Master of Arts in English

The Brandeis master's degree program in English prepares students for high-level careers in teaching, law, business, publishing, writing and administration. You will be well trained in the interpretation and evaluation of literary texts in their historical and cultural contexts. You will hone your analytical skills, sharpen your writing, and improve your close reading. These skills will be of great benefit whether you pursue a teaching position, a doctoral degree or jobs in business, government, nonprofit work or the arts.
Our world-class faculty are dedicated teachers and mentors. Popular areas of focus are women's studies, gender and sexuality, modern American literature, Anglophone literature and postcolonial theory, early modern (especially Renaissance) English literature, literature and science, literary theory and philosophy, and contemporary poetry. Our three-semester program is highly selective and our classes are small, which enables you to work closely with both faculty and peers as you conceive and develop your master's thesis.

In our program, you will benefit from all the hallmarks of a Brandeis education: small classes, dedicated mentoring by top-notch faculty, intellectual diversity, career support and the wealth of academic and cultural resources Boston offers.

The department also offers a separate joint Master of Arts in English and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, which integrates the study of women's experiences and gender roles and allows for exploration of other critical approaches, such as feminism and masculinity, LGBTI/queer, postcolonial and diaspora studies.

A bachelor's degree (or international equivalent) must be obtained prior to matriculation in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
All candidates must submit an application form and application fee. The online application requires the candidate to include a statement of purpose, a curriculum vitae/resume, and unofficial transcripts of academic work completed to date.
There are no GPA or standardized test score cutoffs. If you are applying to a program with a standardized test requirement, you must submit official scores from the testing agencies in order for your application to be considered complete. 100 (TOEFL iBT). 600 (TOEFL Paper-Delivered Test). 7 (IELTS Academic Test)