The Master of Arts in English is designed to provide flexibility in meeting individual student interests while ensuring a broad understanding of the professional study of English. The program builds upon students’ undergraduate work in English by offering the opportunity to pursue several different areas of concentration in depth. The program also serves as excellent preparation for doctoral-level study in English. For the purposes of financial aid, a “full-time” status for graduate students is 9 credits (3 courses) each semester. The English Department strongly advises against taking more than 3 courses per semester.
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (4.0 scale) in English and 2.75 overall.
36 credit hours in English, at least 27 of which must be in English literature, exclusive of basic college writing.
Students must demonstrate competency in written English by submitting a writing sample of their best academic work. Students for whom English is an alternate language are required to submit evidence of passing TOEFL scores.
Applicants should review “Admission to a Graduate Program” in the Buffalo State catalog.
30 credits (typically 10 courses), a comprehensive exam after the first year, competence in one foreign language, as well as in written and oral English.
1 course in Research in Language and Literature (ENG 601);
1 course in each of the following: British, American, and World Literature;
1 course in genre study or linguistics (ENG 641, 642, 643, or 670);
1 course in social, critical, or literary theory (644 or 645 or 652).
4 courses in English or other academic areas, selected under advisement.
Students are not required to complete a Master’s Thesis (6 credits) or Project (3 credits), but they may do so if they meet the program’s thesis criteria. See pages 17-19 for details.
Each student is assigned an academic adviser (the MA Coordinator).
Prior to the completion of 18 credit hours, students must demonstrate competence
in one foreign language, as well as in written and oral English. This requirement may be fulfilled with the completion of one year of college language. Check with your advisor.
A comprehensive examination is required for all M.A. students after the completion of at least 18 credits. See page on Comprehensive Exam for details.
Some content on this page is saved in PDF format. To view these files, download Adobe Acrobat Reader free. If you are having trouble reading a document, request an accessible copy of the PDF or Word Document.
