Graduate Studies

In the Department of English, M.A. and Ph.D. students receive mentoring as researchers and teachers in a close-knit and collegial atmosphere. More than thirty faculty provide graduate training in the traditional span of historical periods and national literatures.

Students have access to resources provided by the Digital Research Centre, and the Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance Studies Program.

The M.A. program offers either a thesis-based or a project-based option, requiring students to do course work and fulfil a language requirement (for the thesis option), and to complete and be examined on a thesis or a project. The Ph.D. program requires students to do course work, fulfil a language requirement, pass a Field Exam, and to propose, complete and be examined on, a dissertation. The M.A. program is normally one to two years' work, and the Ph.D. takes a minimum of four.

Areas of Concentration

In addition to traditional studies in English Literature, the Department of English cultivates innovative interdisciplinary research with concentrations in:

  • Indigenous Literature
  • Digital Studies
  • Modernist Studies
  • Canadian Literature
  • Cultural Studies

Research Opportunities

Our students have benefited from the opportunity to work as Research Assistants on a diverse range of research projects. Current projects include: 

  • Women of the Apocalypse: Writing the End of the World in Canada (Wendy Roy, Canadian Literature)
  • The Social Network of Early Modern Collectors of Curiosities (Brent Nelson, Digital Studies)
  • Water, Sand, Steel, and Glass: Urban Ecologies and Literary Speculations (Joanne Leow)
  • Topographies of Literature in 18th-century London, A Social Edition (Allison Muri, Digital Studies)
  • the Canterbury Tales Project and the Textual Communities Project (Peter Robinson, Digital Studies)

For more information, see our Recent Research Awards.

In the past, students have worked on projects such as:

Students also benefit from other research opportunities with the the Humanities Research Unit led by Len Findlay and the Digital Research Centre, which supports a number of digital projects including the Modelling and Prototyping Team led by Jon Bath of the Implementing New Knowledge Environments project.

See also our Graduate Supervisors page for a full list of faculty who can supervise M.A. or Ph.D. projects in a range of specializations.

Funding

All students accepted into the M.A. and Ph.D. programs are automatically considered for various funding packages. Graduate Scholarships or TAships in the department are valued at $16,908 (tenable for 1 year) for M.A. students and at $20,000 per year (tenable for up to 4 years) for Ph.D. students in good standing. We do not guarantee funding for M.A. students.

Dean’s Scholarships are offered to students who have outstanding academic records, show research promise through publications and research presentations, and are registering for the first time in a thesis- or dissertation-based graduate program. A Dean's Ph.D. Scholar will receive $88,000 over four years ($44,000 from the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and $44,000, generally with a service requirement, from the Department of English pending satisfactory academic standing). Dean's Master's Scholars will receive $36,000 over two years ($18,000 from the College of Graduate Studies and Research and $18,000, generally with a service requirement, from the Department of English pending satisfactory academic standing).

All eligible students are expected to apply for SSHRC Doctoral and Master's Fellowships, valued at $20,000 and $17,500 respectively. The College of Graduate Studies and Research awards an additional $6,000 for each year that a student holds a Tri-Agency scholarship.

For more information about funding see Graduate Funding in the Department of English and the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies financial aid information. Students are encouraged to seek other scholarships, bursaries, and prizes offered by the University of Saskatchewan via the Graduate Awards database.

Tuition

See the university's Graduate Tuition Rates.

Teaching

Most graduate students gain teaching experience at some point in their programs, either as Graduate Teaching Fellows (weekly tutorials, grading) or as tutor-advisors at the Student Learning Services. University Graduate Scholarship holders are obliged to provide up to 4 hours per week service to the Department, which may mean a teaching assistantship.

Travel Subsidies

Graduate students are encouraged to present their work at conferences. There are several sources of funding for Grad Student Conference travel.

English Course Council

The ECC offers a vibrant social community for graduate students in the English Department. The ECC also elects grad student representatives to serve on important department committees.

Applications & Registration

For application protocols see Department of English Applications & Registration.

For application forms see the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Application Process.

For online registration instructions see the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Polices and Procedures manual and U of S Registration and Access Dates.

International Students

Information for prospective students from outside Canada can be found at the U of S International Students page.

Living in Saskatoon

For information about the city see Tourism Saskatoon.

Rules, Regulations, Policies

For more detailed information about the administration of graduate programs at the University of Saskatchewan see the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website and, especially important, CGPS Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Policies.