English

Applicants for the master’s in English program must meet the following degree-specific admission requirements: 

• Education level: Bachelor's degree
• Undergraduate GPA: 3.0 (applicants with a lower GPA may be considered under specific circumstances)
• GRE: No
• TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo: 83/6.5/120 (for applicants whose education was completed in countries where English is not an official language)
• Number of references: Three
• Writing sample: 8- to 20-page essay

Program availability  

Concentration: thesis and non-thesis (the thesis concentration is only available with the academic program’s approval after students have been enrolled in the program for at least one semester)

Semester intake: Summer, Fall and Spring  

• Eligible for 4+1 admission
• Eligible for WRGP award
• Eligible for international admission  

Deadlines: General application deadlines

Visit Graduate Admissions to learn more and start your application.

English department contact: Jennifer Ladino; jladino@uidaho.edu, director of the M.A. in English Program

Graduate Admissions contact: graduateadmissions@uidaho.edu, 208-885-4001 

To learn how you can fund your graduate degree, check out the Graduate Funding page.

Visit Financial Aid to find detailed information about the cost of attendance. 

Graduate funding

The Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) provides additional departmental funding through research and travel grants for eligible students throughout the academic year. English M.A. students are also encouraged to apply for fellowships through the university’s Center for Digital Inquiry and Learning (CDIL).

Teaching and Research Assistantships

Many English M.A. students receive funding through teaching and research assistantships, which include a full tuition waiver and an annual stipend of $16,296. Prospective students are automatically considered for assistantships during the admissions process — no additional application materials are required.

Research assistants work in various campus offices and initiatives, contributing as communications content creators, editors, and grant consultants.

Grace Nixon Institute funding option:

The institute offers a fully funded M.A. in English designed for English teachers. This flexible, summer-only graduate program can be completed over approximately five summers plus one academic semester. Participants typically take two graduate-level courses per summer (six credits), totaling 30 credits over five years, followed by three additional non-thesis credits in a final semester.

To receive graduate credit and scholarship funding, participants must be admitted to or actively applying for the M.A. in English program. Degree credit scholarships are prioritized for students pursuing the full degree. Additional scholarship awards may be available depending on funding availability.

How to apply

To be considered for scholarship funding, submit your Grace Nixon Institute application by April 1. Priority is given to secondary English teachers who apply by the deadline — even if your University of Idaho admission is still in progress.

Request application 

This program could be a good fit for you if you:

• Enjoy literature and the English language.
• Want to qualify for a higher salary bracket as a primary or secondary school teacher.
• Plan to teach at the college level.
• Aim to pursue a doctorate.
• Are self-motivated and able to work independently.

Hands-on experience

We offer a variety of hands-on opportunities to enhance your academic and professional experience. Get involved in organizing scholarly conferences, serving in student government, contributing to leading academic journals and engaging in community-based projects.

The Confluence Lab is an interdisciplinary initiative that brings together scholars from the arts, humanities and sciences with community members to address environmental challenges in rural areas.

Our in-house literary magazine, Fugue, is edited and managed entirely by University of Idaho graduate students. It publishes poetry, fiction, essays, hybrid works and visual art from both emerging and established writers and artists.

Students can also gain valuable experience at our on-campus Writing Center, where they can coach and support peers across all academic disciplines.

Beyond these internship opportunities, English M.A. students can earn practicum credits, gaining hands-on experience teaching undergraduate courses in literature, composition and linguistics.