Online Master's Degrees > Best Online Master's Degree Programs in English

ONLINE MASTER'S DEGREE INENGLISH

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TOP ONLINE SCHOOLS: MASTER'S IN ENGLISH

Our Methodology and Sources

Methodology

To be included in the rankings, all colleges had to meet the following criteria:

Offer the particular graduate program online
Enroll full-time or part-time graduate students
Have at least 1 percent of their graduate students enrolled in distance education classes
Have awarded at least one graduate degree in any related subject between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016

Once we had our list of schools for each subject and degree level, we ranked them on four criteria:

Affordability, based on the in-state average tuition for full-time graduate students, National Center for Education Statistics, 2016
Flexibility, based on the percentage of graduate students enrolled in any distance education courses, National Center for Education Statistics, 2016
Program Prominence, The ratio of the number of students receiving master’s/doctoral degrees in that program to the total number of graduate students awarded a degree, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015-16
Related Degrees, based on the number of programs the school offers that are in this particular subject and similar subjects, National Center for Education Statistics, 2016

Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2016-17, National Center for Education Statistics, http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/

Article Sources

English MA Degree, University of Texas at Tyler, http://www.uttyler.edu/academics/graduate/english-degree.php

English M.A., http://uttyler.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2015-2016/Catalog/Graduate-College-of-Arts-and-Sciences/Department-of-Literature-and-Languages/English-M-A

Master of Arts in English - Specialization in Professional Writing and Rhetoric, Bowling Green State University, https://www.bgsu.edu/distance-learning/browse-programs/graduate/ma-english-pwr1.html

Areas of Specialization, Penn State English Department, http://english.la.psu.edu/graduate/areas-of-specialization

Writers and Authors, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, accessed November 16, 2015, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/writers-and-authors.htm

Editors, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, accessed November 16, 2015, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/editors.htm

Technical Writers, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, accessed November 16, 2015, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/technical-writers.htm

Sort By ::

