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 2027-01-27 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-04-15 00:00:00
Starting 2027-09-03 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-01 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

125

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TOEFL^® IBT

100

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

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Credits

48 SCH

Delivered

On Campus, Online

Campus Location

Cambridge, United States

Disciplines

Language Studies British Studies View 854 other Masters in Language Studies in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

125

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

100

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

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 Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

3440 USD / module

≈ 3440 USD / module
Out-of-State

3440 USD / module

≈ 3440 USD / module
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

3440 USD / module

≈ 3440 USD / module

Living costs

Cambridge

United States

1814 - 3756 USD / month

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

Financing

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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.

On this page

About

Overview

Key features

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Cambridge

Financing

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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