Designed to deepen knowledge of the various fields of the discipline of English, the degree enhances students' understanding of the roles that language, literature, writing and rhetoric play in human societies and individual lives. Through coursework, students hone their critical thinking, reading, writing, editing, research, and presentation skills. Some students are practicing secondary school teachers who seek a master's degree in English for professional licensure and career advancement, and others intend to pursue college teaching and academic scholarship as a career. While the M.A. degree prepares the majority of students to teach English in secondary school and college settings, other English alumni employ skills developed in the program in their work as editors and copywriters, creative and technical writers, entrepreneurs, librarians, and administrators of cultural institutions. By strengthening students' communication and research skills and professional qualifications, our program provides a foundation for success in a diverse array of careers.? Matriculated students have the option to coordinate their electives to pursue a concentration in one of these four areas:? Literature and Film, Composition and Rhetoric, Creative Writing, or Linguistics.??