Program Overview
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Director: Stacy Bailey
Phone: 970- 351-2586
Location: Ross 1130B
The 30-credit MA in English Education reflects current trends and issues in research and instruction in the discipline of English education. The degree program is designed to expand teachers’ knowledge of language, literature, composition, and related fields, thus preparing them to develop English curricula that meet the needs of middle school, high school, and dual enrollment students. The course of study introduces new teaching skills, theories, and strategies. It also prepares teachers to engage in authentic classroom-based research. The program achieves these ends by offering multiple concentration or cognate area options that allow teachers to tailor a program of study to meet their professional interests, needs, and goals. The program is offered for on-going open enrollment; courses are offered in a fully online modality in order to accommodate the schedules of working teachers.
Admission
Location: Online
Start Term: Fall, Spring and Summer
General Master's Degree Admission Requirements
English Education M.A.
Admission Deadline
Our goal is to make it easy for you to start this continuous enrollment program. Because this program features some coursework that begins in the middle of the traditional semesters, there are multiple options for starting the program.
For the best possible admission, enrollment and orientation experience, we recommend that you complete your application by these dates, which are approximately 30 days before the start of each term:
- Summer term: April 15
- Fall term: July 15
- Spring term: Dec. 15
- Middle of a term: Contact the Admission Coach to discuss options and deadlines!
You can still apply after these dates, but if the date has passed please contact the Admissions Coach for support to apply and begin classes in the upcoming term. View the UNC Academic Calendar for the start dates for upcoming terms.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must apply to the Graduate School at the University of Northern Colorado before the program area reviews the applicant’s request for admission. Failure to submit all required materials will delay the evaluation and screening of your application.
Each applicant must:
- Possess a baccalaureate degree from an Institutionally Accredited college or university or a comparable degree from a foreign institution.
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better (on a 4.00 scale) for the most recent degree earned or current degree in progress.
- If you are still completing your bachelor's degree at the time you apply, admission will be based on your current cumulative GPA, and you will need to re-submit your official transcript (showing your conferred degree and final GPA) during your first semester. If your final GPA fell below 3.00, you will be given additional requirements as defined by the academic program that must be met within one calendar year to remain enrolled at UNC.
- If you have completed a master's degree, or at least 18 credit hours towards a master's degree, the GPA of your master's work will be used.
- Have one year of full-time professional experience teaching in a 7-12 classroom.
Take the following steps to be considered for admission:
Step 1: Complete the Application
Complete the online application.
- Answer the application questions.
- Send your requests for letters of recommendation.
- Request three (3) academic or professional letters of recommendation from those who can attest to your academic potential and abilities. You will be asked to supply information for your recommenders in the application.
- Submit the application and pay the non-refundable application fee.
- Domestic Students: $50 non-refundable application fee
- International Students: $50 non-refundable application fee
- The Graduate School is waiving application fees for all current UNC students and alumni! (The waiver applies only to the UNC Graduate School application.) Click for details.
Once you submit your application you will be assigned an Admissions Portal, allowing you to upload supplemental items, as listed below, and track your application through the admissions process.
Step 2: Request Transcripts
Request one official transcript from any Institutionally Accredited college or university where a bachelor’s degree or higher was earned or is in progress (if you have earned multiple degrees, bachelor’s level or higher, an official transcript is required from each college or university where a degree was conferred). If you received a degree from UNC, you do not need to request a transcript from UNC. The Office of Admissions reserves the right to request that applicants provide official transcripts from other colleges or universities as needed. Applicants who have earned or are directly pursuing a higher degree from a regionally accredited institution without receiving a bachelor’s degree (e.g., PharmD) may be eligible to apply to the Graduate School without the conferral of a bachelor’s degree.
Exceptions: If an applicant intends to use Veteran’s Education Benefits, an official transcript from all colleges or universities attended will be required in order to maintain compliance with Veteran’s Affairs policies.
Official transcripts from U.S. institutions should be sent via mail directly from the educational institution in an unopened, sealed envelope or through an electronically secure digital program from the issuing institution.
Mailed transcripts should be sent to:
University of Northern Colorado
Office of Admissions
Campus Box 10
501 20th St
Greeley, CO 80639
Electronic transcripts from U.S. institutions should be sent directly from the educational institution to: grad.admissions@unco.edu.
The Office of Admissions does not accept email, scanned or PDF transcripts directly from applicants. All official transcripts, submitted as part of the application process, are retained by UNC and not returned to applicants or admitted students.
