Online English Degree Overview
An English degree teaches students how to critically analyze and observe, develop effective communication skills, and understand and propose logical arguments. It is a versatile tool that prepares students for a variety of careers, including teachers, journalists, editors, and publishers.
Most online degrees in English, or related topics, are widely available. Some schools offer the ability to do a hybrid version, but most programs can be completed fully online. This can benefit those who wish to further their education but can't move or commute to an accredited school. Attending an online program allows for a greater degree of flexibility, depending on the program, and can often offer access to stellar programs that would have been previously out of reach.
The Best Online Bachelor's Degree Programs in English
We here at Study.com dug through data from the U.S. Department of Education, researched hundreds of schools, and arrived at our final ranking of the top 28 best online bachelor's degrees in the field of English. With a core focus on things like accessibility and affordability, we also analyzed factors like academic offerings, academic resources available to online students, extracurricular activities, and many others. Any of the schools on our list would be a great choice for pursuing a degree in English.
| School | Tuition* | Acceptance Rate | Graduation Rate | Financial Aid % | Placement Services | Career Services | Accepts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Missouri-Columbia | $10477 | 81% | 71% | 89% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 2 | Southern New Hampshire University | $31136 | 88% | 44% | 77% | Yes | Yes | AP / ACE / NCCRS Credits |
| 3 | University of Central Florida | $6368 | 44% | 72% | 92% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 4 | Central Washington University | $8273 | 85% | 58% | 90% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 5 | Great Basin College | $3248 | No Available Data (2019-2020) | 42% | 72% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 6 | Marshall University | $8412 | 87% | 49% | 96% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 7 | University of Maine at Presque Isle | $8330 | 99% | 38% | 91% | Yes | Yes | AP Credits |
| 8 | Valley City State University | $7707 | 76% | 50% | 98% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 9 | Nicholls State University | $7898 | 88% | 49% | 96% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 10 | Fayetteville State University | $5274 | 69% | 34% | 95% | Yes | Yes | AP / ACE Credits |
| 11 | University of Memphis | $9912 | 85% | 53% | 97% | Yes | Yes | AP / ACE Credits |
| 12 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | $28470 | 83% | 71% | 99% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 13 | Troy University | $8908 | 88% | 47% | 92% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 14 | King University | $30616 | 62% | 59% | 92% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 15 | Mary Baldwin University | $31110 | 84% | 38% | 99% | Yes | Yes | AP / NCCRS Credits |
| 16 | Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | $30500 | 67% | 56% | 100% | Yes | Yes | AP / ACE Credits |
To get a more in-depth look at our school ranking methodology, please visit Study.com's ranking methodology page.
*Tuition information is based on published tuition and required fees, per data by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
Types of Online Bachelor's Degrees in English
Online Associate Degrees in English
An online associate's degree in English typically takes two years or 60 credit hours to complete, and can help graduates gain entry-level positions such as copy-editor, copywriter, transcriptionist, or proofreader. Online degrees may be an Associate of Arts with an English emphasis, or some associate degrees offer creative writing, literature, or humanities concentrations. Many who choose to pursue an associate's degree choose this route as a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree. These degrees can also serve as a stepping-stone before transferring to a larger institution. It is advised to make sure that the institution the student plans to transfer to is, in fact, accepting of those transfer credits. Many community colleges that offer an online associate's degree in English have a transfer partner where their credits will fully transfer.
Online Bachelor's Degrees in English
An online Bachelor of Arts in English prepares students for their future careers by teaching students how to think critically and enhance their writing and oral communication skills. They can do this by focusing on various disciplines within the English writing curriculum including creative writing, literature, professional writing, technical writing, journalism, and literary history. Some schools offer these fields as degrees. Rather than earning a Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in one of these fields, students may be interested in earning a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing, a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, or a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. Many students opt to take an internship in order to further their education outside of the classroom and gain experience in their future field. Those who are studying English may wish to pursue a graduate degree in English in order to help their career.
Online Master's Degrees in English
An Online Master of Arts in English degree often takes between two and three years to complete and is typically 12 credit hours. Many online master's programs require their students to choose a concentration in order to advance their expertise in a specific area. However, some offer more generalized coursework for those who plan to use their master's degree to teach.
Online Doctoral Degrees in English
There are a number of online doctoral degrees in English that are available. A Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in English is typically designed for those looking to pursue a career in academia. It prepares students to teach and conduct scholarly research. However, it can also be suitable for professionals who wish to further their education in a particular specialization within the English field.
Online Certificates in English
Certificates in English are primarily for those who are pursuing a teaching career. They are available after the bachelor's as a way for someone who did not earn a degree in education to become a teacher. Certificates require approximately 30 credit hours as well as placement with a certified teacher.
English Specializations/Concentrations
There are a number of specializations and concentrations available for a bachelor's in English degree. These can include American literature, professional writing, British literature, creative writing fiction, creative writing nonfiction, and creative writing poetry. Often degrees will have general education courses within the curriculum that are mandatory for students to take in order to graduate, but the concentration or specialization makes up the bulk of their upper-level courses. Typically for master's and Ph.D.'s in English, students are required to choose a concentration.
