English

Faculty

• Chairperson: K.J. Peters
• Professors: Stuart Ching, Paul Harris, Julia Lee, Holli G. Levitsky, Juan Mah y Busch, Rubén Martínez (Fletcher Jones Chair in Literature and Writing), Robin Miskolcze, K. J. Peters, Dermot Ryan, Stephen H. A. Shepherd, Kelly Younger, Molly Youngkin
• Associate Professors:  Alexandra Neel, Judy Park
• Clinical Associate Professor: Aimee Ross-Kilroy

Contact Information

Department Chair: K.J. Peters

E-mail: kevin.peters@lmu.edu

Graduate Director: Julia Lee

E-mail: julia.lee@lmu.edu

Websites: www.lmu.edu/english/bellarmine.lmu.edu/English/graduateprogram

Office Location: University Hall 3800

Telephone: 310.338.3018

Senior Administrative Coordinator: Maria Jackson

E-mail: mjackson@lmu.edu

English Graduate Program

Mission Statement

The LMU Department of English is a community of creative writers, rhetoricians, and literary scholars who are committed to the fundamental dignity, equality, and welfare of all human beings. This activism is central to the Jesuit and Marymount traditions of social justice, encouragement of learning, and the education of the whole person. It is also central to our work as educators.

We believe language is at the heart of what it means to be human and a source of immense power and pleasure. We are committed to teaching our students how to read deeply and critically and to see the way language imbues our lives with beauty, purpose, and empathy. We ask our students to listen with care and attention to the perspectives and life situations of those different from themselves. We commit ourselves to doing the same.

We believe in cultivating the range of discourses that our students embody and through which our students compose their identities, their lives, and their world. We dedicate ourselves to teaching our students these discourses of power so they too can challenge systems of oppression. We believe that teaching, critical reading, and writing can be tools of social justice.

We pledge ourselves to fostering and maintaining a culture of respect, humility, and community. Together, we stand in solidarity, communion, and reciprocity with our students and with one another.

Admission Requirements

1. The applicant for the degree of Master of Arts in English should have completed with a 3.0 (“B”) average a minimum of five upper-division undergraduate English courses. Excellence in upper-division courses in closely related fields like journalism and screenwriting may be taken into consideration.
2. Applicants must submit an application, $50 application fee, and two letters of recommendation. Recommendations should be obtained from individuals who are in a position to comment on the applicant’s academic and personal suitability for pursuing graduate work in English.
3. Applicants should write an ambition statement (1½-2 pages) in which they indicate which emphasis (Literature, Creative Writing, Rhetoric/Composition) they wish to enter. Applicants should also discuss relevant prior experiences (i.e., academic interests and coverage, research work, creative writing, or other life experiences) and their career goals. This statement should be included with the basic application.
4. A 10-15 page writing sample is required of all applicants. Applicants to the Literature or Rhetoric/Composition Emphasis should submit a sample of their critical writing; applicants to the Creative Writing Emphasis should submit both a 10-15 page critical writing samples and a sample of their best creative writing. The two combined samples may not exceed 30 pages total. Both writing samples should be combined into one document for upload to the application website.
5. The deadline for the receipt of all materials is March 15.

Teaching Fellowships

Students applying for teaching fellowships are asked to include, along with their application materials, the following: a resume or C.V. and a letter of application for the teaching fellowship. In addition, one of the candidate’s two letters of recommendation should specifically address the candidate’s potential abilities as a teacher of college writing.

Rains Research Assistantships

Rains Research Assistantships are available to qualified graduate students by invitation of individual faculty members. These assistantships are paid at $12 per hour for a maximum of 120 hours per academic year. Teaching fellows are not eligible for Rains Research Assistantships due to federal government financial aid restrictions.

Graduate Assistantships

A graduate assistantship and an internship with the William H. Hannon Library’s Special Collections are also available. Students who qualify would work an average of 20 hours per week during the regular semesters. The rate of pay is about $18.00 per hour.

4+1 Accelerated Master of Arts in English Studies 

Background 

The 4+1 Accelerated Master of Arts in English Studies (AMES) program is designed for top undergraduate LMU students who are pursuing a major in English and wish to complete the M.A. in English one year after completing the bachelor’s degree. Students admitted to the 4+1 AMES program will take two 5000-level English courses (8 semester hours) in their senior year (included in undergraduate tuition) that will count toward both the bachelor’s degree and the MA in English degree.  In addition, students will take ENGL 6600 Critical Methodologies in Fall semester of their senior year. Accepted students should contact the Graduate Director for advice for scheduling classes in the senior and fifth year. 

Admissions Criteria for the 4+1 Master of Arts in English Program 

Undergraduate LMU English majors or minors may apply to the 4+1 AMES program after they reach junior standing and have completed at least one upper division English class by end of first semester junior year with an overall GPA of 3.85 or higher for courses taken to date. The application includes: 

• Personal statement  
• Current resume 
• A minimum GPA of 3.0 and five upper division undergraduate English courses 

Model 4+1 AMES Plan

Accepted students should contact the Graduate Director for advice for scheduling classes in the senior and fifth year. A model course of study for the 4+1 AMES includes ENGL 6600 in fall of the senior year, plus two 5000-level seminars in fall, spring or summer of the senior year, followed by three graduate courses in fall and spring of the following year, and one summer course to complete the requirements.

English Undergraduate Program

English Department Mission

The LMU Department of English is a community of creative writers, rhetoricians, and literary scholars who are committed to the fundamental dignity, equality, and welfare of all human beings. This activism is central to the Jesuit and Marymount traditions of social justice, encouragement of learning, and the education of the whole person. It is also central to our work as educators.

We believe language is at the heart of what it means to be human and a source of immense power and pleasure. We are committed to teaching our students how to read deeply and critically and to see the way language imbues our lives with beauty, purpose, and empathy. We ask our students to listen with care and attention to the perspectives and life situations of those different from themselves. We commit ourselves to doing the same.

We believe in cultivating the range of discourses that our students embody and through which our students compose their identities, their lives, and their world. We dedicate ourselves to teaching our students these discourses of power so they too can challenge systems of oppression. We believe that teaching, critical reading, and writing can be tools of social justice.

We pledge ourselves to fostering and maintaining a culture of respect, humility, and community. Together, we stand in solidarity, communion, and reciprocity with our students and with one another.

Programs