Master of Arts in English

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Program Facts

College: College of Liberal & Fine Arts

Major: English

Degree Level: Master's

Delivery Format:
  • 100% Online
Campuses & Locations:

Credit Hours: 36 Credit Hours

Duration: 18+ months

Tuition & Fees

Estimated costs available via the calculator.

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Accreditation

A woman sitting at a wooden desk wearing a blue shirt with a black jacket.

Overview

Our Master’s degree in English is an affordable, flexible degree that offers studies in literature, rhetoric, composition theory, language theory, and professional writing. With year-round courses, our English master’s degree program is entirely online and is designed for working professionals.

Choose from two concentrations, each with thesis and non-thesis options.

  • Literature enhances our students’ knowledge for teaching English at the secondary level, including dual-credit or university courses. This Master’s degree option can also ensure your success in doctoral degree programs.
  • Professional Writing and Rhetoric supports individuals planning a career in professional writing or seeking doctoral programs in technical communication, rhetoric, or composition. Working professionals in any field who write frequently will advance their skills and develop new rhetoric and design abilities.

The Director of Graduate Studies in English will assist students in choosing a concentration, selecting courses, establishing a graduate committee, and deciding between the thesis and non-thesis tracks. Once the student has selected a committee made up of three departmental graduate faculty members, the committee head will serve as the student's graduate advisor. The advisor will assist the student in developing a degree plan and will oversee the thesis (for thesis track) or directed reading (for non-thesis track).

Program Benefits

  • Entirely online program to accommodate your busy schedule
  • All courses taught by faculty who hold Ph.D.s from major American universities
  • Small class sizes
  • No GRE required
  • Personal advising by our faculty from start to finish

Courses

Explore a variety of English topics, such as professional writing, studies in rhetoric, digital humanities, and American and British literature. Through the comprehensive coursework, you’ll develop marketable job skills and knowledge, including technical editing, grant and proposal writing, bibliography methods, and research analysis.

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More About the Program

Gain first-hand teaching experience: Apply for a graduate assistantship, during which you’ll work as a consultant in the Writing Center. As a GA, you may also observe experienced composition teachers and discuss contemporary approaches to teaching strategies with them. After observing composition classes, you may become a Graduate Teaching Assistant and teach your own composition classes.

Develop graduate research projects relevant to you: A variety of opportunities are available for individual and group research that allows you to develop new approaches or new perspectives on English topics in a supportive environment. You can explore topics you’re interested in or topics that you can apply in your current workplace or classroom.

Experience cultural differences firsthand: Studying abroad exposes you to different cultures, encourages you to face challenges, and helps you gain a new perspective on English and language. You can take these experiences to your workplace or classroom. MA in English graduate students have traveled to study abroad destinations such as Colombia, London, South Korea and Spain.

Get help paying for graduate school: Several program scholarships for graduate students in English are available, such as the Dick Smith Scholarships and Bob Hallmark Scholarship. You may also qualify for awards from the College of Graduate Studies or federal financial aid.

Offered Concentrations

  • Literature Thesis
  • Literature Non-Thesis
  • Professional Writing and Rhetoric Thesis
  • Professional Writing and Rhetoric Non-Thesis

Video Overview

Learning Outcomes

  • Conduct research which contributes to the chosen field of study
  • Produce innovative sustained academic arguments
  • Define eclectic writing styles and poetics throughout a variety of literary epochs
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Career Outcomes

  • Secondary Education Teacher
  • Adjunct Faculty or College Professor
  • Managing Editor
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Admissions Requirements

  • Undergraduate Major in English
  • Minimum of 12 credit hours in one foreign language
  • Minimum of 2.75 during the last 60 hours of undergraduate course work
  • 0-15-page MLA, APA, or LSA scholarly research paper
  • Three letters of recommendation

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why Study English?

    Both the Literature degree and the Professional Writing and Rhetoric degree can help you improve your writing, research, and visual design skills at your current job, leading to a well-deserved promotion—or open new avenues for employment. Instead of worrying that AI will replace you and your job, enroll in our English M.A. program and learn to wield AI more effectively as a tool while strengthening your human soft skills. Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman recently advised his college-bound son to focus upon developing his critical and creative thinking skills since those will enable him to adapt to changing job and career expectations in the age of AI (The Economic Times, 8/14/25). One of the best attributes of a Master’s degree in either concentration is the ability to embrace technological changes in just about any field, enhancing the ability to pivot when jobs and industries change.

  • What Classes Will You Take as an English Graduate Student?

    Explore a variety of English topics, such as professional writing, studies in rhetoric, digital humanities, and American and British literature. Through the comprehensive coursework, you’ll develop marketable job skills and knowledge, including technical editing, grant and proposal writing, bibliography methods, and research analysis.

  • What Can You Do With Your Master’s Degree in English?

    By honing your research, writing, analytical, and communication skills, you will open up opportunities in a variety of career pathways. For example, enter the growing and lucrative field of professional writing and editing or prepare for the demands of teaching in a college classroom in both composition and literature. Our graduates use their Masters in English degrees to get jobs in numerous fields such as writing, editing, journalism, publishing, information design, and many other areas of business.

  • How Much Do English Graduates Make?

    In 2024, the median annual salary for technical writers was more than $92,000, for high school teachers was more than $73,000, and for post-secondary teachers was nearly $95,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Resources

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