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English

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Lifelong skills.
Reading, writing, critical thinking. Enroll in UToledo's graduate program in English and develop skills that will last a lifetime and help you build a career in whatever field you choose.

Lifelong skills.
Reading, writing, critical thinking. Enroll in UToledo's graduate program in English and develop skills that will last a lifetime and help you build a career in whatever field you choose.

English Master's Degree Overview

The master’s degree program in English at The University of Toledo draws a talented group of students from across the country and the world. Our committed faculty not only teaches these students, it mentors them. 

UToledo’s master’s program has a strong record of success in preparing students for post-graduate life. We're a particularly good fit for students who are not quite ready for a large M.A. or Ph.D. program, but who benefit from the personal mentorship and training we offer in a smaller graduate program.

We offer two distinct M.A. programs in English: 

  • Literature 
  • Writing studies 

The literature concentration offers UToledo graduate students freedom to pursue their own goals and interests. They are expected to: 

  • Study selected, major authors and literary movements in the world (including England and the Americas) 
  • Improve their ability to analyze, explain and criticize literary works 

The concentration in writing studies introduces theoretical concepts, pedagogical activities and research methods, including rhetoric and composition and English as a second language. We prepare graduate students to: 

  • Start careers as college writing instructors 
  • Enter Ph.D. programs in writing-related areas 
  • Build skills to complement our students' current careers in education, business and more 

English Master's Degree Highlights

Vibrant faculty. Our energetic community of scholars mentors graduate students and teaches a wide range of classes in literature and writing. They are active researchers, poets and novelists. Graduate seminars are small with a strong interdisciplinary, multicultural focus. 

Funding options. Our graduate students can apply for scholarships, teaching fellowships and assistantships.  

  • All qualified, full-time students are considered for graduate assistantships, which include a full tuition waiver and stipend.  
  • Most UToledo master's English students get valuable teaching experience by working as teaching assistants in the composition program.  
  • Funding is available to cover students' travel costs to attend and present research at national conferences. 

Multidisciplinary and independent study courses. UToledo faculty offers classes and seminars in a broad array of English and writing topics — from African-American and postcolonial and diasporic literature to writing in multimedia environments. 

Individual attention. Our small class sizes allow for one-on-one interaction between students and faculty. 

State-of-the-art multimedia and computer classrooms. 

Network. UToledo’s English department educates and inspires. It hosts outstanding speakers and sponsors workshops and symposiums. 

  • Listen to distinguished writers and scholars at our annual Richard M. Summers Memorial Lecture and other events. The Summers lecture is aligned with a graduate seminar. Guests speak publicly, but also interact closely with students in the seminar and smaller, question-and-answer settings. Recent speakers included George Saunders, Zadie Smith, Danzy Senna, Naomi Shihab Nye, Carl Phillips, Mark Doty, Wai Chee Dimock, Michael Bérubé, Vijay Prashad and Carolyn Williams.
  • Workshops on professionalization have addressed Ph.D. applications, post-graduate careers and how to transition into a doctoral program. 
  • A recent day-long symposium called “ ‘I Got a Lust for Life’: The Unique Words and Sounds of Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan” featured several distinguished speakers, including Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Tyehimba Jess.  

UToledo's unique Typography Lab. English graduate students learn “The Art and Process of the Book,” during which they create and produce fine-press books. The lab is run by Professor Tim Geiger. It is the home of his literary fine press imprint, Aureole Press. 

Teaching experience. Our English graduate assistants teach in the Department of English Composition Program. Graduate students also tutor in the UToledo Writing Center. 


Career Opportunities

UToledo graduate students in the English master's program have been accepted into doctoral programs at: 

University of Texas, Austin Syracuse University
University of Minnesota Penn State University
Michigan State University University of Iowa
Howard University University of New Mexico

UToledo alumni of the master’s program in English are working as:  

Editor, Beacon Press, Boston Screenwriter/editor, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton
Founder and editor, Girls in Capes (online publishing)  Marketing manager, Cengage Publishing, Boston
Community library manager, Queens Library, New York Education resource specialist, WGTE public television, Toledo
Attorney specializing in criminal defense and civil rights litigation, Chicago Head of education and outreach services, University of Colorado, Denver Libraries
English instructors, Owens Community College, Rutgers University and others  

Our Alumni

Andrea Falcone, M.A. ’04, MLS, is the head of education and outreach services at the University of Colorado, Denver Libraries. She leads a program offering one-time, course-integrated instruction. She is the editor of the Beta Phi Mu Scholars Series published by Rowman & Littlefield and is the column editor for “Perspectives on Public Services,” which appears in International Information & Library Review.


"As a graduate assistant at Toledo, I gained valuable experience in the classroom, and by the time I graduated from UT in 2006, I had already found a full-time position as an instructor of developmental English at Wor-Wic [Community College]."

Charles Porter, '06, M.A. in English, concentration in literature

Porter is an assistant professor of developmental English at Wor-Wic Community College in Salisbury, Md. He operates the ESL program at his college and earned an M.A. as a Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).


English Master's Degree Plan of Study

English Master's Degree Sample Classes 

M.A. in English literature concentration  

  • Medieval and Early Tudor Drama 
  • Autobiographical Impulse in 20th Century American Blues Literature, Drama and Music Devotion and Blasphemy: 17th Century Religious Poetry 
  • Postcolonialism and the City 
  • Single-author courses on John Milton, Emily Dickinson, Alice Walker, Salman Rushdie and Zadie Smith  

M.A. in English writing studies concentration  

  • Seminar in English Instruction 
  • Current Writing Theory 
  • Methods of Research in Composition Studies 
  • SocioLinguistics 
  • Linguistics Principles 

View Plan of Study

Research Opportunities

UToledo English faculty members are dedicated teachers and active researchers, theorists, poets and novelists. They have expertise in: 

British, American and world literature Rhetoric and composition
African-American literature Cell 4
Postcolonial and diasporic literature Writing theory and pedagogy 
Victorian literature Writing in multimedia environments
Linguistics Business and technical writing

Want More Information?


English Master's Degree

2 years

Program Availability

 On Campus

Program Quick Links

View Admission Requirements
Department of English Language and Literature
College of Arts and Letters
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Scholarship Opportunities

The University of Toledo is on a mission to make college affordable for everyone. Use our search tool to find scholarships you qualify for.

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Last Updated: 3/20/2023