THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENGLISH at Rutgers University in Camden leads to the Master of Arts degree, with course offerings in English and American literature, rhetoric and composition, and linguistics.

All courses are small seminars or workshops in which students work with top scholars and writers. The program is designed for students who seek qualification for admission to a doctoral program in English; for those who desire increased competence in English preparatory or supplementary to teaching in that field on the secondary school or community college level; for those who desire to hone professional writing skills; and for those who wish to pursue a liberal arts education at an advanced level.

The program offers two tracks to the degree: the Literature track and the Writing Studies track. Students may pursue either one of these tracks based on their interests.

The program also allows a student to gain teacher certification while working toward the Master's degree. A sequence of courses is devised in consultation with the Teacher Preparation Program to prepare the student to enter the field of secondary school teaching upon graduation from the graduate program.

The program accommodates students whose outside obligations limit their hours of attendance or the number of courses they can complete each term. All classes meet in the early evening for the convenience of students with daytime employment.

For further information, contact
Dr. Carol Singley, Director of Graduate Program
(856) 225-6121 or (856) 225-6629
gradeng@camden.rutgers.edu
Department of English, Rutgers University-Camden
Armitage Hall, 311 N. 5th St., Camden, NJ 08l02

Matriculated Admission

The following application materials are required of the candidate:

• Transcript showing the completion of a B.A. degree
  
• Three (3) letters of reference preferably from persons who have supervised the candidate's academic work
  
• Personal statement describing the candidate's career goals and reasons for pursuing a Master's degree
  
• Graduate Record Examination scores (General Test only)
  
• Writing sample of approximately 15-25 pages exhibiting a mastery of English prose style, research skills, and documentation methods

Deadline for receipt of application and supporting materials is July 1 for fall admission and December 15 for January admission. Applications are considered upon receipt.

Dual Degree BA/MA Program: A program available to Rutgers-Camden undergraduate English majors with overall GPA of 3.5 or above. Students apply by April 15 of their junior year (or, for proposed January graduates, by November 15 of the third semester before completing all course work). Two letters of recommendation are required. The program allows them to count six credits of graduate work in their senior year toward both the BA and MA. Contact the English Graduate Program Director for further details.

Non-Matriculated Admission

Tuition and Fees

Application fee is found at the Admissions webpage: http://gradstudy.rutgers.edu/apply2.shtml#general

Tuition and fees are found at the Financial Services webpage: http://www.studentabc.rutgers.edu/tuition/tuition.php

Teaching Assistantships

To be eligible for a teaching assistantship, the candidate must be admitted (see Admission) to matriculated status in the Master of Arts in English program at the Graduate School of Rutgers University in Camden prior to March 1. Leading candidates will be invited to be interviewed by the English Department Teaching Assistant Selection Committee.

Compensation and duties attached to the appointment are governed by a contract negotiated between the Rutgers University and the American Association of University Professors; they usually entail the teaching of two sections of undergraduate composition per term in return for a salary of approximately $19,000 per year, plus tuition remission and full medical benefits. Teaching Assistants normally carry a two-course load of study per semester.

To be re-appointed for a second year, Teaching Assistants must be in good academic standing in the graduate program, must be making satisfactory progress toward the Master's degree, and must demonstrate effectiveness in the classroom as determined by student and faculty evaluations.

To apply for a Teaching Assistantship, notify via email the Graduate Director at the time of admission to the program. Interviews take place in the Spring term for appointments beginning the following Fall.

Teaching Certification

Students interested in teaching in elementary or secondary school may work simultaneously toward the Master's degree in English and teaching certification.

In consultation with the Graduate English Program director and the Teacher Preparation Program at Rutgers-Camden, students will determine those undergraduate and graduate courses needed to fulfill the Teacher Preparation Requirements in light of previous undergraduate and graduate coursework completed. A total of 30 credits in the subject area of English, including credits earned at the undergraduate level, is required; twelve of the thirty credits must be at the 300 level or higher. Courses taken in the Graduate English Program can be applied toward both certification content requirements and the MA degree, which also requires 30 credits of coursework. In addition, the requirements of the Teacher Preparation must be met. These requirements can be found on the link below.

Teacher Preparation Advisement Sheets / Course Requirements: http://teacherprep.camden.rutgers.edu/course_info.htm