Graduate
We invite you to consider applying to the University of Calgary’s graduate program in English. Students in our MA and PhD programs enjoy a dynamic, engaged scholarly community with a widely respected research-driven faculty and internationally known creative-writing faculty.
The English Department consists of 35 full time faculty members teaching and researching in both traditional and emerging fields. Our strengths include Holocaust and trauma studies; postcolonial literatures; medieval and early modern studies; Canadian literature; and American Literature and Cultural Studies. Our faculty members publish on, for example, translation theory, 18th century, graphic novels, performance theory and practice, homoerotic poetry in the Renaissance, experimental poetry, and medieval manuscripts. We have a particular strength in significant editorial scholarship (See Broadview Press for examples). Our students present conference papers all over the world; our creative-writing graduates (and students) are winning prizes in every genre; our graduates are in tenure-track positions across the country; and our MA and PhD students have careers in publishing, business, and government.
Particular advantages of our program:
- The Calgary Distinguished Writers program, which hosts internationally renowned authors and supports emerging Canadian writers
- Close ties to the Banff School of the Arts
- ARIEL, one of international literature’s foremost journals. Research Assistantships are available for students wishing to work on ARIEL
- Free Exchange, an international graduate student conference, run entirely by our graduate students
- Research Groups in various fields (eg: Postcolonial; Medieval and Early Modern), which welcome graduate student participation
Creative Writing Option: We are the only university in Canada to offer a PhD with a creative-writing dissertation alternative. While undertaking a critical academic program, students admitted to the Creative Writing stream also take courses that lead to publishable manuscripts. MA and PhD theses are full-length creative works in a range of genres. Our students participate in Calgary’s highly energetic writing community and students edit Dandelion, fillingStation, and Nōd, all literary journals with local and national followings.
Funding and Support: We provide strong support for our students, through mentoring and competitive funding packages at the MA and PhD levels. A substantial number of local scholarships and awards are available above base-line funding and we provide grants-writing training. As well, the University of Calgary supports student research and conference travel at both the MA and PhD levels. We offer Teaching Assistantships, along with pedagogical training. Please review our website. If you have questions or would like to speak to someone in your area of interest, please email me (perreaul [at] ucalgary [dot] ca) or Barb Howe, Administrative Assistant (Howe [at] ucalgary [dot] ca).
Our graduate program is rigorous, energetic, and lively. Our primary interest is serious scholarship. We welcome students who would find such qualities appealing and look forward to hearing from you. (http://english.ucalgary.ca/)