Graduate programs

The English department at Wayne State University is engaged in researching and re-conceptualizing what it means to read and write English in the twenty-first century and invites energetic, intellectually adventurous students to join in this pursuit. The graduate program is designed for students who show promise in the formal study and teaching of language, literature, film, rhetoric, composition, and culture and seek to pursue a master of arts (M.A.) and/or Ph.D. in these areas.

The M.A. program can be used to prepare for doctoral work and/or as a terminal degree used to develop expertise in particular areas of study (e.g., professional writing, creative writing). Prospective M.A. students are encouraged to consult our M.A. handbook.

The doctoral program provides the focus for all graduate studies in English and ensures that students receive an education at the highest possible level.

Prospective Ph.D. students are encouraged to review our recent Ph.D. dissertations and job placements, as well as to consult our Ph.D. handbook (PDF) for a detailed description of Ph.D. program requirements.

Degree programs

• Master of Arts in English
• Ph.D. in English

The Department of English is one of the largest departments in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with a graduate faculty of 20 and a graduate student population of nearly 130 actively pursuing degrees. We offer students the opportunity to specialize in many areas of studies with possible foci on:

• African-American literature
• American literature
• Anglophone literature
• British literature
• Comparative literature
• Creative writing (M.A. only)
• Cultural studies
• Film and media studies
• Linguistics
• Literary theory
• Rhetoric and composition
• Gender, sexuality, and women's studies

Contact

For general program questions, please contact gradenglish@wayne.edu.