UNDERGRADUATE STUDY
Students in the undergraduate majors offered through the English department develop critical thinking, cultural awareness, effective communication, imagination, leadership, pedagogy, and agency as citizens.
In a communication-rich and globally connected world, these skills play a crucial role in every profession. Studying in English expands and deepens individual engagement in the social, cultural, artistic, scientific, technical, and environmental work of society.
Students interested in majoring in English can choose from this range of options:
- BA in English (designed so that majors experience the broad, diverse scope of English studies and create a course plan to match their personal interests and professional goals)
- BA with a Secondary Major in Education (for students seeking licensure in secondary education with an opportunity to earn an ESL endorsement as well)
- BS in English (by fulfilling BA in English requirements and taking 12 additional credits in natural science, social science, or mathematics)
The English major offers a flexible degree that allows students to gain experience in fields such as literature, rhetoric, creative writing, English education, film, literary editing, and professional communication.
Please visit the Department of English website to learn more about the opportunities available to English majors as well as the other specialized undergraduate majors offered by the department. The diverse majors within English prepare students for careers that span law, medicine, theology, business, education, advocacy, event planning, management, marketing, publishing, nonprofit and government communication, public service, sales, and speech writing, library science, web design and communication consulting, editing, software documentation, usability and user experience, as well as scientific, technical, and environmental writing.
Adding a major or minor in English to your field of study at Iowa State increases your communication, analytical, and critical thinking skills and will play a key role in your life as a student and in your life after graduation.
BA/BS in English Learning Outcomes
Students who major in English (with a B.A. or B.S.) will be able to:
- Analyze how texts and media reflect, shape, or challenge diverse intellectual, political, and/or cultural concerns in their eras and our own.
- Understand, apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate content knowledge. Competencies include discipline-specific terms, history of the field, theories in the field, elements of criticism, and cultural knowledge.
- Engage in critical thinking and effective communication by analyzing and interpreting information and ideas, conducting research, and making connections between and among divergent views.
- Plan, prepare, present, and evaluate written, oral, visual, and electronic communication. These competencies include scholarly skills and tools; communication that is analytical, persuasive, and/or expressive; and peer and self-editing.
Students who choose the English Education Emphasis will additionally be prepared to
- Understand how learners grow and develop, valuing individual differences and cultural diversity to ensure inclusive learning environments.
- Apply the content area’s central concepts and structures by using a variety of instructional strategies, including technology, to encourage student creativity, problem solving, and collaboration.
- Use multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, monitor learner progress, and guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.
- Create instructional plans that support students in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon the content area knowledge, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy.
- Evaluate one’s pedagogy for the effects of choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community).
B.A. and B.S. in English Requirements
The English major offers a flexible degree that allows students to gain experience in fields such as literature, rhetoric, creative writing, English education, film, literary editing, and professional communication. The Undergraduate Program of Study is designed so that majors can experience the broad, diverse scope of English studies and configure a course plan to match their personal interests and professional goals. Suggested degree plans for several customizations are available and students may choose and combine courses in any way that meets the requirements for the degree.
Students interested in the B.A. degree in English need to complete 36 credits, based on the table below. Students interested in the B.S. degree in English need to complete the B.A. requirements, plus 12 additional credits in linguistics, natural science, mathematics, social science, or selected courses in kinesiology. Students seeking to complete the English Major and be recommended for teacher licensure need to complete specified coursework in English and meet the requirements of the Secondary Major in Education.
To graduate with a major in the English department and meet the university-wide Communication Proficiency Grade Requirement, a student must have the following:
- Earned credit for or received a grade of at least a C in ENGL 1500 Critical Thinking and Communication and ENGL 2500 Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition.
- Completed and earned at least a C in one of the department’s advanced communications courses.
- Earned at least a C or higher in each of the ENGL courses applied to the ENGL major.
