MA English at University of Illinois Chicago

Programme overview

The Department of English offers work leading to degrees in English at both the master’s and doctoral levels. Students in the MA and PhD pursue one of three areas of emphasis: English Studies, Creative Writing (also known as the Program for Writers), and English Education.

Faculty: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Study mode: full-time | Location: Chicago, IL, United States

What you will study

Minimum 32 semester hours required. Project consisting of a qualifying paper required for all areas of specialization. Required courses include Master's Proseminar; Master's Project Research in English; may be counted toward the degree.; Language and Literacy (as one of two Bridge Series courses); Campus Writing Consultants; The Teaching of Writing in Middle and Secondary Schools.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Prior degree: Applicants who intend to specialize in English Studies or English Education must have an undergraduate major in English or the equivalent that includes a balanced program in English and American literature beyond the level of sophomore surveys. Applicants who intend to specialize in Creative Writing may have an undergraduate major or a graduate degree in any field, if they show substantial evidence of ability to complete the work in literature required for the degree in English. GPA: At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study and for all graduate work. Tests: None, except in cases of English proficiency for some non-native speakers of English (see below). Letters of recommendation: Three required, preferably from individuals acquainted with the applicant’s recent academic, professional, or creative work.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Graduate and professional programmes admit for Fall, Spring and Summer terms depending on the programme; applications for Fall 2027, Spring 2028 and Summer 2028 are expected to open on August 1, 2026.

Graduate and professional application deadlines are set per programme, with separate deadlines for domestic and international applicants for most non-online programmes; optional earlier priority, recommended or fellowship dates apply to both. Applications are made through the UIC graduate application or a centralized application service for some professional programmes.

Apply through the official page: https://grad.uic.edu/admissions/

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