University of Chicago

What you'll study

The programme combines intensive seminar work with directed independent research. Core emphases include literary history and period study (medieval, early modern, eighteenth‑ and nineteenth‑century, modern and contemporary), literary theory and criticism, and advanced methods such as textual scholarship and digital humanities. Students typically take seminars in close reading, theory, and a specialised field of concentration, and compile a sustained piece of research—a supervised essay or thesis—that demonstrates original argumentation and mastery of relevant critical methods.

Typical seminar topics and modules include:

• Literary Theory and Critical Methods — contemporary critical theory, interpretive strategies, and the history of criticism.
• Period Seminars — focused study of major periods (for example, Renaissance drama, Romantic poetry, Victorian fiction, twentieth‑century modernism, and contemporary literatures).
• Genre and Form — seminars in poetry, drama, the novel, and non‑fiction forms.
• American and World Literatures — transatlantic and comparative approaches, including postcolonial and global modernities.
• Textual Scholarship and Book History — methods for working with manuscripts, early print, and editorial practice.
• Digital Methods — introduction to digital research tools for text analysis and scholarly communication.

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent with strong academic performance in English or a related humanities discipline. Admissions emphasise a demonstrated capacity for close reading and sustained critical writing.

Typical application materials required are:

• A statement of purpose outlining academic interests and objectives;
• A sample of academic writing (usually an essay or paper demonstrating analytical skill);
• Letters of recommendation (commonly two or three) from academic referees familiar with the applicant’s work;
• An academic transcript from all post‑secondary institutions attended;
• Curriculum vitae summarising scholarly and professional experience;
• Proof of English language proficiency for applicants whose first language is not English.

Standard expectations include a competitive academic record and a writing sample that shows clear argumentation and engagement with literary texts. Applicants with relevant professional experience or interdisciplinary preparation are also considered. Policies on standardised tests and funding vary; consult the programme admissions page for current details.

Career prospects

Graduates use the master’s both as preparation for doctoral research and as professional training for careers that require advanced critical thinking and communication skills. Common pathways include:

• Progression to doctoral programmes in English or related fields;
• Publishing, editing and literary agency roles;
• Education and teaching (often combined with additional certification for school‑level teaching);
• Roles in museums, archives and libraries, particularly those involving curation or collections research;
• Communications, public relations, policy analysis and non‑profit work where interpretive and writing skills are central;
• Digital humanities and scholarly communication positions that combine literary expertise with technical methods.

Why study at University of Chicago

The University of Chicago is known for its rigorous, theoretically informed approach to literary study and for a faculty engaged in a wide range of historical and interdisciplinary research. Students benefit from small, discussion‑based seminars and close mentorship from scholars working across medieval to contemporary literatures and in allied fields such as philosophy, history and the visual arts.

Resources include extensive library collections, special collections and archival holdings, and opportunities for collaboration with research centres and institutes on campus. The programme’s emphasis on original research and methodological breadth makes it suitable both for those aiming at an academic career and for students seeking to transfer humanistic skills into cultural, educational and public‑facing professions.