Everything you need to know about a Master of Letters (M.Litt.) course in United States

Studying Master of Letters (M.Litt.)

The Master of Letters (M.Litt. degree) is a postgraduate programme similar to the Master of Science or Master of Arts. In contrast to these degrees, it is not very common and only awarded by select universities, mainly in the UK, Ireland, and Australia. It takes 1-2 years to graduate a Master of Letters.

M.Litt. degrees are usually awarded in Humanities disciplines like Literature, Law, History, etc. Masters of Letters can either be taught or can be research-focused. Taught M.Litt. programmes are similar to M.A. degrees. They include theoretical classes and students graduate after writing a thesis based on independent research.

Research M.Litt. courses are more similar to Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degrees. They don’t usually include any theoretical classes, only an initial introduction to research techniques, tools, and methods. You are assigned an academic supervisor who guides you throughout the independent research project. You are examined based on the quality of your research, findings, and how well you manage to present them.

The M.Litt. degree is mainly awarded by prestigious universities, such as the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge.