Master of Arts English Literature Specialization in Medieval and Renaissance Studies

(This program is offered in English only.)

The Department of English offers the degrees of Master of Arts (with coursework, major research paper, or thesis) and Doctor of Philosophy in English. Both programs equip students to pursue advanced studies in British, Canadian, or American literature informed by a broad knowledge of literary history and by recent developments in literary criticism and cultural theory. The department is well known for its annual Canadian Literature Symposium, and its faculty is distinguished and well-published. The Ontario Council on Graduate Studies (OCGS) has consistently awarded the department the council's highest rating.

The department also offers a CO-OP option at the master's level that students can apply to add to either the coursework or the major research paper program.

The department participates in the collaborative programs in Feminist and Gender Studies and in Medieval and Renaissance Studies at the Master's level, and in the collaborative program in Canadian Studies at the PhD level. For more information on these programs, see Program Requirements”.

The collaborative masters in Medieval and Renaissance Studies (MDR) has two goals:

• To offer at the graduate level a multi-disciplinary education in Medieval and Renaissance Studies;
• To teach students the theoretical approaches and methods of research specific to the study of the period.

Since the 16th century, study of the middle ages implies studying a middle, or intermediary period, seen as standing between two great civilizations: Roman antiquity and the modern western world. This definition has had a major impact on scholarship, crystallizing a periodization that has now become traditional in most of the humanities.

The programs are governed by the academic regulations in effect for graduate studies. Please note, however, that any course fulfilling a graduate degree requirement in English must be completed with a mark of B or higher. A student whose record shows any two grades lower than a mark of B will automatically be withdrawn from the program. Most graduate courses in the Department of English at the University of Ottawa carry three units. Requirements are stated in number of units.

• The MA program is intended to refine the critical and scholarly skills of high-achieving graduates from undergraduate honours programs. An honours BA in English literature with a minimum high second class standing of B+ is normally required. A 500-word statement of interest in the program is required with the application. Students applying for the MA with thesis option should submit a sample of their academic writing, such as an essay written for an undergraduate English course.
• Students who have completed a BA or equivalent degree with a minimum of six full courses in English with an average of 75 per cent (B+) may be admitted to a qualifying year which normally comprises 30 units selected to ensure coverage of the major fields of English literature. These courses must be successfully completed in each case with a mark of B+ or higher. By special permission one or two graduate courses may be substituted for the equivalent number of undergraduate courses. After the requirements of the qualifying year have been satisfactorily fulfilled, students may apply for admission to the regular MA program. Such admission will depend on the quality of their overall record.

Collaborative Programs

The Department of English is a participating unit in the collaborative programs in Feminist and Gender Studies (master's level only) and in Medieval and Renaissance Studies (master's level only). Students should indicate in their initial application for admission to the master's program in English that they wish to be accepted into one of the collaborative programs. 

Students who wish to enroll in the collaborative program in Medieval and Renaissance Studies must first be admitted to a master’s program in one of the participating units. Candidates must hold an honours degree or the equivalent.

The courses offered by the collaborative program in Medieval and Renaissance Studies are offered in English, in French, and in a bilingual format. An excellent knowledge of English or French and a passive understanding of the other language are required. Each academic unit maintains its own language requirements. Except in the case of students in the departments of English and Français, all students have the right to submit assignments, the major research paper, or the thesis, and to answer examination questions in the official language of their choice.

• Apply online through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC), by completing form 105.
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