Master of Arts
English
Examine the broad social relevance of literary study while gaining important knowledge and skills needed for a variety of careers with a Master of Arts in English.
Are you passionate about how literature informs social engagement? Do you want to advance your career in writing, editing, teaching, social work or the humanities? Oakland University’s master’s in English gives you the ability to make connections between literature and the wider world. We offer intimate classes with world-class faculty dedicated to your success in the program and focused on helping you achieve your career goals upon graduation. Current OU students pursuing an undergraduate degree in English can take advantage of our combined B.A./M.A. program, allowing students to double-count up to 12 credits, saving time and money. Students in our master’s in English program are well-prepared to pursue a Ph.D. in English, with many entering prestigious doctoral programs across the country.
Are you passionate about how literature informs social engagement? Do you want to advance your career in writing, editing, teaching, social work or the humanities? Oakland University’s master’s in English gives you the ability to make connections between literature and the wider world. We offer intimate classes with world-class faculty dedicated to your success in the program and focused on helping you achieve your career goals upon graduation. Current OU students pursuing an undergraduate degree in English can take advantage of our combined B.A./M.A. program, allowing students to double-count up to 12 credits, saving time and money. Students in our master’s in English program are well-prepared to pursue a Ph.D. in English, with many entering prestigious doctoral programs across the country.
Master’s in English: The Oakland University Advantage
Why pursue a degree in English? Master’s programs in English not only strengthen your literary, editorial and communication skills, they may also qualify you for higher-level employment. Literary study at OU is exceptionally relevant to society today, and our master’s in English emphasizes literature’s relationship to social change. Our distinctive curricular approach also accentuates transferable skills, like writing and critical thinking, for students pursuing non-academic career paths.
Other benefits of our master’s in English program include:
- Value and affordability. Graduate assistantships are available for students pursuing our master’s in English, a benefit not common among most master’s in English programs. Similarly, the availability of OU’s combined B.A./M.A. program saves current Oakland students up to 1.5 semesters and more than $9,000 in tuition. And because our master’s in English students will hone analytical and communication skills valued across a wide range of professions, graduates are quick to put their degree in English to good use.
- World-renowned faculty. With an elite roster of expert scholars and renowned researchers, as well as award-winning poets, playwrights, novelists and filmmakers, Oakland’s master’s in English faculty are best in class. Committed to the success of their students, our faculty are both passionate in their areas of expertise as well as committed to making the study of a degree in English relevant and compelling. OU’s intimate class size of about 3 to 9 students leads to strong and supportive relationships between students and faculty, as well as connections that last a lifetime.
- Relevant connections to social justice. Oakland’s master’s in English curriculum puts special focus on social engagement emphasizing questions of social justice that resonate for our students and sets us apart from other master’s programs in English. Said M.A. graduate and University of Michigan employee Amanda Armstrong, “commitment to diversity and equity is imperative in my job and I believe a desire to learn, grow and empathize is vital in our commitment to diversity and equity. These are all traits that I feel have been strengthened because of my education at Oakland University’s master’s in English programs.”
What Can You Do With a Master’s in English Degree?
The real question is: what can’t you do with a master’s in English? Oakland University’s M.A. in English provides you with versatile and relevant knowledge and skills to make you a valuable employee and gives you access to a well-established pathway to the nation’s top Ph.D. programs.
A degree in English prepares you for a wide variety of employment and career opportunities, including:
- Author
- Community advocate
- Grant writer
- Journalist
- Lawyer
- Lecturer
- Marketer
- Playwright
- Professor
- Technical writer
Top Courses for Master’s in English Majors
Oakland’s masters programs in English enables students to deepen their knowledge of literature and explore the real-world applications of the skills that literary study cultivates, including attentiveness to language, critical thinking, persuasive writing and social awareness.
The program will expose you to a range of literary forms, historical periods and methodological approaches, focusing on the interconnectedness of literature and society and literature’s relationship to social change, both past and present. Courses in the master’s in English program are offered in the evenings to accommodate working professionals. Examples of required courses for a degree in English include:
- Literature and Social Engagement (ENG 5400) helps students make connections between literature and the wider world, with an optional service-learning component. You’ll examine the relationship between literature and social change, with an emphasis on implementing practices of socially engaged scholarship.
- Essays, Genres and Publics (ENG 5300) is a graduate-level writing course that focuses on writing for different contexts and audiences.
Master’s in English Program Resources
- Degree Requirements
- Online Application for Graduation
- Graduate Plan of Study
- Department of English
- College of Arts and Sciences
Programs Related to the Master’s in English
Not sure if the master’s programs in English is right for you? Check out these other graduate degree programs at Oakland, and contact our admissions team to discuss your options: