English M.A. in graphic novel?

[Jimmy G]

Hello Grad Cafe peeps!

I'm interested in a very specific English M.A. or PhD program with an emphasis (or expertise) in graphic novel creation (or with image and textual analysis together). Does something like this exist in the U.S.? I haven't found anything in my research, but I'd love to know if any of you have come across programs like these. 

[KaterGator]

Hi there! This is actually my area of focus as well. In the United States, the University of Florida has an excellent comics studies program. There are also several colleges and universities that are home to some of the top scholars in the field, so even if you don’t get a degree specifically in comics studies, you can focus your degree on that area by working under/with them. I’d advise that you look into the scholars you would be most interested in working with, and apply to the schools where they are located. 

 

If you’re willing to consider places outside of the states, I have to recommend Dundee’s program in Scotland. The group of scholars there are all phenomenal. Wishing you luck!

[caffeinated applicant]

Seconding @KaterGator, I'd definitely recommend you look for top scholars in comic studies and then go for the programs where those people teach. (I happen to have a friend from undergrad who took this exact approach for graduate school, and now their papers are getting published and they're going to conferences and generally having a fine time with comic studies.) You might have luck with interdisciplinary programs as well, like film programs and American studies departments, that could have graduate students in comic/graphic novel studies as scholars in the pipeline. If you haven't already tried looking at the participants list at whatever the major conference is in comic studies, that could be a shortcut to finding these people. 

Essentially I would say don't wed yourself to having graphic novel in the name of the degree, because it's very possible that a "better" program of study for you could be focusing on graphic novels while in an English, Film, or Literature program. This bearing in mind that I have developed something of a bias against degrees with program names that are extremely narrow--it seems that in my experience, if the program name is too narrow, it may not be as prestigious/useful/high-quality.