As majors in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, English students must meet College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and University-wide requirements for graduation in addition to those stated below for the major. LAS majors require a minimum of 120 credits, including a minimum of 45 credits at the 3000/4000 level. You must also complete the LAS world language and career proficiency (LAS 2030) requirements. Students in all ISU majors must complete a three-credit course in U.S. diversity and a three-credit course in international perspectives. Check (http://www.registrar.iastate.edu/courses/div-ip-guide.html) for a list of approved courses. Discuss with your advisor how the two courses that you select can be applied to your graduation plan.
The first table below lays out the requirements and options of the English major. The second table shares the specific requirements for English majors seeking licensure in English education. The English major requires a minimum of 15 credits of major requirements earned at the 3000 level and a total of 9 credits of major requirements earned at the 4000 level. English majors transferring from other institutions must earn at least 18 of their credits in English from Iowa State.
English Major
| Texts and Language: Choose 5 | 15 | |
| Introduction to Literature * | ||
| Introduction to Creative Writing | ||
| Introduction to Technical Communication | ||
| ENGL 2220X | Artificial Intelligence and Writing | 3 |
| Survey of British Literature to 1800 * | ||
| Survey of British Literature since 1800 * | ||
| Survey of American Literature to 1865 * | ||
| Survey of American Literature since 1865 * | ||
| Survey of Film History * | ||
| Introduction to Literary Study * | ||
| World Literature: Western Foundations through Renaissance * | ||
| World Literature: Seventeenth Century to the Present * | ||
| Advanced Communication: Choose 1 | 3 | |
| Business Communication | ||
| Free-Lance Writing for Popular Magazines | ||
| Creative Writing: Fiction | ||
| Creative Writing: Nonfiction | ||
| Creative Writing: Poetry | ||
| ENGL 3080 | Write Like a Woman | 3 |
| Proposal and Report Writing | ||
| Rhetorical Website Design | ||
| Technical Communication | ||
| Creative Writing: Screenplays | ||
| Creative Writing: Playwriting | ||
| Critical Reading and Textual Analysis: Choose 2 | 6 | |
| Analysis of Popular Culture Texts | ||
| Rhetorical Analysis | ||
| Literary Theory and Criticism | ||
| Literature and the Environment * | ||
| Teaching the Reading of Young Adult Literature | ||
| HIST 4280 | Punishment, Mentalities, and Society in England, 1550-1868 | 3 |
| Literature of Social and Environmental Justice: Choose 1 | ||
| Introduction to American Indian Literature | ||
| Women's Literature * | ||
| ENGL 3460 | American Indian Literature | 3 |
| African American Literature * | ||
| Multicultural Literatures of the United States * | ||
| Queer Literature * | ||
| Literature and the Environment * | ||
| Postcolonial Literature | ||
| Historical Perspective Requirement. A minimum of 9 credits of coursework in Historical Perspective is required. This Requirement may overlap with the above requirements. Courses listed above with an * next to them or any of the courses in the following list can apply to this requirement. | ||
| Studies in American Literature to 1800 | ||
| Studies in 19th Century American Literature | ||
| Studies in American Literature: 1900 to the Present | ||
| Shakespeare | ||
| Studies in British Literature: The Middle Ages | ||
| Studies in British Literature: The Restoration and 18th Century | ||
| Studies in British Literature: Romantic | ||
| Studies in British Literature: Victorian | ||
| The History of Children's Literature | ||
| Study and Travel: Literature | ||
| History of the English Language | ||
| Minimum of 12 additional English Electives at the 2000, 3000, and 4000 level (does not include ENGL 2500). A total of 15 credits of major requirements must be at the 3000 level. A total of nine credits of major requirements must be at the 4000 level. | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 48 | |
English Major with Teacher Preparation Focus
All students preparing to become teachers need to complete the requirements of the major as laid out below and also complete the requirements of the Secondary Major in Education. including completion of Student Teaching (ENGL 4170E Student Teaching: English and Literature). Credits in ENGL 4170E can apply toward the 4000 level courses requirement of the English major. Note: Teacher license requirements are established by the Iowa Department of Education and the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners and are subject to change. Recent changes may not be reflected in this catalog, but advisers and faculty will be aware.
| Texts and Language: | 15 | |
| Survey of British Literature to 1800 | ||
| Survey of British Literature since 1800 | ||
| Survey of American Literature to 1865 | ||
| Survey of American Literature since 1865 | ||
| Introduction to Literary Study | ||
| Advanced Communication: Choose 1 | 3 | |
| Business Communication | ||
| Free-Lance Writing for Popular Magazines | ||
| Creative Writing: Fiction | ||
| Creative Writing: Nonfiction | ||
| Creative Writing: Poetry | ||
| Proposal and Report Writing | ||
| Rhetorical Website Design | ||
| Technical Communication | ||
| Creative Writing: Screenplays | ||
| Creative Writing: Playwriting | ||
| Critical Reading and Textual Analysis: | 9 | |
| Rhetorical Analysis | ||
or ENGL 3390 | Literary Theory and Criticism | |
| World Literature: Western Foundations through Renaissance | ||
| World Literature: Seventeenth Century to the Present | ||
| Literature of Social and Environmental Justice: Choose 1 | 3 | |
| Women's Literature | ||
| ENGL 3460 | American Indian Literature | 3 |
| African American Literature | ||
| Multicultural Literatures of the United States | ||
| Postcolonial Literature | ||
| Language and Methods for Teachers | 21 | |
| Introduction to Linguistics | ||
| ENGL 2220X | Artificial Intelligence and Writing | 3 |
| Teaching the Reading of Young Adult Literature | ||
| Practice and Theory of Teaching Writing in the Secondary Schools | ||
| History of the English Language | ||
| Principles of Secondary Education | ||
| Practice and Theory of Teaching Literature in the Secondary Schools | ||
| Total Credits | 57 | |
Complementary Coursework for Teacher Preparation
These courses, expected as part of the Teacher Preparation program, may also apply to college general education requirements. Some of the required coursework for the Secondary Major in Education may also apply.
| Complementary Coursework | 9 | |
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
or THTRE 3580 | Oral Interpretation | |
| And one course in American History or Government | ||
ESL Endorsement Requirements
At Iowa State University, ESL is an add-on endorsement, which means that students need to be certified in another area and to take all basic teacher preparation courses. The growing number of English learners in our public schools make the ESL endorsement a useful addition to a teaching license.
To add English as a Second Language, students must earn credits in the following courses. In some cases, relevant special topics courses or experimental courses may be substituted. Some courses have prerequisites. Endorsement requirements are established by the Iowa Department of Education and the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners and are subject to change. Recent changes may not be reflected in this catalog, but advisers and faculty will be aware.
| ENGL 2190 | Introduction to Linguistics | 3 |
| ENGL 2220X | Artificial Intelligence and Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 4250 | Second Language Learning and Teaching | 3 |
| ENGL 3220 | Language and Society | 3 |
| or USLS 4200 | Bilingualism & The Education of Latinx Youth | |
| or EDUC 5200 | Bilingualism & The Education of Latinx Youth | |
| ENGL 3180 & ENGL 3240 | Introduction to ESL methods and materials and Introduction to Teaching ESL Literacy (ENGL/LING 3180, ENGL/LING 3240) | 6 |
| OR | ||
| ENGL 3240 & ENGL 3250 | Introduction to Teaching ESL Literacy and Teaching Methods for ESL Learners: Oral Communication Skills (ENGL/LING 3240, ENGL/LING 3250) | 6 |
| Practicum courses taken through the School of Education at ISU | ||
| EDUC 2800S | Pre-Student Teaching Experience I: English as a Second Language (ESL) | 1 |
| EDUC 4800S | Pre-Student Teaching Experience III: English as a Second Language (ESL) | 2 |
Reading Endorsement Requirements
At Iowa State University, the 5-12 reading endorsement is an add-on endorsement, which means that students need to be certified in another area and to take all basic teacher preparation courses. The reading endorsement is a useful addition to a teaching license.
To add a Reading Endorsement, students must earn credits in the following courses. In some cases, relevant special topics courses or experimental courses may be substituted. Some courses have prerequisites. Some courses may apply to both the English major and to the Reading Endorsement. Endorsement requirements are established by the Iowa Department of Education and the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners and are subject to change. Recent changes may not be reflected in this catalog, but advisers and faculty will be aware.
| ENGL 2190 | Introduction to Linguistics | 3 |
| or LING 4710 | Language and Reading Development in Children | |
| EDUC 3950 | Teaching Disciplinary Literacy | 3 |
| or EDUC 5510 | Assessment for Literacy and Learning | |
| ENGL 3960 | Teaching the Reading of Young Adult Literature | 3 |
| or EDUC 4590 | Critical Approaches to Teaching Children's and Adolescent Literature | |
| ENGL 3970 | Practice and Theory of Teaching Writing in the Secondary Schools | 3 |
| EDUC 4520/5520 | Assessment for Literacy and Learning | 3 |
| EDUC 4560/5560 | Integrating Technology into Literacy | 3 |
| or EDUC 5530 | Teaching Adolescent Readers with Reading Difficulties | |
| ENGL 4940 | Practice and Theory of Teaching Literature in the Secondary Schools | 3 |
| EDUC 4880/5880 | Supervised Tutoring in Reading | 3 |
| Total Credits | 24 | |
English, B.A., B.S.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGL 1500 | 3 | Social Science Choice | 3 |
| Humanities Choice | 3 | Natural Science Choice | 3 |
| Social Science Choice | 6 | Humanities Choice | 3 |
| World Language/Elective | 3-4 | Math Choice | 3 |
| LIB 1600 | 1 | World Language/Elective | 4 |
| 16-17 | 16 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGL 2500 | 3 | Texts & Lang. Course 2000-level (Group A)* | 3 |
| Texts & Lang. Course 2000-level (Group A)* | 3 | Crit. Reading & Text. Analysis (Group B)* | 3 |
| Natural Science Group | 3 | Texts & Lang. Course 2000-level (Group A)* | 3 |
| Texts & Lang. Course 2000-level (Group A)* | 3 | Natural Science Choice | 3 |
| Humanities Choice | 3 | ENGL 3400s/3520 - US Diversity* | 3 |
| LAS 2030 | 1 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGL Advanced Communication (Group C)* | 3 | Crit. Reading & Text. Analysis (Group B)* | 3 |
| Texts & Lang. Course 2000-level (Group A)* | 3 | ENGL Elective 4000+ (Group D)* | 3 |
| ENGL Elective 3000+ (Group D)* | 3 | Electives/Courses in Minor | 6 |
| Elective/Course for Minor | 3 | ENGL Elective 3000+ (Group D)* | 3 |
| Humanities Choice | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGL 4000+ (Group D)* | 3 | Electives | 12 |
| Electives | 3 | ENGL 4000+ (Grp D) | 3 |
| Electives/Course for Minor | 6 | ||
| 12 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits: 120-121 | |||
- *
See English Advisor for a list of courses suited to major groups A, B, C, & D and other distributed requirements that must be met.
English, B.A. - English Education
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGL 1500 (or waiver) | 3 | Humanities Choice | 3 |
| Humanities Choice | 3 | ENGL 2500 | 3 |
| PSYCH 2300 | 3 | EDUC 2190 | Required |
| POLS 1110 | 3 | MATH 1040, 1050, 1500, STAT 1010, or STAT 1040 (or any Math higher than 1500) | 3-4 |
or American History selection | World Language 1020 or waiver | 4 | |
| World Language 1010 or waiver | 4 | EDUC 2040 | 3 |
| LIB 1600 | 1 | ||
| 17 | 16-17 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGL 2200 | 3 | Literature Survey – ENGL 2250-2280 | 3 |
| ENGL 2600 (or ENGL 2010) | 3 | ENGL 3960 | 3 |
| Natural Science Elective | 3 | ENGL 2190 | 3 |
| Literature Survey – ENG 2250–2280 | 3 | EDUC 2020 | 3 |
| Humanities or Social Science Choice | 3 | ENGL 3100 or 3390 | 3 |
| SPCM 2120 or THTRE 3580 | 3 | or SPCM 3000+ course | |
| EDUC 2800L (Apply to Teacher Preparation Program) | 0.5 | LAS 2030 | 1 |
| Maintain 2.5+ GPA | |||
| 18.5 | 16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| EDUC 4060 | 3 | PSYCH 3330 or EDUC 3330 | 3 |
| Advanced Communication Choice | 3 | ENGL 3540 | 3 |
| SPED 4010 | 3 | ENGL 3970 | 3 |
| Literature Survey – ENGL 2250-2280 | 3 | ENGL 4200 | 3 |
| EDUC 3950 | 3 | Literature Survey – ENGL 2250-2280 | 3 |
