English, MA
Deepen your knowledge of language, sharpen your critical thinking and refine your writing. Develop your talent for expressing complex ideas with clarity while preparing for advanced careers in teaching, research, writing or communication.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
English master's description
The Master of Arts program in English addresses the many facets of English: its literature; its linguistic, social and cultural histories; and its capacities for persuasion, exposition and elucidation.
The program is grounded in scholarly tradition but designed for the demands of today's world. Its innovative curriculum has been developed to train you, as a present or future educator, and equips you to pursue a career in the wide variety of professions that value advanced critical thinking, research and communication skills.
World-class faculty is ready to help enhance your skill sets, deepen your knowledge bases and prepare you to put the MA in English degree to work in your chosen profession.
Why study English at ASU?
You can extend your learning beyond the classroom by contributing to Canyon Voices Literary Magazine.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below.
30 credit hours including the required capstone course (ENG 597)
Required Core (6 credit hours) Electives or Research (12 credit hours) Open Elective or Research Courses (9 credit hours) Culminating Experience (3 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information For the open elective or research courses, nine credit hours can be selected from ENG coursework offered by New College faculty. Students who wish to take ENG courses offered by faculty outside New College, or courses with a non-ENG prefix, must first receive approval from the program director.
ENG 502 Contemporary Critical Theories (3) or MAS 505 Theories of Change, Culture and Mind (3)
ENG 582 Pedagogy (3)
ENG 500 Research Methods (3)
ENG 591 Seminar (3)
ENG courses (6)
ENG 597 Graduate Capstone Seminar (3)
For electives or research, students should see the academic unit for the approved course list from ENG courses through New College. ENG 500 is a required research course for all students and must be included in the plan of study.
What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Produce an in-depth literature review that synthesizes scholarly perspectives on a significant topic in literary studies and identifies gaps for future research.
- Design a pedagogical intervention that applies contemporary teaching and learning theory to address a specific instructional challenge.
- Design a research project that advances original scholarship in textual analysis, critical theory, or pedagogy.
Produce an in-depth literature review that synthesizes scholarly perspectives on a significant topic in literary studies and identifies gaps for future research.Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences. Applicants must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. All applicants must submit: Additional Application Information The statement of purpose should describe the applicant's educational background, scholarly interests and academic and professional goals. It is preferred that the letters of recommendation come from faculty members who know the applicant's work well; if such faculty are not available, recommendation letters from individuals in supervisory or professional roles are acceptable.
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
Application deadlines
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 07/15 | Final* |
| Session A/C | In Person | 09/01 | Priority* |
*A final deadline means that all applications and application materials must be received by Admission Services by the deadline date. Applications that are incomplete may not be considered after the final deadline. Applications that are submitted past the final deadline may not be considered.
*A priority deadline means that applications submitted and completed before the priority deadline will receive priority consideration. Applications submitted after the priority deadlines will be reviewed in the order in which they were completed and on a space-available basis. An application is complete after all materials are received by Admission Services.
Explore expanded study opportunities
This program allows you to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. As a high-achieving student, accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for you to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of your master's degree. These programs feature the same high-quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.
This program is offered as an accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree with:
Approval to pursue the accelerated master's is typically granted during the junior year of your bachelor's degree program. If you are interested, you can learn more about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Careers this English master's degree prepares you for
The ability to influence and motivate behavior through the power of well-crafted language is a skill valued in every industry that depends on customers, employees, suppliers or investors.
Graduates with a master's degree in English are able to use language to accomplish organizational goals; use advanced critical thinking abilities and advanced skills for clear and effective verbal communication; construct well-supported and persuasive arguments; and perform complex textual analysis. They are knowledgeable about historical trends in written discourse, have an awareness of the role of literary discourse in broader social and historical contexts, and have the ability to engage in big-picture thinking.
Career fields are many and varied. Examples include:
- business communication
- community college teaching
- editing
- grant writing
- journalism
- nonprofit consulting
- public relations
- publishing
- secondary education and continuing education
- technical writing
- web (content management, social media management)
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
School of Humanities, Arts, and Cultural Studies
|
FAB N101
NCGradAdvising@asu.edu
602-543-3000
Admission deadlines
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
