Bulletin

English (Continued)

GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN ENGLISH

Advising is central to the program. Students must see their advisers to shape their programs initially, to gain approval for course choices, and to prepare for the oral examination. Please contact the graduate secretary, English, for more detailed advising information.

All M.A. candidates who wish to receive the Single Subject Teaching Credential concurrently with the M.A. should confer with an appropriate adviser in the College of Education.

Courses for these programs are listed in alphabetical sequence (see English Language and Literature discipline in the "Announcement of Courses" section).

MASTER OF ARTS IN ENGLISH: CONCENTRATION IN COMPOSITION

For general information, see "Graduate Programs in English."

Admission to Program

Applicants should have an undergraduate major in English. Applicants without an undergraduate major in English may be admitted conditionally but must complete during the first semester of residence twelve units (upper division or graduate) of British and/or American literature, including a course in Shakespeare, before filing the Graduate Approved Program. ENG 657 is a prerequisite to all courses in the program except ENG 700, 706, and 800.

It is expected that a student completing this program is able to write prose publishable in academic journals.

Written English Proficiency Requirement

Level One: satisfactory performance in ENG 657. Level Two: satisfactory completion of ENG 890.

Program						Units
ENG 700	Introduction to Composition Theory	 3
ENG 704	Seminar in the Teaching of Writing 	 3
ENG 706	Seminar in Sociolinguistics of 
	Composition				 3
ENG 716	Projects in the Teaching of Writing 	 3
ENG 890	Seminar in Research in Composition 	 3
ENG 892	Integrative Seminar in Composition 
	Studies					 3
Units to be taken with the approval of an 
adviser from the following:			12
	ENG 429	Stylistics
	ENG 555	Short Story
	ENG 635	Coming of Age in America
	ENG 701	Theoretical Backgrounds in 
		Community College and College 
		Reading Instruction
	ENG 702	Reading–Writing Connections
	ENG 705	Seminar in Basic/Remedial 
		Writing
	ENG 707	Current Issues in Composition
	ENG 708	Computers and the Teaching of 
		Writing
	ENG 715	Projects in the Teaching of 
		Reading
	ENG 717	Projects in Teaching Literature
	ENG 718	Supervision of Teaching 
		Experience
	ENG 651	Teaching English as a Foreign/
		Second Language
	ENG 730	Introduction to Graduate Study: 
		English as a Foreign/Second 
		Language
	ENG 800	Special Topics in the Study of 
		Composition and Reading
	ENG 815	Research Topics in Post-
		Secondary Reading
	or other approved courses within or 
	outside the English Department
		Minimum total			30
and Master's Comprehensive Written and 
Oral Examinations

Master's Examination

Failure of this examination does not disqualify the candidate unless the examining committee so directs. The candidate may take the examination twice, and if failing both times, will be disqualified from the graduate program.

NOTE: Prerequisite to ENG 704 is ENG 657, passed with a grade of B or better; prerequisite to ENG 716 is ENG 704, passed with a grade of B or better; prerequisite to ENG 890 is ENG 700.

MASTER OF ARTS IN ENGLISH: CONCENTRATION IN ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN/SECOND LANGUAGE

For general information, see "Graduate Programs in English."

Admission to Program

Prerequisites: In order to be fully classified, students must meet the conditions below:

Linguistics/Language Studies—Students must pass equivalency examinations (administered at SFSU) or take the following at SFSU: ENG 421, 424, 425, and 426 (12 units).
Literature—Students must have already taken equivalent courses or take at SFSU six upper division or graduate units in British or American literature.
Foreign Language Prerequisite Requirement—One semester's work (three to five units) of one foreign language is required, to be taken concurrently with ENG 426, Second Language Acquisition. For native speakers of English, the foreign language must be a non-Indo-European language or an Indo-European language which differs considerably from English. American sign language may be used to meet this requirement. For non-native speakers of English, the foreign language can be English or another language.

English 425 may be taken concurrently with English 730. All other linguistics/language studies courses must be completed prior to English 730. All linguistics/language studies courses must be taken for a letter grade, and students must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA in these courses to continue in the program. Literature courses may be taken for a letter grade or credit if the courses selected permit the grading option desired.

