MA Program
For further information, please contact Prof. Susan Moynihan, Director of the Masters Program, at sm246@buffalo.edu, or by telephone at
(716) 645-2575, ext. 1054.
MA students are a vital part of the English department community, enjoying an environment with a longstanding tradition of critical innovation and research excellence. MAs take their classes alongside PhD students, and have equal access to all graduate-level courses. Aside from regular seminars, the department boasts a full calendar of events, invited speakers, visiting writers, conferences, mini-seminars and reading groups, as well as publishing a series of respected journals.
The Masters Program offers highly-motivated students the opportunity to study literature at an advanced level in an English department with an international reputation. With an emphasis on interdisciplinarity and dialogue between fields, the MA encourages students to experiment and explore. Having taken two required courses, students are free to choose their classes from a large and diverse selection of research seminars in both English and other departments.
While many former MA students have gone on to PhD programs, the English MA has been the springboard for careers in a range of fields, including law, journalism, arts administration, broadcasting, speechwriting, education, publishing, and social policy.
Course Work: The full degree program consists of 30 credits distributed as 8 seminars. This includes two required courses, both taken in the first semester: “ENG501: Introduction to Scholarly Methods” focuses on the practical skills necessary to succeed in the graduate study of literature, including editorial, bibliographic, and archival work; “ENG502: Introduction to Critical and Cultural Theory,” is an advanced survey of contemporary criticism. The degree can be completed in a year, although on average students take three semesters.
Thesis or Oral Exam and Project: To complete their MA, students usually write a critical and scholarly thesis of modest length (c. 50-60 pages), read and approved by their Thesis Director and one other faculty member. Alternatively, they may pass an oral exam based on a pre-approved reading list along with a suitable written project of c.20-30 pages.
Application: Undergraduates must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be considered for the MA. This program offers no financial assistance. For further information, please contact Prof. Susan Moynihan, Director of the Masters Program, at sm246@buffalo.edu, or by telephone at (716) 645-2575, ext. 1054.
Completed applications are due February 1st. Click here to begin the application process.
