MA in English Adolescent Education

This Teacher Education Program (TEP) is designed for students who wish to pursue secondary school teaching in English. The program is not for individuals who already have initial or provisional certification in the teaching of English. Those who have already received provisional certification should apply for the MA in Literature, Language and Theory. (With the approval of the English Department advisor, such students may take 3 or 6 credits of course work in advanced courses from the Adolescence Education sequence.) 

In addition to taking 24 credits in the Department of Education, students in the MA English Adolescent Education program must complete 24 credits of English courses, including 3 credits of Shakespeare, 3 credits of multicultural/minority literature, 3 credits of American literature, 3 credits of Linguistics, and 3 credits of Rhetoric and Composition. Toward the end of the program, students must also pass a comprehensive examination demonstrating their literary critical abilities.

Requirements:

• 18 credits in literature given by the Department of English; of these, 3 credits must be in Shakespeare, 3 credits in American literature, and 3 credits in literature with a multicultural emphasis.
• 3 credits in English Linguistics (ENGL 607).
• 3 credits in Rhetoric and Composition (ENGL 615).
• Passing a comprehensive examination that requires reflection and synthesis of previous coursework (the specific prompt is announced each semester on the English MA Blackboard site).
• Graduate course requirements in Education (22-24 credits). See the School of Education for details.

Admissions:

• A Bachelor of Arts degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution acceptable to Hunter College.
• 21 credits of advanced courses acceptable to the department in British, American or World Literature written in English (no more than 3 credits of the latter).
• A general education core in the liberal arts and sciences to include the following (in addition to English requirements): 6 credits in a language other than English (3 years of high school study in the same foreign language with grades of C or better documented by high school transcript will meet this requirement), 6 credits in social studies (to include at least one course in U.S. history or U.S. geography), 3 credits in the arts, and 12 credits in math/science/technology (a college course in calculus meets 6 credits of this requirement).
• An Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better and an index of 3.0 in English courses.
• A writing sample of about 10 pages (preferably an undergraduate research paper in literary studies).
• Two Letters of Recommendation (preferably written by professors who are familiar with your work).
• The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test only. (The department does not have a minimum GRE score requirement. GRE scores are considered in correlation with the multiple parts of your application. It is important that applicants arrange to take the GRE at least six weeks before the application deadline to ensure that test scores arrive in time to receive full consideration. Note also that test scores must be from within the past five years).
• All other Requirements of the Graduate Admissions Application.

Frequently Asked Questions

How large are graduate seminars?

• In order to maintain small and engaging seminars, each course caps at 15 students. A limited number of overtallies into each course may be granted by the professor and approved by the graduate advisor.

How many credits from previous master's courses can I transfer into the program?

• Students who are accepted into a graduate program and register for courses may request transfer credit for up to 6 credits taken within relevant graduate programs at regionally accredited institutions, including credits taken at Hunter College while enrolled in another degree program, whether or not a master's degree was awarded.
• Transfer of credit is subject to the approval of the department or graduate advisor and to the regulations of the Hunter program in which the student is enrolled. The following additional limitations apply:

1. The course(s) for which transfer of credit is requested must have been completed within four years prior to the awarding of the Hunter graduate degree.
2. Credits for courses in which the student earned a grade below B, or took a non-letter grade such as a pass/fail are not transferable.
3. Courses used to satisfy entrance requirements, as well as courses used as part of a previously completed bachelor's program, may not be transferred.
4. Grades in courses transferred from other institutions, or from a prior master's degree program taken at Hunter College, will not be calculated into the student's grade point average (GPA), nor will these grades be posted on the current Hunter College record.

Can I audit a graduate seminar or take a course as a non-degree student?

• We only allow students to audit an MA course if they are already enrolled in the program and have received permission from both the graduate advisor and the professor of the course. Admitted graduate non-degree students may register for graduate courses upon approval from the graduate advisor. However, no more than 9 credits may be taken as a non-matriculant of the program.

Do I have to be registered for a certain amount of credits each semester?

• The department does not require students to be registered for a specific amount of credits per semester. However, please be sure to check with the Office of Financial Aid regarding enrollment requirements for financial support.

Can I take a temporary Leave of Absence from the program?

• Yes. If, however, your leave extends beyond one semester, you must apply for readmission through the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Can I take courses in other departments while pursuing the MA in English Adolescent Education?

• Taking demonstrably relevant courses in other departments is possible with prior approval from the graduate advisor, but courses outside the Department of English should not exceed 6 credits.

For more information, please contact the Graduate Advisor, Professor Janet Neary.

Office:1204 HW
Phone: (212) 772-4039
Email: jneary@hunter.cuny.edu