Students whose native language is not English and whose education was outside the United States must present evidence of a TOEFL score of 570 or higher. Students applying from other countries are accepted only for the Fall semester.

Written English Proficiency Requirement

Level One: both native and non-native speakers of English must take the Graduate Essay Test (GET). This test is given one or two weeks prior to the beginning of classes each semester. (Consult the Testing Center about dates and fee.) Admission to ENG 730 (and subsequent core courses) and Group I seminars requires a pass on the GET or successful completion of the appropriate composition courses. Level Two: satisfactory performance in ENG 891.

Core Courses (18 units)

The core courses listed below are required of all students graduating from this program.

						Units
ENG 653	TEF/SL: Pedagogical Grammar		 3
ENG 730	Introduction to Graduate Study: English 
	as a Foreign/Second Language		 3
ENG 731	Seminar in EF/SL: Listening and 
	Speaking Skills				 3
ENG 732	Seminar in EF/SL: Reading and Writing 
	Skills					 3
ENG 733	Student Teaching in English as a 
	Foreign/Second Language			 3
ENG 891	Integrative Seminar in English as a 
	Foreign/Second Language			 3

Group Courses (12 units)

Upper division or graduate courses from 
subjects in each of Groups I, II, III, 
and IV (see below)				12
		Minimum total			30

and Master's Comprehensive Examinations or 
Master's Thesis (see below)

Group I: Advanced Seminar in Teaching English as a Foreign/Second Language (3 units)

ENG 720	Seminar in Language, Literature, and 
	Culture: TEF/SL
ENG 722	Seminar in Language Testing
ENG 724	Special Topics in the Study of Language
ENG 728	Seminar in Sociolinguistics
ENG 729	Seminar in Psycholinguistics

Group II: Linguistic Theory (3 units)

ENG 719	Contemporary Semantic Theory
ENG 723	Seminar in the Structure of English
ENG 725	Seminar in Linguistics

Group III: Related Courses—Education/Psychology/Social Science (3 units)

Related courses (with written approval of 
adviser) including anthropology, educational theory, 
ethnic studies, history, international relations, 
psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics.

Group IV: Related Courses—Humanities (3 units)

Related courses (with written approval of adviser) 
including communication theory, composition theory, 
creative writing, ethnic studies, foreign language, 
linguistics, literature, speech science. (ENG 898, 
Master's Thesis, is acceptable in this group.)

Master's Examinations

The oral and written comprehensive examinations test the ability of students to integrate the knowledge and experience they have acquired in this field. The examinations are on the following subjects: general linguistics; the structure of English; language and its relationship to culture and society; language learning and language teaching; language testing; and methods and materials of teaching English as a foreign language. The candidate may take the examination twice and, if failing both times, will be disqualified from the graduate program.

Upon recommendation of the adviser and consent of the graduate coordinator, a student can write a master's thesis in lieu of taking the comprehensive examinations.

MASTER OF ARTS IN ENGLISH: CONCENTRATION IN LINGUISTICS

For general information, see "Graduate Programs in English."

Admission to Program

Prerequisites: In order to be fully classified, students must have already taken the equivalents or take at SFSU the following:

Linguistics/Language Studies: ENG 421, 424, 425, and 426 (twelve units).
Six upper division or graduate units in British or American literature.
Ten units of a modern European language.
A non-Indo-European language concurrent with ENG 426.

All linguistics/language studies courses must be taken for a letter grade, and students must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA in these courses to continue in the program.

Students whose native language is not English and whose education was outside the United States must present evidence of a TOEFL score of 570 or higher. The ESLPT will no longer be required for non-native speakers. Foreign students applying from abroad are accepted only for the Fall semester.

Written English Proficiency Requirement

Level One: both native and non-native speakers of English must take the Graduate Essay Test (GET). This test is given one or two weeks prior to the beginning of classes each semester. (Consult the Testing Center about dates and fee.) Admission to ENG 719 (and other core courses) requires a pass on the GET or successful completion of the appropriate composition courses. Level Two: satisfactory performance in either the M.A. thesis or in ENG 899.

