English, M.A.
Hone your critical, written, and communication skills in literary studies to prepare for advanced degree programs as well as a wide variety of careers.
About the Master of Arts in English
The Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts offers the M.A. in English. It is designed to prepare students to pursue a doctoral degree or to teach at the secondary level by giving them an advanced understanding of their subject matter. Graduates of our M.A. program leave well prepared to pursue professional degrees at selective universities or careers in teaching, higher education administration, business, publishing, the public sector, and the law.
Unlike many Masters programs, we offer a funded Master's degree, enabling us to attract qualified applicants regardless of means.
Students seeking an M.A. benefit from a faculty whose expertise covers American, British, and Anglophone literature, as well as literary and cultural theory, gender studies, postcolonial and global studies, critical race theory, cultural studies, history of the book, and digital humanities and textual science.
Oxford has a rich literary heritage and maintains a vibrant literary culture. Visiting authors and scholars, endowed speaker series, and a variety of less formal working groups give M.A. students a chance to engage with current and ongoing research in the discipline.
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Program Information
Degree
M.A. in English
Required Credit Hours
30
Program Type
Master's Program
Program Location
School
Duration
2 years
M.A. in English Program Details
Learn about the application process, academic requirements, financial support available to you.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 16
The Department of English welcomes student applications.
- Complete the Graduate School’s Online Application.
- Upload Supplemental Application materials for the Department of English to the link provided upon completion of the above steps.
Students in the M.A. in English program complete 30 credit hours, including 24 credit hours of graduate courses with a B average and 6 hours of thesis credit.
- ENG 600: Introduction to Graduate Study
- 6 credit hours in English or American literature before 1800
- 6 credit hours of English or American literature after 1800
- up to 6 credit hours of graduate course work may be taken in related disciplines
- ENG 617: Teaching College English for students serving as instructors of record in first-year composition courses
M.A. students have the choice to pursue a traditional thesis or a portfolio project.
Traditional Thesis: Ordinarily 50 to 100 pages in length, the M.A. thesis is a research project that makes an original and significant contribution to the field of literary studies.
Scholarly Portfolio: Creating the scholarly portfolio involves 1) the collection and substantial revision of two or three essays written for courses during the M.A., and 2) the production of a new scholarly essay that articulates the relationship between the collected essays by reflecting on thematic or intellectual connections, discussing methodological and theoretical issues, and constructing a narrative of the project’s development and further potential. Like the Traditional Thesis, the M.A. Portfolio should be 50 to 100 pages in length.
An oral defense of thesis or portfolio is the final stage.
Renaissance and Early Modern Studies Specialization
Students may receive an M.A. in English with a specialization in Renaissance and Early Modern Studies. Students would complete six hours of graduate course work in Renaissance and/or Early Modern Studies and submitting a thesis on a Renaissance or Early Modern subject. They are encouraged to take three hours in a related discipline such as history, religion, or art, provided the focus of the course is on the Renaissance or Early Modern period.
All students admitted to the M.A. in English will receive a teaching assistantship that
- covers some or all of the tuition and non-residency fee, if applicable, for regular semesters and
- subsidized health insurance.
There are also scholarships available from the department. For more information, visit the Graduate Program page on the Department of English.
The Graduate School's financial aid webpage lists a variety of funding possibilities.
The Department of English has close ties to other academic departments and programs including the
- African American Studies Program,
- Center for the Study of Southern Culture,
- Department of Writing and Rhetoric,
- Environmental Studies Program,
- Sarah Isom Center for Women and Gender Studies, and
- Southern Foodways Alliance.
The M.A. students are able to see their work in an interdisciplinary context.
Department of English
Department Video
Hear firsthand from students and faculty about the English program.
Next Steps
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