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Master of Arts in English Degree
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Engage in the study of language and literature with a Master’s Degree in English. You’ll develop the advanced critical reading, writing, and research skills necessary to participate confidently and meaningfully with other English studies scholars and professionals and to apply disciplinary knowledge beyond the field of English studies.
The Master’s in English is offered entirely online with interactive courses. You’ll benefit from the individual attention of professors. Choose from a variety of elective course offerings, including 17th – and 18th-century literature, Romanticism, Gothic, and Harlem Renaissance.
BA English/MA English Transition Program
Students enrolled in the BA English program who have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and are within six courses of completing the BA program may register for the BA English/MA English transition program. Students wishing to enroll in the transition program should contact their academic advisor.
Students in the BA English/MA English transition program may take one MA English class as an upper division elective for the BA English, reducing the total required number of courses for the MA English from ten to nine. Students must apply to and begin the MA English program within six months of completing the BA English program. For a complete description of Transition Program requirements please see the Policies and Procedures section of the Catalog.
Degree Requirements
To receive the Master of Arts in English, students must complete at least 45 quarter units. A total of 4.5 quarter units of graduate credit may be granted for equivalent graduate work completed at another regionally accredited institution, as it applies to this degree and provided the units were not used in earning another advanced degree. Students should refer to the General Catalog section on graduate admission requirements for specific information regarding admission and evaluation.
National University awards credit in quarter units, with each academic year divided into four 12-week quarters.
Each quarter is made up of three 4-week classes, with one class per month. Under the current policy, 4.5 units of credit are awarded for courses.
PRogram Requirements
6 Courses
Intro to Grad English Studies
4.5 Quarter Units
Introduces students to graduate level research practices and methodologies in English Studies. Students gain the grounding and skills required to research and write scholarly articles for peer reviewed journals in the field of English Studies.
- Dark Romanticism
- Greatest Generation
- Sensation Novel
- 18th-Century Novel
- 17th-Century Poetry
- Modern Science Fiction
Seminar in Literary Theory
4.5 Quarter Units
Historical and current issues in literary criticism and theory with particular attention to developments of the last fifty years. Emphasizes both reading and writing literary criticism in order to develop vocabulary and skills necessary to participate in scholarly literary debate.
- Dark Romanticism
- Greatest Generation
- Sensation Novel
- 18th-Century Novel
- 17th-Century Poetry
- Modern Science Fiction
One of the following:
Variable Topic Literary Period
4.5 Quarter Units
Advanced, historically oriented study of a literary period, such as English Medieval, Romantic, or Victorian literature, or a movement, such as the Beat Generation. A variable topic is chosen by the instructor. This course can be used for graduate-level literary theme course transfer credit with the approval of academic program directors.
Metafiction
4.5 Quarter Units
Examination of the literary phenomenon known as metafiction. The student is exposed to novels, short stories, and films that illuminate this type of fiction either directly or by contrast. These works are studied from two perspectives: (1) narrative and meta-narrative form and (2) content.
Contemporary Science Fiction
4.5 Quarter Units
Focuses on several representative works of 21st-century literary science fiction. In addition to analyzing how contemporary concerns (such as AI and climate change) are represented in this literature, students research the real-world implications of these concerns.
Dark English Romanticism
4.5 Quarter Units
The study of English Romanticism from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, including its historical development, terminology, and contemporary critical views.
American Gothic
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of American Gothic tales and novels from the 18th century to the 21st century, including historical development, ideology, terminology, and contemporary critical perspectives in the field.
Medieval Literature
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of the medieval literature of England, 1050-1500, including historical development, ideology, terminology, and contemporary critical views in the field.
American Romanticism
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of American literature from the Romantic period, including historical development, ideology, terminology, and contemporary critical views in the field.
18th Century English Novel
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of the 18th-century English novels by Daniel Defoe, Samuel Richardson, Henry Fielding, and Laurence Sterne, including historical development, ideology, terminology, and contemporary critical views in the field.
Sensation Novel
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of the sensation novels by Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, and Mary Elizabeth Braddon, including their historical development, ideology, terminology, and contemporary critical views in the field.
Greatest Generation
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of American writers from the Greatest Generation (1930-1960), including historical development, ideology, terminology, and contemporary critical views in the field.
Harlem Renaissance
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of the literature of the Harlem Renaissance as part of this pivotal era in which writers, musicians, and artists of the African Diaspora produced literary, visual, and philosophical works exploring the complexities of Black identity and culture. It explores historical development, ideology, terminology, and contemporary critical views.
One of the following:
Variable Topic Literary Theme
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of a literary motif or theme over time and/or across cultures. A variable topic chosen by the instructor. This course can be used for graduate-level literary theme transfer credit with the approval of academic program directors.
Literary Noir/Noir Mediascape
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of noir themes, visuals, character types, and plots in classic crime novels and across various media, paying attention to the unique affordances and constraints of each medium.
