for the English MA program need to include the following documents with their application:

  • three letters of recommendation
  • academic writing sample

For complete information on current admission requirements, please consult the English department’s website.

Requirements for the Degree (34 units)

For a description of degree requirements to be fulfilled in addition to those listed below see, “Master’s Degree Requirements 

Complete 34 units of graduate work (500- 600 level) in language, composition, ESL, pedagogy, theory, literature, and digital humanities courses approved by the department. Reading knowledge of one language other than English or two college semesters of the same language.

Students must earn a GPA of 3.00 in all coursework applied to the degree. (no individual grade less than B- will apply to the degree).

Employment, Internships & Funding


Graduate Teaching Associates. Select MA students have the opportunity to work as Graduate Teaching Associates in the English department under the leadership of the Writing Program Director. Graduate Teaching Associates teach first-year writing: ENGL 104 Accelerated Composition and Rhetoric. If selected as a Graduate Teaching Associate, you will be required to attend a 2.5-day pre-semester teaching workshop during the week prior to fall semester and enroll in ENGL 581  for 3 units during your first semester teaching. Contingent on the availability of funds and student eligibility (as determined by financial aid awards), select Graduate Teaching Associates may receive a tuition waiver during one or more semester(s) they are teaching. 

Writing Consultants in the English Department. Graduate students are encouraged to work as writing consultants in our Writing in the Disciplines Seminar (AHSS 200). Qualified applicants may become paid Writing Fellows. Successfully completing one semester of ENGL 450  Tutoring Developing Writers is a prerequisite for all paid fellow positions. 

For information about becoming a Graduate Teaching Associate or Fellow, please contact: 
Lisa Tremain, Writing Program Director
707-826-5762
Lisa.Tremain@humboldt.edu

Writing Studio Consultants in the Learning Center. Writing Studio consultants help other students organize and revise their writing assignments for courses in any subject area. Consultants meet with individual students in 30-minute blocks of time, either by appointment or on a drop-in basis. Consultants work with students to identify areas in their writing that would benefit from revision, and assist the students’ efforts to strengthen their overall papers, rather than proofreading or making changes for students. Regular paid meetings are mandatory. Applicants must have completed ENGL 450  Tutoring Developing Writers or equivalent prior to being hired. Positions typically open before the start of each semester. For more information, please contact Jessica Citti at 707- 826-5188 or jessica.citti@humboldt.edu.

Teaching Internships. Graduate students may intern in literature, composition, business and professional writing, or English as a second language classes, where they work closely with faculty teaching the courses. Interns are exposed to a wide range of teaching activities and experiences, and receive mentoring from the faculty of record. Certain coursework may be necessary before enrolling in an internship. Consult the catalog and the graduate coordinator before enrolling in a graduate internship. While faculty members typically invite students for these internships. Students are also encouraged to seek out faculty and initiate a conversation about the possibility of working as their teaching interns.

Library Internships. Graduate students may intern in HSU Library’s Humboldt Room and University Archives. Library Scholar interns gain hands-on experience with archival research and preservation, intellectual property and copyright, scholarly editing and publishing, public history, and museum studies. They work with manuscripts, rare books, and assorted special collections, developing skills including research, publicity, accession processing, digitization, and preparation of exhibits and digital projects. Library Scholar Interns work as a team to complete a variety of projects and receive mentoring from the faculty of record.

Western Regional Graduate Program. HSU is a member of the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP). WRGP is a program that allows students from fifteen western states to attend HSU and pay California Resident Tuition: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The English Department participates in this program. For more information, please consult the WRGP website.

Federal Work Study Graduate Research Assistantships. Qualified MA students who are eligible for work-study funding may be matched with faculty or staff members whose research or creative projects require a research assistant. Awards of up to $5,000 per academic year (up to 15 hours of work per week) are typically available contingent upon federal funding. Students must be enrolled in 6 units or more of course work to be eligible. While faculty members typically nominate students for these positions, students are also encouraged to seek out faculty and have a conversation about the possibility of working as their research assistants.

Program Learning Outcomes


Students completing this program will demonstrate:

  • the ability to produce professional-quality, research-based analytical writing in various genres and/or media
  • the use of a variety of interpretive strategies for analyzing multiple kinds of texts, including digital and new media production
  • engagement with theory and an ability to locate a text in its cultural and historical contexts
  • skill in applying key theories and practices in the teaching of reading and writing for diverse audiences, including multilingual speakers
  • understanding of cultural competency and social justice lenses
  • the ability to define an area of inquiry and its relation to the field at large in a project or thesis

Graduate Coordinator


Janet Winston, Ph.D.
Founders Hall 213
707-826-3913
Janet.Winston@humboldt.edu