Master of Arts (M.A.) in English for Language Arts Teachers

Total Credit Hours: 36          Degree Format: Online

The Valdosta State University Masters of Arts in English Studies for Language Arts Teachers is an innovative online degree program designed specifically for language arts teachers who wish to expand their content knowledge in the major subfields of the discipline including: literature, composition, rhetoric, linguistics and creative writing. 

Unlike a traditional master’s degree, which is a research degree designed to prepare students for Ph.D. study, our program is designed to provide in-depth content directly applicable to middle grades and secondary language arts education.  From composition theory to the teaching of creative writing to the history of the English language, our curriculum introduces students to the advanced subject matter they need for the challenges of the 21st century language arts classroom.

Whether you are seeking opportunities for professional development, certification advancement or an advance in salary, our rigorous program, housed in a premier regional university that also offers a traditional English MA in a regular bricks-and-mortar setting, will provide you with the training you seek in order to succeed professionally.

The curriculum includes advanced courses in composition theory, rhetoric, grammar, second language learners, creative writing, and literature.  Our British, American and multicultural literature courses are intended to provide the kind of deeper content that leads to sophisticated teaching of familiar authors and works but also to the teaching of writers and texts that may be less well known.  Overall, because our curriculum covers every major subfield, we are able to offer a wide range of course offerings.

Program Coordinator: Dr. Anne Greenfield, email: algreenfield@valdosta.edu, phone: 229-333-5946 

Department of English Website

ADMISSION DEADLINES

• Fall Semester: July 15
• Spring Semester: November 15
• Summer Semester: April 15

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Online Graduate Application

• Application Fee (credit or debit card and e-checks accepted)
• Apply Online

Official transcript from your bachelor's degree-granting school and from any graduate coursework.

• Transcripts of coursework completed in-residence at VSU will be obtained by the Graduate School
• Must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited institution in any one of the following three areas or its equivalent:
  • English
  • Secondary Education - English
  • Middle Grades Education - English.
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 on 4.0 scale. This GPA may be cumulative or in the undergraduate major.

Graduate Record Exam (GRE)  

• GRE scores are not required for admission.
• GRE scores can be submitted if needed in place of required GPA i.e. if GPA is below 3.0. 

Two Recommendations

• General Recommendation Form Required
• Please enter the name and email of your recommenders as you complete the application. They should receive an email inviting them to compelte the recommendation after that. If they do not receive the email (or find it in their spam folder), they may submit their recommendation as an email attachment to gradschool@valdosta.edu. The General Recommendation Form can be used if the email from the online recommendation system does not arrive.
• Letters must be accompanied by the required form or submitted through the online recommendation system.

Cover  Letter

• Applicants must submit a 2-page cover letter detailing how the degree will impact the applicant's professional life, including relevant academic training and interests and professional career goals.

VSU Medical Form

• The form must be completed and signed by the student/applicant.
• This form must be received prior to enrollment, NOT prior to admission.
• Applicants who are currently enrolled, and those who attended VSU in the past, are not required to resubmit the Medical Form

Unless otherwise indicated above, all required documents must be received on or before the admission deadline for your file to be reviewed. It is the applicant's responsibility to allow adequate time for document delivery and to en-sure receipt of documents. Please allow at least 7-10 days for delivery by mail.

IMPORTANT PROGRAM INFORMATION

• The above requirements represent the minimal standards which must be met for consideration for admission to the MA program in the department of English. Meeting or exceeding these standards does not guarantee admission.  The department makes a determination for admission based on these criteria as well as the student's career goals, fit to the program, and evolving trends and standards in the profession.

Probationary Admission

• Students may be accepted as probationary in the Department of English.  Probationary admission is at the complete discretion of the Department of English's Graduate Studies Committee. Meeting or exceeding the minimal standards for probationary admission does not guarantee admission. In order to be considered for this admissions status, the following requirements must be satisfied:

  1. Bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited institution
  2. Meet EITHER the minimum GPA requirement OR the minimum GRE score required for regular admission.
  3. Submit all supplemental materials in the above checklist (such as statement of intent, etc.) prior to the admissions deadline.

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

International applicants must meet all admission criteria and documentation requirements as defined by the program, however, additional documentation may be required.  Please review the information below for specific information and guidelines

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Exam: Applicants whose first language is not English (based on country of citizenship) must submit official scores on the TOEFL exam. International applicants whose first language is not English but who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution may be exempt from the TOEFL requirement.
• Certificate of Finances: The Certificate of Finance is required of any applicant requiring a student visa to enter the United States to complete his or her studies. This document is considered a part of the application for admission and applications will not be reviewed without this document.  Applicants who do not require an I-20 student visa to complete their studies are exempt from this requirement.
• Evaluation of International Transcripts - Applicants who have completed coursework at an institution outside of the United States must submit a course-by-course evaluation of the coursework.  This transcript evaluation must be completed by an international education credentials evaluation service such as Josef Silny, ECE, etc. 

ADMISSION CLASSIFICATIONS

• Regular Status
• Probationary Status

HAVE QUESTIONS?

• Call Us: 229-333-5694 
• Email Us: gradschool@valdosta.edu 
• Visit Us: Converse Hall (Main Campus), Third Floor, Suite 3100

For additional program details contact the Program Coordinator: Dr. Anne Greenfield, email: algreenfield@valdosta.edu, phone: 229-333-5964.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

1. Students must complete an application for graduation one semester prior to their expected graduation date;
2. A 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) is required for graduation.  No grade below a "C" will be credit toward the degree.
3. The Comprehensive exam is the final component of the MAESLAT program and is required for completion of the MAESLAT degree.  The exam consists of a four-hour written component and a one-hour oral component.  The examination should be taken during or immediately after the final semester of coursework.  If the student does not pass the exam on the second attempt, the student will not be awarded the degree.  Further details on the Comprehensive Examination are located here:  https://www.valdosta.edu/english/programs/ma-language-arts/comprehensive-exam.php.
4. Students seeking the M.A. in English Studies as a second master’s degree must satisfy all the requirements for the Master of Arts in English Studies.
5. Students wishing to obtain T-5 certification may do so after the completion of the MAESLAT. program, provided they have a T-4 certificate and complete the professional education courses required for T-5 certification by the State Department of Education.

RETENTION, DISMISSAL, & READMISSION POLICIES

1. After admission, courses taken more than seven years prior to the semester of degree completion cannot be used to meet graduate degree requirements or admission to doctoral candidacy requirements unless otherwise indicated by individual program requirements. 
2. No more than 3 semester hours of academic work may be transferred from another institution into a master’s-level graduate program. This credit must be documented in the form of an official transcript at the time of admission. Transfer credit will be evaluated after admission by the academic department. To be eligible, credit must be no more than seven years old at the time of admission unless otherwise approved by the program.
3. Earning grades below “B” in graduate courses will result in the following consequences: Students admitted Fall 2011 and thereafter will be dismissed from the Graduate School if they accumulate three or more academic deficiency points unless otherwise indicated by individual program policy. A grade of “C” (although it may be credited toward a degree) equals one deficiency point. A grade of “D,” “WF” or “F,” or “U” (none of which will be credited toward a degree) equals two deficiency points. Candidates admitted BEFORE Fall 2011 and receiving two grades below “C” (“D”, “F”, “WF”,“U”) will be dismissed from the program. One grade below a "C" results in a warning.
4. If dismissed from the program, the student must wait a minimum of two semesters and obtain approval from the academic department, before applying for readmission. The academic program reserves the right to place specific conditions and contingencies on any offer of readmission. Readmission is not guaranteed and prior academic performance and conduct in the program will be considered.