Master of Arts in English
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Degree:
Master of Arts in English Degree
Application:
$0 application fee. No essays/exams.
Engage in the study of language and literature with a Master’s Degree in English. You’ll develop the advanced critical reading, writing, and research skills necessary to participate confidently and meaningfully with other English studies scholars and professionals and to apply disciplinary knowledge beyond the field of English studies.
The Master’s in English is offered entirely online with interactive courses. You’ll benefit from the individual attention of professors. Choose from a variety of elective course offerings, including 17th – and 18th-century literature, Romanticism, Gothic, and Harlem Renaissance.
Degree Requirements
To receive the Master of Arts in English, students must complete at least 45 quarter units. A total of 4.5 quarter units of graduate credit may be granted for equivalent graduate work completed at another regionally accredited institution, as it applies to this degree and provided the units were not used in earning another advanced degree. Students should refer to the General Catalog section on graduate admission requirements for specific information regarding admission and evaluation.
National University awards credit in quarter units, with each academic year divided into four 12-week quarters.
Each quarter is made up of three 4-week classes, with one class per month. Under the current policy, 4.5 units of credit are awarded for courses.
PRogram Requirements
9 Courses
Intro to Grad English Studies
4.5 Quarter Units
Introduces students to graduate level research practices and methodologies in English Studies. Students gain the grounding and skills required to research and write scholarly articles for peer reviewed journals in the field of English Studies.
- Dark Romanticism
- Greatest Generation
- Sensation Novel
- 18th-Century Novel
- 17th-Century Poetry
- Modern Science Fiction
Seminar in Literary Theory
4.5 Quarter Units
Historical and current issues in literary criticism and theory with particular attention to developments of the last fifty years. Emphasizes both reading and writing literary criticism in order to develop vocabulary and skills necessary to participate in scholarly literary debate.
- Dark Romanticism
- Greatest Generation
- Sensation Novel
- 18th-Century Novel
- 17th-Century Poetry
- Modern Science Fiction
One of the following:
Literary Period or Movement I
4.5 Quarter Units
Advanced, historically oriented study of a literary period, such as English Medieval, Romantic, or Victorian literature, or a movement, such as The Beat Generation. Variable topic selected by the instructor. (May not duplicate content of ENG 620B.)
- Dark Romanticism
- Greatest Generation
- Sensation Novel
- 18th-Century Novel
- 17th-Century Poetry
- Modern Science Fiction
Literary Period or Movement II
4.5 Quarter Units
Advanced, historically oriented study of a literary period, such as American Romanticism, or of a movement such as American Modernism, the Harlem Renaissance, or the Lost Generation. Variable topic selected by the instructor. (May not duplicate content of ENG 620A.)
- American Gothic
- American Romanticism
- Harlem Renaissance
- Medieval Literature
One of the following:
Seminar in a Theme I
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of a literary motif or theme over time and/or across cultures. Variable topic chosen by instructor. Examples of themes are: the gothic, utopia/distopia, vampires, the road, and gender in literature.
- Metafiction
- Vampires
- Gothic Literature
- Modern Gothic
Seminar in a Theme II
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of a literary motif or theme over time and/or across cultures. Variable topic chosen by instructor. Examples of themes are: the dark gothic, meta-fiction, the home, and war in literature.
- Home in British Literature
- Detective Fiction
- Female Gothic
- Gothic Prisons/Romantic Spaces
One of the following:
Major Author Seminar I
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the work of a single author, such as Jane Austen, Walt Whitman, Charles Dickens, William Faulkner, Jack London. Special attention given to biography, culture, and literary context.
- Ann Radcliffe
- John Steinbeck
- Jane Austen
- Chaucer
- Walt Whitman
- T. S. Eliot
Major Author Seminar II
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the work of a single author, such as Shakespeare, George Eliot, Garcia Lorca, Ernest Hemingway, James Baldwin. Special attention given to biography, culture, and literary context.
- Shakespeare in Film
- E. A Poe
- The Brontes
One of the following:
English Capstone Course
4.5 Quarter Units
Writing the Master’s thesis or capstone project. Taken as the last course in the M.A. English program. Exceptions may be made if within two courses of program completion, with approval of the lead faculty. Grading is by S or U only. Course is eligible for an “IP” grade.
