Deciding on Graduate School?

• M.F.A. (Master of Fine Arts): Usually a two-year program, the MFA is designed to give students teaching experience and advanced training in the production of original poetry, fiction and nonfiction.
  
  
• M.A.: A two-year program designed to provide students with teaching experience and advanced training in a range of fields, with some specialized training in a particular field. Along with coursework, candidates must either pass a written comprehensive exam or complete a master’s thesis to receive an MA. An MA in English can serve as a starting point for entry into law school or professional fields such as journalism or publishing; it can qualify a high school teacher for higher pay scales; it can also support an application to a doctoral program (PhD).
  
  
• Ph.D.: A five-year program designed to provide a candidate with extensive teaching experience and the specialist knowledge required to produce original research in a specific field. The purpose of a Ph.D. in English is to secure an appointment as a university professor. Along with course work, candidates must produce a doctoral thesis that contributes meaningfully to research in a specific field. Because of the extensive research involved in the thesis, a Ph.D. can take as long as ten years to complete.

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