Overview
Our one-year MA offers students the chance to experience the challenges and expectations of graduate school in a collegial and stimulating environment. The program also effectively prepares students for PhD programs in English literature and may serve as a conduit to our own PhD in English, which is unique in Canada for its commitment to fusing archival investigation in manuscript, print, and digital cultures with theoretical inquiry into literary and social production. For those who do not want to pursue a PhD, the MA degree gives a competitive edge in the job market, whether in business, the government, or non-profit sector––in areas as diverse as publishing, human resources, communications, public relations, and marketing. It also gives an academic advantage to students applying for further professional qualifications and training in teaching, journalism, law, and library science.
Our MA program addresses questions about:
- What people understand by the idea of literature in different times and places and why it matters?
- The power of literature to forge communities and become a force for change.
- How these issues are influenced by broader legal, technological, political and social contexts.
Our MA program offers three streams: thesis, research essay, or coursework. The degree is typically completed through coursework within three consecutive terms over a period of twelve months.
Graduate students have the opportunity to work with faculty members who conduct award-winning research in diverse fields from the Medieval period to the present. For more details, you can explore the Faculty Bookshelf, the Faculty Research Profiles, and Department Research.
For a comprehensive overview of our MA program please consult the MA Program Guidebook.
MA Admission Requirements
A four-year Bachelor of Arts, or the equivalent, in English, with at least a B+ average.
The minimum admission requirement for the master’s program is a four-year Bachelor of Arts, or the equivalent, in English, with at least a B+ average. Possession of the minimum entrance standing is not in itself, however, an assurance of admission into the program. All applications will be considered carefully by the Graduate Committee. Each application package consists of not only the application form but also original transcripts, two letters of reference, a statement of interest, and an academic writing sample. The Graduate Committee will only consider applications that are complete. The statement of interest and the academic writing sample must observe the following criteria:
Statement of Interest
This statement should articulate a proposed area of research, were the applicant to pursue an MA thesis or a research essay. It should explain how the applicant will conduct an organized study of a defined scholarly topic within a primary field (a literary historical period or national tradition), while making a case for the significance and importance of generating knowledge about this topic. The applicant must state clearly the research program’s objectives and outcomes and demonstrate how these objectives and outcomes build upon their previous knowledge (coursework) and current scholarship in the field (secondary sources). The purpose of the statement of interest is not to hold the successful applicant to a particular research program but to enable the Graduate Committee to assess the applicant’s abilities to prepare, conceptualize, and organize a research agenda – abilities invaluable for graduate coursework, particularly essay writing. This statement should be 250 to 500 words (1-2 pages) in length.
Writing Sample
Please upload a pdf of a writing sample from one of your undergraduate courses; the sample must have an instructor’s name on it along with details of the course in which the essay was written (full course code and course title). The sample should be a clean, ungraded copy. It should ideally be your best example of writing and should provide evidence of your ability to argue persuasively and conduct research or theoretical inquiry into an English literary topic. You, no doubt, want to provide an essay that deals with your proposed primary field. The sample should be 1500 to 3000 words (6 to 12 pages) in length.
Referees
A complete application to our MA program must include two references. For more information, click here.
The Three Streams
For information on the three streams (Coursework, Research Essay, Thesis) please review the MA Program Guidebook.
Specializations
At the Master’s level we offer specializations in African Studies, Climate Change, and Digital Humanities.
For program requirements and regulations please review the Graduate Calendar.
Applying to the MA Program
Fall application deadline: the deadline to submit a complete application, including referee letters, and to be considered for available funding is February 1. Applicants are advised to contact their referees ahead of time to ensure that references are received by the application deadline (Feb. 1).
For important information on the admission process and how to apply, please the Graduate Admissions (FGPA) page. Please contact englishgrad@carleton.ca with any questions you may have about our graduate program, before submitting your application.
NOTE: Our MA is a one-year (twelve months) program. We admit students only in the fall term.
Awards and Funding
There are a variety of internal and external funding opportunities for students in the MA and PhD programs. Applications for external awards must be made in the year prior to the year in which the award will be taken up.
Please visit the Awards and Funding page for more information. Students may also contact the graduate administrator, via email, with questions regarding funding.
International Students
Fall application deadline: the deadline to submit a complete application, including referee letters, and to be considered for available funding is February 1. Applicants are advised to contact their referees ahead of time to ensure that references are received by the application deadline (Feb. 1). Please contact englishgrad@carleton.ca with any questions you may have about our graduate program, before submitting your application.
Our graduate program is eager to consider international applications. We note, however, that international student fees can be quite prohibitive, while the funding we can access to support international students is limited. For important information regarding graduate admissions, please see below: