The English department at Salem State offers a diverse and enthusiastic faculty ready to fully engage your intellect and imagination, with a broad and innovative array of classes, concentrations in areas such as film studies, creative writing, professional writing, and literature, and a unique and inspiring setting in beautiful and historic Salem, MA. Classes are small and student-focused, and are led by a faculty at the forefront of their respective fields. English majors at Salem State go on to successful careers in education, publishing, business, public service. Most importantly, a degree in English from Salem State prepares students to think critically and creatively about their role in a rapidly changing cultural and professional environment.
Degree Programs
Undergraduate and Combined Undergraduate/Graduate Degrees
English
BA
Undergraduate
The English department at Salem State offers a diverse and enthusiastic faculty ready to fully engage your intellect and imagination, with a broad and innovative array of classes, concentrations in areas such as film studies, creative writing, professional writing, and literature, and a unique and inspiring setting in beautiful and historic Salem, MA. Classes are small and student-focused, and are led by a faculty at the forefront of their respective fields. English majors at Salem State go on to successful careers in education, publishing, business, and public service. Most importantly, a degree in English from Salem State prepares students to think critically and creatively about their role in a rapidly changing cultural and professional environment.
English, Middle/High School Teacher Prep
BA/M.Ed
Combined Undergraduate + Graduate
If you see yourself as a middle or high school English teacher, the dual degree 4+1 program is the way to get there. Major in English and minor in education to reach your teaching goals.
English
BA/M.Ed
Combined Undergraduate + Graduate
This combined 4+1 program allows the English major who is interested in teaching English to speakers of other languages to earn both degrees in five years.
Minors and Concentrations
Professional Writing
Concentration
Undergraduate
The professional writing program educates students in the critical thinking, collaborative temperament and writing skills required for 21st century leadership. As knowledge workers, professional writers identify, access, harvest, process, create, and disseminate information in text, graphics and video, in both traditional and new media.
Graduate Degrees
English
MA
Graduate
The master of arts in English offers students the opportunity to explore a wide range of critical and creative approaches to language and literature. Students work closely with faculty at the forefront of a changing intellectual and cultural landscape in the traditional fields of English studies as well as in comparative literature, creative and professional writing, post-colonial studies, women’s and gender studies, holocaust and genocide studies, digital studies, and writing and rhetoric studies. For educators, successful completion of this program leads to the fulfillment of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts requirements for professional licensure to teach English at the secondary level.
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Teacher Prep
MAT
Graduate
This versatile program prepares you to teach in a variety of settings, combining theory and practice in preparing speakers of other languages to progress towards fluency in English.
833 Learn more about Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Teacher Prep
English, Middle/High School Teacher Prep
MAT
Graduate
Pursue a balanced program of reflection and research in principles and practices for the instruction of English language and literature with a particular emphasis placed on contemporary methodology.
832 Learn more about English, Middle/High School Teacher Prep
English, Master of Arts/Master of Arts in Teaching
MA/MAT
Graduate
The Master of Arts/Master of Arts in Teaching English offers students a balanced program of reflection and research in principles and practices for instruction of English language and literature with particular emphasis upon contemporary methodology. It builds additional competence in the subject area of English. Successful completion of the program leads to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts academic requirements for licensure to teach English at the secondary level. It also prepares students for advanced studies in literature at the doctoral level.
Certificates and Licensure Programs
Digital Studies
Certificate
Graduate
Innovative, flexible and practical for professionals and academics in almost any discipline, the graduate certificate in digital studies trains educators and practitioners in the humanities and sciences in the skills needed to enter and succeed in fields such as digital archiving and stewardship, museum and library curation, cultural heritage preservation, and public history.
Writing and Rhetoric
Certificate
Graduate
The Certificate in Writing and Rhetoric program is designed for current and future teachers of writing whose careers depend upon a strong foundation in literacy and keen rhetorical analysis. Our courses give students a thorough introduction to Writing and Rhetoric as a scholarly field as well as hands-on, administrative and teaching experience through our internship program. The strengths of our program include areas such as digital writing, multilingual writing, and writing center/writing program administration. The program is unique in that it offers students rich opportunities for theory, practice, research, and internships with mentoring from experienced writing program administrators and faculty. Salem State University’s Certificate in Writing and Rhetoric is the only certificate program of its kind in Massachusetts. This program is ideal for current secondary education teachers across the disciplines, community college and first year writing teachers, and students interested in pursuing further graduate studies in departments of English.
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Certificate
Graduate
The graduate certificate in teaching English to speakers of other languages is designed to prepare students to teach in a variety of community, international, workplace, and adult settings. Whether you are beginning your career in TESOL or looking to make a difference in the lives of English learners, this flexible 15-credit program can be tailored to help you meet your goals.
534 Learn more about Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
TESOL, Licensure Only
Licensure
Graduate
This initial licensure only program in TESOL allows students to obtain a PK-6 or 5-12 Massachusettes teacher educator license in TESOL without pursuing the entire master's degree. It is designed for those who already have a master's degree in another field, or for those who have another initial or professional license in ESL.