Rank	School	Tuition	% Grad Students in Online Courses	% Grad Degrees Conferred	Related Degrees
2.	The University of Texas at El Paso	Tuition$4,497	% Grad Students in Online Courses38.93%	% Grad Degrees Conferred3.39%	Related Degrees2
6.	University of Nebraska at Kearney	Tuition$5,418	% Grad Students in Online Courses96.07%	% Grad Degrees Conferred0.54%	Related Degrees1
8.	East Carolina University	Tuition$4,656	% Grad Students in Online Courses65.74%	% Grad Degrees Conferred2.62%	Related Degrees1
12.	Utah State University	Tuition$5,323	% Grad Students in Online Courses49.97%	% Grad Degrees Conferred1.93%	Related Degrees1
14.	The University of West Florida	Tuition$7,088	% Grad Students in Online Courses81.93%	% Grad Degrees Conferred0.4%	Related Degrees1
16.	University of Louisiana at Monroe	Tuition$6,490	% Grad Students in Online Courses46.83%	% Grad Degrees Conferred1.48%	Related Degrees1
20.	Bellevue University	Tuition$9,810	% Grad Students in Online Courses93.24%	% Grad Degrees Conferred1.68%	Related Degrees1
22.	Gardner-Webb University	Tuition$7,722	% Grad Students in Online Courses51.19%	% Grad Degrees Conferred0.24%	Related Degrees1
23.	University of New Orleans	Tuition$7,234	% Grad Students in Online Courses30.6%	% Grad Degrees Conferred9.03%	Related Degrees1
24.	Bowling Green State University-Main Campus	Tuition$7,632	% Grad Students in Online Courses35.06%	% Grad Degrees Conferred2.59%	Related Degrees1
29.	Ohio University-Main Campus	Tuition$9,510	% Grad Students in Online Courses42.03%	% Grad Degrees Conferred0.28%	Related Degrees1
35.	Clemson University	Tuition$8,826	% Grad Students in Online Courses22.7%	% Grad Degrees Conferred1.83%	Related Degrees1
43.	Johns Hopkins University	Tuition$50,410	% Grad Students in Online Courses47.5%	% Grad Degrees Conferred1.18%	Related Degrees2
49.	New Jersey Institute of Technology	Tuition$19,008	% Grad Students in Online Courses39.89%	% Grad Degrees Conferred0.58%	Related Degrees1
51.	Lesley University	Tuition$17,550	% Grad Students in Online Courses18.26%	% Grad Degrees Conferred4.06%	Related Degrees1
54.	University of the Sciences	Tuition$29,124	% Grad Students in Online Courses4.68%	% Grad Degrees Conferred5.22%	Related Degrees1
55.	Harvard University	Tuition$43,296	% Grad Students in Online Courses13.58%	% Grad Degrees Conferred0.64%	Related Degrees1
1.	Northern Arizona University	Tuition$8,956	% Grad Students in Online Courses58.15%	% Grad Degrees Conferred7.37%	Related Degrees4
3.	University of Arkansas at Monticello	Tuition$4,770	% Grad Students in Online Courses89.41%	% Grad Degrees Conferred4.94%	Related Degrees1
4.	Texas Tech University	Tuition$5,400	% Grad Students in Online Courses41.79%	% Grad Degrees Conferred1.51%	Related Degrees2
5.	The University of Texas of the Permian Basin	Tuition$4,312	% Grad Students in Online Courses60.35%	% Grad Degrees Conferred2.46%	Related Degrees1
7.	Northwestern State University of Louisiana	Tuition$5,738	% Grad Students in Online Courses93.52%	% Grad Degrees Conferred8.68%	Related Degrees1
10.	Emporia State University	Tuition$5,922	% Grad Students in Online Courses83.71%	% Grad Degrees Conferred1%	Related Degrees1
15.	National University	Tuition$11,232	% Grad Students in Online Courses82.06%	% Grad Degrees Conferred3.19%	Related Degrees2
18.	Minnesota State University-Mankato	Tuition$6,849	% Grad Students in Online Courses37.46%	% Grad Degrees Conferred9.18%	Related Degrees1
19.	University of Central Florida	Tuition$6,916	% Grad Students in Online Courses39.4%	% Grad Degrees Conferred1.4%	Related Degrees1
28.	Wayland Baptist University	Tuition$10,620	% Grad Students in Online Courses72.23%	% Grad Degrees Conferred1.6%	Related Degrees1
30.	Ohio Dominican University	Tuition$10,620	% Grad Students in Online Courses53.93%	% Grad Degrees Conferred6.1%	Related Degrees1
39.	Mercy College	Tuition$15,156	% Grad Students in Online Courses53.7%	% Grad Degrees Conferred2.1%	Related Degrees1
40.	Chatham University	Tuition$16,254	% Grad Students in Online Courses48.74%	% Grad Degrees Conferred12.63%	Related Degrees1
42.	Miami University-Oxford	Tuition$12,890	% Grad Students in Online Courses39.14%	% Grad Degrees Conferred2.79%	Related Degrees1
44.	Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network	Tuition$23,728	% Grad Students in Online Courses83.46%	% Grad Degrees Conferred0.77%	Related Degrees1
50.	Antioch University-Los Angeles	Tuition$16,416	% Grad Students in Online Courses4.46%	% Grad Degrees Conferred12.28%	Related Degrees1
53.	Emerson College	Tuition$30,024	% Grad Students in Online Courses7.49%	% Grad Degrees Conferred11.56%	Related Degrees1
9.	The University of Texas at Tyler	Tuition$4,896	% Grad Students in Online Courses77.7%	% Grad Degrees Conferred1.27%	Related Degrees1
11.	University of Nebraska at Omaha	Tuition$4,649	% Grad Students in Online Courses40.86%	% Grad Degrees Conferred4.08%	Related Degrees1
13.	Tarleton State University	Tuition$3,672	% Grad Students in Online Courses29.32%	% Grad Degrees Conferred1.6%	Related Degrees1
17.	Louisiana Tech University	Tuition$6,593	% Grad Students in Online Courses46.94%	% Grad Degrees Conferred1.97%	Related Degrees1
21.	Morehead State University	Tuition$10,422	% Grad Students in Online Courses86.22%	% Grad Degrees Conferred6.19%	Related Degrees1
25.	Saint Cloud State University	Tuition$7,373	% Grad Students in Online Courses22.83%	% Grad Degrees Conferred5.91%	Related Degrees1
26.	University of Maine	Tuition$7,524	% Grad Students in Online Courses29.06%	% Grad Degrees Conferred4.16%	Related Degrees1
27.	University of Memphis	Tuition$8,820	% Grad Students in Online Courses37.3%	% Grad Degrees Conferred3.22%	Related Degrees1
31.	Murray State University	Tuition$10,968	% Grad Students in Online Courses62.15%	% Grad Degrees Conferred2.18%	Related Degrees1
32.	Full Sail University	Tuition$16,401	% Grad Students in Online Courses94.15%	% Grad Degrees Conferred10.55%	Related Degrees1
33.	Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania	Tuition$11,592	% Grad Students in Online Courses73.62%	% Grad Degrees Conferred3%	Related Degrees1
34.	Missouri University of Science and Technology	Tuition$9,566	% Grad Students in Online Courses38.47%	% Grad Degrees Conferred0.73%	Related Degrees1
36.	Southern New Hampshire University	Tuition$18,810	% Grad Students in Online Courses94.85%	% Grad Degrees Conferred10.66%	Related Degrees1
37.	New England College	Tuition$13,560	% Grad Students in Online Courses65.84%	% Grad Degrees Conferred3.89%	Related Degrees1
38.	Heritage University	Tuition$9,240	% Grad Students in Online Courses14.24%	% Grad Degrees Conferred1.99%	Related Degrees1
41.	Wilkes University	Tuition$22,368	% Grad Students in Online Courses79.67%	% Grad Degrees Conferred5.76%	Related Degrees1
45.	Mount Saint Mary's University	Tuition$10,452	% Grad Students in Online Courses3.46%	% Grad Degrees Conferred2.35%	Related Degrees1
46.	East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania	Tuition$11,592	% Grad Students in Online Courses31.74%	% Grad Degrees Conferred0.38%	Related Degrees1
47.	Bay Path University	Tuition$22,420	% Grad Students in Online Courses52.25%	% Grad Degrees Conferred1.47%	Related Degrees1
48.	Lindenwood University	Tuition$15,672	% Grad Students in Online Courses24.9%	% Grad Degrees Conferred3.62%	Related Degrees1
52.	Savannah College of Art and Design	Tuition$36,045	% Grad Students in Online Courses32.68%	% Grad Degrees Conferred1.77%	Related Degrees1