| Natural Science Elective | 3 | EDUC 3800A | 1-2 |
| Apply to take English 4940 | |||
| 18 | 16-17 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGL 4940 | 3 | ENGL 4170E | 1-30 |
| ENGL 3530 | 3 | ||
| Env/Soc Justice Literature elective-ENGL 3400 Series | 3 | ||
| Natural Science Elective | 3 | ||
| EDUC 4800E | 2 | ||
| EDUC 4260 | 3 | ||
| Apply for Student Teaching | |||
| 17 | 1-30 | ||
| Total Credits: 119.5-150.5 | |||
English Minor Requirements
The minor in English prepares students in any discipline for which communication activities are needed to succeed in their professions. Minors in English will complete 15 credits beyond ENGL 1500 Critical Thinking and Communication and ENGL 2500 Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition; ENGL 2500 and additional courses require a grade of C or higher (not C-), 9 of which will be at the 3000 or 4000 levels. Twelve of these hours must be taken at Iowa State. The minor must include at least 9 credits that are not used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement.
GRADUATE STUDY
The Department of English offers graduate work leading to three Master of Arts degrees, one Master of Fine Arts degree, two Doctor of Philosophy degrees, and one TESL/TEFL Certificate. The department also offers two concurrent degree programs in which undergraduate students can earn a Master of Arts degree with one additional year of study. Information on application requirements and procedures for all majors is available on the Graduate Studies “How To Apply” website.
The MA in English degree program offers advanced study of literature, film, research, writing, and the teaching of reading. Students admitted to the M.A. in English choose between two areas of specialization: (1) Literature or (2) Literature and the Teaching of Reading. These tracks prepare students for a variety of career paths, including teaching at the secondary or college levels, publishing, research, administration, and work in nonprofit sectors. For individuals interested in pursuing research at the Ph.D. level and/or teaching at the high school, college, or university level, the specialization in Literature provides excellent preparation through this program’s small class sizes, research opportunities, and professionalization. The specialization in Literature and the Teaching of Reading is designed for licensed teachers who wish to take graduate literature courses and work toward a reading endorsement by taking three reading courses in Education.
The MA in Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Communication (RCPC) prepares students for careers as professional communicators, including careers in technical and business writing, web design, web usability, and technical editing. Graduates also are prepared to teach writing, including business and technical communication, at the postsecondary level. Students can choose to complete a thesis or one of two creative-component options.
The MA in TESL/Applied Linguistics (TESL/AL) prepares students for careers in teaching English to non-native speakers of English, either in the U.S. or abroad. Students with M.A. degrees in TESL teach adults and younger learners in a wide variety of contexts, supervise language programs, work for testing organizations, and create language teaching materials. Students admitted to the degree program can use their elective courses to pursue extended expertise in areas such as Computer-Assisted Language Learning, Language Assessment, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), or Corpus and Computational Linguistics. The MA in TESL/Applied Linguistics has a foreign language requirement that may be fulfilled in a number of ways. Students whose native language is other than English are considered to have met the language requirement after satisfying the Graduate College English requirement. For undergraduates at ISU, the MA in TESL/AL can also be completed through the concurrent degree option, which allows linguistics majors who meet admissions requirements to pursue an MA degree in TESL/AL with just one additional year of study.
The Master of Arts (M.A.) degree programs require a minimum of 30 hours of graduate credit, including a final thesis or creative component (3 credits).
