May 11, 2025  
Fall 2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
Fall 2025 Graduate Catalog

English, MA


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English Department
Degrees Awarded
Master of Arts in English 
Master of Arts in English with a Concentration in Writing and Rhetoric (not currently accepting applications)
 
Chairperson: Benedict Robinson, Humanities Building 2020
Graduate Program Director: Simone Brioni, Humanities Building 2084
Department Administrator: Margaret Hanley, Humanities Building 2087
 

Through our graduate programs, Stony Brook’s English Department participates in learning communities around the world. Professionals with Stony Brook English degrees teach in secondary schools, colleges and universities, present research at scholarly conferences, and write for specialized and general-interest audiences.

Students enrolled in the Master of Arts program pursue a course of study that includes courses in historical periods, literary genres, topics in gender, race and cultural studies, and various writing workshops. The program offers students the opportunity to broaden as well as deepen their knowledge of literature while also developing their own writing skills. This course of study leads to the Master of Arts degree and requires 30 credits, including a master’s thesis, for completion. Students also have the option to specialize by completing a concentration in Writing and Rhetoric. While pursuing the M.A. in English, students may also earn an interdisciplinary graduate certificate in women’s, gender and sexuality studies, media, arts, cultural and technology, or composition studies. Students in the MA in English Literature program can enroll full-time or part-time. We offer flexible schedules with evening courses and online course options. Students can complete the English MA program entirely online.

Admission Requirements


Applicants for admission to all graduate programs in English should submit all materials by the deadlines listed on the admissions website, linked here. In all cases, admission is determined by the graduate admissions committee of the department under guidelines established by the Graduate School. Applicants are admitted on the basis of their total records, and there are no predetermined quantitative criteria that by themselves ensure a positive or negative decision. There is midyear admission to the MA program but not the PhD program.

Our admissions committee will review an applicant’s file when all documents have been received.

Application Link

The following, in addition to the minimum Graduate School requirements, are required for admission to the MA program:

  1. A bachelor’s degree from a recognized institution;
  2. An average of at least B in the last two years of undergraduate work;
  3. An official transcript of all undergraduate work;
  4. Letters of recommendation from three instructors;
  5. A writing sample (10 double-spaced pages; page count does not include bibliography);
  6. Acceptance by both the Department of English and the Graduate School.

Degree Requirements


In addition to the minimum requirements of the Graduate School, the following are required:

The English MA is a 30-credit coursework degree consisting of multiple elements. Students must complete ten-three credit courses with a minimum 3.0 GPA. 

B. Three Topics Courses (9 credits)


At least two different topic areas must be selected.

C. Four Electives (12 credits)


Electives must be 500-level English courses. With Program Director approval, 600-level English or relevant outside courses from other departments may count.

D. Master’s Thesis (3 credits)


Students must submit a MA thesis.

  • 1-3 credits
  •  

  • Please refer to the English MA Student Handbook for a more detailed discussion of procedures and expectations.

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