PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH OPTION

Professional Research Option (PRO)

This option for second-year graduate students is a three-credit independent study in which students identify one or a cluster of jobs or professions in which an advanced degree in literature is of benefit. In the course of the semester, students will research the career options of interest, identifying one or two fields as the focus of their work.

They must generate a research paper that explores the history and future prospects of the field of interest, as well as current information about the requirements of the work, geographical information about centers of activity for the profession, and desirable employers. This research should include at least two meetings with professionals who work in the field. The paper must also analyze how advanced study of literature serves to enhance the students' desirability in the profession in question.

As part of their final project, students must develop a cover letter outlining the ways their particular training makes them suitable to work in this field.

Recent PRO Projects Include

• Museum Communications & Marketing
• Blogging for Hire: Exploring the Career Potential of Writing on the Web
• Writing for the Web, a Research Project on Content Writing and Editing on the Internet
• Professional Book Editing
• Copywriting for Graduate Students in English Literature
• Academic Librarianship, The Role of Instruction in the Academic Library
• The Past, Present, and Future of Book Editing
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) for Adults at U.S. Colleges for Academic Purposes
• Public Relations
• Development: Exploring the Career Potential of Fundraising for Not-for-Profits
• Innovations and Opportunities in the eBook Industry
• Exploring the Role and Responsibilities of Today’s English Educator
• Jobs in Social Media
• Public Radio 

Abstracts of these projects can be found on our Graduate Program blog, the YAWP.

Contact

Current students interested in the Professional Research Option should contact Dr. Mary Mullen to discuss their potential research.