English - Teaching College Literature (Graduate Certificate and Microcredential)

The “Teaching College Literature” Graduate Certificate and Microcredential is a nine (9) semester hour Microcredential that provides individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to teach the American and English survey course sequences at any two- or four-year college. Students pursuing this Graduate Certificate and Microcredential take coursework on teaching the American and English college literature survey courses, as well as a course on literary criticism that will inform their pedagogy.

A student who completes this Graduate Certificate and Microcredential may apply the nine (9) hours of credit toward the MA with a major in English or the MA with a major in Integrated Studies. The nine (9) hours of credit may also be applied toward the MSE in Secondary Education: English Language Arts 6-12 or the Alternative Class A MSE in Secondary Education: English Language Arts 6-12. All coursework for the MA or MSE must be completed within six years. Hours earned through a graduate certificate/microcredential program may only be applied to one graduate degree.

Please review our Graduate Certificate Disclosure information.

Application Deadlines

Deadline dates for applications and receipt of all required application materials are:

Any exceptions to these deadlines must be granted by the graduate program chair.

Date Event
July 1 Fall Admission
November 1 Spring Admission
April 1 Summer Admission

Application Materials Required for the Graduate Certificate and Microcredential in Teaching College Literature

Applicants for the Graduate Certificate and Microcredential in Teaching College Literature must submit all the following documentation to Graduate Admissions to be considered for admission:

Graduate Admissions
Jacksonville State University
700 Pelham Road North
Jacksonville, Alabama 36265-1602

  1. Completed JSU Graduate Application for Admission.
  2. Non-refundable $35.00 application processing fee.
  3. Official transcripts from the postsecondary institutions awarding the bachelor’s degree. To be considered for admission, applicants must hold a degree from an institutionally accredited institution or its foreign equivalent. (Students who have previously attended JSU do not need to request a transcript from the university.)
  4. International student applicants must see the International Student Applicants section of this catalog for other application and enrollment requirements.

Admission Requirements for the Graduate Certificate and Microcredential in Teaching College Literature

In addition to meeting general admission requirements of Graduate Studies, applicants for this Graduate Certificate and Microcredential must have at least an undergraduate minor in English or its equivalent, as determined by the head of the English Department.

Unconditional Admission

  • Applicants with an undergraduate GPA of at least a 3.00 (on a 4.00 grade point scale) are eligible for unconditional admission. Applicants who already hold master’s degrees will be unconditionally admitted.

Conditional Admission

  • Applicants with an undergraduate GPA of less than 3.00 may be conditionally admitted with the recommendation of the head of the English Department.

Minimum Requirements for the Graduate Certificate and Microcredential in Teaching College Literature

All students enrolled in this Graduate Certificate and Microcredential program must maintain a 3.00 GPA and make an A or B in each of the three required courses in order to continue in, and ultimately complete, the program. The head of the English Department will determine if a student will be allowed to retake a required course and continue in this program after making a C grade.

An overall 3.00 GPA is required on all coursework attempted for the graduate certificate. Transfer credit is not accepted toward this graduate certificate program or microcredential.

Course Title Credits
Required Courses
EH 452Literary Criticism 13
EH 535Teaching College Literature: The American Survey3
EH 536Teaching College Literature: The British Survey3
Total Hours9

9 Graduate Semester Hours Required for this Certificate and Microcredential

Graduation and Comprehensive Exam

Students completing the “Teaching College Literature” Graduate Certificate and Microcredential must demonstrate competency through a presentation of their teaching portfolios and satisfactory completion of an oral exam. All students must apply for certificate completion by the given deadline of the semester in which they plan to complete. Please see the Graduation and Comprehensive Exam section of this catalog for more information.