Master of Arts (M.A.) in English Language and Literature

The Department of English offers graduate study leading to the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees; particular strengths of the department include early British literature; American literature; literature of the African diaspora; postcolonial and transnational literary studies; digital humanities; feminist theory and gender studies; and composition and rhetoric. The Department also offers a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing (See listing for Creative Writing). Most students enrolled in graduate programs in English Language and Literature seek employment in higher education, but many also seek non-academic employment in publishing, business and technical writing, administration, and personnel management. To assist with placement, the department has a Placement Director and the university has a Career Development Center.

Statement of Purpose: A statement addressing the intended focus of your graduate studies and how your past educational experiences have prepared you for this course of study. If applicable, this statement would also be the place to address any unusual challenges that you may have faced during your academic career and/or the formative nature of any extracurricular activities (i.e. athletics, outreach activities, clubs, etc.) that may have had an impact on your intellectual development. (If you are applying to the PhD program but would like to be considered for the MA in the event that a PhD spot is unavailable, please also indicate that here.) In addition to fulfilling Graduate School requirements, applicants to the M.A. degree program should present a 3.5 GPA in English and 24 hours of upper-level English courses. Applicants to the Ph.D. degree program should present at least a 3.7 GPA and a B.A. degree, normally in English Language and Literature. All M.A. and Ph.D. applicants should submit a single critical writing sample of 12-20 pages as indicated on the application guidelines. We do not require the GRE for admission to our program. Letters of Recommendation (3), Academic CV, Writing Sample.