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UG

English, Bachelor of Arts / Master of Arts

The Department of English offers an intensive, accelerated combined degree program leading to both the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Master of Arts (M.A.) in five years of full-time study. 

All of the English graduate courses at St. John’s are seminars taught by research faculty who are committed to teaching and mentoring graduate and undergraduate students. The English master's degree curriculum offers students the opportunity to develop programs of study that meet their intellectual and professional goals. Because there is only one required foundational course (Modern Critical Theories), the program provides flexibility for students seeking either broad exposure to advanced English studies or more intensive concentrations in specific fields. Among the areas of study featured in the program are British and American literary history, creative writing and composition studies, and interdisciplinary fields such as gender studies and postcolonial studies. The English department has especially strong numbers of faculty in American studies, modernist studies, and writing and composition studies. It also features excellent faculty in British literary studies.

Department Contact

Amy King, Ph.D.
Professor of English
Director of Graduate Studies
Department of English
St. John Hall, Room B-40
[email protected]

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Degree Type
BA/MA
Area of Interest
Associated Colleges or Schools
Program Location
  • Queens Campus
Required Credit Hours

Admission

Please see the requirement chart for the academic progression criteria in this combined degree program.

Current St. John’s University undergraduates interested in applying to a combined degree program or pathway should consult the appropriate Director of Graduate Studies and their undergraduate academic Dean.

Courses

The graduate program offers a wide range of courses each semester in the late afternoon and evening on the Queens campus. It also offers online courses during the summer. The master’s program consists of 33 credit hours, or 11 courses, including the option to write a three-credit master’s thesis in place of one course. 

In the final semester of your coursework, you will submit a portfolio of their graduate work. The portfolio consists of three graduate course papers, including one extensively revised paper, and a 10-page critical overview of your growth as a reader, scholar, and writer. We also encourage you to participate in the annual St. John’s English graduate student conference.

Career Outcomes

The ability to think critically, write effectively, and engage with intellectual discourse will serve you well as both an academic and professional in a wide range of fields.

Recent graduates of the B.A./M.A. program have received fellowships for doctoral study at some of the best graduate programs in the United States. Others have gone on to law school, established careers in publishing and editing, and obtained middle school and high school teaching positions. 

You can find assistance with finding a job or internship through Career Services, which hosts several workshops and career events throughout the year in addition to one-on-one career counseling.

Interested in , but not sure if English, Bachelor of Arts / Master of Arts is right for you?

Explore opportunities at St. John's with our pathway generator.