Detective Fiction
4.5 Quarter Units
Historical overview of mystery and detective fiction focuses on the genre’s key thematic preoccupation with how logic and chaos are represented and the implications of the different forms that these themes take in representative novels and short stories.
Vampires
4.5 Quarter Units
A study of vampires in both literature and film focuses on the context of their historical period, using critical concepts and applying notions of critical thinking to understand the works studied.
Gothic Literature
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of the rise of Gothic literature during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It examines the origins of the genre, focusing on the concepts of the supernatural, terror, horror, and religion to critique societal norms and values.
The Female Gothic
4.5 Quarter Units
A study of the Female Gothic in short stories and novels examines the dark and mysterious aspects of the Gothic genre as they relate to gender, focusing on the concepts of the supernatural, religion, terror, horror, and the domestic space as a means to critique societal norms and values.
Gothic Prisons
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of Gothic prisons focusing on concepts of the supernatural, sex, terror, horror, and religious space as a means to critique societal norms and values.
Modern Gothic
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of modern iterations of the Gothic genre, focusing on the concepts of the supernatural, horror, and nostalgia as a means to critique societal norms and values.
Home in British Literature
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of the home in British literature focuses on the concept of the home not only as a contested domestic space but also as the location where hope and fear intersect with society as a whole.
Home in American Literature
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of the home in American literature focuses on the concept of the home as a contested domestic space and as the location where hope and fear intersect with society as a whole.
Modernism
4.5 Quarter Units
Focuses on early 20th-century literary texts that are representative of modernist form and content. Emphasizes close-reading methods for analyzing literary texts as well as an historical approach to understanding the origins and development of this intertwined art and literary movement.
One of the following:
Variable Topic Major Author
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the work of a single author. The variable topic is chosen by the instructor. It can be used for graduate-level literary theme course transfer credit with the approval of academic program directors.
Jane Austen
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of Jane Austen’s novels focuses on the interplay between her biography, cultural influences, and the literary context.
The Brontë Sisters
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the Brontë sisters’ fiction examines their novels and short stories, focusing on the interplay between the sisters’ biographies, cultural influences, and the literary context.
Edgar Allan Poe
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of Poe’s fiction focuses on the interplay between biography, cultural influences, and the literary context.
William Shakespeare
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the works of William Shakespeare, with special emphasis given to biography, culture, and literary context.
T.S. Eliot
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the works of T. S. Eliot, with special emphasis on biography, culture, and literary context.
Walt Whitman
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the works of Walt Whitman, with special emphasis on biography, culture, and literary context.
Geoffrey Chaucer
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, with special emphasis on biography, culture, and literary context.
John Steinbeck
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the works of John Steinbeck, with special emphasis on biography, culture, and literary context.
Ann Radcliffe
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the works of Ann Radcliffe, with special emphasis given to her biography, culture, literary context, and impact on the Gothic tradition and Romantic literature.
James Baldwin
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the works of James Baldwin, with special emphasis given to biography, culture, and literary context.
Virginia Woolf
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the works of Virginia Woolf, with special emphasis on biography, culture, and literary context.
One of the following:
English Capstone Course
4.5 Quarter Units
Writing the Master’s thesis or capstone project. Taken as the last course in the M.A. English program. Exceptions may be made if within two courses of program completion, with approval of the lead faculty. Grading is by S or U only. Course is eligible for an “IP” grade.
Specialization Requirements
(4 courses; 18 quarter units)
- ENG 690B Major Author Seminar II: E. A. Poe or The Brontës
- ENG 620A Literary Period or Movement I: Dark Romanticism or Sensation Novel
- ENG 620B Literary Period or Movement II: American Gothic
- ENG 640 Seminar in Poetry: Graveyard Poetry
- ENG 668 Film Genre Studies: Horror Films
- ENG 680A Seminar in a Theme I: Vampires or Gothic Literature or Modern Gothic
- ENG 680B Seminar in a Theme II: Gothic Prisons/Romantic Spaces or Female Gothic
- ENG 690A Major Author Seminar I: Ann Radcliffe
Capstone Project in Rhetoric
4.5 Quarter Units
Prerequisite: ENG 655; ENG 656; ENG 657 and ENG 668, or ENG 680A Topic: Literary Noir/Noir Mediascape
Writing the Master’s thesis or capstone project. Taken as the last course in the M.A. English with a Specialization in Rhetoric program. Exceptions may be made if within two courses of program completion, with approval of the lead faculty. Students study published models of rhetorical criticism. They hone critical tools and apply them to a substantial, original project. Working closely with the capstone instructor and peers, students take this project from inception to final form: a work of professional-quality rhetorical criticism. Grading basis is S/U only. Course is eligible for In Progress (IP) grade.
Elective Requirements
4 Courses
Select four courses NOT taken to meet Core Requirements.
Variable Topic Literary Period
4.5 Quarter Units
Advanced, historically oriented study of a literary period, such as English Medieval, Romantic, or Victorian literature, or a movement, such as the Beat Generation. A variable topic is chosen by the instructor. This course can be used for graduate-level literary theme course transfer credit with the approval of academic program directors.