Specialization Requirements
(4 courses; 18 quarter units)
- ENG 690B Major Author Seminar II: E. A. Poe or The Brontës
- ENG 620A Literary Period or Movement I: Dark Romanticism or Sensation Novel
- ENG 620B Literary Period or Movement II: American Gothic
- ENG 640 Seminar in Poetry: Graveyard Poetry
- ENG 668 Film Genre Studies: Horror Films
- ENG 680A Seminar in a Theme I: Vampires or Gothic Literature or Modern Gothic
- ENG 680B Seminar in a Theme II: Gothic Prisons/Romantic Spaces or Female Gothic
- ENG 690A Major Author Seminar I: Ann Radcliffe
Capstone Project in Rhetoric
4.5 Quarter Units
Prerequisite: ENG 655; ENG 656; ENG 657 and ENG 668, or ENG 680A Topic: Literary Noir/Noir Mediascape
Writing the Master’s thesis or capstone project. Taken as the last course in the M.A. English with a Specialization in Rhetoric program. Exceptions may be made if within two courses of program completion, with approval of the lead faculty. Students study published models of rhetorical criticism. They hone critical tools and apply them to a substantial, original project. Working closely with the capstone instructor and peers, students take this project from inception to final form: a work of professional-quality rhetorical criticism. Grading basis is S/U only. Course is eligible for In Progress (IP) grade.
Elective Requirements
18 Courses
Multicultural Literature
4.5 Quarter Units
Examines core concepts of race, ethnicity, culture, and multiculturalism from the standpoint of recent developments in American literary canon formation. Students will synthesize current multicultural literary theories with a corpus of significant literary texts.
One of the following:
Literary Period or Movement I
4.5 Quarter Units
Advanced, historically oriented study of a literary period, such as English Medieval, Romantic, or Victorian literature, or a movement, such as The Beat Generation. Variable topic selected by the instructor. (May not duplicate content of ENG 620B.)
- Greatest Generation
- Sensation Novel
- 18th-Century Novel
- 17th-Century Poetry
- Modern Science Fiction
- Dark Romanticism
Literary Period or Movement II
4.5 Quarter Units
Advanced, historically oriented study of a literary period, such as American Romanticism, or of a movement such as American Modernism, the Harlem Renaissance, or the Lost Generation. Variable topic selected by the instructor. (May not duplicate content of ENG 620A.)
- American Gothic
- American Romanticism
- Harlem Renaissance
- Medieval Literature
Seminar in Fiction
4.5 Quarter Units
Students write and critique each other¿s work in a workshop-style format. Through presentation and critique of published and student-generated work, students will advance their understanding of the genres’ many forms and styles, strengthen their own writing, and broaden their understanding of literature and various modes of literary writing.
Seminar in Poetry
4.5 Quarter Units
Advanced study of the history and practice of poetry. Close reading of a major poet or school of poetry, poetic forms and theories.
- Imagism influences of Haiku and East Asian Poetics
- Graveyard Poetry
Seminar in Poetry
4.5 Quarter Units
A poetry workshop where students will learn the craft of poetry by writing their own original work and offering feedback to their peers. Students will be introduced to contemporary poetry though readings and discussions of poems from a poet’s point of view.
Seminar in Creative Nonfiction
4.5 Quarter Units
Students write and critique each other’s original work in a workshop-style format. Through presentation and critique of published and student-generated work, students will advance their understanding of the genre’s many forms, including memoir, autobiography, nature writing, literary journalism, and the personal essay, while strengthening their own writing.
Composition Pedagogy
4.5 Quarter Units
Prepares students for the practical and theoretical challenges of teaching English composition and other writing courses. Topics include process theory, cognitive studies, language and diversity, genre studies, and best practices.
History of Rhetoric
4.5 Quarter Units
Focuses on the teachings of the major figures of ancient rhetoric, such as the sophists, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian. Students will study the classical texts that form the basis of modern rhetoric studies. The course also surveys major shifts through Medieval, Renaissance, and Enlightenment rhetoric.
