Oklahoma City University
Master of Liberal Arts Program

MLA WITH EMPHASIS IN WRITING

Track Coordinator:
Dr. Terry O. Phelps, Director
Carlock Learning Enhancement Center
Walker Center for the Arts and Sciences, Room #239
(405) 208-5236
tphelps@okcu.edu

Track Requirements:
A minimum of 6 graduate level courses in Writing (18 hours)
Master of Libera1 Arts Electives (15 hours)
MLA 6003 - The Liberal Arts in Western Culture (3 hours)

A total of 36 hours is required for the degree.

Final Project: To be certified as having completed the MLA Writing Track, all MLA Writing students are required to complete a major writing project, supervised by a committee drawn from the writing faculty. The final project is adaptable to the type of writing the student wishes to pursue following graduation. Please see the Writing Track Coordinator for specific guidelines.

Outside Electives: Up to 6 hours of graduate coursework may be taken outside the MLA program (e.g., MBA, MED, MACP, MCJA, MP A, etc.) with the approval of the MLA Director. These elective courses normally replace hours from the elective MLA side of the requirements.

Independent Study: A portion of the student's graduate coursework may be taken through independent study, with the approval of the MLA Director. See the MLA Director for the official guidelines. In the past independent study projects have been done in such areas as Magazine Writing; editing and Production; Reporting for the Mass Media; Applied Rhetoric; and internships.

Thesis: Under appropriate circumstances, the MLA Program allows students to write a thesis in their given tracks. This is an optional way of earning six hours of credit towards the degree. A thesis may be used as the final project for students who plan to pursue formal academic writing after graduation. See the MLA Director for the official guidelines, and the limitations of this option.

Since flexibility is an important goal of the MLA Program, the MLA Council will consider petitions from students who have compelling academic reasons for altering the normal plan of study, but who still wish to be credited with having completed the Writing Track.

Writing Courses: The Writing Track (MLA W) typically offers the following courses:

MLAW 5213 - English Language, Structure & Usage
MLAW 5313 - Technical & Business Writing
MLAW 5413 - Writing for Stage and Screen
MLAW 5513 - Creative Writing
MLAW 5613 - Advanced Writing
MLAW 5713 - Composition Theory
MLAW 5813 - Grant Writing
MLAW 5143 - Instructional Strategies in Writing
MLAW 5413 - Views and Reviews
MLAW 6993 - Independent Study

Optional Courses: All other writing courses may be selected from the offerings listed under the "MLAL". Since both Literature and Writing courses are listed in the course schedule under "MLAL" the student should take care to select only those courses that clearly deal with writing. If there is any doubt as to whether a course counts towards the Writing Track, please consult the MLA Track Coordinator.