Metafiction
4.5 Quarter Units
Examination of the literary phenomenon known as metafiction. The student is exposed to novels, short stories, and films that illuminate this type of fiction either directly or by contrast. These works are studied from two perspectives: (1) narrative and meta-narrative form and (2) content.
Contemporary Science Fiction
4.5 Quarter Units
Focuses on several representative works of 21st-century literary science fiction. In addition to analyzing how contemporary concerns (such as AI and climate change) are represented in this literature, students research the real-world implications of these concerns.
Dark English Romanticism
4.5 Quarter Units
The study of English Romanticism from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, including its historical development, terminology, and contemporary critical views.
American Gothic
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of American Gothic tales and novels from the 18th century to the 21st century, including historical development, ideology, terminology, and contemporary critical perspectives in the field.
Medieval Literature
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of the medieval literature of England, 1050-1500, including historical development, ideology, terminology, and contemporary critical views in the field.
American Romanticism
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of American literature from the Romantic period, including historical development, ideology, terminology, and contemporary critical views in the field.
18th Century English Novel
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of the 18th-century English novels by Daniel Defoe, Samuel Richardson, Henry Fielding, and Laurence Sterne, including historical development, ideology, terminology, and contemporary critical views in the field.
Sensation Novel
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of the sensation novels by Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, and Mary Elizabeth Braddon, including their historical development, ideology, terminology, and contemporary critical views in the field.
Greatest Generation
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of American writers from the Greatest Generation (1930-1960), including historical development, ideology, terminology, and contemporary critical views in the field.
Harlem Renaissance
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of the literature of the Harlem Renaissance as part of this pivotal era in which writers, musicians, and artists of the African Diaspora produced literary, visual, and philosophical works exploring the complexities of Black identity and culture. It explores historical development, ideology, terminology, and contemporary critical views.
Seminar in Creative Nonfiction
4.5 Quarter Units
Students write and critique each other’s original work in a workshop-style format. Through presentation and critique of published and student-generated work, students will advance their understanding of the genre’s many forms, including memoir, autobiography, nature writing, literary journalism, and the personal essay, while strengthening their own writing.
Seminar in Fiction
4.5 Quarter Units
Students write and critique each other’s work in a workshop-style format. Through presentation and critique of published and student-generated work, students will advance their understanding of the genres’ many forms and styles, strengthen their own writing, and broaden their understanding of literature and various modes of literary writing.
Seminar in Poetry
4.5 Quarter Units
Advanced study of the history and practice of poetry. Close reading of a major poet or school of poetry, poetic forms and theories.
- Imagism influences of Haiku and East Asian Poetics
- Graveyard Poetry
Seminar in Poetry
4.5 Quarter Units
A poetry workshop where students will learn the craft of poetry by writing their own original work and offering feedback to their peers. Students will be introduced to contemporary poetry though readings and discussions of poems from a poet’s point of view.
Composition Pedagogy
4.5 Quarter Units
Prepares students for the practical and theoretical challenges of teaching English composition and other writing courses. Topics include process theory, cognitive studies, language and diversity, genre studies, and best practices.
History of Rhetoric
4.5 Quarter Units
Focuses on the teachings of the major figures of ancient rhetoric, such as the sophists, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian. Students will study the classical texts that form the basis of modern rhetoric studies. The course also surveys major shifts through Medieval, Renaissance, and Enlightenment rhetoric.
Modern Rhetoric
4.5 Quarter Units
Introduces students to the contemporary study of rhetoric. The course covers major figures such as Kenneth Burke, Lloyd Bitzer, and Stephen Toulmin. The course introduces a wide range of academic interests in contemporary rhetoric; in particular, students will practice reading texts rhetorically through major theories of rhetoric.
Film Theory
4.5 Quarter Units
An overview of film theory designed to give students the critical tools necessary to describe and evaluate various aspects of cinema art. This course introduces concepts from a variety of approaches, including deconstruction, existentialism, Marxism, phenomenology, and psychoanalysis.
Silent Film
4.5 Quarter Units
A survey of films produced before the advent of recorded sound, this course focuses on the early national cinemas of France, Germany, the Soviet Union and the United States; attention is directed to concepts of visual narratology, montage and the conventions of acting, set design, lighting and movement.
American Film History
4.5 Quarter Units
This course offers an in-depth study of the development of cinema in the United States that takes a broad overview of American film making. Topics include film genre and the relationship of film to art, politics, religion and society. Additionally, the course considers Hollywood’s treatment of ethnic groups, women, and systems of class structure.
Variable Topic Film Genre Stud
4.5 Quarter Units
An intensive study of the conventions, artists, and styles associated with specific genres, as well as the historical circumstances in which each genre appeared. A variable topic chosen by the instructor. This course can be used for graduate-level film genre transfer credit with the approval of academic program directors.
Science Fiction Film
4.5 Quarter Units
Examines significant representative examples of the genre of science fiction cinema, analyzing them as texts that present different perspectives on themes relating to the human condition.
