MA English at University of Pittsburgh

Programme overview

The terminal MA in English grounds the study of texts and discourses in theoretical and critical debates, with options in composition, film studies and literature. Students take courses alongside the PhD programme and often use the MA before a PhD or a public/private sector career.

Faculty: Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences | Department: Department of English | Intake: Fall | Location: Pittsburgh, PA, United States

What you will study

Coursework, a research paper and proficiency in a foreign language; electives may concentrate broadly or in composition, film studies or literature focal areas (Children's Literature and Childhood Studies; Genealogies of Modernity; Media and Material Practices; Race, Poetics, and Empire).

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Online application: unofficial transcripts, detailed statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation, critical writing sample (about 20-25 pages), application fee; deadline December 10, 2026. Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (2.76-2.99 admitted provisionally). GRE not considered. MA applicants must provide a guarantee of external funding (e.g. staff tuition benefit). International: TOEFL 90 (22 per section), IELTS 7.0 (6.5 per section) or Duolingo 120.

Domestic applicants: USD 27,412 a year (2026-27). Pennsylvania-resident graduate tuition, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, full-time two terms (fall and spring). Tuition only; mandatory fees and other expenses excluded. Source

International applicants: USD 49,272 a year (2026-27). Out-of-state (non-PA resident) graduate tuition, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, full-time two terms (fall and spring). Tuition only; mandatory fees and other expenses excluded. Source

Entry terms (Fall, Spring, Summer) and deadlines are set by each school or department; the University's graduate catalog lists Fall, Spring and Summer terms for new graduate students.

Graduate and professional applications are made online to the school or department of intended study, with deadlines set by each school or department; official English-test results are required from applicants from countries where English is not the official language.

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