Program
The M.A. and Ph.D. programs in English at the University of Saskatchewan offer advanced, research‑focused training in literary and textual studies within a vibrant academic community. Designed for students pursuing original scholarship, the program combines intensive seminars, close faculty supervision, and strong professional development to prepare graduates for academic and diverse professional careers.
Why study English at USask?
- Research‑intensive thesis- or project-based master’s degree
- Broad strengths across literary periods, critical approaches, and interdisciplinary methods
- Close mentorship from experienced faculty supervisors
- Access to rich library, archival, digital research, and teaching‑development resources
Quick facts
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Expected length Thesis-based Project-based Course-based M.A. 1–2 years Ph.D. 4 years - Degree requirements
- Class delivery in-person
- Supervisor approval is not required to apply
- Deadlines and admission details below
Connectors in literary research and critical thought
English M.A. and Ph.D. research areas
The Department of English provides graduate training in literary and textual studies towards M.A. and Ph.D. degrees. Our faculty members supervise graduate work in a range of periods, texts, and methods, including:
- Medieval Studies
- Early Modern Literature
- Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature
- Romantic and Victorian Literatures
- American Literature
- Canadian Literature
- Postcolonial and Decolonizing Literatures
- Indigenous Literature and Storytelling
- Digital Humanities and Digital Studies
- Modernist Studies
- Cultural Studies
- Media Studies
The M.A. program offers a two-year thesis-based option as well as a one-year project-based option. Both include coursework and an independent research component. The Ph.D. program involves coursework and completion of a language requirement, as well as a Field Examination that supports the proposal, development, and defence of a book-length dissertation. An overview of the project is presented as a Works in Progress talk towards the end of the degree, which typically takes four or five years. A Research Methods course and a series of Professional Development seminars are degree requirements designed to support success within and beyond our M.A. and Ph.D. programs.
For more information on our programs, please consult the Department of English Prospective Graduate Students page.
In addition to a welcoming and supportive community of academic practice, students have access to resources provided by the Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning, including courses, workshops, and the Teacher-Scholar Doctoral Fellowship, as well as supports offered through the University Library, including the Neil Richards Collection of Sexual and Gender Diversity available through University Archives and Special Collections, and the Digital Research Centre.
Faculty
It is helpful, but not required, to identify potential supervisors before you begin an application. Please read through list below to learn about the research interests of our faculty.
| Name | Research areas |
|---|---|
| American Literature; Cultural Studies; Science and Literature | |
| Creative Writing; Ecocriticism and Environmental philosophy; Contemporary poetry and poetics; | |
| Aboriginal; Metis; indigenous; literature; storytelling; writing | |
| England; Iceland; Wales; feud; literature; medieval; outlaws | |
| 19th Century; Canada; culture; literature; poetry | |
| Disability Studies; Literature for Children; Periodical Studies; Victorian Literature | |
| 19th century; 20th century; American Studies; American literature and culture; Critical Indigenous Studies; Genre fiction; Indigenous North American literatures; Law and literature | |
| British literature; Early modern; Renaissance; Shakespeare | |
| English; digital humanities; history; language; literature; medieval; technology | |
| Autobiography; Feminist Theory; Queer Theory; Transnational Feminisms; Trauma and Resilience | |
| Creative writing; culture; feminist theory; gender; poetry | |
| Dorothy L. Sayers; England; Modernism/Modernity; Scholarship of Teaching and Learning; The Motor-Car; Virginia Woolf | |
| 18th century; London; cultural studies; digital humanities; history of science & technology; history of the book; literature; print culture | |
| John Donne; Renaissance; book history; cabinets of curiosities; cultural history; digital; digital humanities; early modern; literature | |
| British literature; United States; fiction; life writing; literature; poetry | |
| Augustine; Chaucer; John Donne; allegory; dream visions; early modern; history of science; medieval philosophy | |
| African Literatures; Caribbean Literatures; Postcolonial Literature; Transnational and Diasporic Literatures; Trauma Theory | |
| Chaucer; Dante; Digital humanities; editing | |
| British Romanticism; Book History; Digital Humanities; Transatlantic Romanticism; Women's Writing | |
| United States; guitar; hypertext; literature; poetry | |
| Critical theory; linguistics; literature; translation | |
| 20th Century; Adrienne Rich; Ana Castillo; Annie Dillard; Catholic; Chimamanda Adichie; Mary Gordon; Simone Weil; Toni Morrison; attention; contemporary; ethics; feminism; gender; life writing; postcolonial; postmodern; redemption; religion; representation; suffering; theory; women; women writers | |
| Canada; Comparative Literature; Cultural Studies; European Studies; Film; Ireland; Minority languages; Quebec |
Tuition and funding
Funding
Upon admission each student is automatically considered for all forms of available funding, including scholarships and departmental awards; teaching, research, or Writing Centre assistantships; and bursaries and top-up funding. No separate application is necessary. Master’s students are typically funded for their first year of study. Doctoral students are guaranteed funding for at least the first four years of their degree.