Horror Film
4.5 Quarter Units
Focuses on the history, iconography, and mythology of horror films. Students will analyze the major horror sub-genres subject matter, themes, and visual style, from psychological horror to postmodern horror films.
The Musical
4.5 Quarter Units
Focuses on the critical analysis of the Hollywood musical through the lens of genre theory, emphasizing how the conventions of the cinematic musical are constructed through narrative and cinematic techniques.
Animation
4.5 Quarter Units
History and aesthetics of animation as a cinematic medium are studied through the analysis of short films and feature-length films. Particular attention is given to the historical development of the medium and how its formal properties enabled different forms of expression to evolve over time.
World Film
4.5 Quarter Units
World Film is a content-variable course that may be repeated for credit. Each iteration of this course is a study of the film tradition of a specific nation or group of nations other than the United States. Students in this course will engage in an intensive study of the elements of filmmaking and theory, as well as the contrasting visual styles of directors, artists, and themes prominent in the particular tradition or traditions surveyed. Trans-cultural and transcendental film categories, universals values, and the fundamental principles of film art are also important topics of discussion.
Variable Topic Literary Theme
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of a literary motif or theme over time and/or across cultures. A variable topic chosen by the instructor. This course can be used for graduate-level literary theme transfer credit with the approval of academic program directors.
Literary Noir/Noir Mediascape
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of noir themes, visuals, character types, and plots in classic crime novels and across various media, paying attention to the unique affordances and constraints of each medium.
Detective Fiction
4.5 Quarter Units
Historical overview of mystery and detective fiction focuses on the genre’s key thematic preoccupation with how logic and chaos are represented and the implications of the different forms that these themes take in representative novels and short stories.
Vampires
4.5 Quarter Units
A study of vampires in both literature and film focuses on the context of their historical period, using critical concepts and applying notions of critical thinking to understand the works studied.
Gothic Literature
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of the rise of Gothic literature during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It examines the origins of the genre, focusing on the concepts of the supernatural, terror, horror, and religion to critique societal norms and values.
The Female Gothic
4.5 Quarter Units
A study of the Female Gothic in short stories and novels examines the dark and mysterious aspects of the Gothic genre as they relate to gender, focusing on the concepts of the supernatural, religion, terror, horror, and the domestic space as a means to critique societal norms and values.
Gothic Prisons
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of Gothic prisons focusing on concepts of the supernatural, sex, terror, horror, and religious space as a means to critique societal norms and values.
Modern Gothic
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of modern iterations of the Gothic genre, focusing on the concepts of the supernatural, horror, and nostalgia as a means to critique societal norms and values.
Home in British Literature
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of the home in British literature focuses on the concept of the home not only as a contested domestic space but also as the location where hope and fear intersect with society as a whole.
Home in American Literature
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of the home in American literature focuses on the concept of the home as a contested domestic space and as the location where hope and fear intersect with society as a whole.
American Directors
4.5 Quarter Units
This seminar in great American directors is a content-variable course that may be repeated for credit. Each iteration of this course is a comprehensive study of the artistic achievements of an American director. Students will engage in detailed interpretations and analyses of the techniques and concepts employed by a particular director, paying special attention to literary works as they relate to the filmmaking efforts of the director studied.
International Directors
4.5 Quarter Units
This seminar in great international directors is a content-variable course that may be repeated for credit. Each iteration of this course is a comprehensive study of the canon of work of a specific director, excluding American directors. Students will engage in detailed interpretations and analyses of the techniques and concepts employed by a particular international director, paying special attention to literary works as they relate to the filmmaking efforts of the director studied.
Variable Topic Major Author
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the work of a single author. The variable topic is chosen by the instructor. It can be used for graduate-level literary theme course transfer credit with the approval of academic program directors.
Jane Austen
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of Jane Austen’s novels focuses on the interplay between her biography, cultural influences, and the literary context.
The Brontë Sisters
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the Brontë sisters’ fiction examines their novels and short stories, focusing on the interplay between the sisters’ biographies, cultural influences, and the literary context.
Edgar Allan Poe
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of Poe’s fiction focuses on the interplay between biography, cultural influences, and the literary context.
William Shakespeare
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the works of William Shakespeare, with special emphasis given to biography, culture, and literary context.
T.S. Eliot
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the works of T. S. Eliot, with special emphasis on biography, culture, and literary context.
Walt Whitman
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the works of Walt Whitman, with special emphasis on biography, culture, and literary context.
Geoffrey Chaucer
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, with special emphasis on biography, culture, and literary context.
John Steinbeck
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the works of John Steinbeck, with special emphasis on biography, culture, and literary context.
Ann Radcliffe
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the works of Ann Radcliffe, with special emphasis given to her biography, culture, literary context, and impact on the Gothic tradition and Romantic literature.
James Baldwin
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the works of James Baldwin, with special emphasis given to biography, culture, and literary context.
Virginia Woolf
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the works of Virginia Woolf, with special emphasis on biography, culture, and literary context.
