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A Master's in English Empowers

Clear and effective communication skills are essential in every industry. West Chester University's Master of Arts in English teaches those skills and more in a flexible format designed for busy professionals. WCU's M.A. in English offers three unique tracks, each emphasizing critical thinking, cultural awareness, and writing expertise through part-time or full-time study. You'll gain skills that are highly sought-after by employers in industries like business, law, education, research, journalism, communications, government, and health care.

At WCU, we understand the importance of personalized attention, especially in a writing-intensive program. That's why you'll be paired with a faculty mentor who will be invested in your personal and professional success. WCU also offers opportunities for professional development, involvement with academic and peer reviewed journals, and certificates in digital publishing and secondary education.

Whether you want to pursue a career in research or the communication field, want to study law or plan to earn your Ph.D., our master's degree in English gives you the tools you need to excel.

 

Tracks in Our English Master's Degree Program

West Chester University's master of English offers three engaging tracks to align with your interests and career goals. Regardless of your track, you'll enjoy a highly supportive environment that nurtures scholarly development, heightens cultural literacy, hones communication skills, fosters problem-solving abilities, and cultivates intellectual and personal growth.

Literature: Thesis and Non-Thesis Options

The Literature track gives you advanced training in critical interpretation and theory. It allows you to build on your undergraduate degree, enhance your teaching capabilities, or prepare for Ph.D. programs.

Writing, Teaching, and Criticism: Thesis and Non-Thesis Options

This track option combines theory in rhetoric and composition, pedagogy, and literacy studies. This track is a great fit for any student interested in the intersection of language, teaching, and literature. You'll have the opportunity to work with the nationally recognized Pennsylvania Writing and Literature Project.

Creative Writing: Creative Thesis Required

This track helps you expand your writing capabilities through interactive workshops and individualized feedback. You'll also have the opportunity to engage with WCU's Aralia Press. To meet the thesis requirement of this track, you'll build a portfolio of original fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry.

 

Benefits of Earning Your English Master's at WCU

Highly Regarded Faculty

Our internationally recognized faculty brings diverse scholarly expertise and interests into every class, informing discussions and guiding conversations. Many have received prestigious grants and fellowships from leading agencies and institutions, including the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Kluge Center at the Library of Congress, and the Fulbright Scholar Program.

Each professor you'll encounter in WCU's Master of Arts in English is committed to innovative, student-centered teaching and one-on-one mentorship.

Unparalleled Writing Opportunities

Our master of English program provides myriad opportunities for exploring—and refining—your craft. Faculty-directed options include:

The English department also enjoys historically close ties with WCU's Women's and Gender Studies Program, Youth Empowerment & Urban Studies Program, and the Frederick Douglass Institute.

Extensive Career Advising

Your professional goals are front and center from day one, with attentive faculty advisors and mentors guiding your overall academic experience.

Our faculty will work with you one-on-one and are committed to providing resources like alumni panels and networking opportunities throughout your time at WCU.

Cross-Functional Development Through Graduate Assistantships

WCU has diverse—and funded—graduate assistantships that provide experience in marketing, content development, publishing, and education. Your advisor will work with you to find the right opportunity for you to incorporate new skills into your program. Two recent examples include a student who designed and produced a series of pedagogical videos and another who developed targeted writing support for candidates pursuing our Public Administration degree.

 

What Can You Do With a Master of English Degree?

When you earn your master's degree in English from WCU, a variety of career paths are available to you, thanks to the key skills you'll hone along the way:

  • Journalism, creative writing, and copywriting: Many of our graduates take positions where writing and editing play central roles, like journalism, content creator/manager, copywriter, editor, and other communication positions across industries. WCU counts a New York Times bestselling author, a two-time Bram Stoker award-winning author, a literary agent, and a managing editor of Lehigh University Press among our alumni.
  • Business communications and technical writing: Regardless of the track you choose in our master's program, you'll develop professional and technical writing skills. From product descriptions to trade articles, technical writers take on a wide variety of projects. Management roles such as communications director, editor-in-chief, and publisher require a master's degree across industries.
  • Education and tutoring: If you're a teacher or have been considering a career in teaching, earning a master's degree in English opens up the opportunity to teach in a specific subject area and qualifies your level-2 teaching certification. With your master's degree, you may also be eligible to teach at the community college and even university levels.
  • Other fields and career paths: Your master of English qualifies you for other careers, too. Possible paths include human resources, marketing, public relations, customer service, law, and film and television.

