MA for Teachers and College Credit Plus Credentialing

The M.A. for Teachers is the Kent State degree plan best suited for a secondary school teacher who wishes to complete a degree, in addition to pursuing College Credit Plus (CCPlus) credentialing that concerns English-related subjects that are taught in grades 7-12, typically with an education degree and certification in Integrated Language Arts. Please note the following:

  • The English department does not work directly on matters of CCPlus credentialing, for students may study in a variety of university departments.  Recent Ohio state grants that offer funding assistance for CCPlus credentialing generally fund up to 18 credit hours of study. For information about applying, please contact the Kent State office for College Credit Plus.
  • A teacher who has received a College Credit Plus grant, even if the application is coordinated with the assistance of Kent State offices, is not thereby admitted to a graduate degree program, admitted to Kent State, nor admitted automatically to graduate courses. You are still required to apply for university admission at graduate level and may need to request permission to enroll in graduate courses.
  • Students who seek approval to teach the equivalent of Kent State College Writing I (ENG 11011) or College Writing II (ENG 21011) through a CCPlus program, if it is coordinated with Kent State and reviewed by the Department Chair in English, are expected to complete during their course work Introduction to Research in the Teaching of College Writing (ENG 61094) or an equivalent course. At Kent State, ENG 61094 is typically offered during the Summer III term.
  • In addition to ENG 61094 (or equivalent), prospective CCP instructors wishing to teach College Writing I or II need 6 graduate course hours in rhetoric and composition. For a list of options in the English Department at Kent State, see the LSRP (Rhetoric & Composition) graduate courses.
  • Commonly selected degree programs in English, MA for Teachers and MA in Literature & Writing, require 33 credit hours to complete the degree.

The Kent State Department of English recommends any one of the following options, whichever is best suited to the CCPlus teachers eventual aims:

  • MA for Teachers: This degree best serves professionals who wish to enhance credentials in their current profession but have no plans for additional study at graduate level. You must be employed as a teacher when you apply for admission. Students in MA for Teachers program are not eligible for funding as a Graduate Assistant. Neither a GRE nor a writing sample is required with an application. A program overview is available at MA in English for Teachers. For a worksheet on program requirements, see Degree Requirements (MA for Teachers Concentration worksheet). To apply, see Admissions Guidelines. Or, see Apply Online, and select Graduate, Master's Degree Application. The Graduate Coordinator for English reviews your application and serves as your advisor. Please apply for program admission a minimum of 4-6 weeks before you wish to begin study. If you are accepted into the degree program, the department will appoint an advisor and communicate with you regularly through the Graduate Coordinator's Office.
  • MA in Literature & Writing: This degree best serves professionals who, in addition to enhancing credentials,  are considering additional study at graduate level, such as a PhD. Students who apply by the priority deadline (January 15) are eligible for funding as a Graduate Assistant. A GRE score (but waived in 2020 for COVID-19) and a writing sample are required with application. Please apply for program admission a minimum of 6 weeks before you wish to begin study, preferably before the close of the previous academic term. Your application is reviewed by a committee. An overview is available at MA in Literature & Writing. For a worksheet on program requirements, see Degree Requirements (MA in Literature & Writing: select concentration worksheet). To apply, see Admissions Guidelines. Or, see Apply Online, and select Graduate, Master's Degree Application. If you are accepted into the degree program, the Program Coordinator for Literature serves as your advisor and communicates with you regularly through the Graduate Coordinator's Office.
  • Non-Degree Admission:  You may take individual classes, but you are not seeking admission (nor are you admitted) to a degree program. You are on your own as to assessing beforehand whether courses could apply later to a degree, if you decide later to apply to a degree, because advisors are generally associated with departments and programs. As a non-degree student, you will not be appointed an advisor nor notified by department memos that go to degree program-enrolled students. If you have questions about a course (requires permission, etc.), you should contact me the Graduate Coordinator for department, or contact the instructor who is offering the course to request permission to enroll. See Apply Online, and select Graduate, Non-Degree Application. Because you in non-degree status are not an English Department program student, the department does engage in any formal communication with you. 

Changing Degree Programs

You may apply for non-degree admission and take one or more courses. And you may later apply for admission or, if admitted previously to a program, request to change to a different degree programs. Generally, the MA Literature and Writing is the most stringent about requirements. Therefore, you may want to consider its degree requirements even if you first enroll as non-degree student or apply for MA for Teachers. If you move from a program with less stringent requirements (MA for Teachers) to one with more stringent requirements (MA Lit/Writing), the review of change-of-program application may require more formal efforts, such as supplying omitted application requirements from other program (like a writing sample) or faculty committee review. In addition, course credits that do not satisfy requirements in the new degree program may be disallowed or counted only as electives. When starting with MA Lit/Writing, there is less risk that courses would not satisfy degree credits if you later change your mind and change program to MA for Teachers. You may also enroll in a degree program and choose not to complete it, if that satisfies what you need to achieve professionally. MA students are generally allowed 6 years to complete a degree, after initial enrollment.

Graduate Application Contact Information

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