MA English or Master of Arts in English is a 2 year postgraduate course that deals with the study of English Literature and Language all over the world. MA in English includes readings from various novels, stories, poetry and epics written by prominent writers. MA in English helps students to have a better grasp of the English Language, and develop analytical skills, and critical thinking ability.
MA in English Admission is done based on entrance exams or through merit-based. Top colleges like JNU, Calcutta University, St Xaviers College Kolkata, Delhi University, and Presidency College offer MA English Admission 2024 based on national or state-level entrance exams. Candidates must have completed an undergraduate degree to be eligible for admission to the MA English course.
Candidates can also pursue an MA English from the distance mode. Distance MA English is available in IGNOU, VMOU, etc. MA in English syllabus consists of subjects like English Poetry from Chaucer to Milton, Eighteenth-Century English Literature, American Literature, Language and Linguistics, and works of Shakespeare and Indian Literature.
2.2 Who Should Pursue MA in English?
3.2 Eligibility
5.5 Colleges in Pune
8.1 Courses After MA in English
9.1 Top Recruiters
9.2 Top Job Profiles
M.A English: Course Details
| MA in English Full Form | Master of Arts in English |
| MA in English Course Duration | 2 years |
| MA in English Average Course Fees (INR) | 40,000 - 50,000 |
| MA in English Admission Process | Entrance Exams |
| MA in English Eligibility | Should clear BA in English with 50% aggregate from a recognised university |
| MA in English Top Colleges | Miranda House, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Hindu College |
| MA in English Average Salary (INR) | 3.5 - 4 LPA |
| MA in English Job Scope | Journalist, Teacher, Editor, Script Writer etc |
What is MA in English?
MA in English extensively covers topics from English Literature which primarily focuses on Poetry, Prose, Drama and Linguistics. Considering the fact that Literature itself is a vast subject, students are given the opportunity to select electives and opt for a specialization of their choice. After completing an MA in English, one can choose to pursue PhD in English or can start working in various sectors such as Teaching, Journalism, Language Translator etc.
Why MA in English?
One can argue several reasons for choosing an MA in English, such as it gives an immense career boost for people seeking jobs in teaching or journalism fields, it opens a plethora of opportunities for people who are interested in making their careers in Writing or working as a translator at various international agencies.
Below mentioned are some of the reasons why MA in English should be taken up as a career course by students,
- It can take you down a number of career paths: An MA in English degree can open innumerable professional doors. Some of the conventional career options include editing, journalism, teaching and writing. However, of late students pursue MA in English to land a job in content marketing and content writing, or land a position in a community college or university. It is estimated that a professor in a University makes about INR 80,000 - 1,20,000 per month.
- Prepare for International Job Markets: While seeking a job abroad, education qualification matters to a great extent. MA in English will not only help you in landing your dream job but will also help you to grow considering the grasp you have over the subject.
- Improve your own language skills: An MA in English will improve your vocabulary skills to a huge extent. No matter how good you are, you will notice that words come to mind more easily and that you think in English more often than before.
- A highlight in your CV: The fact that you have graduated with your Masters in English, will automatically mean that you have a command over the language. Students with English speaking skills are always preferred in every industry not only in India but globally.
Who Should Pursue MA in English?
- Students who wish to make their career in the field of Journalism, Editing and Writing should take up MA in English.
- Students who want to pursue Literature can take up MA in English as their core subject
- MA in English aggravates the fact that it leads to immense job opportunities abroad, so students who wish to work abroad should definitely pursue MA in English
MA in English Admission 2024
Students who are seeking admission to in MA in English, have to sit for various entrance exams that are conducted by Universities and Colleges across India. Colleges like Hindu College, Annamalai University enroll students on the basis of merit.
MA in English Eligibility
The Eligibility criteria for MA in English courses are almost the same in all colleges and universities. Below mentioned are few of the major eligibility criteria one should adhere to,
- Students should clear their Bachelor’s degree, i.e. BA in English with 45% - 50% aggregate marks or equal CGPA
- They should have their Bachelor’s degree from a recognized college / university
After fulfilling the eligibility criteria students have to take the admission test or are selected on the basis of merit depending on the college / university.
