Sequential MA Program (PhD track)

The Sequential MA Program is, effectively, the first of the sequence of the degrees that continues with the MPhil (years 2-3) and concludes with Doctoral Candidacy (years 4-6). To apply for the Sequential MA Program, complete the online application for the PhD Program. If you wish to study for the MA degree only, apply to the Freestanding MA Program.

Required

  • Registration: Two Full Residence Units
  • Advising: At least two meetings per semester between student and assigned advisor
  • Coursework: 8 graded courses (30 points), with grades of B or higher, and which must include:
    • Fall: MA Seminar (GR5001x)
    • Spring: MA Thesis Tutorial (GR5005y)
    • At least three 6000-level seminars or equivalent (may include seminars taken outside ENCL, as well as independent studies and 4000-level classes taken for seminar credit)
  • Distribution of Classes: Complete all MA distribution requirements.
  • Certification of Proficiency in a Second Language.
  • To continue to the MPhil stage, Sequential MA students must receive a positive Spring Semester Evaluation by the Committee on Graduate Education.
  • Please note: The requirement of a minimum of 8 classes and 30 points of credit during the MA year is a state mandate and cannot be relaxed by the Department or GSAS.

Recommended

  • Participate in a departmental research colloquium
  • Make a habit of attending talks, seminars, and conferences in your field, discipline, and areas of interdisciplinary concern
  • Make a habit of reading book reviews, academic and public-facing

The Department follows GSAS policy on transfer credit. Please note, however, that consistent with rules on departmental autonomy, the Department does not offer advanced standing toward the MA degree: Sequential MA students must complete a minimum of 8 classes (30 points of credit) at Columbia during their first year of study.

Sequential MA students must wait until the second year of study before transferring credit from any previous course of graduate study. 

Transfer credit cannot be used to excuse students from the following degree requirements: MA Seminar, MA Thesis Tutorial, 6000-level seminars requirement.

All MA students must complete the following two classes for letter grades:

MA Seminar (ENGL GR5001)

This 4-point seminar serves as an introduction to graduate work in literary studies. Generally, it has a broad disciplinary focus on topics such as theory and methods, the history of the discipline, and major genres of academic writing. This class is available only in the fall term. 

MA Essay Tutorial (ENGL GR5005)

This class is a 4-point independent study designed to give students time to research and write the MA Essay. Although the ADGS is the instructor of record for ENGL GR5005, the grade that will appear on your transcript will be assigned by the faculty sponsor under whose direction you write the MA Essay. Unless otherwise authorized, MA students take ENCL GR5005 in the spring semester before they graduate.

During the MA and MPhil stages of our doctoral program, students take seminar and lecture courses in order to build their knowledge of the discipline, develop expertise in specific research fields, and expand their theoretical and methodological horizons. In order to help students balance deep study in their areas of interest with general disciplinary knowledge, the faculty requires students to complete the following distribution requirements.

Any seminar and lecture class taken at the 4000 level or above–in English, Comparative Literature, or a related discipline–may satisfy these requirements, subject to the approval of the ADGS (first years) or DGS (second and third years). You may not satisfy distribution requirements by taking undergraduate coursework.  

Period 

All PhD-track students must take at least one class, taken for a letter grade, in the following historical periods:

  • literatures and cultures pre-1500
  • literatures and cultures from 1500-1800
  • literatures and cultures since 1800

Two of these requirements must be met in the first (MA) year; the third by the end of the second year. 

If you do not know what period your class falls in, please ask your instructor. The test used is whether the preponderance of instructor-assigned reading (not what you choose to write about) comes from the period in question..

Comparative Literature Requirement

In addition to the above period requirements, at least one of the required 8 graded courses taken in the first year must have a Comparative Literature designation such as CLEN, CPLS, CLFR, CLHI, etc.