All graduate students in the Department of English who are eligible to apply for the Canadian Graduate Research Scholarship are required to do so. Successful Master’s applicants for this award receive a further $6,000.00 from the University of Saskatchewan; successful Doctoral applicants receive a $7,500.00 top-up. More information on the CGRS and other funding opportunities can be found at the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies funding site and through the Scholarships tab below.
Graduate students at USask can receive funding from a variety of sources to support their graduate education.
Tuition and fees
Thesis or project-based master's program
Graduate students in a thesis or project-based program pay tuition three times a year for as long as they are enrolled in their program.
| Term | Canadian students | International students |
|---|---|---|
| September 1 - December 31, 2025 | ||
| January 1 - April 30, 2026 | ||
| May 1 - August 31, 2026 | ||
| Total per academic year |
Student fees
In addition to tuition above, students also pay fees for programs like health and dental insurance, a bus pass, and other campus services. The amount you need to pay depends on if you are taking classes full time or part time, and if you are on campus or not. The table below assumes you are on campus full-time.
| Fall 2025 | Winter 2026 | Spring 2026 | Summer 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student fees | $578.45 CAD | $804.73 CAD | $36.75 CAD | $36.75 CAD |
Tuition information is accurate for the current academic year and does not include student fees. For detailed tuition and fees information, visit the official tuition website.
Doctoral program
Doctoral students pay tuition three times a year for as long as they are enrolled in their program. Both international and domestic Ph.D. students pay the same rate.
| Term | |
|---|---|
| September 1 - December 31, 2025 | $1,812.00 CAD |
| January 1 - April 30, 2026 | $1,812.00 CAD |
| May 1 - August 31, 2026 | $1,812.00 CAD |
| Total per academic year | $5,436.00 CAD |
Student fees
In addition to tuition above, students also pay fees for programs like health and dental insurance, a bus pass, and other campus services. The amount you need to pay depends on if you are taking classes full time or part time, and if you are on campus or not. The table below assumes you are on campus full-time.
| Fall 2025 | Winter 2026 | Spring 2026 | Summer 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student fees | $578.45 CAD | $804.73 CAD | $36.75 CAD | $36.75 CAD |
Tuition information is accurate for the current academic year and does not include student fees. For detailed tuition and fees information, visit the official tuition website.
View 2026-2027 tuition and fees rates through the financial planning estimator tool. By June, tuition information on this website will be updated with 2026-2027 tuition and fee information.
Admission requirements
- Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English.
- a completed on-line application, the application fee, and all supporting application documents; application requirements, instructions and deadlines can be found on the department website.
- a cumulative weighted average of at least a 70% (U of S grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study (e.g. 60 credit units)
- a four-year honours degree in English, or equivalent, from a recognized college or university
For more information on language proficiency requirements, see the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Academic Policies.
- Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English.
- a completed on-line application, the application fee, and all supporting application documents
- a cumulative weighted average of at least a 70% (U of S grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study (e.g. 60 credit units)
- a four-year honours degree in English, or equivalent, from a recognized college or university
For more information on language proficiency requirements, see the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Academic Policies.
- Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English.
- Master's degree, or equivalent, from a recognized university in a relevant academic discipline
- a completed on-line application, the application fee, and all supporting application documents
- a cumulative weighted average of at least a 70% (U of S grade system equivalent) in the last two years of full-time study (e.g. 60 credit units)
For more information on language proficiency requirements, see the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Academic Policies.
Considerations prior to application:
To qualify unconditionally for admission to the M.A. program, applicants must hold the equivalent of an Honours B.A. from the University of Saskatchewan. This degree normally includes:
- Ten full-year courses (or equivalent) in English literature and criticism
- Coursework covering a broad range of historical periods and critical approaches
Applicants educated under the British system must have achieved a minimum of an Upper Second (2:1).
For detailed information on admissions standards and the application package, please consult the Department of English Prospective Graduate Students webpage.
Admission to the Ph.D. program requires successful completion of an M.A. degree in English literary and textual studies, or a closely related degree deemed equivalent to a University of Saskatchewan M.A.