MA in English Syllabus
MA in English syllabus covers topics such as Literary Criticism, Drama, Fiction, Poetry etc, along with a vast choice of electives such as, American Literature, Canadian Literature, Indian English Literature eyc.
Below mentioned is the syllabus for MA in English courses,
First Year
| Introduction to Linguistics | Poetry 1 |
|---|---|
| Drama | Linguistics and English Language Teaching |
| Prose | Fiction 1 |
| Poetry | Drama 2 |
Second Year
| Literary Criticism | Poetry |
| Drama | Elective |
| Fiction | Literary Criticism 2 |
MA in English Subjects
The subjects that are covered in the entire 2 year run of an MA in English course are tabulated in details for your reference,
Semester 1
| The Structure of Modern English | |
|---|---|
| Communication | Morphology |
| Phonology | Syntax |
| Morphology | Semantics |
| English Fiction | |
|---|---|
| Jonathan Swift: Gulliver’s Travels | Henry Fielding: Joseph Andrews |
| Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice | Charles Dickens: David Copperfield |
| George Elliot: Middlemarch | NA |
| Traditional English Drama | |
|---|---|
| Ben Jonson: Volpone | Christopher Marlow: Dr. Faustus |
| William Congreve: The Way of the World | Sheridan: The School for Scandal |
| William Goldsmith: She Stoops to Conquer | NA |
| Indian Verses | |
|---|---|
| Background to Indian English Poetry | Nissim Ezekiel |
| Arun Kolatkar: Jejuri | The Old PlayHouse and Other Poems |
| English Language and Literature Training | |
|---|---|
| Methods and Approaches to Language Teaching | Teaching of Grammar |
| Dimensions of Research in English Language and English Literature | Teaching of Language Skills |
| Approaches to Teaching of Literature | Teaching of Poetry, Drama, Fiction |
| Research Methodology | |
|---|---|
| What is Research? | Constructing Research Design |
| Research Process | Dimensions of Research in English Language & Literature |
| Development, Hypothesis and Preparation of Research Proposal | Research Process |
| Parts of Dissertation | Presentation of Research |
| Major Concerns in the Thesis | NA |
Semester II
| The Study of Modern English | |
|---|---|
| Language and Society | Distinctive Features of British, American and Indian English |
| Pragmatics | English in India |
| Introduction to Stylistics | NA |
| English Fiction | |
|---|---|
| Thomas Hardy: Jude the Obscure | Joseph Conrad: Lord Jim |
| D H Lawrence: Sons and Lovers | Graham Greene: The Power and the Glory |
| EM Forster: A Passage to India | NA |
| Modern English Drama | |
|---|---|
| GB Shaw: Candida | TS Eliot: Murder in the Cathedral |
| Samuel Backett: Waiting for Godot | Harold Pinter: Homecoming |
| John Osborne: Look Back in Anger | NA |
| Indian Prose Works | |
|---|---|
| Background to Indian Prose | Kanthapura |
| Lokmanya Tilak: Essays from Bal Gangadhar Tilak | RK Narayan: An Astrologer’s Day |
| Rohinton Mistry: A Fine Balance | NA |
Semester III
| Literary Theory and Criticism | |
|---|---|
| Aristotle: The Poetics | Philip Sidney: An Apology of Poetry |
| Dr. Johnson: A Preface to Shakespeare | William Wordsworth: A Preface to Lyrical Ballads |
| Matthew Arnold: The Study of Poetry | NA |
| English Poetry | |
|---|---|
| John Milton: Paradise Lost Book1 | John Donne: The Sun Rising |
| Andrew Marvell: To his Coy Mistress | Alexander Pope: The Rape of the Lock |
| William Blake: From Songs of Innocence | NA |
| American Literature | |
|---|---|
| Background Topics | Nathaniel Hawthorne: The Scarlet Letter |
| Mark Twain: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn | Poetry |
| Thoreau: Civil Disobedience | NA |
| Research Methodology | |
|---|---|
| What is Research? | Constructing Research Design |
| Research Process | Dimensions of Research in English Language and English Literature |
| Development, Hypothesis and Preparation of Research Proposal | Research Process |
| Parts of the Dissertation | Presentation of Research |
| Writing Styles | Major Concerns in the Thesis |
| English Language and Literature Teaching | |
|---|---|
| Methods and Approaches to Language Teaching | Teaching of Grammar |
| Relationship between Psychology and Teaching of Language | Teaching of Language Skills |
