Certificate Program in African American Literature

The African American Literature certificate provides training to students interested in teaching African American Literature. The goal of the training is to 1) provide students with the preparation they need to teach African American Literature, and 2) give official recognition of preparation to help students qualify for jobs both within and outside the United States.

A. Admission Requirements

1. Students eligible to take courses as non-degree seeking students at the University of Memphis can complete the certificate requirements.
2. Applicants should send a letter of intent and two letters of recommendation to the Department of English Graduate Office. Applicants need to apply to both the University of Memphis Graduate School and the Department of English Graduate Office.
3. An overall minimum grade point average of 2.75 in English or a related area is recommended at the undergraduate level.
4. Since 12 hours from the certificate program may count toward the M.A. or M.F.A. degrees, it is expected that many already-admitted students will earn the certificate on their way to the M.A. or M.F.A. degree. Such students wishing to earn the Certificate must notify the Department of English Graduate Coordinator in writing.

B. Program Requirements

1. The certificate program requires completion of fifteen (15) semester credit hours.
2. Twelve (12) credit hours must be met by satisfactory completion of any four (4) of the following core courses:
   1. ENGL 7325 African American Literature, 1930-1960 (3 hours)
   2. ENGL 7326 African American Literature of Memphis and the Mid-South (3 hours)
   3. ENGL 7327 Studies in Form and Genre: African American Literature (3 hours)
   4. ENGL 7328 Studies in Major Authors: African American Literature (3 hours)
   5. ENGL 7329 African American Literature, Beginnings to 1850 (3 hours)
   6. ENGL 7330 African American Literature, 1850-1900 (3 hours)
   7. ENGL 7331 Frederick Douglass (3 hours)
   8. ENGL 7332 Literature of the African Diaspora (3 hours)
   9. ENGL 7333 Amiri Baraka (3 hours)
   10. ENGL 7334 The Black Arts Movement (3 hours)
   11. ENGL 7335 African American Literature, 1989-Present (3 hours)
   12. ENGL 7336 African American Literary Theory (3 hours)
   13. ENGL 7465 African American Literature 1960 to 1988 (3 hours)
   14. ENGL 7468 Literature of the Harlem Renaissance (3 hours)
   15. ENGL 7469 African American Women Writers (3 hours)
3. Three (3) elective hours may be selected from one of the following courses, provided it has an African American Literature component:
   1. ENGL 7323 American Literature to 1865 (3 hours)
   2. ENGL 7324 American Literature, 1865-1914 (3 hours)
   3. ENGL 7391 Modern American Novel (3 hours)
   4. ENGL 7392 American Poetry (3 hours)
   5. ENGL 7393 American Drama (3 hours)
   6. ENGL 7464 Contemporary American Literature (3 hours)

C. Retention Requirements
Same as retention policies applicable to Department of English graduate degree programs.

D. Graduation Requirements
Relatively early in the semester in which they intend to graduate, certificate candidates must file an Intent to Graduate Card with the Graduate School and a Candidacy form with the Graduate Coordinator for English.