Enquire to study in the UK 
Language and literature have always served as a conduit for teaching the great themes of humanity. Some classics exposed the importance of empathy, understanding, and standing up against racial injustice. Others drove home crucial warnings about the destructive power of obsession and the empty American Dream. For today’s readers, increasingly popular young adult series introduce teenagers to themes of power, class struggles, and the ethics of rebellion in the face of oppression.
The takeaway here is the power of language and literature to give us a new lens into the human condition. Writers and readers and able to step into the shoes of other people – or even things – and experience worlds, emotions, and challenges they might never encounter firsthand. Think of how an ant in the garden might feel when the underground sprinklers come on, or how hard a blue jay fights to deliver a morning worm to his family.
These fresh perspectives are common at Kansas State University, which offers advanced English graduate studies that give you a deeper understanding of complex literary and cultural histories and complicated presents.
The two-year English Master’s programme is a carefully structured but individualised experience that promotes innovative scholarship. It’s designed to guide you through the relationship between literature and culture, as well the craft of literature itself itself. Throughout, you’ll be backed by an experienced faculty who constantly review and incorporate new developments from the field into their classrooms — all of which are small to ensure personalised instruction.
Source: Kansas State University
Another standout feature of the programme is its flexibility. Five concentrations are currently available: Literature, Children’s Literature, Cultural Studies, Creative Writing, and Composition and Rhetoric.
Bloody tragedy, magical realism, poetry and voyeurism – study the best that Anglophone literature has to offer in the Literature track. For those who prefer texts for younger audiences the Children’s Literature track will allow you to study children’s and young adult literature across a range of periods or regions. Cultural Studies examine cultural texts and contexts in literary and non-literary areas, encompassing a broad spectrum of classic and modern literature, music, film, television, politics, and political economy.
Aspiring novelists, poets, writers and teachers can opt for Creative Writing, one of the department’s largest tracks. You’ll write creative work in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, working closely with graduate faculty who are well-published in your genre of choice. The fifth and final track, Composition and Rhetoric, prepares those aiming for advanced knowledge in writing, its culture, power, trends, and rhetorical theory in social, cultural, educational and professional contexts.
Each entering class is no bigger than 17 to 20 students, allowing for personalised teaching and close-knit guidance. Source: Kansas State University
All routes ensure completion within four semesters. They also culminate with a capstone project, which can take several forms – standard options include a critical essay or a creative writing portfolio, which are both 20-25 pages long. Some students opt instead for a digital humanities project or portfolio of professional writing, accompanied by an internship secured with help from the department’s dedicated Internship Coordinator.
To further fuel its mission of providing professional development opportunities to its English graduates, the department awards approximately 15 Graduate Teaching Assistantships each year to MA programme students. It’s extremely competitive, offering stipends and tuition waivers, as well as other forms of financial aid.
Accessibility doesn’t stop there. The department also sponsors annual workshops for those interested in applying to PhD and MFA programmes or exploring career pathways in English and the Humanities. Sessions are informative, engaging and fully interactive – picture yourself speaking with visiting authors, experts and writers to gain industry knowledge and insight. The university’s Career Centre and the annual Alumni Connections Career Panel further provide key insights into employability.
“The professors at K-State’s MA in English programme are unmatched: their achievement in their field, their teaching expertise, their educational experience, and their unwavering support of their students are unlike anything you will find in any other graduate programme,” says Delaney Sullivan, who pursued the Children’s Literature track and graduated in May 2024. “Because of them, graduates from K-State’s English MA programme are superb scholars and teachers, making my experience here truly special.”
Thanks to the experts Sullivan speaks of, graduates have gone on to thrive in various professions. Many alumni currently teach for a living in secondary education and beyond, while the rest work in diverse fields, including teaching at the secondary or post-secondary level, university administration, professional writing, journalism, information services, librarianship, law, marketing and public relations, publishing, medicine and health, accountancy, and arts administration.
Notably, over 30% of programme graduates have pursued another advanced degree or postgraduate study, highlighting the MA in English programme’s strong foundation for lifelong learning and academic growth. Interested? Learn more about the application process here.
Check out the department’s blog and follow Kansas State University on Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube
