M.A. English Lit. DL

Greetings DL amigos:

Some of you have helped me out with advice before. I have yet another conundrum and I am looking for help again. I know that we have talked about my doing a theology degree, yet there is another option I am very strongly considering. If any of you can be helpful it would be greatly appreciated.

I'm looking for an M.A. in English Lit. that is DL, preferrably one that meets the following criteria:

1.) At most only requires 2 or 3 visits per year.
2.) Is not a customized learning or "narrative assessment" program.
3.) Is from a university in the US, or at least preferrably North America.
4.) Perhaps has a specialization that would allow a focus on "rhetoric and composition."
5.) Is not an ESL program, but an English Lit. focused program.
6.) Includes some coursework, or at least is not "thesis only."

Many, many universities have this kind of MA program, but it is not offered typically via DL.

I am already aware of the program at Deakin University in Literary Studies. I'm considering it. I'm also looking at Prescott College. I also know that there's always UNISA. But I'm really hoping for something in the US and not "customized."

Can you help?

Many thanks,

Chris

 

The U.S. programs that I'm aware of are at Eastern New Mexico University and University of Northern Iowa. I think that one of the options available within the Cal. State U.-Dominguez Hills Masters in Humanities program is Literature as well. If you're willing to go a bit farther afield (you mentioned Deakin and UNISA, after all) then you might also check out the University of Kent at Canterbury and the University of Luton.
Good luck,
Jack

 

Thanks Jack

Thanks Jack...

I have looked at all of these. UNI is an ESL program, not an English Lit program (to my knowledge). And the Eastern NM program is only offered in the Roswell area via extension sites. CSUDH is great, but I don't want a degree in "humanities" but in "literature." I would consider the marketability for a literature degree to be much better for what I'm looking at doing.

I'll look at Kent of Canterbury and U of Luton. Aren't these "thesis only" though? I don't want that either. Honestly, I'm shocked that there aren't any normal, U.S. DL degree programs in English/American Lit. that offer graduate credits toward an MA. This seems ludicrous since that's the language we speak here.

Chris

 

I just looked up Kent at Canterbury and Luton, both are (unless I'm mistaken) entirely by research or entirely ESL.

So I suppose that this answers my question that there are NO North American English Lit. DL programs to work toward an MA via coursework.

My next question is: HOW CAN THIS BE???

 

I don't know of any (but that doesn't prove that they don't exist).

If you have any interest in writing, there are several low residency MFAs. Goddard College and Union Inst. & U.'s Vermont College have fiction oriented programs. Goucher College has an MFA in "creative nonfiction" (travel writing etc.)

These programs involve a lot of reading, discussion and critique, as well as the writing itself.

Utah State U. has a totally non-resident masters in technical writing, but it isn't very literary.

And there are the humanities and liberal studies masters programs, of course.

I'd speculate that when a department wants to get a new DL program approved, it has to convince the university administrators that there is a large and viable market for the subject. So that results in everybody chasing the same "safe" subjects. You have more than 200 DL MBA programs, but not one in English lit.

 

Thanks Bill.

I like some of these ideas because they are, at least, options. Is it possible that anyone else on the forum would actually know about such a program? Anybody else pursuing something similar?

I need to rig up some kind of DL sonar so that I will know about such a program as soon as it becomes available.

Peace,

Chris

 

Chris, I know you were stuck on North America as the place for doing an MA English DL, which none of us can come up so far.

Take a browse through the list attached, I dont know if any of this helps you?

http://www-icdl.open.ac.uk/courses_list.ihtml?&level=Postgraduate&qual_type=MA

Cheers.

J.R (ic)

 

thanks John

Thanks John...

I appreciate this too. Open U. does offer an MA in Literature. However, this too doesn't quite "cover the bases" I'm afriad. At least, in my opinion, even though OU is a great school and widely recognized, many academes would smirk that the diploma shows it was an "open" degree rather than your good ol brick and mortar.

My desire is to teach English Lit at a junior college some time soon. So I need something that says I have done my time on the traditional courses and subjects and the non-american degrees don't really cover american writers in a lit program. Follow??

Thanks again,

Chris

 

Chris, I will keep an eye open and post if I find something.

You may wish to email Lawrie Miller, I trust information will come back since the research done may already be at hand.

J.R (ic)

 

Thanks John

Thanks again John.

I'm currently double checking the US News list. For some reason, I find many listed on the US News "E-education" list with an online or DL MA in English. However, when I write the respective schools they say, "What???"

Chris

 

Re: thanks John

Open University (UK) has a very good international reputation. I don't think that would be your problem. The real problem with OU is that they don't seem willing to admit Americans.

Here's an obvious question: If you live in Bakersfield, why not enroll in CSU Bakersfield? They offer an MA in English.

 

Honestly Bill

Honestly Bill, Honestly,

CSUB is the worst school among the CS schools, and I believe personally, strongly, the academic rep. isn't worth squat. Honestly, it's a behemoth of an institution (more than others i have observed), it's a great desert leviathan waiting for silly prey.

Chris

 

Re: Honestly Bill

All of the above may be true but then, what's your alternative? You don't seem to be able to find another program that meets your needs so are you saying that you'd rather have no degree than a degree from CSUB? You mentioned the idea of waiting for such a degree program to be offered by someone else. I'd advise you not to hold your breath. It seems unlikely that anyone will offer such a program, primarily because there's not much demand. There are a zillion MBA programs because people believe, rightly or wrongly, that such a degree will get them a decent job with a decent income. English Literature?!? I don't think so. Don't get me wrong, I began my DL quest looking for a DL PhD in Philosophy...the original useless degree, so I sympathize with your interest in pursuing a degree program that most people find useless. If you've run through all the alternatives and come up empty handed then you might need to reconsider some previously rejected options. In any case, good luck.
Jack

 

Re: Honestly Bill

I certainly don't believe that.

It seems like you have three choices:

1. Enroll full-time in a prestige on-campus graduate program somewhere. That will mean moving away from Bakersfield. LA has a bunch of universities. Apply to UCLA or Irvine. UCI has an internationally known literature department.

2. Try to be flexible. That means either enrolling in a DL program that doesn't meet all of your specifications, or else enrolling in CSUB.

3. Forget your educational plans.

 

yep.

Again, I appreciate the help, guys. Both of you "look" a little frustrated with me for being picky. For the purposes of getting all the knowledge that I can out of this forum, I have been trying to be very specific about the ideal.

I'm totally aware of my options.

Thanks again for, at least, confirming my research. Please let me know if you come up with anything else in the near future.

Cordially yours,

Chris

 

This may be it...

For those of you who may still be interested:

http://www.hnc.edu/site/flexible.html

weekend classes MA in English. Only for CA residents, though, and certainly a drive from Bakersfield.

I also need to apologize for my angry comments about CSUB. I haven't had very good experiences there.

Thanks again to this crew.

Chris

 

Chris, your proding paid off. So its a final decision that you have made I think, and you will be doing the MA wekend classes?.

Good luck to you, does this mean we can close this thread?

Let us know when you have enrolled.

J.R (ic)