MEMORANDUM

To: Professor Brooke Boling

From: Nathan S Thomas
Subject: Grant Writing Research Proposal for Assignment 4
Date: 04/20/2023

The following document is my Research Report for Assignment 4. The report—consisting of a cover page,
table of contents, introduction, methods, results, recommendations, and references—covers research of
three English graduate-level programs at three different colleges (University of Colorado Colorado
Springs, University of Louisville, DePaul University). The report will conclude the best option for a
hypothetical University of Cincinnati English student searching for a graduate program.

In researching for this report, I used each university’s respective website as well as one third-party
website, LivingCost.org, for information relating to the local areas’ costs of living. Because of the
nicheness of this report, finding the information I needed proved to be a bit of a challenge, and I am
chagrined to have needed to rely so heavily on so few sources—I would have preferred a wider breadth
of accredited sources, but such sources were not within my research means.

The University of Louisville, satisfying all proposed criteria, proved to be the most optimal option for this
student. With its prices, location, courses, and graduation rate, it is statistically the best option out of all
three proposed programs.

I appreciate your approval on this project and look forward to hearing your thoughts. Please notify me at
thomant@mail.uc.edu should any critical elements be missing.
Research Report—Comparing Three
Graduate-Level English Programs

Prepared for: Professor Brooke Boling

Prepared by: Nathan S Thomas

April 20, 2023

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
MEMORANDUM.........................................................................................................................................0
ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................4
METHODS....................................................................................................................................................4
Criteria....................................................................................................................................................4
Research Performed...............................................................................................................................4
RESULTS......................................................................................................................................................5
Tuition Cost.............................................................................................................................................5
Content & Length....................................................................................................................................5
University of Colorado Colorado Springs.............................................................................................5
University of Louisville.........................................................................................................................6
DePaul University................................................................................................................................6
Benefits...................................................................................................................................................6
Graduation Rates....................................................................................................................................6
University of Colorado Colorado Springs.............................................................................................7
University of Louisville.........................................................................................................................7
DePaul University................................................................................................................................7
Local Cost of Living..................................................................................................................................7
RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................................8

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ABSTRACT
For students of higher academics, the ultimate goal is to leave one’s respective program with greater
knowledge than when they entered. Sometimes the thirst for knowledge—the overarching goal—
stretches beyond the scope of an undergraduate program and instead calls for a longer, more specialized
path. The goal of this recommendation report is to advise a hypothetical student on which of three
proposed graduate-level programs—the Grant Writing graduate program at the University of Colorado
Colorado Springs, the Master of Arts in English at the University of Louisville, and the Master of Arts in
English Literature and Publishing at DePaul University—and determine which is the best option for said
student. This report has concluded that the University of Louisville is the best option for this student for
satisfying all outlined criteria. While not the most outstanding option in every examined category, it is
the only one of the three researched schools to satisfy all criteria of this report.

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INTRODUCTION
This document will explore three potential programs that a hypothetical, current University of Cincinnati
English undergraduate could commit to. This hypothetical student lives in Cincinnati, Ohio and does not
have a personal vehicle, instead relying on public transportation. They wish to pursue their future
academic career outside of the state of Ohio and are open to a variety of options. This prospective
graduate student would be equally capable of moving to the city of each school, each school selected
being an out-of-state college to control that variable of the cost criteria.

For this report, I researched and compared three specific programs:

 The Grant Writing graduate program at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS)
 The Master of Arts (MA) in English at the University of Louisville
 The Master of Arts in English Literature and Publishing at DePaul University

Each program has various draws and drawbacks based on the criteria I will be outlining further in this
report. At the end of the report, I will use the research I found within these criteria to determine which
program is the best option for the hypothetical student. The recommended school will be whichever
satisfies the most criteria. Should there be a tie between any of the programs in this capacity, the
recommended school will be chosen based on whichever costs the least, including the prices of tuition
and rent.

METHODS
Criteria
When evaluating each graduate program, I set out to analyze and compare five core, determining
components: price, program content and length, benefits, graduation rates, and local cost of living. The
criteria were as follows:
 Price less than or equal to $30,000 per semester
 Access to campus amenities and campus networking events
 Two- to four-year program of coursework relevant to an English undergraduate’s prior
experience
 Rent less than $1,300
 Graduation rate greater than or equal to 50%
Each respective criterium is introduced with a brief explanation to clarify why I feel the criteria is
relevant and why it matters when selecting a college program.
As previously mentioned, the optimal program choice is the one that most adequately satisfies as many
of these criteria as possible.