Specialization in Gothic Studies
4 Courses
Dark English Romanticism
4.5 Quarter Units
The study of English Romanticism from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, including its historical development, terminology, and contemporary critical views.
American Gothic
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of American Gothic tales and novels from the 18th century to the 21st century, including historical development, ideology, terminology, and contemporary critical perspectives in the field.
Sensation Novel
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of the sensation novels by Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, and Mary Elizabeth Braddon, including their historical development, ideology, terminology, and contemporary critical views in the field.
Seminar in Poetry
4.5 Quarter Units
Advanced study of the history and practice of poetry. Close reading of a major poet or school of poetry, poetic forms and theories.
- Imagism influences of Haiku and East Asian Poetics
- Graveyard Poetry
Horror Film
4.5 Quarter Units
Focuses on the history, iconography, and mythology of horror films. Students will analyze the major horror sub-genres subject matter, themes, and visual style, from psychological horror to postmodern horror films.
Vampires
4.5 Quarter Units
A study of vampires in both literature and film focuses on the context of their historical period, using critical concepts and applying notions of critical thinking to understand the works studied.
Gothic Literature
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of the rise of Gothic literature during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It examines the origins of the genre, focusing on the concepts of the supernatural, terror, horror, and religion to critique societal norms and values.
The Female Gothic
4.5 Quarter Units
A study of the Female Gothic in short stories and novels examines the dark and mysterious aspects of the Gothic genre as they relate to gender, focusing on the concepts of the supernatural, religion, terror, horror, and the domestic space as a means to critique societal norms and values.
Gothic Prisons
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of Gothic prisons focusing on concepts of the supernatural, sex, terror, horror, and religious space as a means to critique societal norms and values.
Modern Gothic
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of modern iterations of the Gothic genre, focusing on the concepts of the supernatural, horror, and nostalgia as a means to critique societal norms and values.
The Brontë Sisters
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the Brontë sisters’ fiction examines their novels and short stories, focusing on the interplay between the sisters’ biographies, cultural influences, and the literary context.
Edgar Allan Poe
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of Poe’s fiction focuses on the interplay between biography, cultural influences, and the literary context.
Ann Radcliffe
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the works of Ann Radcliffe, with special emphasis given to her biography, culture, literary context, and impact on the Gothic tradition and Romantic literature.
Variable Topic Literary Period
4.5 Quarter Units
Advanced, historically oriented study of a literary period, such as English Medieval, Romantic, or Victorian literature, or a movement, such as the Beat Generation. A variable topic is chosen by the instructor. This course can be used for graduate-level literary theme course transfer credit with the approval of academic program directors.
Variable Topic Film Genre Stud
4.5 Quarter Units
An intensive study of the conventions, artists, and styles associated with specific genres, as well as the historical circumstances in which each genre appeared. A variable topic chosen by the instructor. This course can be used for graduate-level film genre transfer credit with the approval of academic program directors.
Variable Topic Literary Theme
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of a literary motif or theme over time and/or across cultures. A variable topic chosen by the instructor. This course can be used for graduate-level literary theme transfer credit with the approval of academic program directors.
Variable Topic Major Author
4.5 Quarter Units
A critical study of the work of a single author. The variable topic is chosen by the instructor. It can be used for graduate-level literary theme course transfer credit with the approval of academic program directors.
Specialization in Rhetoric
4 Courses
Students must select 4 of the 5 courses listed below
Composition Pedagogy
4.5 Quarter Units
Prepares students for the practical and theoretical challenges of teaching English composition and other writing courses. Topics include process theory, cognitive studies, language and diversity, genre studies, and best practices.
History of Rhetoric
4.5 Quarter Units
Focuses on the teachings of the major figures of ancient rhetoric, such as the sophists, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian. Students will study the classical texts that form the basis of modern rhetoric studies. The course also surveys major shifts through Medieval, Renaissance, and Enlightenment rhetoric.
Modern Rhetoric
4.5 Quarter Units
Introduces students to the contemporary study of rhetoric. The course covers major figures such as Kenneth Burke, Lloyd Bitzer, and Stephen Toulmin. The course introduces a wide range of academic interests in contemporary rhetoric; in particular, students will practice reading texts rhetorically through major theories of rhetoric.
One of the following:
Variable Topic Film Genre Stud
4.5 Quarter Units
An intensive study of the conventions, artists, and styles associated with specific genres, as well as the historical circumstances in which each genre appeared. A variable topic chosen by the instructor. This course can be used for graduate-level film genre transfer credit with the approval of academic program directors.
Science Fiction Film
4.5 Quarter Units
Examines significant representative examples of the genre of science fiction cinema, analyzing them as texts that present different perspectives on themes relating to the human condition.
Horror Film
4.5 Quarter Units
Focuses on the history, iconography, and mythology of horror films. Students will analyze the major horror sub-genres subject matter, themes, and visual style, from psychological horror to postmodern horror films.
