Our course-based MA stream is designed for students who wish to explore a wide range of approaches to literary and cultural studies. Through six elective courses, students encounter multiple frameworks, methodologies, and types of literary/cultural production, and gain valuable opportunities to interact with different sets of peers and study under multiple faculty members.

Students in this stream also complete one required core course (ECS 799: Critical and Creative Approaches to Literary and Cultural Studies) which includes an independent project focused on writing with/in/for communities. ECS 799 is a pass/fail course and acts as a hub for student-centered community and discussion regarding the Public Humanities. Students devise their own public-facing research or research creation projects,which they present at a colloquium in early August. The ECS 799 colloquium resembles a mini-conference, and provides an ideal opportunity for skill-building in professionalization. Learn more about this course, and the novel kinds of independent project possibilities it fosters, by reading this story in the McMaster Daily News.

Students in this stream have two scheduling options for completing program requirements:

Option 1

Option 2

Like our course-based stream, the MA stream with Major Research Project (MRP) offers students valuable opportunities to exchange ideas in a range of graduate courses. In this stream, however, students pursue more extended independent work via a Major Research Project focused on a particular topic in literary studies, cultural studies, critical theory, and/or synergies between these fields.

Students in this stream complete five elective courses over the fall and winter terms, and one required core course (ECS 733: Doing Research in English and Cultural Studies) in the winter term. ECS 733, assessed on a pass/fail basis, introduces key terms, frameworks, and research skills and acts as a hub for supporting students as they begin planning independent MRP work. In late spring, students gain further opportunities for skill-building in professionalization by presenting MRP work in progress at a colloquium attended by peers and faculty.

Students are welcome to pursue Major Research Projects (MRPs) focused in literary studies, cultural studies, critical theory, and/or synergies between these fields. While creative work may be woven into an MRP, the Major Research Project is typically a critical intervention resembling, in format, a scholarly article. The MRP, due in August, will be 7,500 to 10,000 words (30 to 40 pages) plus bibliography. This length, which is typical for many academic journal submissions, gives MA students in this stream a valuable opportunity to develop research for possible future publication.

Students in the MA in English and Cultural Studies MRP stream complete program requirements according to this schedule:

Our department houses a wide range of opportunities for graduate students to develop their skills, find community, and engage with faculty experts.

Learn more about life in our department:

Our Community

Tuition and Supplemental Fees

Visit Graduate Studies to learn more about tuition and supplementary fees.

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Paid Teaching Opportunities

Paid teaching opportunities offer our MA students invaluable occasions for professionalization and career development:

• All full-time graduate students in our department are guaranteed paid Teaching Assistant (TA) positions, supported by paid training as well as instructor/faculty-led supervision. MA students typically work as TAs for a first- and second-year undergraduate English and Cultural Studies courses, or outside of the department in programs like iArts, Gender Studies, Global Peace and Social Justice, and Communication Studies and Media Arts.
• TAships generally involve running weekly tutorials, grading student work, and meeting with students individually. Marking TAs do not run tutorials, but instead grade essays and may meet with students individually to discuss their work. Writing Tutor TAs support undergraduate students in English & Cultural Studies courses to improve their writing, through one-on-one consultations and facilitated workshops on thesis statements, grammar, argument, and citation.

Scholarships and Funding

All full-time MA and PhD students receive scholarship funding from McMaster University. The McMaster Graduate Scholarship (MGS) is the most common form of scholarship support available to graduate students across the Faculty of Humanities. The MGS ensures that students receive a guaranteed minimum level of scholarship support. Adjustments to the MGS will depend on other available scholarships; please see the Faculty of Humanities Adjustments guidelines policy for additional details.

ECS graduate scholarship funding offers are competitive with those of other major programs in Canada, and applicants to the Department of English and Cultural Studies are often awarded named internal scholarships such as the Harry Lyman Hooker Senior Fellowships, the Harvey E. Longboat Graduate Scholarships for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Students, the Ontario Trillium Scholarship (OGS), and the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS).

Our department prioritizes mentorship for in-program students who apply for additional internal awards (including awards for which international students are eligible).r We also support MA students who wish to apply for major external awards for a subsequent PhD program at McMaster or elsewhere. This support includes information sessions, draft workshops, and one-on-one consultations with the graduate chair. Our graduate students have an excellent track record in securing prestigious external awards such as Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS), SSHRC Doctoral fellowships, CGS-Master’s awards, and Vanier scholarships.

