The GW English Department offers a five-year dual degree BA/MA program. Students complete their Bachelor of Arts at the end of four years of undergraduate study, and their Masters after one additional year. By undertaking graduate coursework during senior year, students complete the MA one year faster than they otherwise could.

The first step to entering the BA/MA program is to apply into the Honors Program in English. After admission to departmental honors (spring of junior year), all students who desire may also enter the dual degree program. Students electing the five-year BA/MA submit a simple program application form, which they can obtain from the Director of Undergraduate Studies (Marshall Alcorn). Students need not take the GRE.

The MA portion of the program requires ten graduate courses and a qualifying assessment (to be completed during the last semester of study). Two of these graduate seminars are taken during the senior year, and count towards both the BA and MA. In their fifth year students complete their final eight seminars. One or more may be taken during the summer.

We hope that this program will appeal to highly motivated students who will enjoy the chance to undertake graduate study while still an undergraduate, and who will appreciate the chance to obtain an important graduate credential more swiftly than they otherwise could.

The Five Year BA/MA Program allows GW English majors to earn both a BA and an MA in English within 5 years of study. The dual degree allows exceptionally strong and motivated students to move into advanced work early, to earn an expedited graduate degree, and to continue literary research with particularly helpful mentors.

Eligibility and admission:

• All students admitted to the English Honors Program are eligible to apply for the BA/MA as well.
• Interested students complete a short (one-page) application and commit to the dual degree during spring of their junior year
• Admission does not require GRE scores, but students should be aware that further graduate study or transfer to another programme would require GREs

Coursework:

• The MA portion of the program consists of 10 graduate English courses and the comprehensive exam
• 2 of the 10 graduate courses may be taken during senior year and will count for both the BA and the MA
• • These 2 graduate courses may be used to fulfill distribution requirements for the English major
• The remaining 8 courses may be taken during the summer after completing undergraduate degree and the fifth year in the dual degree program

For more information, please contact Professor Marshall Alcorn (alcornma@gwu.edu ).