Courses meet six times on alternate weekends.
At least half of the required 30 units are in seminar courses that meet during the term and allow an extended post-session time for completion of the student's special research and seminar paper. Rotation of courses allows for a varied and sound program. An introduction to appropriate research materials and methods is included in each graduate seminar. Each candidate must take a course in Criticism and Theory, and in either Linguistics or Advanced Composition, or have taken the equivalent in undergraduate study. Normally, no more than six of the 30 units taken in the Graduate Division and presented for the Master of Arts degree may be selected from approved courses outside the Department of English or in professional courses.