Master of Arts in English

Build Your Career Through the Opportunities Offered by the MA in English Program

You have a passion for literature and writing and are ready to go deeper and beyond. Benefit from guided individual research in lieu of exams for graduation, teaching assistantships, advanced positions in the Writing Center, high placement for college-level teaching positions and high acceptance into PhD programs with funding.

Work closely with faculty scholars in independent research with our thesis option, or broaden your preparation with more electives in the non-thesis track. With a special emphasis on teaching college-level English and an optional concentration in digital rhetoric and multimodal design, the program thoroughly prepares you for continued studies or to put your skills to use right away in educational, communication or business settings.

Why Earn a Master’s in English at UT Tyler?

Literature and writing matter deeply. They are media through which we explore the most important questions and grow in our compassion for and understanding of others. A master’s degree presents multiple paths ahead: prepare for a career as a professor introducing students to these exciting and life-changing subjects, get ready to teach at the junior college level or continue your studies with a PhD for advanced teaching positions. With courses in digital multimodal design, the MA in English further equips students for higher-level positions in the digital market.

The skills students hone in our master’s in English program have a much wider application, however. Harness the power of words and critical thought to make an impact in East Texas and beyond as a writer or in a business career involving communication and the use of language.

Whatever your career goals, build a solid foundation at UT Tyler through:

• Inspiring Faculty Mentors: Learn the craft from experienced guides. Train with award-winning faculty in both teaching and research who prepare you for professional success.
• Research: Work with a pair of faculty members in a guided, individualized study in your area of interest. Publish your work in a peer-reviewed journal to strengthen your professional credentials.
• Experience: Teach English courses under the supervision of a faculty mentor, or work in the Writing Center to gain hands-on experience in the craft of teaching.
• Flexibility: Choose the format that works for you. Our program is available online, face-to-face or in a combination of the two.
• Successful Placement: Our graduates experience a high level of placement success, whether seeking a teaching position or admission to a PhD program upon graduation.
• Affordability: Build your skills without building a burden of debt. We offset our already-low tuition with graduate assistantships, scholarships and other forms of financial support. Our online MA in English ranks in the top 10 most affordable programs in the nation, according to GradSchoolHub.com.

Sample Student Publications

Book: Not to Keep: A Brother’s Story (Rebecca Johnson)

Journal Articles:

• “Using Thoreau to Teach Tangibly” in The Thoreau Society Bulletin.
• “A Veiled Inclusion: Safie as Mary Wollstonecraft in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein” in The Incredible Nineteenth Century.
• “The Commercial Spirit and Changing New England in The Robert Frost Review.
• “Slovenes and Friuli as the Other in Hemingway,” in Acta Neophilologica.
• “Rappaccini’s Queer Daughter,” “Emily Dickinson’s ‘Twas warm—at first—like Us—‘,” and “Siren’s Song: Phillis Wheatley’s Subversive Elegy” in The Explicator.

Chapter: “Using Digital Tools to Immerse the iGeneration in Hemingway’s Geographies” in scholarly anthology, Hemingway in the Digital Age (Ken State UP, 2019).

Curriculum

The master’s in English is a 36-credit-hour course of study you can complete in two years. There is an optional thesis and two special concentrations that allow you to customize the program to fit your career goals.

Whichever option you choose, students develop advanced skills in critical thinking, textual interpretation, research and writing through courses in writing, rhetoric and theory, early and early modern literature and later literature.

Develop your own research and prepare a publishable article under expert faculty mentorship with the thesis option. Or, take additional electives to broaden your expertise in the non-thesis track.

Prepare for jobs in digital marketing and communications with a concentration in digital rhetoric and multimodal design. Planning to pursue college-level work as an English teacher? Our 18-credit-hour Milestone in College English Studies program gets you ready and gives you an additional credential to teach college-level courses or dual credit courses in high school.

During your time at UT Tyler:

• Develop a deepened understanding of literature's cultural legacy and role in shaping ideas.
• Hone your ability to write effectively and with discernment.
• Gain the skills needed to acquire knowledge and communicate ideas in preparation for employment or doctoral study.
• Sharpen your critical thinking skills.
• Learn the tools of textual analysis.
• Grow in your understanding of and effectiveness in teaching college English courses.

See All MA in English Degree Requirements

What Can You Do With a Master’s in English?

A graduate degree in English gives you some of the most sought-after soft skills in the workplace. Communication and critical thinking top the list of what employers are looking for, meaning opportunities are just about anywhere you look.

That includes the areas most closely related to your core competencies. Graduates with an MA in English find work in positions including:

• Advanced Data Analyst
• Advanced Researcher
• Content Writer
• Copywriter
• Director of Communications
• Editor
• Grant Writer
• Speech Writer
• Technical Writer

Or, share your love of literature as a college-level English teacher. Respondents to an extensive survey conducted by Payscale.com ranked it the second-most meaningful job available. Graduates have found work as instructors at junior colleges or as adjunct professors. Continue your studies with a PhD in English for tenure-track positions at the university level.

How to Apply

Graduate Admission Requirements

Admission to the master’s in English program is open to those with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with at least 21 credit hours of English courses. You must have a minimum GPA of 3.25 for at least 48 credit hours of upper-division coursework and a 3.5 for at least 21 credit hours of English courses, 12 of which must be upper-division courses.

Your application must include the following:

• A completed online application.
• Official transcripts for all prior college- or graduate-level work, submitted to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
• A Statement of Purpose (500 words maximum) stating your reasons for pursuing an MA in English. This essay should be signed, single-spaced and word-processed.
• A writing sample of eight to 10 pages (or longer) that demonstrates your ability to produce long-form critical engagement with a body of literature, literary period or thesis question/concern.
• Additional considerations for admission may include: your demonstrated commitment to your chosen field of study, socioeconomic background, whether you are a first-generation college graduate, multilingual proficiency, geographic region of residence and level of responsibility in other matters, including extracurricular activities, employment, community service and family responsibilities.
• Conditional admission may be granted if an admission requirement is not met in an otherwise strong application.

Review All Application Requirements

See General Graduate School Admissions Requirements

Tuition

The estimated tuition for full-time, in-state, on-campus enrollment is $15,660. Tuition varies by delivery method and hours taken per semester. Calculate your estimated tuition with the tuition calculator.

Important Dates

May 1

Priority application deadline for those seeking fall enrollment.

July 15

Final application deadline for fall enrollment.

September 1

Priority application deadline for those seeking spring enrollment.

October 1

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid opens for the upcoming academic year.

December 1

Final application deadline for spring enrollment.