Modern Rhetoric
4.5 Quarter Units
Introduces students to the contemporary study of rhetoric. The course covers major figures such as Kenneth Burke, Lloyd Bitzer, and Stephen Toulmin. The course introduces a wide range of academic interests in contemporary rhetoric; in particular, students will practice reading texts rhetorically through major theories of rhetoric.
Film Theory
4.5 Quarter Units
An overview of film theory designed to give students the critical tools necessary to describe and evaluate various aspects of cinema art. This course introduces concepts from a variety of approaches, including deconstruction, existentialism, Marxism, phenomenology, and psychoanalysis.
Silent Film
4.5 Quarter Units
A survey of films produced before the advent of recorded sound, this course focuses on the early national cinemas of France, Germany, the Soviet Union and the United States; attention is directed to concepts of visual narratology, montage and the conventions of acting, set design, lighting and movement.
American Film History
4.5 Quarter Units
This course offers an in-depth study of the development of cinema in the United States that takes a broad overview of American film making. Topics include film genre and the relationship of film to art, politics, religion and society. Additionally, the course considers Hollywood’s treatment of ethnic groups, women, and systems of class structure.
Film Genre Studies
4.5 Quarter Units
Film Genre Studies is a content-variable course that may be repeated for credit. Each iteration of the course focuses on a specific genre of film in an international- or American-historical context, including the Western, the Epic, the Biblical Epic, Film Noir, the Crime Story, Science-Fiction Adventure, Agitprop, or other film genres. This is an intensive study of the conventions, artists, and styles associated with specific genres and the historical circumstances in which the genre appeared.
World Film
4.5 Quarter Units
World Film is a content-variable course that may be repeated for credit. Each iteration of this course is a study of the film tradition of a specific nation or group of nations other than the United States. Students in this course will engage in an intensive study of the elements of filmmaking and theory, as well as the contrasting visual styles of directors, artists, and themes prominent in the particular tradition or traditions surveyed. Trans-cultural and transcendental film categories, universals values, and the fundamental principles of film art are also important topics of discussion.
Comparative Literary Studies
4.5 Quarter Units
Analysis of literary texts across national and linguistic as well as temporal, cultural, and disciplinary lines.
One of the following:
Major Author Seminar I
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the work of a single author, such as Jane Austen, Walt Whitman, Charles Dickens, William Faulkner, Jack London. Special attention given to biography, culture, and literary context.
- T. S. Eliot
- Ann Radcliffe
- John Steinbeck
- Jane Austen
- Chaucer
- Walt Whitman
Major Author Seminar II
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the work of a single author, such as Shakespeare, George Eliot, Garcia Lorca, Ernest Hemingway, James Baldwin. Special attention given to biography, culture, and literary context.
- Shakespeare in Film
- E. A Poe
- The Brontes
Seminar in a Theme I
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of a literary motif or theme over time and/or across cultures. Variable topic chosen by instructor. Examples of themes are: the gothic, utopia/distopia, vampires, the road, and gender in literature.
- Vampires
- Gothic Literature
- Modern Gothic
- Metafiction
Seminar in a Theme II
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of a literary motif or theme over time and/or across cultures. Variable topic chosen by instructor. Examples of themes are: the dark gothic, meta-fiction, the home, and war in literature.
- Home in British Literature
- Detective Fiction
- Female Gothic
- Gothic Prisons/Romantic Spaces
American Directors
4.5 Quarter Units
This seminar in great American directors is a content-variable course that may be repeated for credit. Each iteration of this course is a comprehensive study of the artistic achievements of an American director. Students will engage in detailed interpretations and analyses of the techniques and concepts employed by a particular director, paying special attention to literary works as they relate to the filmmaking efforts of the director studied.
International Directors
4.5 Quarter Units
This seminar in great international directors is a content-variable course that may be repeated for credit. Each iteration of this course is a comprehensive study of the canon of work of a specific director, excluding American directors. Students will engage in detailed interpretations and analyses of the techniques and concepts employed by a particular international director, paying special attention to literary works as they relate to the filmmaking efforts of the director studied.
