Graduate Programs in English Education

MAET students can expect to take coursework that will directly affect their teaching as elementary, middle school, or secondary teachers. They will also gain intensive study in writing, literature, and literacy theory and pedagogy. Many MAET students also become part of the Third Coast Writing Project.

Most of our MAET students are teachers in high schools and middle schools throughout West Michigan, other aspire to teaching at the community college level. While many are employed full time, others attend WMU full-time. All classes are taught in the evenings. Occassionaly teaching assistantships are available for full time students.

Recent MAET students and graduates have presented work at conferences such as the National Council of Teachers of English, National Writing Project, Conference on College Composition and Communication, and Michigan Council of Teachers of English. They have also published work in the English Journal, the Language Arts Journal of Michigan, and the NWP Quarterly.

The Ph.D. program is designed to serve the needs of practicing teachers seeking an advanced degree or experienced teachers looking to become scholars and teachers of English language arts teacher education.

Our program is nationally-prominent for producing outstanding English language arts teacher educators. In addition to intensive coursework, our Ph.D. students also teach 'methods' courses for our large and well-developed undergraduate program. Our graduates are well-prepared for an academic appointment in English education at a 4-year institution. The volume The Doctoral Degree in English Education reports substantially on the WMU program and is essential reading for aspiring or actual English education doctoral students.

Our recent graduates include: Gretchen Rumohr-Voskuil, assistant professor at Aquinas College; Shannon Mortimore, assistant professor at Shippensberg University; Lisa Eckert, assistant professor at Montana State University; and, Robert Rozema, assistant professor at Grand Valley State University. Another recent graduate, Melinda Dobson, teaches part-time for WMU while raising her family.

Currrent Students in the program include: Cheryl Almeda, Erinn Bentley, Amanda Stearns, Diana Stout, Briana Barnett, Christy McDowell, and Kristin Sovis.