Research Performed
My research pertaining to the colleges was performed using resources found on or through each
university’s respective websites and LivingCost.org.

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RESULTS
Tuition Cost
Even when browsing undergraduate programs, cost of tuition is nearly universally the most critical factor
in deciding on a school. With the price of colleges ever climbing and the whispers of economic recession
echoing just round the corner, Americans are forced to take stock of how tuition might lighten their
purses now more than ever.
Comparing all three schools, I found that average tuition by semester/quarter for each program varies
quite significantly (but not unpredictably). To complete UCCS’ Grant Writing program in its entirety
would cost roughly $15,600, encompassing 12 credit hours.1 The program is short, being only a
semester’s worth of classes, so it is skewed in comparison to the full-length MA programs of the other
two schools. For the University of Louisville’s graduate program, tuition tends to edge somewhere
around $13,700 per semester, so roughly $27,400 per year.2 DPU’s ranges around $743 per quarter hour.
Since DePaul uses a more expensive quarter system in favor of a semester system, that does make it the
most expensive option at $35,700 per year.3

Content & Length

We have an obvious disparity in tuition costs between each school, as well as a disparity in how credit
hours are counted and measured. We must consider how many credit hours a prospective student would
need to take, how long the programs would take to complete, and what the content of those required
classes would demand. While the credentials of a graduate-level degree are nothing to scoff at, a degree
that fulfills your educational wants and needs most adequately is extremely valuable. It is important that
a student wishing to pursue a graduate or master’s program takes into consideration not just the
quantitative elements of a program’s content and length, but also its relevance to their personal
interests and career goals.
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs’ program, being but 12 credit hours, is the shortest and
most concise option for a specialized track.1 The downside of this concision is that the certificate is not
an English intensive curriculum. Students with experience in writing and literary studies might stumble in
the face of the more foreign nature of UCCS’ Grant Writing required courses. Students are required to
enroll in the following classes:
 Program Evaluation
 Grant Writing
 Grant Management
Additionally, students are required to enroll in one of six available electives:
 Statistics
 Crime and Violence Prevention and Intervention
 Advanced Program Evaluation
 Strategic Nonprofit Management
 Nonprofit Financial Management
 Philanthropy, Fundraising, and Earned Revenue Strategies
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville’s program requires 30 academic hours of graduate-level courses alongside a
culminating project.2 Alternatively, students may take 24 academic hours of graduate courses with six

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credits of thesis guidance. Alongside 15 elective credit hours, students in the program are required to
enroll in the following classes:
 Introduction to English Studies
 Contemporary Theories of Interpretation
 Topics in Interpretive Theory Since 1900
Students are also required to complete at least one course each from a list of classes in literature before
1700, literature from 1700-1900, and literature after 1900.
DePaul University
DePaul’s MA program requires students to enroll in a total of 48 credit hours to fulfill the degree
requirements.3 Being the longest of the three programs I researched, this Writing and Publishing MA has
the most depth. Students are required to enroll in four different writing workshops from a list of the
following:
 Introduction to Creative Writing
 Writing Workshop Topics
 Travel Writing
 Writing for Magazines
 Science Writing
 Writing Fiction
 Writing Poetry
 Writing the Literature of Fact
Students are additionally required to enroll in one literature course from a range of classes similar in
breadth to the offerings listed by the University of Louisville, ranging from early Old and Middle English
to more modern contemporary topics. Two electives are required in Language, Literature, Publishing,
and Teaching courses., and four open, graduate-level English electives are required to close out the
program.

Benefits
“Benefits” as a determining category can fairly be criticized as a vague criterium without further context.
In the context of this report, “benefits” refers to opportunities on or through campus to network and
build professional experiences. This is an important determinant because not all schools have equal
opportunities that provide students with an environment in which they can expand professionally while
still enrolled in courses.