UNC retains submitted transcripts, from institutions other than UNC, for admitted students for up to five years after graduation or date of last attendance at UNC. Transcripts provided by applicants who were not admitted, denied admissions or did not complete their application are destroyed after one (1) year. The Office of Admissions will make every attempt to use previously submitted transcripts if they are within these timeframes. However, if the Office of Admissions cannot locate previously submitted transcripts, the transcripts fall outside the timeframes listed above or they are considered illegible, applicants must provide new transcripts.
Applicants with academic credentials from outside the U.S. will need to follow the requirements for submission of foreign transcripts. Click on the Transcripts tab for information about international transcripts.
Step 3: Note About the GRE
This program does not require GRE scores.
Step 4: Supplemental Items
Log back into the Admissions Portal to submit the following:
- Statement of Goals: This should address your potential as a graduate student and future professional goals. The letter should be 500 words or less.
Once you apply to the UNC Graduate School and your application packet is complete, your application will be reviewed by the Graduate School and then sent to the faculty/program for an admission recommendation. The timing of the admission decision depends on each individual program’s deadline and review process.
International applicants (non-U.S. citizen/non-U.S. Permanent Resident) please refer to the International Admissions Requirements page for further information about submitting transcripts, English proficiency scores, passport copy and financial documentation.
For More Information
For more information about the admission process, please email the Office of Admissions at grad.admissions@unco.edu or call 970-351-2881.
Degree Requirements — 30 Credits
Graduate Study Core —12 credits
| ENG 602 | Introduction to Graduate Study: Issues, Trends and Topics in English Content and Pedagogy | 3 |
| ENG 620 | Teaching as Inquiry: Teacher Action Research in the English Classroom | 3 |
| ENG 523 | Advanced Studies in the Teaching of Writing | 3 |
| ENG 524 | Advanced Studies in the Teaching of Literature | 3 |
Required English Electives — 6 credits
Select two courses at the 500- or 600-level with ENG or HUM prefixes.
| ENG 515 | Using Literature to Address Social and Emotional Learning | 3 |
| ENG 525 | Studies in the Moving Image | 3 |
| ENG 530 | Advanced Studies in World Literature | 3 |
| ENG 538 | Literary Criticism and Theory | 3 |
| ENG 540 | Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric | 3 |
| ENG 541 | Colloquium in Literature | 3 |
| ENG 547 | Visual Rhetoric and Multimodal Literacies | 3 |
| ENG 561 | Genre Study: Poetry | 3 |
| ENG 562 | Genre Study: Fiction | 3 |
| ENG 563 | Genre Study: Drama | 3 |
| ENG 570 | Advanced Studies in American Literature | 3 |
| ENG 580 | Advanced Studies in British Literature | 3 |
| ENG 610 | Interventions in Literacy | 3 |
| ENG 633 | Studies in Linguistics | 3 |
| ENG 639 | Graduate Seminar in Literature | 3 |
| ENG 640 | History and Theory of Rhetoric | 3 |
| ENG 641 | Studies in Composition Research and Pedagogy | 3 |
| ENG 642 | Film Theory and Analysis | 3 |
| ENG 652 | Advanced Studies in Digital Humanities | 3 |
| ENG 653 | Writing Center Administration | 3 |
Additional Electives — 12 credits
Elective courses may be selected from the following programs in consultation with an English Education advisor. (Courses from additional programs may be included with advisor approval. Students may also be approved for 15 elective credits outside of ENG in consultation with their advisor.)
- Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (ECLD)
- Educational Psychology (PSY)
- Educational Foundations (EDF)
- English (ENG)
- Literacy (ELIT) or Reading (EDRD)
- Special Education (EDSE)
- Educational Technology (ET)
- Technology, Innovation, & Pedagogy (TIP)
Master's Project — 3-12 credits
Students pursuing the English Education MA may complete a work sample for 0 credits, or a capstone project for 3, 6, or 12 credits. The specific credit weight of ENG 697 depends on the scope and type of the proposed project and must be approved by the Project Committee Chair before registration. Students choosing a 12-credit project must make a public presentation of the project before an audience of students and faculty.
The English Education MA Project may take one of the following formats:
- A single-topic research project
- A digital project, to include a critical/reflective essay
- An archival project, to include a critical/reflective essay
- A workplace-based applied project
- A pedagogy-focused project that explores teaching practices and curriculum innovation.
Students pursuing the 3- and 6-credit options complete ENG 697 in one semester; students pursuing the extended 12-credit option must take two 6-credit iterations of ENG 697 across two consecutive semesters to complete their project. Depending on the nature of the proposed project, required courses may be adjusted to align as closely as possible with the project focus. Please refer to the ENG 697 syllabus for additional guidance concerning project length, components, and so forth.