Specialization in Gothic Studies
8 Courses
Literary Period or Movement I
4.5 Quarter Units
Advanced, historically oriented study of a literary period, such as English Medieval, Romantic, or Victorian literature, or a movement, such as The Beat Generation. Variable topic selected by the instructor. (May not duplicate content of ENG 620B.)
- Dark Romanticism
- Greatest Generation
- Sensation Novel
- 18th-Century Novel
- 17th-Century Poetry
- Modern Science Fiction
Literary Period or Movement II
4.5 Quarter Units
Advanced, historically oriented study of a literary period, such as American Romanticism, or of a movement such as American Modernism, the Harlem Renaissance, or the Lost Generation. Variable topic selected by the instructor. (May not duplicate content of ENG 620A.)
- American Romanticism
- Harlem Renaissance
- Medieval Literature
- American Gothic
Seminar in Poetry
4.5 Quarter Units
Advanced study of the history and practice of poetry. Close reading of a major poet or school of poetry, poetic forms and theories.
- Imagism influences of Haiku and East Asian Poetics
- Graveyard Poetry
Film Genre Studies
4.5 Quarter Units
Film Genre Studies is a content-variable course that may be repeated for credit. Each iteration of the course focuses on a specific genre of film in an international- or American-historical context, including the Western, the Epic, the Biblical Epic, Film Noir, the Crime Story, Science-Fiction Adventure, Agitprop, or other film genres. This is an intensive study of the conventions, artists, and styles associated with specific genres and the historical circumstances in which the genre appeared.
Seminar in a Theme I
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of a literary motif or theme over time and/or across cultures. Variable topic chosen by instructor. Examples of themes are: the gothic, utopia/distopia, vampires, the road, and gender in literature.
- Vampires
- Gothic Literature
- Modern Gothic
- Metafiction
Seminar in a Theme II
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of a literary motif or theme over time and/or across cultures. Variable topic chosen by instructor. Examples of themes are: the dark gothic, meta-fiction, the home, and war in literature.
- Home in British Literature
- Detective Fiction
- Female Gothic
- Gothic Prisons/Romantic Spaces
Major Author Seminar I
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the work of a single author, such as Jane Austen, Walt Whitman, Charles Dickens, William Faulkner, Jack London. Special attention given to biography, culture, and literary context.
- Ann Radcliffe
- John Steinbeck
- Jane Austen
- Chaucer
- Walt Whitman
- T. S. Eliot
Major Author Seminar II
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the work of a single author, such as Shakespeare, George Eliot, Garcia Lorca, Ernest Hemingway, James Baldwin. Special attention given to biography, culture, and literary context.
- Shakespeare in Film
- E. A Poe
- The Brontes
Specialization in Rhetoric
4 Courses
Students must select 4 of the 5 courses listed below
History of Rhetoric
4.5 Quarter Units
Focuses on the teachings of the major figures of ancient rhetoric, such as the sophists, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian. Students will study the classical texts that form the basis of modern rhetoric studies. The course also surveys major shifts through Medieval, Renaissance, and Enlightenment rhetoric.
Modern Rhetoric
4.5 Quarter Units
Introduces students to the contemporary study of rhetoric. The course covers major figures such as Kenneth Burke, Lloyd Bitzer, and Stephen Toulmin. The course introduces a wide range of academic interests in contemporary rhetoric; in particular, students will practice reading texts rhetorically through major theories of rhetoric.
Composition Pedagogy
4.5 Quarter Units
Prepares students for the practical and theoretical challenges of teaching English composition and other writing courses. Topics include process theory, cognitive studies, language and diversity, genre studies, and best practices.
One of the following:
Film Genre Studies
4.5 Quarter Units
Film Genre Studies is a content-variable course that may be repeated for credit. Each iteration of the course focuses on a specific genre of film in an international- or American-historical context, including the Western, the Epic, the Biblical Epic, Film Noir, the Crime Story, Science-Fiction Adventure, Agitprop, or other film genres. This is an intensive study of the conventions, artists, and styles associated with specific genres and the historical circumstances in which the genre appeared.
Seminar in a Theme I*
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of a literary motif or theme over time and/or across cultures. Variable topic chosen by instructor. Examples of themes are: the gothic, utopia/distopia, vampires, the road, and gender in literature.
