If you are thinking about pursuing graduate studies in English, bear in mind that most MA programs will expect you to have taken courses in most of the major periods (medieval, renaissance, 18th century etc.), and a course in national/transnational literatures. They will also generally expect you to have studied some literary theory and have covered the literary genres (poetry, prose, drama) n your course of study. Finally, most MA programs will want to see that you have tested yourself at the 4000 level. Our B.A. Honours program requires you take at least 1.0 credit at the 4000 level, but if you are considering graduate studies we encourage you to take 2.0 or 2.5 credits at the 4000 level.
When you begin researching graduate schools, pay attention to their particular expectations. In general, however, we recommend that you plan to take at least 0.5 credits in each of the groupings listed below. Each grouping offers you a broad range of choices, so take your pick:
Medieval literature
- ENGL 2100Y: Foundations in Medieval and Renaissance Literature
- ENGL 3121H: Love, Honour, and the Pursuit of Happiness: Medieval
Romance
- ENGL 3123H: Angels and Demons, Shepherds and Shrews: Medieval
Drama
- ENGL 3125H: Desire, Sex, and Death on the Road to Canterbury: Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales
- ENGL 4100Y/4101H: Advanced Studies in Old English Language and Literature
- ENGL 4120Y/4121H: Advanced Studies in Middle English Language and Literature
Renaissance literature
- ENGL 2100Y: Foundations in Medieval and Renaissance Literature
- ENGL 2150Y/2151H: Studies in Shakespeare
- ENGL 2152Y/2153H: Reading Shakespeare for the Classroom and Stage
- ENGL 3153H: The Renaissance Theatre
- ENGL 3155H: Sex and Politics in Elizabethan Literature
- ENGL 4150Y/4151H: Advanced Studies in Shakespeare
- ENGL 4152Y/4153H: Advanced Studies in Renaissance Literature
Restoration and 18th Century Literature
- ENGL 3200Y: Milton and His Age
- ENGL 3202Y/3203H: Theatre and Journalism During the Restoration and Eighteenth Century
- ENGL 3205H: Augustan Literature: Modern Laughter
- ENGL 3207H: The Age of Sensibility
- ENGL 3250Y/3251H: The Romantics
- ENGL 4200Y/4201H: Advanced Studies in Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature
19th Century Literature
- ENGL 3250Y/3251H: The Romantics
- ENGL 3400Y/3401H: Darwin and His Publics
- ENGL 3402Y/3403H: Those Wild Victorians
- ENGL 4250Y/4251H: Advanced Studies in the Romantics
- ENGL 4400Y/4401H: Advanced Studies in Victorian Literature
National and Transnational Literatures
- American Literature (3300Y/3301H, 3304Y/3305H, 3306Y/3307H, 3308Y/3309H, 4300Y/4301H)
- Twentieth-Century British Literature (3410Y/3411H, 3412Y/3413H)
- Canadian Literature (3500Y/3501H, 3502Y/3503H, 3504Y/3505H, 4500Y/4501H)
- ENGL 3421H: Modern Irish Literature
- ENGL 3451H: African Fiction
- ENGL 3707H: Literature and Globalization
- ENGL 4450Y/4451H: Postcolonial Texts
Literary Theory
- ENGL 3600Y/3601H: Theory and Criticism
- ENGL 3604Y/3605H: Theories of Race and Ethnicity
- ENGL 4600Y/4601H: Advanced Studies in Critical Approaches to Literature
This plan of study leaves plenty of room for electives in English. So, by all means, fill out your program with whatever interests you. If you have any questions about this plan of study, please contact: englishadvice@trentu.ca
If you have any questions about applying to graduate schools, please contact: graduate@trentu.ca