Required core courses

						Units
ENG 719	Seminar: Contemporary Semantic Theory	 3
ENG 729	Seminar: Psycholinguistics		 3
ENG 728	Seminar: Sociolinguistics		 3
ENG 723	Seminar in the Structure of English	 3
		Total for core			12

Emphasis

Units to be taken from one or more of the 
groups listed below of related courses or other 
courses approved by an adviser. At least two 
courses must be linguistics courses. All must 
be selected with approval of adviser.		15

Culminating Experience

One of the following				 3
	ENG 898	Master's Thesis or
		ENG 899	Special Study and
	Master's Comprehensive Written and 
		Oral Examinations
		Minimum total			30
and Foreign Language Requirement (see below)

Areas of Emphases

TEFL/TESL

ENG 651		Teaching English as a Foreign/Second 
		Language: Basic Principles
ENG 653		TEF/SL: Pedagogical Grammar
ENG 720		Seminar in Language, Literature, and 
		Culture: TEF/SL
ENG 722		Seminar in Language Testing
ENG 726		Practicum TEF/SL
ENG 730		Introduction to Graduate Study: English 
		as a Foreign/Second Language
ENG 731		Seminar in EF/SL: Listening and Speaking 
		Skills
ENG 732		Seminar in EF/SL: Reading and Writing 
		Skills

Linguistics

ENG 422		History of the English Language
ENG 724		Special Topics in the Study of Language (1-3)
ENG 725		Seminar in Linguistics
ANTH 500	Descriptive Linguistics
PHIL 830	Seminar in the Philosophy of Language

Speech and Communication Studies

SPCH 503	Sex Roles and Communication (4)
SPCH 541	Intercultural Communication (4)
SPCH 750	Seminar in Communication and 
		Culture (4)

Reading and Writing

ENG 654		Tutoring in Reading
ENG 656		Topics in Reading in the Secondary 
		School (1-3)
ENG 657		Grammar and Rhetoric of the Sentence
ENG 658		Projects in Study and Reading 
		Techniques
ENG 704		Introduction to Teaching of Writing (4)
ENG 715		Projects in the Teaching of Reading
ENG 716		Projects in the Teaching of Writing

Literature

ENG 429		Stylistics
ENG 655		Literature and the Adolescent Reader
ENG 720		Seminar in Language, Literature, and 
		Culture: TEF/SL
ENG 782		Seminar in Chaucer

Master's Examination

Failure in this examination does not disqualify the candidate unless the examining committee so directs. The candidate may take the examination twice, and, if failure occurs both times, will be disqualified from the graduate program.

Foreign Language Requirement

Ten semester units, or the equivalent, of a modern European language, plus a minimum of one semester or the equivalent of a non-Indo-European language is required of all candidates for the Master of Arts in English with Concentration in Linguistics. Evidence must be presented showing that the course work has been taken within the five-year period immediately preceding candidacy. The student has the alternative of satisfying the foreign language requirement by examination. Units earned in foreign language study are not to be included in the student's Graduate Approved Program.

MASTER OF ARTS IN ENGLISH: CONCENTRATION IN LITERATURE

For general information, see "Graduate Programs in English."

Admission to Program

Applicants must meet general university requirements as stated in this Bulletin.

In addition to the materials sent to the Office of Admissions, the applicant must submit the following items to the English Department in order to be considered for admission: (1) English Department application; (2) at least two letters of recommendation; (3) one official set of transcripts.

Applicants who meet the following requirements are eligible for admission to classified standing: completion of an undergraduate English literature major, comparable to the major program at this university, and achievement of a GPA of at least 3.0 in the major.

Applicants who do not meet the above requirements may be accepted conditionally and can achieve classified status as follows:

With subject matter deficiency: a 3.0 or higher GPA in an undergraduate major other than English with either some courses in literature (with a 3.0 or higher GPA) or a background showing personal interest in literature. The applicant will be directed by a graduate adviser to complete course work in this university's undergraduate major, but such courses may not be credited toward the M.A. program.
With a grade point average deficiency (conditional status): a GPA of 2.5 to 2.9 in an undergraduate English major (without nine or more units of graduate English taken with a GPA of 3.0 or higher). The applicant is required to take nine to twelve units of upper division literature courses, with a GPA of at least 3.0 attained in them, before being admitted to graduate work. These courses may be credited toward the M.A. program. If the required GPA is not attained, the student will be disqualified from the M.A. program in literature.
With both subject matter and GPA deficiency: a course record as described above in "subject matter deficiency" with a GPA of 2.5 to 2.9. The applicant is in conditional status as described in "grade point average deficiency" while earning undergraduate major units as described in "subject matter deficiency."

Denial

Applications that do not permit admission under the above rules must be denied unless the Graduate Literature Curriculum Committee makes an exception.

Written English Proficiency Requirement

Level One: satisfactory performance on papers in ENG 741. Level Two: satisfactory completion of the M.A. thesis.

Program

The program consists of ten courses (30 units, minimum) of which six courses (18 units, minimum) must be graduate level courses, including at least three graduate seminars from the 742-790 range of English Department offerings. Two program emphases are offered: General Studies or Special Studies.

NOTE: English courses usually earn three (3) units of credit; however, some upper division courses which fulfill requirements for the M.A. in Literature may be offered for three (3) to five (5) units.

Core Requirements

						Units
ENG 741	Theory of Literature			 3
ENG 742-790	Graduate Seminars		 9
	(ENG 742-790 seminar units may be 
	double-counted as meeting period, 
	author, genre, theory, or elective 
	requirements.)

General Studies Emphasis

Courses selected with approval of adviser 
as follows:
Period courses					 6
Genre course in the period of emphasis		 3
Individual Author course from the period of 
emphasis					 3
Theory and Criticism course, selected from the 
following:					 3
	ENG 429	Stylistics
	ENG 600	Theory of Literature
	ENG 601	Literature and Psychology
	ENG 602	Literature and Society
	ENG 603	Literature and the History of 
		Ideas
	ENG 610	History of Criticism
	ENG 611	Modern Criticism
	ENG 613	Feminist Literary Criticism
	ENG 615	Imagery, Metaphor, and Symbol
	ENG 742	Seminar: Studies in Criticism
	ENG 743	Seminar: Studies in Principles 
		of Literary Form
	ENG 744	Seminar: Literature and 
		Psychology
	ENG 747	Feminist Criticisms
Electives with approval of adviser (ENG 704, 
705, and 716 may not be included among these 
electives. Courses from other related 
departments, up to six units with approval 
of adviser, may be included.)			 9

Early Period Requirement. Six of the 30 
units in the General Studies Emphasis must be 
chosen from courses in literature before 1800. 
The early period requirement may be met by 
courses that also fulfill the above listed 
program requirements (for example, genre, 
author). Thus, the early period requirement 
is a distribution requirement, not a course 
requirement.

Special Studies Emphasis

The special studies emphasis is available to 
students whose proposed fields of study (for 
example, cultural criticism or reader response 
approaches to literature) do not fall readily 
within the period, genre, or author rubric of 
the general studies emphasis. Students who wish 
to focus on special studies must define their 
course of study in a written proposal submitted 
early in their graduate career and before 
completing four of the required ten courses. 
The proposal must be approved and signed by a 
graduate adviser and by the English Department's 
graduate literature program coordinator.

						Units
ENG 741	Theory of Literature			 3
ENG 742-790	Graduate Seminars		 9
Courses selected with approval of adviser as 
follows:
Graduate level course				 3
Electives (ENG 704, 705, and 716 may not be 
included among these electives. Courses from 
other related departments, up to six units with 
approval of adviser, may be included.)		12

Culminating Experience

ENG 898	Master's Thesis				 3
		Minimum total			30
and Master's Oral Examination

Prospectus and Oral Examination required for the General Studies and Special Studies Emphases

The prospectus and the oral are scheduled before the writing of the thesis. The prospectus is a written statement, usually including the controlling purpose of the thesis; the selection of literary materials; the relevant scholarship and criticism; and the value and interest of the study. The oral is a one-hour examination on the prospectus conducted by the two thesis readers.

A candidate who has failed the oral examination may not take it again before the next regular semester. A candidate who failed the examination twice will not be permitted to continue in the program for the M.A. in Literature.

CERTIFICATE IN THE TEACHING OF COMPOSITION

Admission to Program

Every graduate student in English is invited to complete a twelve-unit sequence designated as the Certificate in the Teaching of Composition. For M.A. in Literature candidates, this sequence is separate from the 30-unit literature requirement. Unclassified graduate students and candidates for degrees in other departments may be accepted into the program with the approval of the English Department.

Written English Proficiency Requirement

Level One: the writing proficiency of students is monitored in ENG 657. Level Two: satisfactory completion of ENG 704 and ENG 716.

Program						Units
ENG 657	Grammar and Rhetoric of the Sentence	 3
ENG 704	Introduction to the Teaching of Writing	 3
ENG 716	Projects in the Teaching of Writing	 3
Select one of the following:			 3
	ENG 429	Stylistics
	ENG 656	Topics in Reading in the 
		Secondary School
	ENG 658	Projects in Study and Reading 
		Techniques
	ENG 700	Introduction to Graduate Study 
		in Composition
	ENG 701	Theoretical Backgrounds in 
		Community College and College 
		Reading Instruction
	ENG 702	Reading–Writing Connections
	ENG 705	Seminar in Teaching Basic/
		Remedial Writing
	ENG 706	Seminar in Sociolinguistics of 
		Composition
	ENG 707	Current Issues in Composition
	ENG 708	Computers and the Teaching of 
		Writing
	ENG 715	Projects in the Teaching of 
		Reading
	ENG 717	Projects in the Teaching of 
		Literature
	ENG 718	Supervision of Teaching 
		Experience
	ENG 732	Seminar in EF/SL: Reading and 
		Writing Skills
	ENG 800	Special Topics in the Study of 
		Composition and Reading
		Total for program		12

NOTE: Students may enroll in any of the courses listed above, even if they do not wish to complete the sequence. ENG 657 is prerequisite to ENG 704 and 705. ENG 704 is prerequisite to ENG 716. Courses applied to the certificate may not be taken CR/NC and a grade of A or B must be earned in each.

The certificate program is coordinated by the director of composition, the department chair, and the dean of the Graduate Division. For more information, contact the secretary, Composition Office (338-2128).

CERTIFICATE IN TEACHING POST-SECONDARY READING

Admission to the Program

This twelve-unit program is open to all graduate students in English. For M.A. in Literature candidates, the sequence of courses is separate from the 30-unit Literature requirement. Unclassified graduate students and candidates for degrees in other departments may be accepted into the program with approval of the English Department. Candidates pursuing the Certificate or M.A. in the Teaching of Composition may concurrently complete the requirement for the Certificate in Post-Secondary Reading.

Written English Proficiency Requirement

Level One: the writing proficiency of students is monitored through evaluation of written assignments in ENG 701 and 715. Level Two: satisfactory completion of written assignments in ENG 800.

Satisfactory completion of ENG 657 is prerequisite to many of the courses in this certificate. Check the "Announcement of Courses" section for all prerequisites (see English Language and Literature discipline). ISED 606 meets the requirement for the Preliminary Designated Subjects Credential in Adult Education.

Program						Units
ENG 701	Theoretical Backgrounds in Community 
	College and College Reading Instruction	 3
ENG 715	Projects in the Teaching of Reading	 3
ENG 800	Reading/Writing Connections		 3
Select one of the following:			 3
	ENG 653		Pedagogical Grammar
	ENG 656		Reading Theory and 
			Methods
	ENG 657		Grammar and Rhetoric of 
			the Sentence
	ENG 704		Introduction to the 
			Teaching of Writing
	ENG 705		Seminar in Teaching 
			Developmental Writing
	ENG 706		Sociolinguistics of 
			Composition
	ENG 717		Projects in the Teaching 
			of Literature
	ENG 728		Seminar in Socio-
			linguistics
	ENG 729		Seminar: Psycholinguistics
	ENG 732		Seminar in EF/SL: Reading 
			and Writing Skills
	ISED 606	Seminar in Principles and 
			Methods of Adult Education
	ISED 891	Adult Literacy and Basic 
			Education
		Total for certificate		12

Bulletin 1994-96 Table of Contents, SFSU Home Page

last modified June 5, 1995