All three researched colleges offer extensive career fairs, networking events, recruiting events, and
employer summits. There are also various specialized versions of these events meant to host students
from specific colleges on each respective campus, such as events oriented towards business students or
fairs organized for nursing students.4, 5, 6

Graduation Rates
Unfortunately, I was unable to find any accredited sources for graduate student graduation rates. Some
third-party websites offered statistics, but I was unable to verify the accuracy of the information. In lieu
of this setback, I have opted to cite accredited statistics for undergraduate student graduation rates. The
results are, consequently, less accurate than I would prefer, but I believe that even knowing

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undergraduate graduation rates can provide insight into what those rates might look like for graduate
students.

University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Averaging the six-year undergraduate gradation rates from 2001 through 2014, the average rate is 45%.
The lowest of the three schools I researched, UCCS does not satisfy the minimum desired graduation
rate outlined in the initial criteria.7

University of Louisville
Averaging the six-year undergraduate graduation rates from the years 2012 through 2016, the average
rate is 60%. Comfortably sitting above the desired 50% graduation rate outlined in the initial criteria, the
University of Louisville is a fair option for this student.8

DePaul University
Internal research in 2018 yielded a six-year undergraduate graduation of 72%—an outstandingly high
yield from more recent research than the University of Louisville and UCCS. Nearly 30% higher than
UCCS’ graduation rate, DePaul clearly outperforms.9

Local Cost of Living

Cost of living, while unentwined with the costs and content of the colleges and programs, is still a heavily
weighed determining factor for any collegiate student of any level. “Cost of living” in this context refers
to the average cost of rent and utilities. A small table with the data from LivingCost.org is arranged
below:10, 11, 12

COLLEGE UCCS DePaul University University of Louisville

COST OF LIVING $1178 $910 $1412

RECOMMENDATIONS
Because it satisfies the most criteria most optimally, the University of Louisville is the best option for this
hypothetical graduate student.

While being the cheapest and most streamlined of the three programs, UCCS’ Grant Writing Program
does not contain enough coursework relevant to an English student for it to be an adequate option.
Conversely, DePaul offers a wide breadth of courses and intense field of study, but is not as specialized
and is outside of the proposed budget. The University of Louisville offers a solid selection of courses, has
a fair tuition within the proposed budget, is located in the city with the lowest cost of living of the three
schools, has a suitably high graduation rate, and has plenty of on-campus opportunities for professional
growth. The University of Louisville quite clearly satisfies the criteria of this research and is the most
appropriate option for this aspiring English graduate student.

REFERENCES
1. “Grant Writing, Management, & Program Evaluation - Graduate Certificate.” University of
Colorado Colorado Springs, https://cps.uccs.edu/academics/criminal-justice/grant-writing-
mgmt#about.

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2. “English (MA).” University of Louisville, https://catalog.louisville.edu/graduate/programs-
study/master-arts-english/#degreerequirementstext.
3. “Writing and Publishing (MA).” DePaul Liberal Arts and Social Sciences,
https://las.depaul.edu/academics/english/graduate/writing-and-publishing-ma/Pages/
default.aspx.
4. Career Fairs & Events, https://resources.depaul.edu/career-center/jobs-internships/Pages/job-
fairs.aspx.
5. “Career Fairs.” Career Fairs - University Career Center, https://louisville.edu/career/career-fairs.
6. “Career Networking Night.” Career Networking Night | College of Business,
https://business.uccs.edu/resources/career/cnn.
7. “Graduation, Retention, & Outcomes.” Graduation, Retention, & Outcomes | Institutional
Research, https://ir.uccs.edu/studentdata/outcomes.
8. “Student Achievement Metrics.” Student Achievement Metrics - Office of Academic Planning &
Accountability, https://louisville.edu/oapa/public-disclosure-1/student-achievement-metrics-1/
#Six_Year_Graduation_Rate.
9. “Student Retention at Depaul.” Student Retention, https://offices.depaul.edu/enrollment-
management/student-retention/Pages/default.aspx.
10. “Cost of Living & Prices in Colorado Springs, CO.” Livingcost.org, 11 Feb. 2023,
https://livingcost.org/cost/united-states/co/colorado-springs.
11. “Cost of Living in Chicago, IL.” LivingCost.org, 11 Feb. 2023, https://livingcost.org/cost/united-
states/il/chicago.
12. “Cost of Living in Louisville, KY.” LivingCost.org, 11 Feb. 2023, https://livingcost.org/cost/united-
states/ky/louisville.

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