The English at Northeastern University is a Master program designed for students who want to build the knowledge and skills required for careers in this field. Delivered on campus at the Boston campus in United States of America, the program is taught in English and takes 2 years to complete. Students study in a Full Time environment while preparing for future professional opportunities. The next intake starts on January 1, 2027.

About Master of English

The Master of Arts program gives students broad exposure to the current state of literary studies—its history, its methodologies, its ever-changing canon, and its production of new knowledge. The program offers study in all areas of English and American literature, and in rhetorical criticism, the teaching of writing, and the role of rhetorical practices in shaping disciplinary, institutional, and cultural knowledges and identities. The graduate program in English encompasses a spectrum of traditional literary fields from the medieval period to postmodernism, as well as rhetoric and composition, linguistics, and digital humanities. Research and teaching in interdisciplinary areas, including American studies, African-American studies, gender studies, and cultural studies, are also well represented within the program. At Northeastern University, graduate students in English may take full advantage of the opportunities that the greater Boston area affords as the site of rich cultural and educational resources.

Learn more about the Master of Arts in English from the College of Social Sciences and Humanities.

More Details

Unique Features

Master’s students may be nominated for scholarships
Opportunities for involvement in cutting-edge research in centers including the NULab for Texts, Maps, and Networks; the Writing Center; the Digital Scholarship Group; and the Humanities Center as well as with individual faculty
The department has strong graduate faculty in the fields of American literature; transatlantic and Caribbean studies; digital humanities; writing and rhetoric

Career Outlook

Many successful MA English graduates have been accepted to well-regarded PhD programs throughout the country, including Cornell, Loyola University Chicago, Notre Dame, Princeton, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the State University of New York at Buffalo, the University of California-Davis, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, University of Minnesota, and the University of Washington. Others have found the program valuable for enhancing their credentials and opening opportunities for advancement in a variety of fields, including teaching, publishing, writing, law, and business.

The Master of Arts in English launches students into the study of literature, writing, and rhetoric at the graduate level. The program offers two years of intensive study in the major fields of British and American literature, covering the debates and approaches that animate the discipline of English. Our MA graduates are fully prepared to proceed to study at the doctoral level, and their training in critical thinking, language skills, and cultural history has also proven to be fruitful preparation for a range of careers outside of academia.

Master’s students may be nominated for scholarships
Opportunities for involvement in cutting-edge research in centers including the NULab for Texts, Maps, and Networks; the Writing Center; the Digital Scholarship Group; and the Humanities Center as well as with individual faculty
The department has strong graduate faculty in the fields of American literature; transatlantic and Caribbean studies; digital humanities; writing and rhetoric

Requirements and Admission Criteria for Master of English at Northeastern University

Entry Requirements

Admissions Dates

Fall Term

Spring Term


Final deadline for international applicants:	June 15
Final deadline for domestic applicants (non-international):	August 15
Deadline for special student applicants (non-international only):	August 25


Final deadline for international applicants:	October 1
Final deadline for domestic applicants (non-international):	December 15
Final deadline for Special Student applicants (non-international only):	December 15

English Requirements

PTEMin 76
IELTSMin 8
TOEFLMin 108

English Program Requirements

Northeastern students will be exposed to not only a rigorous academic environment but also a fast-paced experiential one. In order to be successful in both, all first-year and transfer applicants, regardless of citizenship, must demonstrate proficiency in English to be considered for admission to Northeastern.

Once your application is submitted, received, and processed, you will be able to access your Application Status Check. If you are required to provide further information regarding your proficiency in English, you will be able to complete the requirement in several ways, depending on your familiarity with English, and the frequency with which you use English each and every day:

Non-native English-speaking applicants will be required to submit official and valid results from one of the following English Language Tests:
- C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency (Cambridge English)
- Duolingo English Test (DET)
- IELTS Academic
- PTE Academic
- TOEFL Internt-based Test (CEEB Code: 3667) Northeastern will accept either the in-person version completed in a test center, or the TOEFL iBT Home Edition
However, based on your academic environment and the primary instructional language in either your high school or university, you may be eligible for a waiver. All waivers must be submitted through your Application Status Check. For additional information and to determine whether or not you are eligible for a waiver, please read the section below on waiving the English proficiency requirement.

Please note: Northeastern’s Admissions Committee reserves the right to request proof of English language proficiency from any applicant, regardless of citizenship or first language, at any time during the evaluation process.

Career Opportunities after Completing Master of English

Many successful MA English graduates have been accepted to well-regarded PhD programs throughout the country, including Cornell, Loyola University Chicago, Notre Dame, Princeton, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the State University of New York at Buffalo, the University of California-Davis, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, University of Minnesota, and the University of Washington. Others have found the program valuable for enhancing their credentials and opening opportunities for advancement in a variety of fields, including teaching, publishing, writing, law, and business.

Tuition and Fee Information for Master of English at Northeastern University

Application Fee 75

How to Apply for Master of English at Northeastern University

1.Create your application
Submit your application through The Common Application or the Coalition Application (both are accepted). Once you have created your application, please select Northeastern University to directly submit your application to us. Application fee of $75 or need-based fee waiver* *Northeastern accepts need-based fee waivers from the Common Application, the Coalition Application, as well as organizations such as the College Board and ACT, or in a written request from a school official.
2.Submit all required materials
Double check to make sure that you have submitted all required materials. Even if your application has been submitted, we cannot begin reviewing your file until all of your required materials have been received. For applicants applying for the 2022-2023 academic year, Northeastern University is test-optional and does not require standardized testing to complete an application for admission.
3.Check your application status
Within seven days of applying, you should receive a confirmation email containing your Northeastern University ID number and instructions for setting up your Application Status Check account. To ensure all of the necessary documents have been submitted, and for updates or information about your application, visit your application status check.