Academics

Prospective Students

Thank you for your interest in UMass Boston’s English Master of Arts Program!  We are one of the largest liberal arts graduate programs at UMass Boston, Boston’s only public university.  Our English M.A. Program focuses on the intersection of literature, composition, and creative writing.  All of our students engage with the imaginative worlds that texts create—worlds created and shared by literary authors, analytical writers, responsive readers, and reflective thinkers.

We are proud to offer an English M.A. Program that is:

  • Innovative:  You can participate in cutting-edge courses (such as our hands-on rare books seminar at the Boston Public Library), unique extracurriculars (such as our Literary Theory Reading Group), and experiential assistantships (such as our graduate teaching and research assistantships).
  • Relevant and rooted:  You can take seminars on topics that capture both the latest trends and long-standing traditions in English Studies.  Current course topics include the graphic novel, memoir writing, the American city, Victorian realism and sensationalism, and Shakespeare’s contemporaries, among many others.
  • Challenging:  Your coursework trains you in advanced reading, writing, and research methods.  Our seminars, workshops, and research clusters prepare you to undertake a self-defined final project.
  • Individualized:   You will follow your interests as you complete your degree, selecting seminars that support a concentration in literature, composition, or creative writing.  Concentrations can be combined for intra-disciplinary study and you can take courses offered by our M.F.A. program or College of Education.
  • Mentorship-focused:  You will get to know our faculty in small, discussion-centered seminars.  You select a faculty advisor for your self-defined final project.  

These qualities come to life in our lively curriculum and flexible evening programming.  You are encouraged to craft a course of study that meets your interests and needs; you can complete the 10-course (30 credit) degree on a full- or part-time schedule; full-time students typically take 2-3 courses a semester (6-9 credits).  You select your own concentration, courses, final project topic, and final project advisor.  Our English M.A. program has many unique features that allow your interests to develop in a supportive yet challenging environment.  Please explore our website and the links below, which offer more detailed information on our program.

Please make sure to contact us to learn more about our program and application process.  We also encourage you to come to visit us; an appointment to meet with the Graduate Program Director is easily arranged.