Future Graduate Students

The College of Arts & Letters prepares transformative scholars in the Arts & Humanities. We aim to lead the world in providing inclusive, global, digital, and interdisciplinary graduate education in the Arts & Humanities.

man in pink collared button down shirt
Transformative scholars drive progressive change in their organizations through work that is inclusive, global, engaged, interdisciplinary, and digital. If you want to see the future of higher education in the Arts & Humanities, look to MSU.
– ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR GRADUATE EDUCATION BILL HART-DAVIDSON
Play Video

Engaging: Graduate Education

We are preparing the next generation of faculty who will transform higher education for the greater good through engaged scholarship and teaching that is responsive to the grand challenges of our 21st century world. 

The Arts & Letters Difference

  • Outperforming national averages in key metrics such as time to degree and graduate placement. 
  • Student-Centered, offering full funding to our terminal degree students for 3-5 years paired with rich mentoring and professional development support.
  • Diverse, with a demographic profile that matches the U.S. national percentages.
  • Small & agile, with an average terminal degree yearly cohort size of less than five students.
  • Producing the next generation of leaders in the arts & humanities; a group that will positively impact the lives of millions of students to come.
man working at computer

Julio Cesar Paredes
PhD Candidate
Department of Romance and Classical Studies

woman working with textiles

Kristen Franyutti
MFA Candidate
Department of Art, Art History, and Design

About Our Programs

  • A rich curriculum that includes significant faculty engagement and innovative co-mentoring experiences.
  • Graduate assistantships and fellowship funding to students throughout the degree period and supplemental research/professional support.
  • A strong, focused program mission tied to innovative research in their disciplines.
  • Graduate students with PhDs in less than 5 years and MFAs in 3 years.
  • Place 100% of graduates.
  • Recruit diverse cohorts.
  • Attract internationally competitive students who earn university fellowships at an accelerated rate.

Master's Programs

African American and African Studies

a silver abstract building

Arts & Cultural Management

a row of books

Critical Studies in Literacy and Pedagogy 

a keyboard and a neon sign of a book

Digital Rhetoric and Professional Writing

a lamp post with purple flowers around it

Foreign Language Policy

a building and a bridge over a body of water

French

architecture at night

German Studies

Global Nonprofit Leadership

city street

Hispanic Literatures

a graphic of different languages laid out on a piece of paper

Linguistics

graphic of a book, a roll of film and words representing English

Literature in English

city street

Spanish as a Second or Bilingual Language 

a woman with blonde hair painting a picture

Studio Art

a globe

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

a group of people in costumes giving a performance

Theatre

PhD Programs

African American and African Studies

graphic of a book, a roll of film and words representing English

English

a bridge and a body of water

French, Language and Literature

architecture at night

German Studies

city street

Hispanic Cultural Studies

a graphic of different languages laid out on a piece of paper

Linguistics

someone holding a glass globe of the world

Philosophy

a keyboard and a neon sign of a book

Rhetoric and Writing

a globe

Second Language Studies

Master's Programs

CALaaas
African American and African Studies
a silver abstract building
Arts & Cultural Management
a row of books
Critical Studies in Literacy and Pedagogy
a keyboard and a neon sign of a book
Digital Rhetoric and Professional Writing
a lamp post with purple flowers around it
Foreign Language Policy
a bridge and a body of water
French
architecture at night
German Studies
city street
Hispanic Literatures
a graphic of different languages laid out on a piece of paper
Linguistics
graphic of a book, a roll of film and words representing English
Literature in English
city street
Spanish as a Second or Bilingual Language 
a woman with blonde hair painting a picture
Studio Art
a globe
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
a group of people in costumes giving a performance
Theatre

PhD Programs

CALaaas
African American and African Studies
graphic of a book, a roll of film and words representing English
English
a bridge and a body of water
French, Language and Literature
architecture at night
German Studies
city street
Hispanic Cultural Studies
a graphic of different languages laid out on a piece of paper
Linguistics
someone holding a glass globe of the world
Philosophy
a keyboard and a neon sign of a book
Rhetoric and Professional Writing
a globe
Second Language Studies

Certifications

Graduate certificates offer focused and relatively short (3 courses/9 credit) experiences for students who want to build expertise and experience in cross and inter-disciplinary areas. Some can be pursued as short, stand-alone experiences and all can be done as additions to another graduate program.

Graduate Certificate in Digital Humanities

Graduate Certificate in Film Studies

Graduate Certificate in Global Studies

Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies

Graduate College Teaching Certification Program

Graduate College Foreign Language Teaching Certification Program

The Graduate School at MSU

The Graduate School provides complete information on programs and application procedures.