Curriculum/Coursework for an English Degree
- English grammar
- English literature
- Introduction to British literature
- History of the English language
- Introduction to American literature
- Modern literature
- Creative writing
There are a number of free English literature courses available online that offer similar classes to that which students would attend as an English major. Similarly, there are a number of free English composition courses available online for students who are interested in English but may not want to fully commit to an English degree.
How Long Does It Take to Get an Online Bachelors in English?
An online bachelor's in English degree can be completed within four years. It typically consists of 120 credit hours which are spread out over those four years. However, if a student chooses a part-time option, students are able to spread those credit hours over a longer period of time. Also, some schools offer the ability to finish a degree in three years. Often those schools allow students to take classes over the various breaks in their schedules.
Accreditation for Online Bachelor's in English Degrees
Accreditation ensures that a school meets quality standards. The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, accrediting agencies, and state regulatory agencies are the overseers for college-level accreditation within the United States and work to ensure that schools are up to quality standards. For English degrees, the Commission on English Language Accreditation (CEA) oversees the accreditation for English programs making sure that the faculty, program, and classes are up to par. If a school is not accredited, there is a chance that the student may not be able to receive financial aid. Accreditation also matters to employers. If a prospective employee did not attend an accredited school, that may cost them the job.
How to Choose a School & Program
When looking for an online program, there are many things that students should be on the lookout for. While it may seem as though there are countless options and may be hard to narrow it down to just a few, considering these next points may help the student in choosing the right school.
Students should look for programs that align with their career goals and/or interests. For example, if a student wants to pursue a writing career or have an interest in writing, they should make sure to look for schools that either offer creative writing, journalism, or professional writing as a concentration.
Another thing to take a look at when deciding on schools is the faculty. Is there a large number of faculty that teach online? Do the faculty teach diverse enough classes that the student won't have to take similar classes over and over?
Finally, look at testimonials from students or reach out to the program to talk to current students. Hearing a student's perspective gives an entirely different feel to the school rather than just searching for its website. Students will often provide an unbiased opinion of the school, the faculty, and the curriculum, which is extremely important when making a decision about schools.
English Licensure & Certification
As previously mentioned, English teachers require certification in order to teach. This involves a bachelor's degree and a teacher preparation program. Alongside a bachelor's degree and teaching preparation program (or master's degree), the certification also entails submission of transcripts, a background check, and passing any required entrance exams or tests that the state might deem necessary.
English Career Information
There are a number of different careers available to those who study English. These include but are not limited to teachers, writers, editors, politicians, public policy officials, lawyers, and many others. The skills learned by students studying English are skills that many employers value and are transferable to other disciplines.
How to Become an English Teacher
Many people who pursue a degree in English want to become a high school English teacher. The median wage for high school teachers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), was $61,660 in May 2019. Other students may want to look into becoming an English professor. Post-secondary teachers earn an average of $66,590 according to the BLS in May 2019.
How to Become a Journalist
Those who enjoy the writing side of English might prefer to go into the journalism field. Many schools offer classes in journalism, a journalism degree, a journalism concentration, or a journalism minor. Those who wish to take this route often do internships at a newspaper, television studio, or local radio station. They also tend to work at their school's newspaper or radio. This helps to boost their resume in an extremely competitive field. The average pay for the category of news analysts, reporters, and journalists in 2019 was $46,270, according to the BLS.
Financial Aid and Scholarship Information for English Degrees
Before the school year begins, students should fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, in order to apply for federal grants, work-study, and loans. After submitting the FAFSA, students receive a report that documents the types and amounts of aid a college is offering. The college that the student is going to uses the FAFSA data to determine how much financial aid a student is eligible for. This information also helps states and colleges determine how much to award their own aid to the student. The financial aid office at the student's school will apply the proper amount that the student owes to the school and then send the student the remaining balance to spend on other costs such as room and board and books. Students must maintain good grades in order to keep their financial aid eligibility. The FAFSA should be completed before every school year.
There are different forms of financial aid available. Grants are a form of aid that does not have to be repaid. Scholarships, similarly, do not have to be repaid. Many schools and states offer scholarships that are specific to English majors. Sometimes there are no requirements involved with the scholarship except submitting an application, while other times the student must submit an essay or another assignment in order to potentially qualify. The Federal Work-Study program allows students to work part-time while in school in order to help pay the bills. There are also loans which mean the student is borrowing money to attend the school with the promise of repayment, as well as payment of any interest that it accrues.
Professional Organizations in English
There are a number of career-specific organizations that can benefit professionals who have studied English. They include:
- National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) - NCTE attempts to give educators a voice in the changing educational landscape. It accepts teachers from PreK through college and works to help make sure their needs are met. It has lesson plans, journals, members-only webinars, and opportunities to connect with other members around the world.
- American Society of Journalists & Authors (ASJA) - This society is the nation's largest professional organization that is specifically focused on independent nonfiction writers. In order to qualify to be a member, writers have to meet ASJA's standards or professional achievement.
- Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) - SPJ is dedicated to making sure that free press continues to be a central part of the United States. It works to inspire current journalists and future journalists and also has chapters all over the country.
