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Online English master's degree programs offer students a comprehensive education in the English language and literature, preparing them for various career opportunities in fields such as education, publishing, journalism, and more. 

These programs equip students with a wide range of technical skills, including critical analysis, research proficiency, and advanced writing capabilities. Additionally, students typically develop soft skills such as effective communication, problem-solving, and creativity.

Throughout your master's studies in English, you can expect to engage in diverse projects and assignments. These may include in-depth literary analyses, research papers, creative writing projects, and collaborative discussions. You may also be able to select a concentration, such as a particular period or type of literature, technical writing, rhetoric, creative writing, or linguistics. 

Full-time English master's degree students are often able to complete their degree requirements in two years, but part-time students may need an additional year. To be accepted into a master's in English program, you'll need to have earned a bachelor's degree while maintaining a high GPA of at least 3.0. Your undergraduate degree doesn't necessarily have to be in English or writing, but if it's not, you may need to begin by taking several prerequisite courses, which could increase the cost of your master's degree.

At the master's level, most online English degree programs are a mix of required core courses and electives that allow you to customize your studies. Toward the end of your program, you may be required to submit a written thesis, take a comprehensive exam, or present a master's portfolio or some other kind of capstone project. 

Among the core courses often found in an English master's degree program are: 

• Literary Theory and Criticism: In this course, students delve into various critical approaches to literature, gaining a deeper understanding of how literary works are analyzed and interpreted. Assignments are designed to provide opportunities to apply theories and concepts to real-world situations.
• Creative Writing Workshop: Students enhance their creative writing skills by producing and critiquing their own literary works, including poetry, fiction, and nonfiction works. Some students' work may be published in the school's literary magazine or a similar publication.
• Modern American Literature: This course explores American literature from the late 19th century to the present, examining key literary movements and authors. Instructors often strive for diversity in their reading assignments, allowing students to experience many types of writing and voices.
• Research Methods in English: Students learn advanced research techniques, honing their ability to gather and analyze literary sources for scholarly projects.

One of the most significant considerations when you're deciding if you should pursue an online English degree is how you're going to pay for it. Before you apply to any program, you may want to map out your budget to determine how much you can afford, and then compare it to an estimated cost of earning a master's degree.

With any degree, the tuition fees make up the majority of the total cost. To get a ballpark estimate of tuition for a master's degree, we can use data published by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The data show that the for graduate programs at public universities in the 2021-22 school year was $12,596, while the average at private institutions was $28,017. Clearly, a public school is likely to be a more affordable choice than a private school.

However, as you can see from our list of the most affordable master's in English degrees above, there are many additional cost-effective options that will let you save money. Choosing an online program could save you thousands of dollars since many schools charge lower tuition rates for online students than they do for on-campus students. 

Additional ways to reduce the expense of an English master's degree include working at a full-time or part-time job to earn extra income and minimizing living expenses by moving to a city or state with a lower cost of living. Also, be sure to check with your employer to see if you qualify for a tuition reimbursement program.

Of course, one of the most popular ways to offset the cost of a college degree is to seek financial aid. To apply for most types of aid, you simply fill out and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). After your financial situation has been evaluated, your school will notify you with a financial aid letter if you qualify for funding from the federal or state governments or your school.

If you receive an offer of financial aid, your aid package may contain different types of aid. The best types are grants and scholarships because they typically don't have to be repaid. For example, if you're pursuing a master's degree in English so you can teach middle school or high school, you may qualify for a , which is a federal program funded by the U.S. Department of Education.

Your aid package may also include an offer of a student loan. Before accepting that offer, however, you may want to use our student loan repayment calculator to determine how much interest you'll have to pay in addition to paying back the initial amount of the loan. Also, you may be given a choice in the type of loan you can take out, so remember that federal student loans often have better repayment terms and lower interest rates than private student loans. 

A master's in English opens doors to a variety of rewarding career opportunities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides job descriptions, average salaries, and job growth projections for many of these potential occupations.

Many people pursue English master's degrees because they want to become secondary or postsecondary English teachers. College-level instructors often focus on teaching one aspect of English, such as literature or writing, while high school and middle school teachers usually take a broader approach.

The BLS notes that secondary teachers earn a and that the number of teaching jobs is expected to remain the same through the end of the decade. For postsecondary English teachers, the , with job growth projected at 8% (faster than average). If you plan to pursue a career as a secondary teacher, you will need to obtain state-issued teaching certification before you can work in the public school system.

Although many other related occupations do not require an English master's degree, you may want to pursue an advanced degree to hone your skills and enhance your expertise. With this additional knowledge, you may feel better prepared to become a writer (), technical writer (), or editor ().

Pursuing a doctoral degree in English offers even greater opportunities for specialization and career advancement. It can lead to roles in academia, research, and leadership positions within the field, with the chance to contribute to the ongoing discourse in English studies.

Choosing the best online English master's degree program for your needs requires careful consideration. First, you'll want to thoroughly examine the program's curriculum and possibly concentrations to see if they support your career goals and personal interests. Other factors that may be important to you are tuition fees, notable faculty members, student services, and the availability of financial aid.

Another essential characteristic to look for is institutional accreditation. Enrolling in an accredited program is a sign that you're going to receive a quality education, and it's required if you hope to qualify for financial aid. 

Yes, a master's degree in English, especially when paired with some teaching or education courses, can qualify you to teach at the middle school, high school, or community college level. However, for college-level positions, a PhD may be needed, especially for tenure-track positions at universities.

The admission requirements for English master's degree programs can vary, but generally speaking, you'll need a bachelor's degree to be considered. Your undergraduate degree may be in English, creative writing, communications, or journalism, or it may be in an unrelated subject. However, if you haven't yet taken any relevant courses, you may be required to complete several prerequisite courses before taking courses in the master's programs. Remember to factor these additional courses into your budget if needed.

The schools you're applying to may also request a copy of your undergraduate transcripts and possibly GRE scores. Your transcripts may need to show that you maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Other common requirements include one or more letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose explaining why you want to pursue this degree, and a resume.

It's hard to determine whether an online English master's degree will be worth it before you've earned the degree. While an advanced degree may qualify you for better-paying positions, the BLS data for most of the relevant positions suggest that you may never earn a particularly high salary.

However, there is nothing wrong with deciding to pursue a degree simply for the sake of knowledge and expertise. If you believe that getting a master's is the right next step, you may want to look for ways to increase the return on your investment by choosing an affordable online English degree and taking other cost-cutting measures.