Master’s in English

Write Your Own Ticket in the English Master’s Program at BSU

Does great literature make your heart soar? Are you curious about how rhetoric shapes human societies? Do you aspire to write professionally?

Ideally situated in the city hailed as the center of “independence” and “productive power” by Ralph Waldo Emerson, ��Ƶ�� offers a roster of compelling English graduate programs including a master's degree in English, a master’s in linguistics, a master's in English literature, a master’s in English education and a master’s degree in creative writing.

You’ll learn from faculty in the Department of English, which include the winner of the Dr. Robert A. Daniel Award for Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice 2020; the author of Acts of Poetry: American Poets’ Theater and the Politics of Performance; the winner of the Presidential Award for Distinguished Teaching; the winner of the Dr. James DiNardo Teaching Award; and a member of the advisory committee for the Martin Richard Institute for Social Justice. Graduates from our English master’s programs go on to roles in editing, teaching and writing as well as build careers at libraries and cultural institutions.

English Master’s Program Highlights

Learn from faculty engaged in classical and contemporary research

Earn your master’s degree in English studying with noted faculty pursuing scholarship in areas that include American literature, the role of fashion in Latin American literature, post-colonial literature, indigenous cultures and gender studies.

View from above a table where 3 BSU students review writing to include in The Bridge publication

Take part in a publishing tradition

Bridgewater’s award-winning student journal, The Bridge, offers undergraduates and students from the English master’s program opportunities to write, publish and edit poetry, nonfiction and fiction. Competing against thousands of university publications, The Bridge regularly claims Gold Circle awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

Earn your master’s degree in English on your schedule

Continue your professional pursuits while engaging in fulfilling coursework — on your own terms. We offer English graduate programs on a full- or part-time basis, with students completing their graduate degrees in as little as two years.

Small class sizes offer big benefits

Whether you pursue your master’s in linguistics, your master’s in English literature or choose any of our graduate programs, receive personal attention and mentoring from accomplished faculty. Average class sizes run under 15 students.

Network with like-minded students and professionals

BSU’s English Society offers you opportunities to engage with other students pursuing master’s degrees in English and career professionals, while also offering co-curricular experiences such as film nights and field trips.

Financial aid opportunities

BSU offers competitive graduate assistantships to full-time English graduate program students that provide free tuition and paid on-campus jobs.

Early admission option

The early admission program is for seniors at BSU majoring in English who wish to take two graduate courses in English for undergraduate credit, and thereby accelerate the completion of their master’s in English. The application fee for students seeking early admission will be waived. Learn more about early admissions programs »

Program of Study for English Graduate Students

Our multiple English master’s programs offer a range of concentrations for graduate students. The MA provides a comprehensive pro-gram designed to enhance critical thinking skills around texts while also fostering research and writing skills. Concentrations include literature and film, composition and rhetoric, creative writing or an English master’s in linguistics concentration.

The Master of Arts in Teaching provides an interdisciplinary approach to English studies and education to develop advanced content knowledge and pedagogical skills. (The MAT in English requires initial teacher licensure to enter the program.)

Admission Requirements and Program Details

Click any link below to reveal each program's admission requirements and program description.

Program details from 2024-2025 Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog

Graduate Program Coordinator: Dr. Kimberly Davis

“Completing my MA in English at ��Ƶ�� helped me gain a competitive edge in applying for international school teaching positions. Because of my success in the MA pro-gram, I was hired as an adjunct instructor with Syracuse University's dual-enrollment program for high schools. I've since pioneered teaching Syracuse's Academic Writing and Creative Nonfiction Writing courses to students in Vietnam.”

Today, Heather Carreiro, ’12, MA in English, is an applied learning coordinator and CIS accreditation coordinator for Korea International School.

Careers for People with a Master’s Degree in English

BSU students with a master’s degree in English become high school teachers, grant or technical writers, journalists, editors and librarians while some pursue their PhDs. A master’s in linguistics translates easily to a career in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), while a master’s in English literature prepares you to teach a secondary school setting when combined with education prerequisites for licensure.

Some job titles held by alumni of our English graduate programs include:

English Professor
Marketing Manager
ESL Teacher
Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Educator
Professor of Writing and Rhetoric
President and Lead Educator, Edumentor Tutoring

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for English majors is

$60,000

with many competitive positions held by professionals with advanced degrees.

Graduate Funding Opportunities

The College of Graduate Studies provides various opportunities for graduate students to receive funding while working towards their degrees. Appointments are competitive and are determined by undergraduate and/or graduate grade point averages, pertinent experience, educational preparation and interviews. For information on assistantships, fellowships and conference funding awards, please visit our Graduate Funding Opportunities page.

This program is eligible for unsubsidized student loans and applicants are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. For more specific questions, please visit the Financial Aid Office website or contact them directly at finaid@bridgew.edu.

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