| Approaches to the Teaching of Literature | Teaching of Poetry, Drama and Fiction |
Semester IV
| Literary Theory and Criticism | |
|---|---|
| TS Eliot: Tradition and the Individual Talent | FR Leavis: Literature and Society |
| Northrop Frye: The Archetypes of Literature | Ronald Barthes: The Death of the Author |
| Elaine Showalter: Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness | NA |
| English Poetry | |
|---|---|
| ST Coleridge: The Rime of Ancient Mariner | William Wordsworth Poetry |
| Alfred Tennyson Poetry | Robert Browning Poetry |
| WB Yeats Poetry | NA |
| Shakespeare | |
|---|---|
| King Lear | Macbeth |
| Julius Caesar | Measure for Measure |
| Tempest | NA |
| American Literature | |
|---|---|
| Background Topics | Arthur Miller: The Death of a Salesman |
| Edward Albee: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf | John Steinbeck: Of Mice and Men |
| Poetry | NA |
MA in English Colleges in India
India is home to some 760 universities and 38,498 colleges, out of which some are government colleges and some are private colleges. Out of these are a total number of approximately 15,000 arts colleges that offer MA in English courses. Some of these colleges are situated in top metropolitan cities while some are located in smaller cities and towns.
Below table will elaborately show the top colleges spread across 5 metropolitan cities in India,
MA in English Colleges in Delhi
Delhi alone is home to around 580 arts colleges that offer MA in English, some of the top colleges in Delhi offering MA in English are,
| Name of the Colleges | Average Fees (INR) |
|---|---|
| Miranda House | 25,060 |
| Lady Shri Ram College for Women | 30,407 |
| St Stephen’s College | 10,299 |
| Hindu College | 36,020 |
| Gargi College | 24,162 |
MA in English Colleges in Mumbai
There are a total 260 arts colleges in Mumbai, some of the top colleges offering MA in English in Mumbai are,
| Name of the Colleges | Average Fees (INR) |
|---|---|
| St. Xavier’s College | 50,000 |
| KJ Somaiya College of Arts, Commerce and Science | 16,850 |
| Mithibai College of Arts | 19,657 |
| Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College | 35,980 |
| Jai Hind College | 23,000 |
MA in English Colleges in Kolkata
Kolkata is home to 124 arts colleges, of which some are government colleges and some are private colleges, Below mentioned table states the top MA in English colleges in Kolkata,
| Name of the Colleges | Average Fees (INR) |
|---|---|
| Jadavpur University | 4,940 |
| St. Xavier’s University | 2,23,000 |
| Lady Brabourne College | 27,174 |
| St Xavier’s College | 50,500 |
| Presidency University | 4,800 |
MA in English Colleges in Bangalore
There are 175 total Arts colleges in Bangalore who offer MA in English courses, some of them are tabulated below
| Name of the Colleges | Average Fees (INR) |
|---|---|
| Christ University | 20,000 |
| Kristu Jayanti College | 70,000 |
| Jain University | 50,000 |
| Jyoti Nivas College | 40,000 |
| Garden City University | 94,500 |
MA in English Colleges in Pune
Pune is home to a total of 123 arts colleges, some of the top colleges offering MA English courses are,
| Name of the Colleges | Average Fees (INR) |
|---|---|
| Fergusson College | 9,680 |
| St Mira’s College for Girls | 14,800 |
| Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce | 36,511 |
| Abeda Inamdar Senior College | 10, 670 |
| Dr DY Patil Arts, Science and Commerce College | 13,400 |
MA in English Distance Education
Apart from the regular MA in English courses, there are colleges like IGNOU, Annamalai University etc that offer admissions to MA English courses through distance education. The eligibility criteria for pursuing Distance MA in English courses are,
- Students should clear their undergraduate or bachelor courses from a recognised University
- There are no specific marks criteria, however one has to pass in all subjects to get admitted in a MA in English Distance Education courses
The average fees for pursuing MA in English correspondence range from INR 10,045 - 21,488. MA in English IGNOU is one of the most popular destinations for MA in English Correspondence.
