English, M.A.

The Master of Arts degree in English offers you a range of career paths. In addition to teaching at institutions of higher learning, the degree supports careers such as journalist, copywriter, managing editor, editor-in-chief, publisher, technical writer, director of communications, and survey researcher or analyst.

Our master's program offers classes in literature from Shakespeare to the postmodern novel and in creative writing. We have particularly strong offerings in nineteenth- and twentieth-century literature. Small in size, the master's program emphasizes a solid foundation in general literary studies that provides broad knowledge to work in your area of thesis specialization. The degree offers excellent preparation for further graduate study or any field that values critical thinking, strong writing skills and research experience.

A Master's Program Designed For You

Our graduate programs are designed to accommodate part-time as well as full-time students. Graduate seminars meet once a week and are scheduled in the late afternoon or evening to allow students with work or family responsibilities to attend. We also offer a graduate seminar in the summer. Working closely with a chair and members of a committee, you leave prepared to enter the workforce, pursue further graduate study, or apply for positions in post-secondary education. You will design and execute a scholarly project that enables you to become an expert in your areas of interest. The USD Department of English is committed to providing its graduate students with support in the form of teaching assistantships for qualifying students, travel funds, and opportunities for research grants. Students can gain practical literary professional and editorial experience by taking classes in publishing, as well as working with the Vermillion Literary Project, South Dakota Review and Astrophil Press.

Specialize in areas that interest you

Creative track students leave the program with a completed book-length creative project in hand, as well as guidance on job and graduate program applications and C.V. building. Critical track students receive rigorous training in literature from a range of periods, literary theory and have the option to take creative writing workshops. 

1.) Literary Studies: Literature

The M.A. program with a specialization in Literary Studies provides both a thesis and non-thesis track that provide students the opportunity to pursue a personalized course of study while gaining a rigorous introduction to a variety of literatures, historical and aesthetic contexts, and critical theories and methodologies. We offer classes in British and U.S. literatures—from early modern drama to contemporary American poetics—and a diverse range of special topics courses, all enriched by professionalization workshops, events with visiting scholars and writers, conference opportunities and an emphasis on mentorship. If awarded a Graduate Teaching Assistantship, M.A. students have the opportunity to, in conjunction with a practicum in pedagogy, teach undergraduate courses in writing. M.A. students can also take advantage of numerous professional development opportunities including publishing courses, academic and alt-ac job search guidance, and editorial/literary experience through working with The Vermillion Literary Project, South Dakota Review, and Astrophil Press. 

2.) Literary Studies: Creative Writing

The M.A. program in Creative Writing offers students the opportunity to take graduate-level workshops in multiple genres with professional writers—developing not only multi-genre fluency within their own work, but also building pedagogical skills and credentials within the creative writing classroom. While offering discussion and feedback on student work and addressing relevant elements of craft and technique, graduate-level workshops in creative writing also provide broad readings within the “state of the art,” and offer opportunities to engage with current conversations in aesthetic and historical contexts, narrative theory, poetics, and critical theory. If awarded a Graduate Teaching Assistantship, M.A. students will have the opportunity to, in conjunction with a practicum in pedagogy, teach undergraduate courses in writing. M.A. students can also take advantage of numerous professional development opportunities, such as publishing courses, mentorship in the job application process, and editorial/literary experience through working with The Vermillion Literary Project, South Dakota Review, and Astrophil Press.