Two students studying on the UAlbany Podium.

Master of Arts in
English

Study English Literature and Composition

Deepen your knowledge of literary and cultural theory, develop skills in historical and textual analysis, and advance your practice of reading and writing in the English language.

The master’s in English program at the University at Albany gives you the opportunity to explore your interests in British, American, Native American, postcolonial, and contemporary literature in English, as well as creative writing, rhetoric, composition, pedagogy, and cultural studies.

Earning this graduate degree will help you develop strong communication and research skills that can lead to successful careers in publishing, editing, writing, education, and library and information science.

Program of Study

programofstudy

32 total credits minimum required to be completed as follows:

  • Textual Practices AEng 500 (required)
  • 18 credits in English subjects
  • 4 credits at the 600-level or above
  • 8 credits in English or other academic fields
  • Master’s Thesis or Research Tutorial and Exam

 

Requirements are primarily fulfilled through electives, which provides you with a great deal of freedom to pursue your interests.

At the end of your studies, you complete a critical and/or creative project or selected readings and a final master's exam. 


Additional Information

See the Graduate Bulletin for details.

Graduate Student Handbook

For more information, contact Ineke Murakami, at [email protected].

Career Outcomes

Alumni of the master's in English program are prepared to enter a broad range of fields that require critical analysis, formulation of persuasive arguments, explanatory and instructional writing, substantive editing, verbal skill, and strong writing abilities. 

Some common careers for individuals who have graduated with an MA in English include: 

  • Archival assistant
  • Brand manager
  • Instructor
  • Reporter
  • News producer
  • Program analyst
  • Public relations consultant
  • Social media strategist
  • Acquisitions editor
  • Content developer

 

 

Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah at the New York State Writers Institute
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah at New York State Writers Institute
career

"Growing up I dreamed of adventures in faraway places. To achieve this goal, I've worked as an educator, junior executive, military service member, and national security professional. These jobs allowed me to travel to locations I could only imagine as a child. Earning my master's degree in English at UAlbany gave me the skills I needed to successfully work with people around the globe."

- Caitlin Scheufler-Maccio, '18

Certificate of Graduate Study English Studies

certificate

The CGS English Studies is a certificate option to advance your career if you are pursuing an MS in Secondary Education (MSSE) or an MA in English. Enhance your expertise through the most recent research in your selected field of specialization and additional experience in critical and/or creative writing. You can choose to specialize in one of three areas of study:

  • American Literature and Culture
  • Global English Studies
  • Writing Practices

This certificate provides you with extensive training in competencies such as rhetoric and composition, literary analysis, and literary history. The additional skills you secure will enable you to teach and engage with students, particularly in the areas of English literature, language and composition.

Program of Study

Some of the coursework you complete for the MSSE can also count toward the requirements for the English studies certificate. The main curriculum for this CGS includes general credits in English, along with a larger set of classes in your chosen area of primary study.

You will complete 20 credits of graduate coursework, eight of which can be satisfied by the Content Area Coursework required for the MSSE. The remaining credits are distributed as follows:

  • Textual Practices (4 credits)
  • Four courses at the 500-level or above in the primary field of study (16 credits)

See the Graduate Bulletin for details.

For more information, contact the English Department at 518-442-4055.

Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Option

If you’re a current UAlbany undergraduate student with at least a 3.0 GPA, you may be eligible to begin your graduate degree coursework as early as your junior year. Save time and money by applying up to 12 academic credits, billed at the undergraduate rate, towards both degrees. By doing so, you may be able to complete your combined program in only 5 years and spend less than you would if you completed each program separately.

Contact your undergraduate advisor to see if you’re eligible and learn about your combined graduate program options.

UAlbany graduate with confetti at Commencement.
Admissions Requirements
Deadlines
  • Fall: Rolling
  • Spring: Rolling
  • Summer: Not Available

There is no departmental assistantship consideration for this program.

Required Application Materials
  • Transcripts from all schools attended
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • Statement of Goals
  • Critical Writing Sample
  • Creative Writing Sample (Optional)

A complete copy of the English Department's Programs and Policies for Graduate Study

Special Notes

You will need to upload your writing sample with your online application at time of submission. You cannot append the application after initial submission. Critical writing samples should be researched and thesis-driven, and be approximately 8-12 pages; longer works such as a chapter from an Honors thesis are also acceptable. Recommendation letters should, wherever possible, be written by instructors able to comment on the applicant's academic abilities.

This program offers an internship, field experience, study abroad component, or clinical experience in the course listing as an option to fulfill course requirements. Students who have previously been convicted of a felony are advised that their prior criminal history may impede their ability to complete the requirements of certain academic programs and/or to meet licensure requirements for certain professions. If applicants have concerns about this matter please contact the Dean’s Office of the intended academic program.

admissions
Student Learning Objectives

Learning objectives that UAlbany students are expected to attain through their course of study within their academic program.

Master of Arts
  • Students will read broadly and deeply in the field, and learn to make critical arguments and/or creative interventions by:
    • Writing an argument or developing a research project that engages with one or more theoretical models that have been influential within English Studies
    • Reading a wide range of materials in a subfield of English studies and developing an argument or other research project based on this broad reading
    • Reading deeply in a narrowly focused critical debate or topic and developing an argument or other research project that draws upon this depth of reading
    • Producing and improving original creative work in light of peer and instructor feedback
  • Students will develop an original “capstone” project synthesizing and extending M.A. coursework:
    • Research, summarize, and articulate major arguments or characteristics of a sub-field of study within English Studies
    • Produce a substantial critical or creative work that makes an original intervention into a scholarly or creative tradition
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