English (Public Texts) M.A.
What does it mean to go public? To publish? More than reading texts, students in Trent’s Public Texts M.A. program develop new ways of examining how texts are produced and circulated. Here you can explore the ongoing relationship between texts and the public.
Students also discover the history of texts, study the future of published works and discuss relevant issues that are key to modern literary research. Collaboration with faculty, visiting scholars and experts is front and centre in this innovative program that combines theory and practice.
In this program, graduates develop professional skills suitable to fields such as publishing, editing, communications, journalism, or archival work. Whether your interests are academic or applied, you can follow them in one of four program streams ranging from 12 months to two years.
Structure your studies to include a major research paper, a thesis, research-creation project, or a sought-after internship option. Students may also pursue future studies at the Ph.D. level in English literature and connected areas such as print culture or the history of the book.
Accelerated Master’s
An accelerated Master’s option is available for eligible Trent University undergraduate students. If you are currently studying at Trent and are interested, please contact the program department directly for more details and information on how to apply.
Explore issues central to modern literary research and develop the tools for career success. In as little as one year, earn a master’s degree in English Public Texts as you take your education higher and explore career paths in communications, editing, publishing, teaching, or scholarship. Choose from one of four streams ranging from 12 months to two years to support your academic or applied interests.
Experiential opportunities are integral to the innovative Public Texts Program at Trent University. In core courses, students meet with experts in the publishing industry (e.g., archivists, librarians, printers, publishers, editors, booksellers, book designers, and researchers), go on literary fieldtrips, and present their projects as part of a public colloquium. In addition, students may choose the internship stream (with a 250 hour internship experience), by applying to one of our partners or to broader research and/or publishing communities. Finally, students might also opt for the research creation stream, which engages students in artistic process and production, such as creative writing, visual arts, media activities, or exhibition curation.
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Eligibility Requirements
- Honours degree (a four year undergraduate bachelor's degree) in English Literature or in another field relevant to public texts
- Minimum B+ (77%) or equivalent in the last two years of full-time study, or last ten full academic credits
Eligibility Requirements
- Honours degree (a four year undergraduate bachelor's degree) in English Literature or in another field relevant to public texts
- Minimum B+ (77%) or equivalent in the last two years of full-time study, or last ten full academic credits
- Proof of English Proficiency: All international applicants must provide proof of an adequate level of English proficiency regardless of their citizenship status or country of origin. Please visit our How to Apply: International page for details on English Language Proficiency requirements
- A GRE test score is not required for admission into this program
All applicants, domestic and international, must submit the following documents to complete their application:
- Transcripts: Unofficial copies of all post-secondary transcripts
- 2 letters of reference: Academic references are preferred; however, professional references will be accepted. Reference forms will be emailed to the referees that you have appointed on OUAC
- Plan of Study/Personal Statement: 1-2 pages outlining your objectives in a graduate program. Any specific research interests, relevant experiences, and/or career aspirations can be included
- Writing Sample: A sample of your writing of about 20 pages or less. The preferred submission format is PDF. Good choices for writing samples include: an undergraduate essay, lab report, research report, journal article, a chapter from a masters thesis, or a published article.
- Proof of Citizenship (ie. copy of passport or birth certificate)
- Supervisor: A potential supervisor is recommended as an admission requirement for this program. If chosen prior to admission, please list your supervisor on your OUAC application and discuss this in your plan of study. Please visit the program's Faculty and Research page for a listing of faculty and areas of research. Applicants are responsible for reaching out to a faculty member
For more information on submitting transcripts, re-sending reference links and other application questions, please visit our How to Apply: Domestic or International pages and review Step 4, as well as review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
Learn more about tuition & fees
Eligible full-time students are offered minimum funding packages during their funded period of $18,000 annually. This includes a Graduate Teaching Assistantship employment offer valued at approximately $13,000 annually. Specific funding details are included in individual admission letters.
Students are supported in competing for external awards during their studies, such as the Ontario Graduate Scholarship. A full list of external awards is available on our Scholarships & Awards page.
This program also offers unique funding opportunities for its students, such as the Zailig Pollock Graduate Award. The program can provide more information about this type of support.
Trent has clear pathways for graduate students to apply and be admitted to study for their master's or doctorate at either of our campuses. Please review admission requirements for your program before applying.
The thing that attracted me about the Public Texts program at Trent, was the small program size. It made the year very fun, as we all became close friends. Throughout my grad studies at Trent, I was surprised how different my experience was, compared to undergrad. It has been an interesting perspective change to go from being a student, to now working alongside the same professors as their teaching assistant.
Andrew is a specialist in early modern English drama. His research interests include musical theories and practices in the 16th and 17th centuries and representations of witches and other supernatural figures on the English stage in that period. He is currently editing a collection of essays on the materiality of early modern witchcraft in collaboration with Dr. Molly Hand (FSU), and he occasionally produces plays by Shakespeare and other historical playwrights, in collaboration with Jacqueline Barrow (Fleming College), with his community theatre collective, The Electric City Players.
Dr. Nael Bhanji is an Associate Professor at Trent University's Department of Gender & Women's Studies. As a critical race and trans studies theorist, his research draws upon psychoanalysis and affect theory in order to explore articulations of necropolitics, racialization, and counter-terrorism within an increasingly globalized trans movement. He is particularly invested in tracing the affective circulation of expendability, decay, and death in public imaginaries.
*Domestic applications remain open