加州州立大学圣马可斯分校

The California State University San Marcos Literature and Writing Studies (LTWR) Department offers graduate study leading to the Master of Arts degree. Our mission is to prepare students for study at the doctoral level, for teaching at the community college level, and for occupations in the private and public sectors that require a high degree of literacy.

Rather than offering an emphasis in literature or writing studies at the master’s level, our program aims to balance and integrate these activities. Since we read writing and write reading, we see no purpose in studying one without the other. To do so would deny the integrity of our discipline.

Because most of our students are, or eventually will be, teachers, our intention is to provide a graduate teaching apprenticeship within the program that begins with classes, seminars, and close faculty mentoring and leads to internships, tutoring, and teaching assistantships. Qualified students may work in the University Writing Center or teach general education writing courses. Internships may also be arranged at community colleges or other organizations.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Graduate students in the Department of Literature and Writing Studies (LTWR) develop theoretical knowledge and practice critical reading and writing in the field. The program has been designed so that graduates should be able to:

Closely analyze texts at an advanced level, using a range of critical and theoretical approaches.

Analyze, within a theoretical framework or frameworks, the historical, political, and/or social conditions of texts from local and global literary traditions, with attention to the formation of literary canons and counter-canons.

Proficiently read and interpret texts in at least one language other than one’s native language.

Recognize and describe advanced theories and practices that inform the fields of literature, composition pedagogy, and creative writing.

Participate in professional practices such as disseminating scholarship/ creative activities through course-assigned conference papers and other scholarly or creative works and activities that meet current standards for publication and presentation in the field of literature and/or writing studies.

Write a theoretically informed thesis that contributes to research or creative activity in the field of literature and/or writing studies.