Offered by University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, Canada, Master of Arts in English is a master's degree in Literature programme. The programme runs for 20 months. Tuition for international students is CAD 5,541 per semester (CAD 3,056 per semester for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Master's Degree
Field:Literature
Duration: 20 months
Local tuition: CAD 3,056 / semester
International tuition: CAD 5,541 / semester
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
This Master of Arts in English is a thesis-based degree normally completed in about twenty months, with a single fall entry point and a January 8th application deadline. Students choose between a creative writing thesis - developing a book-length manuscript in poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, screenwriting, or playwriting - or an academic thesis pursuing original literary research. Academic research areas include Canadian literature, American literature, British literature from the Early Modern period through the nineteenth century, postcolonial literature, Indigenous literatures, gender and sexuality studies, cultural studies, and ecoliterature, alongside a newer stream focused on gender and sexuality in literature. Students have access to Canada's longest-running literary journal, The Fiddlehead, and can contribute to the student-run national publication QWERTY. Class sizes are kept small to allow close mentorship from faculty. The program suits aspiring writers, editors, and literary scholars seeking focused thesis supervision and practical exposure to publishing before pursuing further study, teaching, or writing careers.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:3.50
Admission Requirements: Applicants to UNB's Master of Arts in English should hold an honours Bachelor of Arts in English or a program with intensive specialization, with a minimum average of 3.5; applicants from other universities typically need at least a B average (North American system) or upper-class standing (British system). Materials required include a complete online application, a two-part statement of interest covering the thesis project and relevant background, an academic writing sample of at least 8 pages from an upper-level undergraduate English course, and three references, at least two academic; the Creative Writing stream also requires a 10-page creative sample, and the Gender and Sexuality in Literature stream expects introductory coursework in Gender/Sexuality/Women's Studies. International applicants whose first language is not English must, unless exempted by two years of university-level English study within five years, meet: IELTS band 7, TOEFL paper-based 600, TOEFL internet-based 100, MELAB 85%, CanTest 4.5, or Pearson 65. The program admits Fall only, with a January 8 application deadline.
Application Details
Start Date:Fall
Application Deadline:Domestic and international applicants apply through UNB's own application portal by the same published dates: for Fall 2027 entry the general deadline is 31 March 2027, and for Winter 2027 entry it is 15 November 2026, with undergraduate scholarship applications due 1 March 2027. UNB continues to accept applications after these dates while seats remain in the program, so admission is effectively rolling once the deadline passes. UNB publishes no international-specific deadline distinct from these dates. Limited-enrolment programmes close earlier: the Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Education (Fredericton) close 1 December 2026, and the Bachelor of Nursing closes 15 February 2027. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