- Vampires
- Gothic Literature
- Modern Gothic
- Metafiction
*Topic, “Literary Noir/Noir Mediascape” must be taken.
Specializations
Master of Arts in English, Gothic Studies
The Gothic Studies specialization provides a comprehensive program of graduate study in literature, as well as a rigorous examination of the historical, theoretical, and critical reception of the Gothic genre in both literature and film. This program prepares you for doctoral study or college-level teaching in English or related fields while also providing general cultural enrichment.
Master of Arts in English, Rhetoric
The Rhetoric specialization offers a program of graduate study in literature, as well as a wide range of cultural production—from classical oration to contemporary cinema—with a particular emphasis on how language and image are used to produce various effects and meanings. The curriculum contains several variable-topic courses, allowing you to pursue broad program goals in topic areas matched to your interests.
Career Outlook
Data Source: The career outcomes data presented is sourced from Lightcast, which provides insights based on real-time job postings, public datasets, and analytics. Lightcast derives its data from sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), and the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES). While accurate and reliable, this data reflects general labor market trends and may not represent individual outcomes or specific local conditions. For more details on Lightcast’s methodology, visit their Data Overview.
The Master of Arts in English degree will prepare you for careers such as:
- Top Jobs in this field
- Median Salary (USA)
- JOB Openings (USA)
- Historians
- $64,318 avg. salary (USA)
- 579 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Historic Preservation
- Architectural History
- National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)
- Project Management
- Public History
- Geographic Information Systems
- Cultural Resource Management
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- Stantec
- Jacobs Solutions
- American Cruise Lines
- National Park Service
- AECOM
- Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants
- $60,433 avg. salary (USA)
- 43,656 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Lawsuits
- Legal Pleadings
- Legal Discovery
- Legal Research
- Legal Depositions
- Legal Hearings
- Proofreading
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- Contact Government Services
- Morgan & Morgan, P.A.
- United States Department of Justice
- State of Florida
- State Farm
- DLA Piper
- Judicial Law Clerks
- $57,514 avg. salary (USA)
- 1,218 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Legal Research
- Lawsuits
- Legal Pleadings
- Legal Hearings
- Legal Discovery
- Family Law
- Legal Depositions
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- Contact Government Services
- United States District Court
- American Arbitration Association
- Colorado Judicial Branch
- Georgetown University
- Ky Justice And Public Safety Cabinet
- Elementary School Teachers
- $63,387 avg. salary (USA)
- 115,805 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Lesson Planning
- Classroom Management
- Curriculum Development
- Special Education
- Learning Styles
- Individualized Education Programs (IEP)
- Instructional Strategies
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- Clark County School District
- Atlas Preparatory Academy
- Wake County Public Schools
- State Of West Virginia
- Stepping Stones
- Pasco County Schools
- Middle School Teachers
- $63,979 avg. salary (USA)
- 51,404 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Lesson Planning
- Mathematics Education
- Classroom Management
- Science Education
- Curriculum Development
- Differentiated Instruction
- Learning Styles
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- Stride K12
- Uncommon Schools
- Kipp Massachusetts
- Kipp Austin Public Schools
- KIPP Foundation
- Wake County Public Schools
- Secondary School Teachers
- $65,057 avg. salary (USA)
- 80,635 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Lesson Planning
- Classroom Management
- Curriculum Development
- Mathematics Education
- Learning Styles
- Differentiated Instruction
- Individualized Education Programs (IEP)
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- Clark County School District
- Stride K12
- Chicago Public Schools
- Success Academy
- Charter Schools USA
- Outlier
- Short-Term Substitute Teachers
- $37,365 avg. salary (USA)
- 62,103 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Lesson Planning
- Classroom Management
- Learning Styles
- Special Education
- Child Development
- Working With Children
- Curriculum Development
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- Scoot Education
- Charter Schools USA
- Ess Education Support Services
- Broward County Public Schools
- Kelly Education
- San Diego Community College District
- Archivists
- $58,977 avg. salary (USA)
- 1,326 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Archives
- Library
- Metadata
- Finding Aids
- Workflow Management
- Cataloguing
- Library Science
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- United States Government
- Contact Government Services
- Deloitte
- Ancestry
- Stanford University
- State of Massachusetts
- Curators
- $61,159 avg. salary (USA)
- 2,175 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Exhibitions
- Curation
- Art History
- Museum Studies
- Marketing
- Project Management
- Loans
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- Feyer&Associates
- Harvard University
- Brookstone Management
- University of California
- University of Chicago
- Constellis
- Editors
- $69,688 avg. salary (USA)
- 13,608 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Journalism
- Proofreading
- Marketing
- Copy Editing
- Project Management
- Content Editing
- Workflow Management
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- Wolters Kluwer
- Outlier
- Pearson Education
- Launch Potato
- NBC
- Gannett
Program Learning Outcomes
Learn the key skills to help you excel in your field of study.