The Musical
4.5 Quarter Units
Focuses on the critical analysis of the Hollywood musical through the lens of genre theory, emphasizing how the conventions of the cinematic musical are constructed through narrative and cinematic techniques.
Animation
4.5 Quarter Units
History and aesthetics of animation as a cinematic medium are studied through the analysis of short films and feature-length films. Particular attention is given to the historical development of the medium and how its formal properties enabled different forms of expression to evolve over time.
Literary Noir/Noir Mediascape
4.5 Quarter Units
Study of noir themes, visuals, character types, and plots in classic crime novels and across various media, paying attention to the unique affordances and constraints of each medium.
*Topic, “Literary Noir/Noir Mediascape” must be taken.
Specializations
Master of Arts in English, Gothic Studies
The Gothic Studies specialization provides a comprehensive program of graduate study in literature, as well as a rigorous examination of the historical, theoretical, and critical reception of the Gothic genre in both literature and film. This program prepares you for doctoral study or college-level teaching in English or related fields while also providing general cultural enrichment.
Master of Arts in English, Rhetoric
The Rhetoric specialization offers a program of graduate study in literature, as well as a wide range of cultural production—from classical oration to contemporary cinema—with a particular emphasis on how language and image are used to produce various effects and meanings. The curriculum contains several variable-topic courses, allowing you to pursue broad program goals in topic areas matched to your interests.
Career Outlook
Data Source: The career outcomes data presented is sourced from Lightcast, which provides insights based on real-time job postings, public datasets, and analytics. Lightcast derives its data from sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), and the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES). While accurate and reliable, this data reflects general labor market trends and may not represent individual outcomes or specific local conditions. For more details on Lightcast’s methodology, visit their Data Overview.
Here are some careers this degree could prepare you for:
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- Top Jobs in this field
- Median Salary
- Job Openings
- Historians
-
$65,000
avg. salary (USA) -
565
job openings (past yr.) past year
ALl of USAMost Desired Skills
- Historic Preservation
- Architectural History
- Project Management
- National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)
- Archaeology
- Geographic Information Systems
- Cultural Resource Management
ALl of USATop Companies Hiring
- Stantec
- CDM Smith
- Educational Testing Service
- Jacobs Solutions
- National Park Service
- Percheron
- American Cruise Lines
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants
-
$60,438
avg. salary (USA) -
41,898
job openings (past yr.) past year
ALl of USAMost Desired Skills
- Lawsuits
- Legal Pleadings
- Legal Discovery
- Legal Research
- Legal Depositions
- Legal Hearings
- Proofreading
ALl of USATop Companies Hiring
- US Foods
- Contact Government Services
- Morgan & Morgan, P.A.
- United States Department of Justice
- State of Florida
- Equivity
- Bridgeline Solutions
- Judicial Law Clerks
-
$57,517
avg. salary (USA) -
1,299
job openings (past yr.) past year
ALl of USAMost Desired Skills
- Legal Research
- Lawsuits
- Legal Pleadings
- Legal Hearings
- Legal Discovery
- Legal Depositions
- Family Law
ALl of USATop Companies Hiring
- Contact Government Services
- DLA Piper
- Relx
- United States Federal Judiciary
- United States District Court
- Greenberg Traurig
- Colorado Judicial Branch
- Elementary School Teachers
-
$63,405
avg. salary (USA) -
114,982
job openings (past yr.) past year
ALl of USAMost Desired Skills
- Lesson Planning
- Classroom Management
- Curriculum Development
- Learning Styles
- Primary Education
- Special Education
- Instructional Strategies
ALl of USATop Companies Hiring
- Wake County Public Schools
- Clark County School District
- State Of West Virginia
- Broward County Public Schools
- Institute Of Reading Development
- KinderCare Education
- Ulster Boces
- Middle School Teachers
-
$64,004
avg. salary (USA) -
51,054
job openings (past yr.) past year
ALl of USAMost Desired Skills
- Lesson Planning
- Mathematics Education
- Classroom Management
- Science Education
- Curriculum Development
- Differentiated Instruction
- Learning Styles
ALl of USATop Companies Hiring
- Uncommon Schools
- Stride K12
- Kipp Massachusetts
- Kipp Austin Public Schools
- Springfield Public Schools, MO
- Wake County Public Schools
- Jefferson County Public Schools
- Secondary School Teachers
-
$65,104
avg. salary (USA) -
80,288
job openings (past yr.) past year
ALl of USAMost Desired Skills
- Lesson Planning
- Classroom Management
- Curriculum Development
- Learning Styles
- Mathematics Education
- Instructional Strategies
- Differentiated Instruction
ALl of USATop Companies Hiring
- Success Academy
- Clark County School District
- Charter Schools USA
- IDEA Public Schools
- Chicago Public Schools
- Stride K12
- YMCA
- Short-Term Substitute Teachers
-
$37,376
avg. salary (USA) -
60,005
job openings (past yr.) past year
ALl of USAMost Desired Skills
- Lesson Planning
- Classroom Management
- Special Education
- Learning Styles
- Individualized Education Programs (IEP)
- Working With Children
- Child Development
ALl of USATop Companies Hiring
- Broward County Public Schools
