This webpage is your most up-to-date resource for general graduate program information, and you will find many of the answers to your questions here. However, it will be important for you to familiarize yourself with the Graduate School of Arts and Science website as well: that is where you will find relevant Graduate School policies and procedures regarding registration, thesis formatting requirements and submission guidelines, graduation and commencement information, and more. It is also where you will download the Academic Forms you might need to navigate the program and eventually to submit your thesis.
Additionally, please download the Graduate School Bulletin and consult it for information on academic policies and procedures.
If you still have questions or need clarification, please contact our Program Administrator at gradenglish@georgetown.edu.
Additional Features
You are invited to view past and current course offerings and thesis project information in the menu to the left.
Below are some additional features of our program that you may be interested in or that may apply to you, as well as instructions on how to pursue them, if necessary.
Qualified prospective students may enroll in courses through the School of Continuing Studies Summer Sessions. Credits from these graduate courses, as well as courses taken by students under Special Student status, may be transferred prior to admission to the M.A. English program. In these two situations, only 6 credits may be transferred toward the M.A. degree. Students required to register as Special Students for probationary purposes will sometimes be permitted to transfer more than 6 credits toward the degree, depending upon the conditions of their admission.
Except in extraordinary circumstances, at least six of the eight required courses for the M.A. degree must be graduate-level courses taken in the Department of English at Georgetown.
Classes from other institutions, or classes taken at Georgetown prior to admission to a graduate degree program, cannot be transferred into the M.A. English degree until after the student has successfully completed at least one semester as a graduate student at Georgetown. Students may receive up to 6 credits toward the M.A. for graduate English courses taken at another university, provided they have earned at least a B. Courses taken seven or more years ago are not usually accepted for transfer.
Submit the form, along with an official transcript that lists the course you would like to transfer, to the Director of Graduate Studies.
Follow-up with the Program Administrator to ensure that the form was signed and sent to the Graduate School for approval.
Except in extraordinary circumstances, at least six of the eight required courses for the M.A. degree must be graduate-level courses taken in the Department of English at Georgetown.
A student may take up to 6 credits (2 courses) in other departments at the University—provided that they have the permission of the Director of Graduate Studies and the instructor of the course.
Except in extraordinary circumstances, at least six of the eight required courses for the M.A. degree must be graduate-level courses taken in the Department of English at Georgetown.
Graduate classes in the Department of English can be taken pass/fail only with the permission of the instructor and the Director of Graduate Studies; however, a graduate class taken pass/fail cannot be applied to any degree program, including the M.A. English degree.
Current students may take graduate courses through the Washington Consortium of Universities. Courses taken through the Consortium must be on topics not available at Georgetown and must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies and the course instructor. Since it is not possible to register for Consortium courses on your own via GU Experience, students have to be added into the course at the beginning of the semester during the add/drop period following the instructions listed on the Registrar’s website.
The Consortium Registration Form is available electronically or may be obtained in the Registrar’s Office (White-Gravenor G-01). Consortium courses may not be taken Pass/Fail or S/U. The Registrar maintains a file of Consortium university catalogs. For up-to-date information on course offerings and schedules, it is best to call or email the particular department at the Consortium University.
Except in extraordinary circumstances, at least six of the eight required courses for the M.A. degree must be graduate-level courses taken in the Department of English at Georgetown.
For the 2021–2022 academic year, the Folger Institute Scholarly Programs will not be offering seminars exclusively for M.A. students. If you would like to apply for one of their advanced program offerings, please visit their website for more information.