- Research and apply relevant criticism in sustained analyses and interpretations of specific works of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry
- Evaluate the relevance and validity of different theoretical approaches (e.g., historicist, biographical, etc.) to the understanding of specific works of literature
- Engage in informed critical discussion, both oral and written, of theoretical issues pertaining to the study of literature
- Engage in informed critical oral and written discussion of the works and criticism of a specific literary period or movement
- Participate in rigorous critiques of the scholarly works of others
- Revise and expand a scholarly paper to submit for publication in a scholarly or literary journal
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To that end, we’ve simplified and streamlined our application process, so you can get enrolled in your program right away. Because we accept and review applications year round, you can begin class as soon as next month, depending on your program and location of choice.
Learn more about undergraduate, graduate, military, and international student admissions, plus admissions information for transfer students. You can also learn more about our tuition rates and financial aid opportunities.
To speak with our admissions team, call (855) 355-6288 or request information and an advisor will contact you shortly. If you’re ready to apply, simply start your application today.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
National University is dedicated to making higher education affordable, as well as accessible. Through NU scholarship offerings, eligible students are able to reduce the financial burden of college, start classes sooner, and finish their programs faster while focusing on achieving their goals.
Accreditations
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accredits public and private schools, colleges, and universities in the U.S.
Why National University?
We’re proud to be a Veteran-founded, San Diego-based nonprofit. Since 1971, our mission has been to provide accessible, achievable higher education to adult learners.
Today, we educate students from across the U.S. and around the globe, with over 240,000 alumni worldwide.
“National University has impacted my career. You can immediately apply what you learn in class to your business.”
Francisco R.,
Class of 2016
What makes a degree
with National University unique?
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Committed to serving those who serve — diverse resources and support for veterans and family. Military and Veteran Admissions.
Mentoring Network
Individual student and alumni career guidance, professional development opportunities, and customized career support.
Transfer Students Welcome
NU makes it easy to get your degree, even if you started it with another university. Learn more about transferring to NU.
Accelerate Your Career With NU
At National University, you’re part of a family. As a student, you’ll have the support of staff, faculty members, students, and alumni who will be there with you every step of the way, cheering you on as you pursue your goals.
Our network of 240,000 alumni is a large global community that provides our graduates with the professional connections to get a leg up in your new career.
MA in English Degree FAQs
The MA in English program assists students in developing the advanced critical reading, writing, and research skills necessary to participate confidently and meaningfully with other English studies scholars and professionals and to apply disciplinary knowledge beyond the field of English studies. You will be poised to enter the education field, or work in a range of roles involving writing, communications, and data analysis.
National University’s MA in English is a ten-course program. With NU’s four-week courses and accelerated pace, students can complete this program, including the capstone, in as few as 11 months.
Earning an MA in English provides you with sought-after skills, setting you up for success in a variety of fields involving research and analysis, writing, teaching, journalism, marketing, communications, and more.
In addition to core courses that provide a strong foundation in literary traditions, students choose from a variety of elective course offerings, including 17th- and 18th-century literature, Romanticism, Gothic, and Harlem Renaissance.
The Master of Arts in English offers students the opportunity to engage in the study of language and literature. The program assists students in developing the advanced critical reading, writing, and research skills necessary to participate confidently and meaningfully with other English studies scholars and professionals and to apply disciplinary knowledge beyond the field of English studies.