- Charter Schools USA
- Scoot Education
- Zen Educate
- Ess Education Support Services
- Ulster Boces
- Guidepost Montessori
- Archivists
-
$58,866
avg. salary (USA) -
1,248
job openings (past yr.) past year
ALl of USAMost Desired Skills
- Archives
- Library
- Metadata
- Workflow Management
- Cataloguing
- Records Management
- Data Entry
ALl of USATop Companies Hiring
- Contact Government Services
- United States Government
- KBR
- Amentum
- Library Systems & Services
- Iron Mountain
- Epiq
- Curators
-
$60,936
avg. salary (USA) -
2,208
job openings (past yr.) past year
ALl of USAMost Desired Skills
- Exhibitions
- Art History
- Curation
- Museum Studies
- Loans
- Museum Collections Management
- Marketing
ALl of USATop Companies Hiring
- Harvard University
- The Art Institute Of Chicago
- University of New Mexico
- Carnegie Museums Of Pittsburgh
- Arcs
- The University of Texas at Austin
- Crystal Bridges Museum Of American Art
- Editors
-
$69,619
avg. salary (USA) -
13,259
job openings (past yr.) past year
ALl of USAMost Desired Skills
- Journalism
- Marketing
- Proofreading
- Project Management
- Social Media
- Copy Editing
- Workflow Management
ALl of USATop Companies Hiring
- Wolters Kluwer
- EBSCO Industries
- Pearson Education
- NBC
- TELUS
- Penguin Random House
- Springer Nature Group
Program Learning Outcomes
Learn the key skills to help you excel in your field of study.
- Research and apply relevant criticism in sustained analyses and interpretations of specific works of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.
- Evaluate the relevance and validity of different theoretical approaches (e.g., historicist, biographical, etc.) to the understanding of specific works of literature.
- Engage in informed critical discussion, both oral and written, of theoretical issues pertaining to the study of literature.
- Engage in informed critical discussion, both oral and written, of the works and criticism of a specific literary period or movement.
- Participate in rigorous critiques of the scholarly works of others.
- Revise and expand a scholarly paper to submit for publication in a scholarly or literary journal.
Admissions
Next start date: Every Month
Year-round enrollment
Transfer Students Welcome
Enrolling in a university is a big decision. That’s why our dedicated admissions team is here to guide you through the admissions process and help you find the right program for you and your career goals.
To that end, we’ve simplified and streamlined our application process, so you can get enrolled in your program right away. Because we accept and review applications year round, you can begin class as soon as next month, depending on your program and location of choice.
Learn more about undergraduate, graduate, military, and international student admissions, plus admissions information for transfer students. You can also learn more about our tuition rates and financial aid opportunities.
To speak with our admissions team, call (855) 355-6288 or request information and an advisor will contact you shortly. If you’re ready to apply, simply start your application today.
Pricing
The cost shown is the estimated price for this degree. Many National University students are eligible for scholarships or financial aid, which may substantially lower a degree program’s cost.
You can visit our Tuition Estimator to see what scholarships and discounts are available and get more information about expected costs. You can also start the application process and receive counseling from our Enrollment team on the costs of your degree
Scholarships and Financial Aid
National University is dedicated to making higher education affordable, as well as accessible. Through NU scholarship offerings, eligible students are able to reduce the financial burden of college, start classes sooner, and finish their programs faster while focusing on achieving their goals.
Accreditations
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accredits public and private schools, colleges, and universities in the U.S.
Why National University?
We’re proud to be a Veteran-founded, San Diego-based nonprofit. Since 1971, our mission has been to provide accessible, achievable higher education to adult learners.
Today, we educate students from across the U.S. and around the globe, with over 245,000 alumni worldwide.
“National University has impacted my career. You can immediately apply what you learn in class to your business.”
Francisco R.,
Class of 2016
What makes a degree
with National University unique?
Free Tutoring Sessions
Access personalized tutoring sessions at no cost — empowering your learning.
Online
Flexibility meets quality education with our online learning option.
24/7 Support
Get assistance anytime, anywhere with our round-the-clock support services.
Military Friendly
Committed to serving those who serve — diverse resources and support for veterans and family. Military and Veteran Admissions.
Mentoring Network
Individual student and alumni career guidance, professional development opportunities, and customized career support.
Transfer Students Welcome
NU makes it easy to get your degree, even if you started it with another university. Learn more about transferring to NU.
Accelerate Your Career With NU
At National University, you’re part of a family. As a student, you’ll have the support of staff, faculty members, students, and alumni who will be there with you every step of the way, cheering you on as you pursue your goals.
Our network of 245,000 alumni is a large global community that provides our graduates with the professional connections to get a leg up in your new career.