Some of the top universities / colleges offering MA in English Distance Education are as follows
| Name of the Colleges | Average Fees (INR) |
|---|---|
| Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Delhi | 12,000 |
| Amity University, Noida | 2,40,000 |
| Annamalai University, Karnataka | 6,300 |
| Karnataka State Open University | 13,500 |
MA in English IGNOU
IGNOU is the most popular Distance Education institute in India. Students wanting to do a MA in English degree from IGNOU must have a valid Bachelor’s Degree from a recognized University/ College. The fees for MA in English IGNOU is INR 13,600. The admission takes place directly on the basis of marks obtained in graduation. Students are required to have 64 credits to complete the course. Each year has 32 credits.
MA in English Abroad
Every year thousands of students go to abroad countries for higher education. Similarly, there is quite an impressive number of students who travel abroad to pursue MA in English courses. The eligibility criteria generally demand students to clear IELTS or TOEFL apart from maintaining a consistently good academic record.
| College Name | Fees |
|---|---|
| Harvard University | 35,54,730 |
| Stanford University | 13,32,500 |
| Massachusetts University | 13,78,400 |
| University of California | 11,47,900 |
| Columbia University | 39,30,700 |
| University of Cambridge | 25,67,400 |
| Oxford University | 24,30,000 |
| University College London | 27,42,600 |
| Imperial College London | 31,56,790 |
| University of Edinburgh | 35,37,900 |
| University of Toronto | 14,66,360 |
| University of British Columbia | 4,95,040 |
| McGill University | 13,72,000 |
| University of Montreal | 6,75,990 |
| University of Alberta | 9.78,040 |
What After MA in English?
There are several courses that one can choose to pursue after completing an MA in English. Students can take up PhD in English or can also prepare for various government exams. Also if someone wants to opt for a more specific career choice, they can choose to study Linguistics or Comparative Literature. There are endless possibilities that can be taken up.
Courses After MA in English
After completing an MA in English, the most attempted choice that students opt for is PhD in English. There are several colleges and universities that offer PhD in English across India, such as JNU, Calcutta University, Mumbai University etc.
The eligibility criteria for pursuing PhD in English are,
- Students should complete their Post Graduation or Masters degree in a relevant subject from a recognized university with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equal CGPA
- Students from SC / ST category will get a relaxation of 5% from the total aggregate marks
Some of the top colleges offering PhD in English are tabulated below for your reference,
| Name of the Colleges | Average Fees (INR) |
|---|---|
| Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) | 856 |
| University of Calcutta | 10,000 |
| Mumbai University | 15,000 |
| Delhi University | 12,555 |
| IGNOU | 6,600 |
MA in English Jobs
There are several job sectors and profiles for students who complete MA in English courses. Considering English is one of the major official languages globally, students with a degree in English can get placed at several international job sectors.
Below mentioned are few of the top jobs and jobs profiles students can be offered post completing MA in English.