The MA in English is offered entirely online with interactive courses. The accelerated pace of this 10-course program allows students to complete their master’s in less than one year. Students benefit from the individual attention of professors while engaging with each other, the course material, and building knowledge through collaboration in an invigorating and supportive learning community.
In addition to core courses that provide a strong foundation in the literary tradition, students choose from a variety of elective course offerings, including 17th- and 18th-century literature, Romanticism, Gothic, and Harlem Renaissance. Students have the ability to choose from two unique specializations to customize their academic experience: Gothic and Rhetoric. The Gothic specialization is the first and only Gothic MA in the United States, and the Rhetoric specialization has its own capstone.
The University’s Writing Across the Curriculum program offers opportunities for students to enhance their career development through projects such as editing and producing the student literary journal, the GNU, and working on the WHACK, the Writing Across the Curriculum newsletter. Various departmental faculty also have opportunities for students to assist them with teaching and scholarly projects.
National University’s MA in English program focuses on helping you develop a deep set of skills that are widely transferable and applicable to many careers. Some of the skills you will learn include research, writing, teaching, marketing, and more.
With these skills, you’ll be qualified to pursue a range of occupations in areas like education, public admin, health care, and more. Some of the specific job titles in these areas include:
- Technical writer
- Author
- Teacher
- Research associate
- Marketing product manager
- Education administrator
To give you an idea of the salary range*** you might command, BLS also states that the median annual wage for high school teachers was $61,800 in May 2021.
*** https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/high-school-teachers.htm#tab-5
The Master of Arts in English with a Specialization in Rhetoric provides a program of graduate study in literature as well as a wide range of cultural production, from classical oration to contemporary cinema, with particular attention paid to how language and image are used to produce various effects and meanings. Students study literary texts and other cultural artifacts across a variety of media forms, developing readings that are grounded in contextual understanding. Students complete coursework in literary studies, classical and modern rhetoric, composition pedagogy, media studies, and film studies. The prescribed curriculum contains several variable-topic courses, allowing students to pursue broad program goals in topic areas matched to their individual interests. The program is appropriate for students seeking preparation for doctoral study or college-level teaching in English and related fields, or general cultural enrichment.
The Master of Arts in English with a Specialization in Gothic Studies provides a balanced and comprehensive program of graduate study in literature as well as a rigorous examination of the historical, theoretical, and critical reception of the Gothic, from its origins in the 18th century through to a range of contemporary works in both literature and film. The program is appropriate for students seeking preparation for doctoral study or college-level teaching in English and related fields, or general cultural enrichment.
Additional Resources
Program Disclosure
Successful completion and attainment of National University degrees do not lead to automatic or immediate licensure, employment, or certification in any state/country. The University cannot guarantee that any professional organization or business will accept a graduate’s application to sit for any certification, licensure, or related exam for the purpose of professional certification.
Program availability varies by state. Many disciplines, professions, and jobs require disclosure of an individual’s criminal history, and a variety of states require background checks to apply to, or be eligible for, certain certificates, registrations, and licenses. Existence of a criminal history may also subject an individual to denial of an initial application for a certificate, registration, or license and/or result in the revocation or suspension of an existing certificate, registration, or license. Requirements can vary by state, occupation, and/or licensing authority.
NU graduates will be subject to additional requirements on a program, certification/licensure, employment, and state-by-state basis that can include one or more of the following items: internships, practicum experience, additional coursework, exams, tests, drug testing, earning an additional degree, and/or other training/education requirements.
All prospective students are advised to review employment, certification, and/or licensure requirements in their state, and to contact the certification/licensing body of the state and/or country where they intend to obtain certification/licensure to verify that these courses/programs qualify in that state/country, prior to enrolling. Prospective students are also advised to regularly review the state’s/country’s policies and procedures relating to certification/licensure, as those policies are subject to change.
National University degrees do not guarantee employment or salary of any kind. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to review desired job positions to review degrees, education, and/or training required to apply for desired positions. Prospective students should monitor these positions as requirements, salary, and other relevant factors can change over time.
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