MA in English Degree FAQs
The MA in English program assists students in developing the advanced critical reading, writing, and research skills necessary to participate confidently and meaningfully with other English studies scholars and professionals and to apply disciplinary knowledge beyond the field of English studies. You will be poised to enter the education field, or work in a range of roles involving writing, communications, and data analysis.
National University’s MA in English is a ten-course program. With NU’s four-week courses and accelerated pace, students can complete this program, including the capstone, in as few as 11 months.
Earning an MA in English provides you with sought-after skills, setting you up for success in a variety of fields involving research and analysis, writing, teaching, journalism, marketing, communications, and more.
In addition to core courses that provide a strong foundation in literary traditions, students choose from a variety of elective course offerings, including 17th- and 18th-century literature, Romanticism, Gothic, and Harlem Renaissance.
The Master of Arts in English offers students the opportunity to engage in the study of language and literature. The program assists students in developing the advanced critical reading, writing, and research skills necessary to participate confidently and meaningfully with other English studies scholars and professionals and to apply disciplinary knowledge beyond the field of English studies.
The MA in English is offered entirely online with interactive courses. The accelerated pace of this 10-course program allows students to complete their master’s in less than one year. Students benefit from the individual attention of professors while engaging with each other, the course material, and building knowledge through collaboration in an invigorating and supportive learning community.
In addition to core courses that provide a strong foundation in the literary tradition, students choose from a variety of elective course offerings, including 17th- and 18th-century literature, Romanticism, Gothic, and Harlem Renaissance. Students have the ability to choose from two unique specializations to customize their academic experience: Gothic and Rhetoric. The Gothic specialization is the first and only Gothic MA in the United States, and the Rhetoric specialization has its own capstone.
The University’s Writing Across the Curriculum program offers opportunities for students to enhance their career development through projects such as editing and producing the student literary journal, the GNU, and working on the WHACK, the Writing Across the Curriculum newsletter. Various departmental faculty also have opportunities for students to assist them with teaching and scholarly projects.
National University’s MA in English program focuses on helping you develop a deep set of skills that are widely transferable and applicable to many careers. Some of the skills you will learn include research, writing, teaching, marketing, and more.
With these skills, you’ll be qualified to pursue a range of occupations in areas like education, public admin, health care, and more. Some of the specific job titles in these areas include:
- Technical writer
- Author
- Teacher
- Research associate
- Marketing product manager
- Education administrator
To give you an idea of the salary range*** you might command, BLS also states that the median annual wage for high school teachers was $61,800 in May 2021.
*** https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/high-school-teachers.htm#tab-5
The Master of Arts in English with a Specialization in Rhetoric provides a program of graduate study in literature as well as a wide range of cultural production, from classical oration to contemporary cinema, with particular attention paid to how language and image are used to produce various effects and meanings. Students study literary texts and other cultural artifacts across a variety of media forms, developing readings that are grounded in contextual understanding. Students complete coursework in literary studies, classical and modern rhetoric, composition pedagogy, media studies, and film studies. The prescribed curriculum contains several variable-topic courses, allowing students to pursue broad program goals in topic areas matched to their individual interests. The program is appropriate for students seeking preparation for doctoral study or college-level teaching in English and related fields, or general cultural enrichment.
The Master of Arts in English with a Specialization in Gothic Studies provides a balanced and comprehensive program of graduate study in literature as well as a rigorous examination of the historical, theoretical, and critical reception of the Gothic, from its origins in the 18th century through to a range of contemporary works in both literature and film. The program is appropriate for students seeking preparation for doctoral study or college-level teaching in English and related fields, or general cultural enrichment.
Additional Resources
Program Disclosure
Successful completion and attainment of National University degrees do not lead to automatic or immediate licensure, employment, or certification in any state/country. The University cannot guarantee that any professional organization or business will accept a graduate’s application to sit for any certification, licensure, or related exam for the purpose of professional certification.
Program availability varies by state. Many disciplines, professions, and jobs require disclosure of an individual’s criminal history, and a variety of states require background checks to apply to, or be eligible for, certain certificates, registrations, and licenses. Existence of a criminal history may also subject an individual to denial of an initial application for a certificate, registration, or license and/or result in the revocation or suspension of an existing certificate, registration, or license. Requirements can vary by state, occupation, and/or licensing authority.
NU graduates will be subject to additional requirements on a program, certification/licensure, employment, and state-by-state basis that can include one or more of the following items: internships, practicum experience, additional coursework, exams, tests, drug testing, earning an additional degree, and/or other training/education requirements.
All prospective students are advised to review employment, certification, and/or licensure requirements in their state, and to contact the certification/licensing body of the state and/or country where they intend to obtain certification/licensure to verify that these courses/programs qualify in that state/country, prior to enrolling. Prospective students are also advised to regularly review the state’s/country’s policies and procedures relating to certification/licensure, as those policies are subject to change.
National University degrees do not guarantee employment or salary of any kind. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to review desired job positions to review degrees, education, and/or training required to apply for desired positions. Prospective students should monitor these positions as requirements, salary, and other relevant factors can change over time.
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