Fire Up--Don't Burn Out
The Unofficial Guide to Surviving the English
Graduate Program at Central Michigan University
Welcome!
If you're reading this, it's likely you're considering the graduate program of the English Department at Central Michigan University (CMU) or have already been accepted (congratulations!). In either case, you'll find this guide has useful information and solid advice from first and second year graduate students with a variety of experiences within the department. The authors of this guide represent every concentration within the program save for TESOL and all hold either a Composition or Writing Center assistantship.
If you're reading this, it's likely you're considering the graduate program of the English Department at Central Michigan University (CMU) or have already been accepted (congratulations!). In either case, you'll find this guide has useful information and solid advice from first and second year graduate students with a variety of experiences within the department. The authors of this guide represent every concentration within the program save for TESOL and all hold either a Composition or Writing Center assistantship.
ResourcesFind information on resources that will aid you in your journey towards a graduate degree, including details on assistantships, financing your graduate degree, and information about the Graduate Student Union.
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PlanningThis section of the guide includes advice for the strategic planning of your academic life including strategies for choosing classes and navigating the path to your Plan B or thesis.
It also details the professional development resources and strategies that will help you to get the most out of your time in graduate school. Finally, it considers time management and the maintenance of a writing lifestyle during your graduate studies. |
WellnessConsider work-life balance from several family-types and obligations to specific student identities. Also, prepare to manage stress and establish a routine of self-care.
In the "About Mt. Pleasant" tab you'll find a guide to the communities that you will find yourself part of, such as the campus community as well as features of Mt. Pleasant itself. . |
PURPOSES OF THE ENGLISH GRADUATE PROGRAM
The graduate program of the English Department at CMU is designed to give students the best chance to pursue terminal degrees at other universities, to prepare them to instruct classes at the community college level, and to provide elementary and secondary teachers a chance to increase their knowledge in their field. We are also a community, providing a setting in which interaction with professors and other grad students is not only possible but highly encouraged. Classes are small, providing discussion-based learning and an overall satisfying experience.
CONCENTRATIONS OF GRADUATE (M.A.) ENGLISH STUDY AT CMU
English Language and Literature
In CMU speak: Language and Lit A specialization in English Language and Literature will focus on the interpretation and critique of world literatures. Courses are offered in British, American, and world literatures. |
Children's Literature
In CMU Speak: Children's Lit A concentration within the Language and Lit program. Students develop skill at literary criticism with a focus on children's and young adult literature, looking at the social ramifications and rhetorical conventions thereof. |
Creative Writing
In CMU Speak: CW A concentration within the Language and Lit program. Students can choose to focus on writing either fiction or poetry, while also developing skill at literary criticism. Student writing is workshopped in an open and intelligent classroom setting and courses such as The Craft of Poetry and The Craft of Fiction allow students to explore contemporary writing skills. |
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
In CMU Speak: TESOL (pronounced, Tea-Soul) This specialization has a more pedagogical focus, with students acquiring the skills needed to teach English as a second language at many levels and in many settings. Course offerings range from teaching methodologies to a more straightforward approach to linguistics in general (such as classes on sociolinguistics and phonetics). |
COURSE OFFERINGS
The graduate program of the English Department includes a variety of coursework for the concentrations mentioned above, ranging from the History of Literary Theory (ENG 535) to Creative Writing workshops (ENG 691, 692). Lit courses often include surveys of American and British literatures by time period, as well as more specific genre studies through multiple time periods. Similar courses are found in Children’s Lit, where the history and theoretical frameworks of children’s literature are explored. The program also offers courses in linguistics, from pedagogical practice of teaching English (ENG 571, 574) to the ways in which culture and language interact (ENG 578). Each of the specializations feature seminar classes where a discussion-based format and extensive study in a professor-chosen topic result in a positive learning environment.
For a full description of all offered courses, please visit Graduate Course Descriptions on the English Department website.
KEY FACULTY
Following is a list of faculty who may play an important part in your graduate studies. This is not a comprehensive list of the English Department faculty. There will be many professors not listed here who you will find helpful as advisors, instructors, thesis committee members, and who will provide numerous other services that may not be as readily identifiable.
- English Department Chair: Dr. Nicole Sparling
- Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Kristen McDermott
- Director of Composition: Dr. Steven Bailey
- Director of the Writing Center: Dr. Daniel Lawson
- Director of Applied Linguistics: Dr. Catherine Hicks Kennard
Overall, it's the students and the faculty that make the graduate program what it is. Although many of us come from Michigan and other areas of the Midwest, the students and faculty represent a diversity of lived experience. Through my own time at CMU, I've benefited from the friendship of fellow students and the mentorship of professors. As you begin the journey toward your Master's degree, know that you're entering a community that's familiar with the struggles and successes you're soon to encounter.
Sean Bannen is a Graduate Assistant in the Creative Writing program at Central Michigan University, teaching ENG 101. When not in class or teaching ENG 101 he can be found erasing the world’s inability to juggle one person at a time, using a variety of props and teaching methods. It is probable that one day he will try and publish a book on juggling pedagogy.
Central Michigan University respects the diversity of values and opinions held by members of its community. The views expressed on this page are those of the author and not necessarily those of Central Michigan University or its officers and trustees. The content of this page has not been reviewed or approved by Central Michigan University, and the author is solely responsible for its content.