Where are our graduates?

 

What Courses in English Will You Study?

WCU has offered its Master of Arts in English program for more than six decades, providing a diverse, evolving, and culturally significant curriculum that prepares students for a meaningful career in a complex world.

M.A. in English - Literature Track

To track their individual degree progress, students are advised to access their Degree Progress Report (DPR) via my WCU and consult their Graduate Coordinator.  For more information, visit www.wcupa.edu/DegreeProgressReport.

The following is a sample suggested course sequence for this program; course offerings and availability are not guaranteed. Students should consult their academic advisor with any questions.

Thesis Option

Year One
FallCredits
ENG 500 The Discipline of English Studies 3
ENG 550
or ENG 560
History, Form, & Ideology
or Locating Literature
3
ENG XXXCourse in literature before 1660 or ENG elective (see advising sheet/handbook) 3
 Credits9
Spring
ENG 501 Critical Theory 3
ENG 560
or ENG 550
Locating Literature
or History, Form, & Ideology
3
ENG XXXCourse in literature between 1660 and 1900 or ENG elective (see advising sheet/handbook) 3
 Credits9
Year Two
Fall
ENG 614 Capstone Writing and Research Seminar 3
ENG XXXCourse in literature between 1900 and the present 3
ENG XXXENG Elective (see advising sheet/handbook) 3
 Credits9
Spring
ENG 620 M.A. Essay (thesis) 3
ENG XXXCourse in American literature or ENG elective (see advising sheet/handbook) 1 3
ENG XXXNon-canonical course or ENG elective (see advising sheet/handbook) 1 3
 Credits9
 Total Credits36
1

Courses that satisfy other requirements can be used to fulfill this requirement, and then this slot can be fulfilled by an elective.

Non-Thesis Option

Year One
FallCredits
ENG 500 The Discipline of English Studies 3
ENG 550
or ENG 560
History, Form, & Ideology
or Locating Literature
3
ENG XXXCourse in literature before 1600 or ENG elective (see advising sheet/handbook) 3
 Credits9
Spring
ENG 501 Critical Theory 3
ENG 560
or ENG 550
Locating Literature
or History, Form, & Ideology
3
ENG XXXCourse in literature between 1600 and 1900 or ENG elective (see advising sheet/handbook) 3
 Credits9
Year Two
Fall
ENG 614 Capstone Writing and Research Seminar 3
ENG XXXCourse in literature between 1900 and the present 3
ENG XXXENG Elective (see advising sheet/handbook) 3
 Credits9
Spring
ENG XXXCourse in American literature or ENG elective (see advising sheet/handbook) 1 3
ENG XXXNon-canonical course or ENG elective (see advising sheet/handbook) 1 3
ENG XXXSecond non-canonical course or ENG elective (see advising sheet/handbook) 1 3
 Credits9
 Total Credits36
1

Courses that satisfy other requirements can be used to fulfill this requirement, and then this slot can be fulfilled by an elective.

M.A. in English - Writing, Teaching, and Criticism Track

To track their individual degree progress, students are advised to access their Degree Progress Report (DPR) via my WCU and consult their Graduate Coordinator.  For more information, visit www.wcupa.edu/DegreeProgressReport.

The following is a sample suggested course sequence for this program; course offerings and availability are not guaranteed. Students should consult their academic advisor with any questions.

