MA Program

Applications for English MA program are reviewed on a rolling basis for start in either the Fall or Spring semesters
English MA programs (except Selznick) can be completed on a part-time basis

Our English MA program differs from many of its peer-programs by virtue of its concentrated timeline. Lasting a single academic year, our immersive, intensive course of study, allowing students to choose from four tracks: 

Our program prepares students to launch confidently and efficiently into the next stage of their careers—whether in teaching, writing, editing, media production, university administration, arts management, public relations, marketing, the non-profit world, or further academic pursuits. See our typical schedule page for a detailed outline of the program.

During their time at the University, MA students benefit from all of the same resources and opportunities as the department’s first-year PhD students, enrolling in the same courses, working with the same faculty, and participating in the same events.

Like the PhD program, the MA program offers students a highly individualized experience. At the end of the program, MA candidates complete a capstone project of their own design and choosing: an MA essay (either scholarly or creative) or a comprehensive MA exam. Our alumni have found each of these options to be effective springboards for professional paths of all kinds. To see what our MA alumni are doing, visit our placement page.

Graduate Student Handbook

Please consult the English Department Graduate Student Handbook for the most up-to-date requirements of the graduate programs in English, including, but not limited to: field exams, language requirements, teaching pedagogy, and advisor selection.

For rules and regulations concerning graduate-level study at the University of Rochester, see the Graduate Bulletin.

Film Preservation Program

In addition to the traditional English MA, the department also offers—in cooperation with the George Eastman Museum’s L. Jeffrey Selznick School of Film Preservation—a special English MA that combines a concentration in film and media studies with certification in preservation and archiving.

Students completing this degree will receive a master’s degree in English with a Certificate of Advanced Achievement in Film Studies and Preservation. The first museum-based university collaboration of its kind, the program joins humanistic study with hands-on training in curatorial and conservation work. See our typical schedule page for a detailed outline of the program.

Professional Development

Each year the graduate program sponsors a number of workshops designed to further the academic and professional goals of our MA students. These include sessions on:

  • Applying to PhD programs (writing an effective statement of purpose)
  • Planning the capstone MA essay (choosing a topic, finding an advisor, plus researching/writing strategies)
  • Applying to and attending conferences (writing successful paper-proposals; how a conference paper differs from a seminar paper)
  • Adjunction and other opportunities for those students looking to fill the months between the completion of their MA program and entrance into a PhD program or other full-time occupation
  • Non-academic tracks suitable for English MAs (publishing, editorial work, etc.)

For more professional development resources, see the graduate professional development page.