Graduate Programs
The WSU English Department offers three master’s degrees and one graduate certificate program.
Whether you plan on pursuing more education or a career in the field, our graduate programs will help you develop advanced critical thinking, reading, research, and writing skills.
Our graduate programs will also provide you with rigorous coursework in pedagogy and literary studies, composition and rhetoric, and language.
Professional Writing Graduate Certificate
In the online Professional Writing graduate certificate program, you’ll learn about:
- theories and approaches to workplace writing
- critical evaluation and expression of ideas
- ethics of professional communication
You’ll also strengthen your writing, editing, research, and organizational skills for many different workplace settings.
This program is best suited for students and working professionals who have already earned a bachelor’s degree and want to become a writing and editing specialist or who already work in a writing- and communication-reliant career.
The Professional Writing graduate certificate comprises 12 credits and can be completed in as little as two semesters.
Learn more about program requirements in the course catalog.
Literature & Language Master of Arts (MA)
This program is no longer accepting applications.
In the Literature and Language MA program, you’ll learn about the major areas of literary study needed for:
- pursuing further graduate study
- teaching at the post-secondary level
- working in the professional writing sector
This program is best suited for students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree in English or a closely related field of study.
Students enrolled in WSU's undergraduate Literature and Language major can earn both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees within this program in five years through the Dual Enrollment Program.
The Literature and Language MA comprises 30 credits and can be completed in as little as four semesters, including summer sessions.
Learn more about program requirements in the course catalog.
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Master of Arts (MA)
This program is no longer accepting applications.
In the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) MA program, you’ll learn about:
- second language acquisition
- structural features of English grammar
- theories and practices of teaching English as a Second Language to a wide variety of audiences
You'll also graduate ready for further graduate study in linguistics.
This program is best suited for students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree in English, Applied Linguistics, Teaching English as a Second Language, or a closely related field of study.
Students enrolled in WSU's undergraduate Applied Linguistics major can earn both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees within this program in five years through the Dual Enrollment Program.
The TESOL MA comprises 30 credits and can be completed in as little as four semesters, including summer sessions.
Learn more about program requirements in the course catalog.
English Master of Science (MS)
In the English MS program, you’ll learn about the major areas of literary analysis—from genre theory to critical theory—and literary studies, such as the theory and practice of teaching literature and composition.
This program is best suited for students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree in English or a closely related field of study.
The English MS comprises 30 credits and can be completed in as little as four semesters, including summer sessions.
Learn more about program requirements in the course catalog.
Ready to Apply?
Review our information on the admission process, so you don’t miss a step when applying to one of our English graduate programs.
