capn2013

To play devil's advocate, I think that the CMU M.A. is a solid, viable option. Yes the tuition can be an issue, but the program is a good one. And while it may not be ranked the highest, they have a very strong, albeit small, faculty. And for what it's worth, if you're invested in pursuing a PhD, CMU is one of those programs that gladly and often does admit from within. If you take a look at the list of their current PhD students, you'll see that a shit ton of them have matriculated from their M.A. program. (Then again, this year, they only admitted three PhD students.) One year isn't that uncommon, either, and most English M.A.'s offer little to no scholarships. It seems like you have a leg up on the majority.

Feraleyes, I am an MA student (in Eng) at CGU and I can tell you everything you need to know (and then some) about the English program here, including the faculty, tuition information, etc. You're welcome to contact me individually and I can answer whatever questions you may have. And if you are thinking of applying, let me know your field of study so I can relay to you the professors with whom you can work.