Overview

Key features

Through the master’s degree in the field of English at Harvard University you build:

The ability to identify topics and develop questions that lead to meaningful scholarly inquiry.
An enhanced knowledge of the philosophical, historical, and cultural forces that shape literary works.
A deeper understanding of the work that literary scholars do.
The skills required for communicating your ideas and entering a critical conversation.

Program overview

The degree includes 12 courses, with at least three taken on campus.

Get started. You begin by completing three stipulated degree courses as outlined on the degree requirements page. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your commitment and ability to perform well as a Harvard student.
Apply to the program. While completing your third degree course, you submit the admission application. We have application cycles in the fall, spring, and summer.
Continue your studies, online and on campus. As you progress through the program, you choose from courses offered on campus or online, year round in the fall, spring, and summer. To fully experience Harvard, you take at least three courses on campus.
Complete your thesis or capstone. If you chose the thesis track, you work one-on-one with a thesis director, conducting independent research on a literary topic and producing an original argument that develops over the course of several chapters. If you elect the capstone track, you participate in two seminar-style courses with your capstone instructor and fellow degree candidates, producing in each course a seminar paper modeled on the peer-reviewed journal article.
Graduate with your Harvard degree. You participate in the annual Harvard Commencement, receiving your Harvard University degree: Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Extension Studies, field: English.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

The Master of Liberal Arts, English degree field consists of 12 courses, three of which are required on campus.

12 Graduate Courses

The degree is highly customizable. Within the program curriculum, you choose the English and elective courses that meet your personal learning goals.

Proseminar

5 English courses

1 English seminar

2 general electives

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-01-27 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-04-15 00:00:00
Starting 2026-09-03 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-12-01 00:00:00

Language

English

IELTS

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PTE Academic

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TOEFL^® IBT

100

Duolingo English Test

125

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Credits

48 SCH

Delivered

On Campus, Online

Disciplines

Language Studies British Studies View 984 other Masters in Language Studies in United States

Academic requirements

GPA

English requirements

IELTS

Schedule an IELTS test!

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

TOEFL^® IBT

100

Duolingo English Test

125

Take A Free Practice Test!

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

Get your student insurance now

Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at Harvard University and/or in United States, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Other requirements

General requirements

To begin the admission process, you simply register—no application needed—for the following three, four-credit, graduate-level degree courses (available online):

HUMA 100 Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Dramatic Arts, English, and Religion
- Before registering, you’ll need to pass our online test of critical reading and writing skills or earn a B or higher in EXPO 42a Writing in the Humanities.
- You have two attempts to earn the minimum grade of B in the proseminar (a withdrawal grade counts as an attempt). The proseminar cannot be more than two years old at the time of application.
One English course
One English course or elective (e.g., EXPO 42a)

While the three courses don't need to be taken in a particular order or in the same semester, we highly recommend that you start with the proseminar. All three courses must be completed with a grade of B or higher, without letting your overall Harvard cumulative GPA dip below 3.0.

Tuition Fee

To always see correct tuition fees

International

38640 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 38640 USD for the full programme during 12 months.
National

38640 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 38640 USD for the full programme during 12 months.
In-State

38640 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 38640 USD for the full programme during 12 months.

Living costs for Cambridge

1814 - 3756 USD /month

Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for English.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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