English, MA

The graduate program in English is designed to equip candidates with the skills, techniques, and qualities of leadership and scholarship required for professional and academic excellence. Students will choose from three concentrations in English Pedagogy, Literature, and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). The graduate English program enables students to hone their written and oral communication skills, do substantive independent research and critical analysis, and study a curriculum that provides a broad background for students wishing to pursue teaching at the secondary or post-secondary levels as well as careers in fields such as art, advertising, business, creative writing, public relations, law, library science, journalism, broadcasting, and professional writing.

Admission Requirements

Master of Arts in English Admission Requirements

Admission standards for Graduate Studies at California Baptist University can be found in the Admissions section of the University Catalog. Specific application requirements for the Graduate Program in English are:

Grade Point Average
- A minimum 3.0 GPA for unconditional admission and a minimum 2.75 GPA for conditional admission
- Applicants with a GPA below 2.75 may be considered for admission with the presentation of a minimum combined score of 300 on the verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or a passing score on the California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET)
Prerequisites
- A minimum of 18 semester (27 quarter) units of study in English beyond the level of freshman composition with the grade of “C” or better
Three Recommendations completed on forms provided. At least one recommendation should be from an academic source, preferably from an English professor or instructor. Family members and friends may not complete recommendations.
Comprehensive Essay that includes the following:
- Purpose for entering the program
- Long-term professional goals
- Reasons for choosing to study at California Baptist University
Successful Demonstration of Writing
- Examples of writing competence including a major research paper or literary analysis
Successful interview with the Director of the Graduate Program in English

Program Requirements (30 units)

The primary focus of the Master of Arts in English is the study of literature and language. Students pursue one of three concentrations in English Pedagogy, Literature, or Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Coursework taken outside a student’s concentration will generally not count toward the Master of Arts in English. Competency requirements, if a condition of a student’s admission, may be met with equivalent coursework; these do not count toward the Master of Arts in English.