English M.A.

Master of Arts (M.A.) in English

About the Program

Build upon the critical thinking, analysis and research skills from your bachelor’s degree to promote your mastery of language and literature.
Take advantage of our small, seminar-style classes to cultivate your native talents and capabilities and be successful in your chosen career.
Access faculty mentoring opportunities, faculty-led workshops and lectures, and grant-funded independent studies.

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Our curriculum includes courses in literature, composition, language studies and technical communication to give you a broad foundation for employment in a variety of fields, or for future academic studies.

You can also apply for paid positions as a graduate or teaching assistant to receive excellent training in our Writing Center and in teaching first-year composition.

Program Faculty

Many of our faculty publish their creative writing, and several have won statewide teaching awards. Our small classes mean you really get to know your professors, and you’ll have the chance to work with them on research projects.

Career Opportunities

Earning a master’s in English degree will prepare you to teach English in public schools and community colleges. It will also help you start or advance your career in technical writing, creative writing, editing, publishing, public relations or law.

<div class="wide-block quote-block "><div class="quote-block__image"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/0,188,3277,3465/43054_IMG_8380.rev.1602794760.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/0,188,3277,3465/43054_IMG_8380.rev.1602794760.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/0,188,3277,3465/43054_IMG_8380.rev.1602794760.jpg" alt="Student sitting on a bench smiling into the camera" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="quote-block__content"><div class="quote-block__quote"><blockquote><p> “Dr. Laurence Musgrove played his ukulele and read poetry, and most of our assignments involved drawing pictures. The crazy thing is, I learned more about English grammar in that class than 12 years of school.”</p></blockquote></div><div class="quote-block__caption"><p><strong>Erica Lopez</strong>, Class of 2013, Educational Diagnostician</p></div></div></div>
<div class="wide-block quote-block "><div class="quote-block__image"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/614,0,3342,2731/45662_COM_7762.rev.1604604533.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/614,0,3342,2731/45662_COM_7762.rev.1604604533.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/614,0,3342,2731/45662_COM_7762.rev.1604604533.jpg" alt="Student smiling at the camera" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="quote-block__content"><div class="quote-block__quote"><blockquote><p> “Dr. Kevin Garrison’s passion for technical writing and usability is infectious! I use the skills that he and my other English instructors taught me on a daily basis, and I’m not sure where I’d be if it weren’t for his guidance, wisdom and excitement for the technical side of writing.”</p></blockquote></div><div class="quote-block__caption"><p><strong>Farrah Lokey</strong>, Class of 2011 & 2015</p></div></div></div>
<div class="wide-block quote-block "><div class="quote-block__image"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/548,8,3276,2735/43809_COM_6256.rev.1602882971.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/548,8,3276,2735/43809_COM_6256.rev.1602882971.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/548,8,3276,2735/43809_COM_6256.rev.1602882971.jpg" alt="Students posing for the camera with the ram hand" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="quote-block__content"><div class="quote-block__quote"><blockquote><p> “There is almost never going to be a teacher’s assistant leading your class. It’s always going to be a professor who’s still active in their field and who wants you to be active in that field”</p></blockquote></div><div class="quote-block__caption"><p><strong>Luke Meyer</strong>, Class of 2018, English</p></div></div></div>
<div class="wide-block quote-block "><div class="quote-block__image"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/0,466,3277,3743/43049_IMG_8369.rev.1602794754.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/0,466,3277,3743/43049_IMG_8369.rev.1602794754.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/0,466,3277,3743/43049_IMG_8369.rev.1602794754.jpg" alt="Student throwing arm over friends shoulder smiling at the computer" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="quote-block__content"><div class="quote-block__quote"><blockquote><p> “Dr. Erin Ashworth-King always goes above and beyond to help students in and out of class. She always makes herself available to students to help with schoolwork or even to advise them on career paths.”</p></blockquote></div><div class="quote-block__caption"><p><strong>Nicole Stevens</strong>, Class of 2013 & 2015, English Instructor, Howard College</p></div></div></div>
<div class="wide-block quote-block "><div class="quote-block__image"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/237,0,2965,2731/43396_COM_2121.rev.1602856104.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/237,0,2965,2731/43396_COM_2121.rev.1602856104.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/237,0,2965,2731/43396_COM_2121.rev.1602856104.jpg" alt="Students walking in the homecoming parade" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="quote-block__content"><div class="quote-block__quote"><blockquote><p> “ASU prepared me for graduate school and then then for my first corporate career as a technical writer at National Instruments. I use my B.A. degree from ASU every day.”</p></blockquote></div><div class="quote-block__caption"><p><strong>Amanda Ownbey</strong>, Class of 2011, English/Technical Writing</p></div></div></div>