Top Recruiters
Some of the top recruiters in this field of study are as follows,
| The Telegraph | The Times of India | British Council |
|---|---|---|
| TCS | Infosys | IBM |
| Deloitte | MSL Group | Weber Shandwick |
Top Job Profiles
| Job Profiles | Job Description |
|---|---|
| Editor or Assistant Editor | A popular choice among English Literature Post Graduates. A diploma degree in Book publishing can be helpful. |
| Web Content Writer | A fast-growing career option for English for English Graduates. Web Content Writer’s job is to write catchy and informative articles for web pages and blogs. |
| Academic Writer | Academic Writing is also a popular choice among English Graduates. An academic writer basically has to write research papers, journal writings, Statement of purposes etc |
| Teacher | Post Graduates in English Literature can be hired as PGT. An additional degree in B.Ed. helps secure a good position |
| Translator | A translator’s job is to translate a given document in English. A diploma degree in translation is advised. |
| SEO Analyst | SEO or Search Engine Optimization has emerged as a fast-growing field of work and is perfect for people with excellent English language skills. |
MA in English Salary in India
| Job Profiles | Average Salary (INR) |
|---|---|
| Editor or Assistant Editor | 3.5 - 5 LPA |
| Web Content Writer | 3 - 4.5 LPA |
| Academic Writer | 2.5 - 5 LPA |
| Teacher | 3.5 - 6 LPA |
| Translator | 4 - 6 LPA |
| SEO Analyst | 4 - 7.5 LPA |
MA in English FAQs
Ques. What is the career scope of the MA in English course in the Private Sector?
Ans. There are many career opportunities available for MA in English students in the Private Sector. After completing their Master’s in English literature studies, students can apply for a trainee position, as corporate managers, communication HR, a journalist for many news channels or can apply for content development positions. Some of the other fields besides this are Freelance Writer, Copywriter, Editor, Jobs with BPO and KPO firms, Novelist, Technical Writer, Reporter, and Teacher.
Ques. What is the career scope of the MA in English course in the Government Sector?
Ans. Graduates of English literature or to be specific MA in English can apply for government jobs in literary critics, online publications, or government media & communication departments. Apart from this, there are many public service areas where they can get jobs. Some of the job profiles are Insurance Agent, Civil Service Officer, Interpreter, Decoders, Librarian, Teachers, Tourist guides, and Translators.
Ques. How is the MA in English course useful?
Ans. English Literature is a wonderful subject. It helps students to learn about life and overcome the English communication barrier. A student can get advanced knowledge about the world of literature and enrich his speaking and writing skills. With the deep learning of prose, poetry and fiction, and poetry, it will make your learning a more joyous one. You will also learn about the beliefs, traditions, mindset, and culture of some popular countries like Britain or America.
Ques. What can one do after completing a course of MA in English Literature?
Ans. Any candidate can prepare for the NET JRF, if they aspire to become a college lecturer. One can also apply for a Ph.D. or can apply for a trainer or Teacher position in High school. Apart from these a candidate may also open his coaching institution or may apply for the position of corporate communication manager or public relations employee in any suitable firm.
Ques. Which university is good for MA in English in India?
Ans. Some of the most popular universities and colleges in India which offer a Master of Arts in English course are Miranda House College, Presidency University, Lady Shri Ram College, St. Xavier’s College, Fergusson College, and many more.
Ques. What is the duration of a MA in English Literature course in India?
Ans. The duration for a Master of Arts in English Literature is generally 2 years. A student may pursue the course on-campus or through distance learning.
Ques. Which universities offer Distance Education for MA in English in India?
Ans. There are several universities in India, which offer students to pursue a Master’s degree in English in the distance or correspondence mode. Some of the colleges and universities are Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Amity University (Distance Learning), Annamalai University (Distance Education), and Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University.
Ques. What is the average annual fee for an MA in English course?
Ans. The average fee charged by MA in English Colleges ranges between INR 4,000 to 8,000 in government universities and colleges. It can be higher or lower depending upon the institution which you have selected.
Ques. Which subjects are studied in MA in English?
Ans. Some of the subjects available at different MA in English offering Universities are British Literature, Indian Literature in English, American Literature, Translation Literature, Literary Theory, English Studies, Literary History, Women Writings, Postcolonial Literature, and Linguistics.
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