MA in English Research and Scholarship

The MA in English allows you to tailor your course of study to explore areas of special interest.

Through an independent study, you can undertake a directed reading, research problem, or writing endeavor not otherwise covered by the curriculum and work with faculty experts who publish within their area of interest.

Recent independent studies include:

• Shakespeare's contemporaries
• Native American mythopoetics
• Interdisciplinary study of visual art and short fiction
• Preparing digital editions of works using primary sources and archival materials

Scholarship

MA in English students distinguish themselves, not only with the quality of their scholarship, but also with the venues where their work is presented:

• Cary Wright, Jennifer La Plante, Marla Masci, and Taranee Tabaian presented their research at the Virginia Council of Graduate Schools Fifth Annual Graduate Student Research Forum at the Library of Virginia in Richmond. Their research originated in the History of the English Language class taught by Dr. Elza Tiner, professor of English and Latin.
• Santina Knight and Jennifer La Plante read from their work at the John Burroughs Nature Writing conference at the State University of New York at Oneonta.
• Alison Mayhew presented a scholarly paper at the 2010 South Atlantic Modern Language Association in Atlanta.

Other resources include:

• The Thornton Writing Program, which brings nationally-acclaimed writers to campus to teach and present public readings.
• The Thornton Endowment and other programs that bring poets, novelists, dramatists, and nonfiction writers to campus to teach classes and present readings.
• Lynchburg College graduate English conference held in the spring semester
• The James Dickey Review, LC's professional journal, where students can participate in the editorial work and potentially publish in this journal.
• Periodic English Department newsletters, which are excellent sources for examples of student and student-faculty research.

For more information, email bates.r@lynchburg.edu or gradstudies@lynchburg.edu.