Ph.D. applicants must:
- Propose a specific area or field of research
- Meet a standard of excellence in the application
Admission is contingent upon both the quality of the application and the availability of appropriate supervisory resources in the proposed research area.
For complete details, please consult the Department of English Admissions and Applications webpage.
Application process and deadlines
Deadlines and important dates
January 15th is the deadline to apply if you wish to begin the program in September and be considered for funding. Late applications may be considered at the discretion of the department but will not normally be considered for funding. The Department of English does not offer January admission intakes.
Submit an online application
Please note that the Department of English is unable to waive application fees.
International Students - Master’s and doctoral students applying for a study permit do not need a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL). Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma students, as well as Visiting Research students studying over six months, still need a PAL. Review federal international study permit policies before you apply.
Before beginning your online application, be sure that you have carefully reviewed all program information and admission requirements on this page.
During the application, you'll be asked for:
- Personal information such as your name, address, etc.
- Contact information of your three referees
- Please note that all three referees should be academic contacts who have a very good sense of your past scholarly work and of your academic potential in the field of English literary and textual studies.
- Your complete academic history from all previous post-secondary institutions
The application takes about 30 minutes to complete. You may save your application and return to it later.
At the end of the application, you will need to pay a non-refundable application fee: $125 for domestic students and $145 for international students. Your application will not be processed until payment is received.
Submit required documents
Once you've submitted your online application, you will have access to upload your required documents, and provide the contact information for your references. To do this, go to the "Supplemental Items & Documents" tab in your application.
Preliminary Statement of Marks
- Once you have submitted your application for admission and paid the application fee, you will be required to upload unofficial PDF copies of your academic transcript(s) from each post-secondary institution attended. This requirement will appear as Preliminary Statement of Marks or Additional Prelim. Statement under admission requirements on your Application Summary when you check your application status.
- The uploaded transcript can be an unofficial copy of the transcript issued by the university or college and must include a grading key/legend.
- All pages of a transcript must be uploaded as a single PDF document.
- Uploaded transcripts will be considered unofficial or preliminary. Official copies of your transcripts will be required only for applicants offered admission. This requirement will appear as Post-secondary Transcript under admission requirements on your Application Summary when you check your application status.
- Transcripts in languages other than English must be accompanied by a certified translation.
Graduate Programs in the Department of English are linguistically demanding and require fluency in spoken and written English. Proof of Language Proficency scores higher than University standards are required.
Please note that the Department of English does not accept Duolingo scores as proof of language proficency.
For students who are required to provide proof of English proficiency:
- Completing a relevant test with the appropriate score is required before the application deadline.
- Tests are valid for 24 months after the testing date and must be valid at the beginning of the student's first term of registration in the graduate program.
- Applicants will be required to upload a PDF copy of any required language test score. Uploaded test scores will be considered unofficial or preliminary.
In addition to the above official documents, please upload the following documents:
- Statement of Intent: This 2-3 page (double-spaced) overview of your intentions should provide a sense of your background preparation for advanced work in English literary and textual studies. It should indicate why you wish to pursue graduate work in the Department of English at the University of Saskatchewan, and it should include a concise and focused explanation of your proposed research project. That explanation of the topic, text(s), key issues, main research questions, analytical framework, and anticipated contribution of your project should answer questions such as the following:
- what are you hoping to research (what is your research question or hypothesis)?
- which specific authors and works (or in the case of a cultural studies approach, which specific issues) do you aim to study?
- what is the context (period, locale)?
- what is the theoretical/methodological framework you intend to use?
- who might be a good supervisor for this research, and why?
- Writing Sample: The writing sample should be a recent essay or section of a thesis that demonstrates your writing and research skills. Your writing sample should be approximately 15 (and no more than 30) double-spaced pages.
- A CV or resumé: The curriculum vitae or resumé should focus on your accomplishments and experiences (e.g. degrees, diplomas, and/or certificates; publications, conference presentations, awards and scholarships; teaching, mentoring, and/or tutoring experiences; volunteer and/or work experience, and other professional activities).
Contact
Graduate Admissions
Department of English
9 Campus Drive, Arts Room 518
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A5
Graduate Chair
Dr. Ann Martin
Email: ann.martin@usask.ca
Application Admin Support
Anna McKenzie
Email: asg.gradapplications@usask.ca
Program Admin Support
Nadine Penner
Email: asg.graduateprograms@usask.ca
- Department of English
Learn more about the academic unit offering this program - Program and Course Catalogue
To view official admission and program requirements