MASTER'S IN ENGLISH PROGRAM DETAILS

The actual title of an online master’s degree in English may vary by institution. Below are some alternative titles for master's-level English programs:

Applied linguistics
Creative Writing
Literature
Professional writing
Rhetoric and writing
Technical and professional communication

Note that while all these English programs typically teach oral communication, professional writing and analytical skills, the focus of each program may vary based on the program’s title. Many programs that are titled as a master's degree in English also offer the above topics as program concentrations. For example, linguistics, literature and professional writing are all common specializations within a master's degree in English program.

Although curriculum can vary by specialization, some common courses included in a master’s English degree program are the following:

Research methods
History, theory and practice of writing centers
Composition
History of rhetoric
History of English as a language
Literature: theory and criticism

In addition to taking all required courses for their program, students pursuing a master's degree in English usually must also participate in a thesis or capstone project. This project offers graduate students the opportunity to investigate a course-related topic in depth, argue a particular stance and present their argument.

Before getting accepted into an online master's of English program, students should plan on earning a bachelor's degree in English or a related field such as communications or literature. Also, some schools may have a basic GPA requirement for admission. After graduation, students who earn this graduate degree in order to teach will likely need to become licensed as directed by their state or municipality.

TOP CAREERS IN ENGLISH

Here are some of the most prominent careers for graduates with a master's degree in English.

1. Technical Writer

Technical writers take highly complex subjects or ideas and break them down into readable text so everyone can understand. Most of the time, this means preparing instruction manuals, journal articles and other similarly complex written materials for general consumption. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), most technical writers work in computer or technology-related fields. Although a master's degree isn't necessarily required to be a technical writer, earning one can lead to additional job prospects.

Average Salary

$76,860

Projected Job Openings

6,100

Job Growth Potential

8.5%

2. Writer and Author

Using their talent and creativity, writers and authors produce written works for education or entertainment purposes. Drawing on their education and experience, they draft fiction and nonfiction books, blog posts, magazine articles and editorials that shape the way we think and feel. Many writers and authors are self-employed or work variable and flexible schedules. Since a master's degree shows a certain level of skill and a dedication to personal development, writers and authors with this degree are often given preference when it comes to employment.

Average Salary

$73,860

Projected Job Openings

12,800

Job Growth Potential

-0.1%

3. Editor

Editors take written works and improve them before publication. They build on a writer's arguments, rewrite text, check facts, and edit for spelling and grammatical errors. Many editors also play a big role in creating the tone and editorial style for their publication, with many going as far as creating style guidelines and developing story and content ideas. Because many of their job duties can be performed online, a growing number of editors are self-employed or telecommute.

Average Salary

$71,910

Projected Job Openings

12,400

Job Growth Potential

-2.9%

ADDITIONAL ENGLISH JOBS AND SALARIES

JOB TITLE	AVERAGE SALARY	PROJECTED JOB OPENINGS	JOB GROWTH POTENTIAL
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$65,930	80,300	3.6%
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	$63,930	112,400	3.3%
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$63,550	48,300	3.5%
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	$60,210	14,300	3.8%
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors	$58,980	6,600	-10.3%

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

AVERAGE SALARY$65,930

PROJECTED JOB OPENINGS80,300

JOB GROWTH POTENTIAL3.6%

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education

AVERAGE SALARY$63,930

PROJECTED JOB OPENINGS112,400

JOB GROWTH POTENTIAL3.3%

Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

AVERAGE SALARY$63,550

PROJECTED JOB OPENINGS48,300

JOB GROWTH POTENTIAL3.5%

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education

AVERAGE SALARY$60,210

PROJECTED JOB OPENINGS14,300

JOB GROWTH POTENTIAL3.8%

Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors

AVERAGE SALARY$58,980

PROJECTED JOB OPENINGS6,600

JOB GROWTH POTENTIAL-10.3%

ENGLISH SALARIES BY STATE

Average Salary for English

Average Annual Job Openings

Hourly Mean Wage

TOP

ONLINE MASTER'S DEGREE INENGLISH

GETTING A MASTER’S IN ENGLISH

TOP ONLINE SCHOOLS: MASTER'S IN ENGLISH

MASTER'S IN ENGLISH PROGRAM DETAILS

TOP CAREERS IN ENGLISH

ADDITIONAL ENGLISH JOBS AND SALARIES

ENGLISH SALARIES BY STATE