The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program in Creative Writing and Environment (CWE) cultivates in its students an interdisciplinary approach to research and writing. The program's unique design allows writers to develop a heightened environmental imagination that finds expression in quality, publishable works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama. The program is designed to prepare students for careers as writers, teachers, editors, and environmental educators. The MFA degree requires 54 hours of graduate credit: a core of creative writing and other English courses, a book-length thesis (6 credits), experiential environmental fieldwork (3 credits), and 12 credits in disciplines other than English (such as Landscape Architecture, Anthropology, or Environmental Science, among many others) relevant to an individual student's research interests and thesis project.
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Applied Linguistics and Technology (ALT) focuses on English language description, teaching, learning, and assessment, with particular emphasis on issues and practices related to technology: analysis of language using computational and corpus linguistic methods as well as the study of computer technology in English language teaching, learning, assessment, and second language pronunciation. The degree prepares students for a variety of academic appointments in departments of applied linguistics and English and for professional opportunities in research and development, international publishing, and government agencies in the U.S. and around the world where English is taught and used for specific educational, vocational, and professional purposes. Candidates are required to complete 72 hours of graduate credit including a dissertation, to meet a foreign language requirement that may be fulfilled in a number of ways (students whose native language is other than English are considered to have met the language requirement after satisfying the Graduate College English requirement), and to pass a portfolio assessment, a preliminary examination (consisting of a dissertation proposal and an oral defense of the proposal), and an oral defense of the completed dissertation.
The PhD in Rhetoric and Professional Communication (RPC) applies rhetorical theory to the practice of written, oral, and visual communication in professional communities (e.g., industry and science) and in public spaces that frame deliberation, controversy, and communal identity. The degree prepares graduates for academic positions in rhetoric, in multimodal composition, and in business, professional, and technical communication, as well as for work in the private and public sectors as professional communication specialists, editors, designers, and communication managers. Candidates are required to complete 72 hours of graduate credit, including a dissertation, and to pass a portfolio assessment, a preliminary examination, and an oral defense of the dissertation.
A Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language/Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TESL/TEFL) prepares students to teach English to non-native speakers of English either in the U.S. or abroad. It offers students grounding in the linguistic understanding of English and a flexible program of study with courses in teaching methodology, language assessment, and the use of technology to address students’ language needs. This 12-credit program has two prerequisites, one core requirement, and three graduate course electives.
The department offers qualified graduate students an opportunity to gain professional experience through teaching and research assistantships, fieldwork and internships, and departmental research activities. Graduate teaching assistants are responsible for teaching, with faculty supervision, courses in ISUComm Foundation Courses, ISUComm Advanced Communication (business and technical communication), ISUComm Speech Communication, and English as a Second Language (ESL). Research assistants may be assigned to faculty members engaged in research projects. Various admissions awards are available as well: the Janet Anderson-Hsieh Scholarship is awarded each year to one Applied Linguistics and Technology doctoral student; one or more Pearl Hogrefe Fellowships in Creative Writing, covering stipend and tuition, are awarded each year to outstanding graduate students; Freda Huncke Endowment Graduate Teaching Fellowships are awarded to select students each year.
The English Department offers minors in each of its graduate programs. A graduate minor at the M.A. level requires 9 credits of English at the 5000 or 6000 level in the respective major (English, RCPC, TESL/AL). A graduate minor within the MFA program in Creative Writing and Environment requires an approved application and completion of 12 graduate credits of creative writing. A graduate minor at the Ph.D. level requires 12 credits at the 5000 or 6000 level in the respective major (ALT or RPC).
GRADUATE PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES
MA in English
- Expand knowledge related to the study of literature and film that includes a diversity of authors/directors, genres, theories, and cultural-historical contexts.
- Communicate research effectively through oral and written presentations.
- Conduct independent scholarship in ways that consistently demonstrate ethical practice and professionalism.
- For graduate students who receive a teaching assistantship, develop strategies for the effective teaching of undergraduate students.
MA in Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Communication
The RCPC program combines the pedagogy focus of a degree in rhetoric and composition with the technical skill and practicality of a degree in professional communication. Upon graduation, students will demonstrate the ability to
- Understand the interplay of rhetoric, composition, and professional communication in local and global contexts.
- Analyze a rhetorical situation and develop communication that responds to it effectively and ethically.
- Develop communication that helps build a socially just society.
- Use communication to contribute to an affirming and inclusive classroom/workplace environment.
- Apply the historical and theoretical understanding necessary to assess the use of specific communication technologies within complex organizations.
- Combine verbal and visual communication skills to produce effective communication in contemporary organizations.
Measures for evaluating a student’s success in meeting these objectives includes:
- Achievement on coursework
- Familiarity with useful and common software programs and technologies
- Successful completion of a thesis or a creative-component project
MA in TESL/Applied Linguistics
- Demonstrate independence, reflective practices, and professionalism in teaching and assessment of English as a second language.
- Demonstrate knowledge of and confidence with the use of computer applications relevant to English language teaching.
- Formulate important research questions for guiding investigations that contribute to theory and practice in one or more areas of applied linguistics.
- Carry out research in one area of applied linguistics that will increase understanding of English language teaching.
- Evaluate research in the field to identify its contribution to theory, research, and practice in applied linguistics.
- Communicate ideas, discoveries, and findings to others in a professional and creative manner.
- Collaborate with other professionals to create and investigate new knowledge, practices, and products for English language teaching.
MFA in Creative Writing and Environment
- Demonstrate understanding of craft and professional practice through coursework, workshops, and completion of refined imaginative literary manuscripts in multiple genres.
- Identify, research, and examine—through coursework, fieldwork, and literary practice—the natural world and the environmental imagination.
- Broaden and deepen understanding of literary and theoretical traditions of the major genres and the methodologies of craft analysis and practice.
- Broaden and deepen understanding of the cultural and natural environment through significant coursework in environmental courses available at Iowa State University both within and beyond the MFA program and English department.
- Design, write, workshop, refine, and defend a significant body of publishable- or production-quality imaginative writing, including a full-length thesis manuscript, which demonstrates professional understanding and application of craft and technique, literary tradition, and the environmental imagination.
- Gain practical training and experience in creating and fostering a healthy literary community and sustaining a professional life in letters through teaching and research assistantships and internships, literary journal editorial internships and positions, as well as land stewardship, reading series, and other outreach opportunities.
PhD in Applied Linguistics and Technology
- Demonstrate knowledge of and confidence with the use of computer applications relevant to teaching, learning, research, and assessment in applied linguistics.
- Design, implement, and evaluate algorithms for automating linguistic analysis tasks based on knowledge of natural language and speech processing programming.
- Formulate important research questions for guiding investigations that contribute to theory and practice in one or more areas of applied linguistics.
- Apply principles of research methodology to design data collection and analysis procedures to address research questions in at least one area of applied linguistics.
- Interpret and evaluate findings in view of their contribution to theory, research, and practice in the relevant area.
- Communicate ideas, discoveries, and findings to others in a professional and creative manner.
- Collaborate with other professionals to create and investigate new knowledge, practices, and products.
- Demonstrate independence and professionalism in teaching and research.
PhD in Rhetoric and Professional Communication
At the time of graduation, RPC students will demonstrate an ability to
- Understand theories, research methods, and concepts in rhetoric, professional communication, and multimodal composition.
- Apply these theories, research methods, and concepts in scholarly activity, including research and teaching.
- Use a variety of technologies and media for scholarly research and for developing audience-centered communication.
- Analyze, synthesize, and critique communication in a variety of organizational and public contexts.
- Analyze, synthesize, and critique research related to rhetoric, professional communication, and multimodal composition.
- Develop scholarship that makes a significant contribution to the field.
- Develop communication that helps build a socially just society.
Measures for evaluating a student’s success in meeting these objectives includes:
- Display of an ability to develop a clear and cogent argument using relevant evidence in coursework
- Annual reviews
- Qualifying examination (i.e., portfolio assessment)
- Preliminary exams (written and oral)
- Completion and defense of a dissertation
Graduate Certificate in TESL/TEFL
- Demonstrate growth in reflective practice and professionalism in English language teaching.
- Demonstrate metalinguistic knowledge of English structure and use.
- Evaluate research in the field to identify its contribution to English language teaching practice.
- Communicate and collaborate with others to achieve professional goals for English language teaching.