Program Requirements

Course Requirements

Total Credit Hours Required: 18 credit hours

Core Courses (0 credit hours)

ENGL 8000.00 English MA Thesis Prospectus
ENGL 9404.00 Language Requirement
ENGL 9000.00 MA Thesis

General Electives (18 credit hours)

Students must complete 18 credit hours of ENGL courses at the 5000-level or higher.  Up to 3 credit hours may be selected from graduate courses in another subject area in consultation with the supervisor/graduate coordinator.

Additional Requirements

MA graduates must have demonstrated proficiency in one language other than English (ENGL 9404.00). Students can fulfill the second language requirement in several ways. The most common is attaining a grade of C or better in a university-level course or courses approved by the graduate coordinator. Another is passing an approved language examination (such as the placement exam offered by Dalhousie’s French Department). Students who command strong proficiency in a second language may also appeal to the graduate committee for exemption from formal testing or course work.

MA students benefit from a number of mandatory and optional workshops offered over the course of the academic year. Beginning with principles and practices of effective teaching, professional development workshops also cover topics such as public speaking and paper presentation, career options and the job search, and writing grant proposals.

Developing skills in teaching, presenting, and professional collaboration, many MA students are also employed as teaching assistants, usually for first-year courses. Though TAs may take on a variety of tasks, most lead tutorials, grade and comment on student essays, hold individual meetings with students, and sometimes lecture or lead class discussion.