Narrative Studies, MA
Are you interested in a profession that values your imagination? Maybe you want to advance your teaching career or ready yourself for doctoral studies. Prepare now, here, through transdisciplinary inquiry.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
Narrative Studies master's description
In the Master of Arts program in narrative studies, you explore narrative and storytelling across various cultures and historical periods.
The comprehensive curriculum emphasizes teaching and research, and you study the structural, social, cultural, rhetorical and historical aspects of narrative and storytelling in texts, film and other media.
You are primed for critical and eloquent engagement with the world beyond the university.
Why study narrative studies at ASU?
Transdisciplinary inquiry sits at the heart of the program, giving you the flexibility to explore narrative across many cultures, genres and media. Sharpen advanced writing, research and critical analysis skills as you complete an original narrative-based applied project. Dig into topics such as transmedia narratives, archives, visual narratives, publishing and experimental narrative while you shape your own path through the field.
Additional details
You can take part in literary publishing projects, internships and interdisciplinary work that spans literature, film, media and cultural history.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below.
30 credit hours including the required capstone course (ENG 597)
Required Core (12 credit hours) Electives or Research (15 credit hours) Culminating Experience (3 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information
ENG 503 History of Narrative (3)
ENG 509 Studies in Narrative Writing (3)
ENG 512 Narrating the Archives (3)
ENG 520 Visual Narratives (3)
COM 510 Transmedia Narratives (3)
ENG 505 Narrative Research Methods (3)
ENG 509 Studies in Narrative Writing (3)
ENG 514 Studies in Experimental Narrative (3)
ENG 516 Literary Publishing (3)
ENG 518 Scientific Narratives (3)
ENG 521 Writing the Southwest (3)
ENG 522 Narratives of Conquest (3)
ENG 583 Methods of Teaching Secondary Literature and Language (3)
ENG 584 Internship (1-12)
ENG 590 Reading and Conference (1-12)
ENG 598 Special Topics (1-4)
ENG 597 Graduate Capstone Seminar (3)
Students choose five courses from a restricted list for a total of 15 credit hours. Other courses (ENG, COM, FMS, HST or appropriate field) may be used for up to six credit hours with approval from the academic unit.
What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Compose effective visual and multimodal narratives.
- Evaluate narratives, focusing on narrative structures, literary techniques, and cultural significance.
- Compose an original narrative-based applied project that incorporates creative thinking principles.
Compose effective visual and multimodal narratives.
Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) or master's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in a related field such as English or any humanities discipline. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. All applicants are required to submit: Additional Application Information The portfolio must include at least three documents that demonstrate the applicant's ability to write in multiple genres and should include both academic and professional writing for a variety of audiences and purposes. At least one of the documents must be a sample of academic writing. One of the documents can be a sample of creative writing. The portfolio should be 15 to 30 total pages in length. The writing samples are evaluated using a rubric that considers several criteria, including intellectual focus, strength of argument and documentation, awareness of audience, organization, clarity, mechanical soundness and overall effectiveness. The letters of recommendation should be either academic or professional and speak to the applicant's background and capabilities.
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students receive financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Careers this narrative studies master's degree prepares you for
Graduates are equally prepared to become candidates for further academic studies, advance their careers as area educators in the language arts, and step into one of the many professions that value creativity, critical thinking and highly skilled communication --- including teaching, writing, online publishing and editing.
Professionals with expertise in narrative are in high demand in many sectors and industries, including publishing, media, entertainment, marketing and politics. Skills in crafting and interpreting narratives are valuable to businesses and institutions that communicate, entertain and educate.
Career examples include:
- copy writer
- creative writer
- editor
- freelance writer
- high school teacher
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
School of Applied Sciences and Arts
|
SANCA 233
SASAGrad@asu.edu
480-965-1970
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
