Emory University

Programme overview

The MA in English Language and Literature at Emory offers a balance of close textual study, theoretical training and research practice. Students work with faculty across literary periods and topical specialisms in seminars and tutorials, and have the option to complete a sustained research thesis or a capstone project. The programme emphasises interdisciplinary approaches and provides opportunities to gain teaching experience and to use archival and digital resources housed at Emory.

What you'll study

Coursework covers a broad range of periods, genres and methods. Typical areas of study include:

• Historical and Period Studies – medieval, Renaissance, eighteenth‑ and nineteenth‑century, modernist and contemporary literatures in British and American traditions.
• Theory and Criticism – formalist, historicist, psychoanalytic, feminist, queer, postcolonial and race studies approaches to interpretation.
• Language and Rhetoric – history of the English language, linguistic approaches to texts and rhetoric.
• Cultural and Media Studies – intersections of literature with film, visual culture, performance and popular media.
• Creative Writing and Workshops – opportunities to practise and receive feedback on poetry, fiction or creative nonfiction in workshop settings.
• Digital Humanities and Research Methods – training in archival research, digital tools for textual analysis, and methods for scholarly publishing.

Students typically combine seminars with independent study and may pursue a thesis or a substantial project that demonstrates mastery of a chosen topic.

Entry requirements

Applicants should hold a bachelor’s degree in English, literature, or a closely related field, with evidence of strong academic performance in humanities coursework. Application materials usually include academic transcripts, a personal statement outlining research interests and goals, a writing sample that demonstrates analytic and interpretive ability, and letters of recommendation from academic or professional referees. International applicants must meet the university’s English language requirements. Some applicants pursue this MA after work experience or in preparation for doctoral study; the admissions committee evaluates each application holistically.

Career prospects

Graduates move into a range of professions that value critical reading, research and communication skills. Common pathways include:

• Further academic study and entry to PhD programmes.
• Teaching at secondary and post-secondary levels, often supplemented by teacher certification where required.
• Publishing and editorial work, literary and cultural journalism.
• Library, archive and museum careers, particularly where archival or curatorial skills are developed during the programme.
• Roles in cultural organisations, non-profit management, communications, policy and media.
• Positions in digital humanities, textual scholarship and information management that draw on computing and research methods learned in the degree.

Why study at Emory University

Emory offers concentrated mentorship in a research-intensive liberal arts environment located in Atlanta, a city with vibrant cultural institutions and publishing, media and non-profit sectors. Students benefit from extensive library and archival holdings, including special collections and manuscript resources, as well as opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration with departments such as history, African American studies, film and media. Teaching assistantships and professional-development programming help prepare graduates for academic and non-academic careers, while the university’s networks in the region support internships and partnerships beyond campus.