<div class="wide-block quote-block "><div class="quote-block__image"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/0,475,2732,3203/45285_Nadia_portrait.rev.1604085950.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/0,475,2732,3203/45285_Nadia_portrait.rev.1604085950.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/0,475,2732,3203/45285_Nadia_portrait.rev.1604085950.jpg" alt="Student smiling at the camera" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="quote-block__content"><div class="quote-block__quote"><blockquote><p> “ASU’s program in English allows for a healthy mix of survey and in-depth coursework. I was able to take classes that interested me while still gaining a good understanding of the discipline as a whole.”</p></blockquote></div><div class="quote-block__caption"><p><strong>Jodi Meyer</strong>, Class of 2018, B.A. in English/Philosophy</p></div></div></div>
<div class="wide-block quote-block "><div class="quote-block__image"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/1368,0,4096,2731/45276_DSC_9808.rev.1604085946.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/1368,0,4096,2731/45276_DSC_9808.rev.1604085946.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/1368,0,4096,2731/45276_DSC_9808.rev.1604085946.jpg" alt="Student sitting on the football field" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="quote-block__content"><div class="quote-block__quote"><blockquote><p> “The English faculty at ASU are both brilliant and down to earth. The graduate classes are rigorous, but the professors make the material engaging and accessible.”</p></blockquote></div><div class="quote-block__caption"><p><strong>Lydia Nixon</strong>, Class of 2020, English M.A. Program</p></div></div></div>
<div class="wide-block quote-block "><div class="quote-block__image"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/0,229,3277,3506/43063_IMG_8413.rev.1602794773.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/0,229,3277,3506/43063_IMG_8413.rev.1602794773.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/0,229,3277,3506/43063_IMG_8413.rev.1602794773.jpg" alt="Students smiling at the camera" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="quote-block__content"><div class="quote-block__quote"><blockquote><p> “Dr. Kevin Garrison’s classes are fun and engaging, and the personal relationship even set me on the path to my current place of employment.”</p></blockquote></div><div class="quote-block__caption"><p><strong>Gloria Doss</strong>, ASU Alumna, Nonconformance Lead, Ethicon</p></div></div></div>
<div class="wide-block quote-block "><div class="quote-block__image"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/442,0,3432,2991/45264_DSC_7401.rev.1604085941.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/442,0,3432,2991/45264_DSC_7401.rev.1604085941.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/442,0,3432,2991/45264_DSC_7401.rev.1604085941.jpg" alt="Student sitting on steps smiling" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="quote-block__content"><div class="quote-block__quote"><blockquote><p> “The strength of the English Department was really the quality of the professors and their willingness to meet with students outside of class.”</p></blockquote></div><div class="quote-block__caption"><p><strong>Alex Barchet</strong>, Class of 2013 & 2016</p></div></div></div>
<div class="wide-block quote-block "><div class="quote-block__image"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/1368,0,4096,2731/45276_DSC_9808.rev.1604085946.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/1368,0,4096,2731/45276_DSC_9808.rev.1604085946.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/1368,0,4096,2731/45276_DSC_9808.rev.1604085946.jpg" alt="Student sitting on the football field" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="quote-block__content"><div class="quote-block__quote"><blockquote><p> “I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I began my master’s degree at ASU, but the classes and the professors equipped me for even greater challenges.”</p></blockquote></div><div class="quote-block__caption"><p><strong>Lydia Nixon</strong>, English M.A. Program</p></div></div></div>
<div class="wide-block quote-block "><div class="quote-block__image"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/409,8,3399,2999/45264_DSC_7401.rev.1604085941.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/409,8,3399,2999/45264_DSC_7401.rev.1604085941.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/409,8,3399,2999/45264_DSC_7401.rev.1604085941.jpg" alt="Student sitting on steps smiling" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="quote-block__content"><div class="quote-block__quote"><blockquote><p> “Dr. Hama was probably the most impactful professor that I had at ASU. He was, and still is, a role model for me.”</p></blockquote></div><div class="quote-block__caption"><p><strong>Alex Barchet</strong>, Class of 2013 & 2016</p></div></div></div>
<div class="wide-block quote-block "><div class="quote-block__image"><picture> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/876,0,3604,2731/45235_COM_5182.rev.1604085362.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/876,0,3604,2731/45235_COM_5182.rev.1604085362.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/315/width/580/height/430/crop/1/src_region/876,0,3604,2731/45235_COM_5182.rev.1604085362.jpg" alt="Student smiling at camera with ram hand" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="quote-block__content"><div class="quote-block__quote"><blockquote><p> “The English Department community is diverse, kind and insanely knowledgeable. This department has an amazing and small graduate program with eclectic class options and subjects.”</p></blockquote></div><div class="quote-block__caption"><p><strong>Lacy Larsson</strong>, B.A. & M.A. in English, English Teacher, San Angelo Central High School</p></div></div></div>

Our Courses

Gain practical experience through our Writing Center and campus literary magazines, and interact with professionals at our annual ASU Writers Conference. You can also experience European language and culture in our summer study abroad program.

ENGLISH COURSES

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Contact our program advisor