Letter from the Director
There are many reasons to pursue a Master of Arts in English degree. Maybe a literature professor sparked your interest in a particular writer or school of writers and you want to delve deeper. Maybe you love working with undergraduate students and want to learn how to mentor them in their writing. Whether you plan to pursue a PhD, to go directly into teaching, or to explore any number of related professional opportunities, our MA program provides a welcoming, inspiring, student-focused environment that will give you the skills you need to attain your goals.
Our faculty boasts a wide range of exciting specialists in numerous periods, genres, and approaches to writing, and many of our students go on to be placed in top PhD programs. We encourage you to come join the community of thinkers and writers here in beautiful Wyoming.
Michael Edson
Director
Program Details
Program Concentrations
Choose from concentrations in Public Humanities, Literature, or Rhetoric & Composition
ConcentrationsFunding
All students admitted to the program are funded with a graduate assistantship. Additional funding may be available for conference presentations and research travel.
Teaching & Professional Development
Graduate students are expected to teach one course each semester. First-year students teach ENGL 1010. Second-year students may teach other courses and be eligible for Writing Center work and other internships.
Program Requirements
To receive an MA in English degree, students must complete 26 hours of course work and 4 hours of thesis research.
Student Handbook
The student handbook provides details for the Reading List Exam and Thesis requirements for the MA in English Program. It also includes a link to the MA course rotation for a given semester.
Faculty Specializations
Graduate students use this directory to find an appropriate chair or third reader for their thesis committee.
Online MA in English
The Online/Low Residency MA in English program provides an opportunity for those who are not able to live in Laramie full-time to receive an MA degree through a combination of summer classes and online classes throughout the regular school year.
Non-English-Degree Seeking students
Masters students from Education, Criminal Justice/Sociology, and other UW programs seeking English classes for degree credit, as well as non-degree seeking students, may request approval to enroll in English MA courses. Non-degree students and students seeking degrees from other units should contact the English Director of Graduate Studies to express interest. Interested students will submit a letter of application and writing sample (10–15 pages) for review. Decisions to permit students to enroll in English MA courses will be made on a case-by-case basis. Instructors have final say on allowing non-English degree students to enroll in their courses. Interested students should contact the DGS as early as possible, and no later than Aug. 1 (for fall courses) and Jan. 1 (for spring courses). English caps the number of students from other units enrolling in courses each semester. English students have priority in enrolling for English classes, so high-demand courses in English may be unavailable to students outside the program.
The above policy applies to courses in the campus-based English program only. The online English MA offered at UW is a separate program and is not open to students from outside that program. Please keep in mind that campus MA courses are rarely offered during summer sessions. Non-degree seeking students and students from other units should plan their schedules accordingly.
