English, BA with Liberal Studies, MA Combined Degree

Program Requirements

The English Department and the School of Graduate Studies offer a combined Bachelor's and Master's degree in which students earn a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) with an English concentration within five-years. 

Entrance requirements for ENGL/MALS degrees are:

  • 3.0 GPA
  • ENGL 3100 Intro to Literary Studies—grade of B or better
  • ENGL 3110 Introd to Writing Studies—grade of B of better
  • Acceptance into Graduate School

Freshman – Junior Standing Requirements

Students will complete the course requirements for undergraduate English, BA (https://catalog.clayton.edu/academic-catalog/arts-sciences/english/english-ba/).

Senior Standing Requirements 

Students will complete up to 12 credit hours of approved graduate-level ENGL courses in their final 2 semesters along with their remaining undergraduate coursework.

The student must submit the following to Graduate Admissions during their senior year: application, application processing fee, and transcripts from all institutions attended. Letters of reference are also required.

Please Note: Your academic advisor knows the appropriate courses you need to take to ensure your success - please work closely with your advisor and take the courses that he/she recommends. Please also consult with Financial Aid to determine the particular courses and load you need to take to remain eligible for your aid.

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
First SemesterCredit Hours
ENGL 1101 English Composition I IMPACTS Area C 3
CRIT 1101 Critical Thinking IMPACTS Area I 3
SPAN 1001
Elementary Spanish I
or Elementary Spanish II
or Elementary French I
or Elementary French II
3
MATH 1101 Intro to Mathematical Modeling IMPACTS Area M 3
HIST 1111
Survey-PreModern World History IMPACTS Area S World History
or Survey of Modern World History
or Critical Trends and Issues
or Intro to Global Issues
3
CSU 1000 First Year Seminar 1
 Credit Hours16
Second Semester
ENGL 1102 English Composition II IMPACTS Area C 3
SPAN 1002
Elementary Spanish II
or Elementary French II
or Elementary Spanish II
3
HIST 2111
Survey of US History to 1877 IMPACTS Area P History
or US HIST Since Reconstruction
3
COMM 1001 Principles of Public Speaking IMPACTS Area I 1
Science without a Lab IMPACTS Area T 3
Social Sciences: Behavioral Sciences IMPACTS Area S 3
 Credit Hours16
Sophomore
First Semester
Science Course with Lab IMPACTS Area T 4
ART 2302 Art of the Modern World (Fine Arts or Intermediate Foreign Language) IMPACTS Area A 3
SPAN 2002
Intermediate Spanish II
or Intermediate French II
3
ENGL 2111 World Literature I -Pre-Modern 3
ENGL 2121 British Literature I 3
 Credit Hours16
Second Semester
SPAN 2002
Intermediate Spanish II
or Intermediate French II
3
ENGL 3100 Intro to Literary Studies 1 3
Science without a Lab IMPACTS Area T 3
ENGL 2000-level Lit. Survey Field of Study 6
 Credit Hours15
Junior
First Semester
ENGL 2000-level Lit. Survey 3
ENGL 3800 Intro to Creative Writing 3
ENGL Literature Course (3000-level or higher) 3
ENGL Cultural Studies Course (3000-level or higher) 3
ENGL Writing Course (3000-level or higher) 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
ENGL 3110 Introd to Writing Studies 3
ENGL Literature Course (3000-level or higher) 3
ENGL Writing Course (3000-level or higher) 3
ENGL Creative Writing Course (3000-level or higher) 3
ENGL Cultural Studies Course (3000-level or higher) 3
 Credit Hours15
Senior
First Semester
ENGL 4215
Shakespeare
or Studies in Shakespeare
3
ENGL Lit., Writing, Creat. Writing, and Cultural Studies Course (1 each)(3000-level or higher) 12
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
ENGL 4950 Senior Capstone 3
ENGL Elective Course 3
Upper Division Elective Course 3
Free Elective 6
 Credit Hours15
Fifth Year
First Semester
ART 5000
Great Works in Art History (Satifies the MALS Foundation requirement)
or Great Works in Music History
or History of Mathematics
or Classics in Philosophy
3
ART 5000
Great Works in Art History
or Great Works in Music History
or History of Mathematics
or Classics in Philosophy
3
MALS 6995
Master's Thesis Research
or Non-Thesis Prof Paper Research
3
MALS 5000 Intro. to Graduate Studies 3
ENGL 5000 Great Books 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
MALS 6999
Master's Thesis Preparation
or Non-Thesis Comprehensive Exam
1-3
Graduate level English Elective 6 3
Graduate level English Elective 6 3
 Credit Hours7-9
 Total Credit Hours145-147

Optional Summer Semester Between Senior and Fifth Year

Graduate level English Elective 63
Graduate level English Elective 63
MALS 5000Intro. to Graduate Studies3
Total Credit Hours9

 If students choose the Optional Summer Semester between Senior and Fifth Year, they  only need to take nine credits in the first semester and six credits in the second semester of their fifth year.

*

Classes with one asterisk can be taken either 2nd semester sophomore or either semester junior years. But you still need to maintain rotation and take an asterisk course - it just could be one of the other asterisked courses.

1

Grade of B required in ENGL 3100 Intro to Literary Studies and ENGL 3110 Introd to Writing Studies for acceptance to the program.

2

English Electives (6 courses total) - Any 3000- or 4000-level English course.

3

Cultural Studies Electives (2 courses total)

4

Guided Electives (4 courses total) - any 3000- or 4000 level non-English course.

5

Survey of Literature (C1) - Students may take any English 2000 survey course to satisfy this requirement.

6

Graduate Level English Electives  (4 courses total) - Any 5000 level non-English course.

7

Course counts towards both degrees.