PROGRAM
The master of arts in English offers students the opportunity to explore a wide range of critical and creative approaches to language and literature. Students work closely with faculty who are at the forefront of a changing intellectual and cultural landscape, with expertise in the traditional fields of English studies as well as in comparative literature, creative and professional writing, Caribbean and Latinx studies, holocaust and genocide studies, digital studies, ecopoetics, and writing and rhetoric studies. For educators with an initial license, successful completion of this program leads to the fulfillment of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts requirements for professional licensure to teach English at the secondary level.
CURRICULUM
The curriculum is 30-33 credits and offers students the ability to choose to concentrate their studies in either literature or writing. Both concentrations start with the required ENG 725: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Literature. The concentration in literature focuses on literary texts, scholarly criticism, and research, and is recommended for those who seek professional licensure or are interested in pursuing doctoral studies in English. The curriculum includes a thesis, portfolio capstone, or a 33-credit option. The concentration in writing is designed for those who want to pursue careers in writing. The curriculum includes a capstone manuscript in the student’s major genre which may include poetry, fiction, or dramatic forms. Students in both concentrations are required to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English.
SAMPLE COURSES
ENG 708
Native American Literature
ENG 761 Shakespeare Teacher’s Institute
ENG 797 Feminist Rhetorical Theory and Criticism
ENG 794 Studies in Literature of the World
ENG 825 Workshop in Memoir and Prose Forms
ENG 830
Digital Writing
ENG 833 Seminar: Topics in Writing
CAREERS
English majors bring highly-valued critical thinking and communication skills to the workplace. Seventy percent of our graduates are employed in the field of education, with forty-four percent teaching middle and high school, and eleven percent teaching as adjunct faculty at institutions of higher education including community colleges. Nine percent of our graduates are employed in marketing, sales, and business management. Others are employed in the fields of writing, editing, and publishing; and several go on to pursue doctoral work in a range of disciplines.
FACTS AND FIGURES
• Distinguished faculty with expertise in a wide range of areas including: Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Digital Humanities, Caribbean Studies, African American Literature, writing studies, fiction writing, poetry, and memoir
• Diverse student body, many of whom are licensed teachers and work professionally in U.S. schools
• Flexible scheduling with courses offered in the late afternoon, evening, online, hybrid, and week-long summer institutes to accommodate a wide range of students’ needs and schedules
• Opportunities to supplement master’s degree with interdisciplinary graduate certificates in Writing and Rhetoric or Holocaust and Genocide Studies
• Possibility for combined degrees: BA + MA and MA + MAT
COST
For Massachusetts residents, each credit costs $450.80,* which includes tuition and fees. For non-Massachusetts residents, each credit costs
$543.10.* The program is 30-33 credits. For assistance funding your graduate education, options such as financial aid, graduate assistantships, employer reimbursement and tuition remission, and veteran’s benefits may be available.
*Tuition and fees subject to change.
Whether you are a teacher seeking professional licensure, a scholar preparing for a PhD or MFA program, a writer with a book inside of you, or a life-long learner seeking to sharpen your writing skills or expand your literary knowledge, our master of arts (MA) in English can help you take the next step on your professional journey.
Designed to meet a diverse range of student goals, our personalized MA in English offers two concentrations: literature and writing. The concentration in literature is geared for educators and those interested in pursuing advanced study in literary analysis, scholarly criticism, and research. The concentration in writing is geared for those seeking advanced study in writing genres such as poetry, fiction, nonfiction, science fiction, digital writing, and memoir.
In both concentrations students will develop and hone their skills in critical analysis, communication, and creative thinking.
Apply: salemstate.edu/apply
Financial Aid: salemstate.edu/finaid
Email: gradadmissions@salemstate.edu Phone: 978.542.6200
For accommodations and access information, visit salemstate.edu/access.