Thesis Option

Year One
FallCredits
ENG 500 The Discipline of English Studies (offered every fall) 3
PWP 502 Teacher as Writer 3
ENG 550
or ENG 560
History, Form, & Ideology (if one or the other is being offered)
or Locating Literature
3
or ENG XXX Either Comp/Rhet, PWP, or lit (see advising sheet/handbook)
 
 Credits9
Spring
ENG 501 Critical Theory (offered every spring) 3
ENG 506 Critical Pedagogies & Literacies (offered typically in spring) 3
ENG 616 Research Methods for Writing, Teaching and Criticism (offered typically in spring) 3
 Credits9
Year Two
Fall
ENG 550
or ENG 560
History, Form, & Ideology (if neither has been completed)
or Locating Literature
3
or ENG or PWP Elecitve (see advising sheet/handbook)  
PWP 502 Teacher as Writer 3
or ENG XXX (noncanonical)
 
ENG XXXEither Comp/Rhet, PWP, or lit (see advising sheet/handbook) 3
 Credits9
Spring
ENG 620 M.A. Essay 3
ENG 550
or ENG 560
History, Form, & Ideology (if neither has been completed)
or Locating Literature
3
or ENG or PWP Elective (see advising sheet/handbook)
 
ENG XXXEither Comp/Rhet, PWP, or lit (see advising sheet/handbook) 3
 Credits9
 Total Credits36
1

Courses that satisfy other requirements can be used to fulfill this requirement, and then this slot can be fulfilled by an elective.

Note: No more than 12 credits (including the PWP courses described above) may be taken in courses taught by PAWLP master-teachers.

Non-Thesis Option

Year One
FallCredits
ENG 500 The Discipline of English Studies (offered every fall) 3
PWP 502 Teacher as Writer 3
ENG 550
or ENG 560
History, Form, & Ideology ((whichever one is being offered))
or Locating Literature
3
or ENG XXX Either Comp/Rhet, PWP, or lit (see advising sheet/handbook)
 
 Credits9
Spring
ENG 501 Critical Theory (offered every spring) 3
ENG 506 Critical Pedagogies & Literacies 3
ENG 550
or ENG 560
History, Form, & Ideology (if neither has been completed)
or Locating Literature
3
or ENG or PWP Elective (see advising sheet/handbook)
 
 Credits9
Year Two
Fall
ENG 614 Capstone Writing and Research Seminar (offered every fall) 3
ENG XXXEither Comp/Rhet, PWP, or lit (see advising sheet/handbook) 3
ENG XXX or PWP XXXElective (see advising sheet/handbook) 3
 Credits9
Spring
ENG 616 Research Methods for Writing, Teaching and Criticism 3
ENG XXX or PWP XXXElective (see advising sheet/handbook) 3
ENG XXXNoncanonical course 1 3
or ENG or PWP Elective (see advising sheet/handbook)  
 Credits9
 Total Credits36
1

Courses that satisfy other requirements can be used to fulfill this requirement, and then this slot can be fulfilled by an elective.

Note: No more than 12 credits (including the PWP courses described above) may be taken in courses taught by PAWLP master-teachers.

M.A. in English - Creative Writing Track

To track their individual degree progress, students are advised to access their Degree Progress Report (DPR) via my WCU and consult their Graduate Coordinator.  For more information, visit www.wcupa.edu/DegreeProgressReport.

The following is a sample suggested course sequence for this program; course offerings and availability are not guaranteed. Students should consult their academic advisor with any questions.

Year One
FallCredits
ENG 500 The Discipline of English Studies 3
ENG XXXWriting Workshop 3
ENG XXXENG Elective (see advising sheet/handbook) 3
 Credits9
Spring
ENG 501 Critical Theory 3
ENG XXXWriting Workshop 3
ENG XXXElective (see advising sheet/handbook) 3
 Credits9
Year Two
Fall
ENG 614 Capstone Writing and Research Seminar 3
ENG XXXWriting Workshop 3
ENG XXXENG Elective (see advising sheet/handbook) 3
 Credits9
Spring
ENG 620 M.A. Essay 3
ENG XXXWriting Workshop 3
ENG XXXElective (see advising sheet/handbook) 3
 Credits9
 Total Credits36

Get Started on YourMaster's in English

Whether you want to teach, write a screenplay, or embark on a career in communications, earning your Master of Arts in English from WCU is where your journey begins.

Apply Now

 

 

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