For both MA in English and Cultural Studies streams, the minimum admission requirement is a four-year undergraduate degree (Bachelor of Honours), with a major concentration in English, Cultural Studies, or a related discipline, and with an average of B+ in at least 36 units (12 half or 6 full courses) beyond the introductory level in English, Cultural Studies or a related discipline. For MRP stream applicants, the admissions committee gives additional consideration to candidates’ tentative project descriptions, outlined in the Statement of Interest, to ensure a match with supervisory capacity among available faculty members.

For both streams: Applicants who do not hold a post-secondary degree whose language of instruction was English, are required to provide an official record of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A TOEFL score of 600 on the paper-based test, 250 on the computerized test, and 100 on the Internet-based test is required. If you are submitting the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test, a score of 7 is required. Please note that achieving the minimum required score on these tests is not always sufficient for admission.

There is a separate application process for each MA stream. Once students begin their program, there is no option to switch between streams. To learn more about which stream is the best match for your interests, please consult our Frequently Asked Questions page below.

Applications should reach the Department of English and Cultural Studies at McMaster no later than JANUARY 14th. Applications and supplementary documentation must be submitted through the application portal – open November 1^st. Only completed applications, which include all required supporting documentation, will be reviewed. Application fees are non-refundable. Please read the information below, before beginning your application. For questions regarding the application process, please email us at englgrsc@mcmaster.ca.

Required Documentation

You must compile the following required materials for the MA program application. Please ensure that all required documents listed below (other than transcripts) are uploaded to the area in the online application form where you include your CV, Statement of Interest, and Writing Sample.

Can the application fee be waived?

• Unfortunately, this fee is mandatory to apply into the program. No waivers can be granted.

How are my international grades calculated?

• The university uses the Ontario University Registrars’ Association guides to calculating international grades.

How do I know which MA stream is the best match for what I want to do?

• Both include graduate seminars with small enrollments, through which students build a rich intellectual community and get to know multiple members of our faculty.
• The course-based stream has one additional elective, which exposes students to more professors and more varied topics of study. This is a good option for prospective applicants wishing to explore a wide range of new areas and ideas.
• Students in the Major Research Project stream complete one less elective, and direct more of their time to individual areas of research interest, through the MRP.
• Both streams allow students to explore their own research passions and interests.
• The independent Public Humanities project in the course-based stream allows greater freedom for creative independent work. The Major Research Project provides a more extended opportunity for completing research under the guidance of a supervising faculty member.

Can I switch from one stream to the other, once I am accepted?

• No: students are admitted to a particular stream, and their funding and space in the program is for that stream only.

Which MA stream is best for students wishing to apply for a PhD?

• Both streams are equally relevant to students who may wish to apply for future graduate study at the PhD level. Both programs involve coursework through which students interact closely with faculty members who get to know their research skills and abilities through discussion-based learning, shorter assignments, and more independently defined final research papers. Additionally, each stream includes either an independent project or a Major Research Project. All of these components allow our MA students to demonstrate research aptitudes and passions of the kind required for PhD applications.

How do I narrow down the focus of my independent research during my MA?

• Students who complete our MA program often reflect on how taking courses helped spark their interest in research areas they may not have anticipated being excited by, prior to entering the program. Many of our faculty encourage students to choose final research paper topics that allow them to explore areas and topics related to their individual interests. Even if the particular theme or historical period of the graduate seminar is not directly related to your interests at first glance, often students encounter new theories, methodologies, and readings that end up being highly generative for their future projects.

Do I need to choose a topic for my independent project or MRP that will be the basis for my PhD dissertation?

• Your MA research may well form the basis for your proposed PhD topic, but this is definitely not a requirement.

Is it necessary to consult a potential supervisor prior to applying for the MA in English & Cultural Studies MRP stream?

• Securing an MRP supervisor is not required before entering the program. However, the admissions committee appreciates when applicants include suggestions of faculty members working in fields related to the proposed project. Learn about faculty whose areas of research align with your interests by consulting this guide to Our Research Clusters. Please note: additional supervisors may be available. Contact the program for more information.