English is the language of the world. Thinkers and philosophers from all over the globe have produced Literary work in English. The scope of studying English literature involves a comprehensive study of the most important works of thinkers from influential shapers of the English language like Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton; to prominent poets of the Romantic era such as Sidney, Shelley, and Wordsworth; and European greats of literature such as Moliere, Cervantes and Dumas. Not only this, the nuances and flexibility of the language’s grammar are also explored.

However, everyone needs to get paid. And the general idea people have of an MA in English is of starving intellectuals forever locked in a damp room, working on dead end writing jobs or a magnum opus that may never see the light. If that’s your perception too, and you’re wondering what jobs you can get with an English degree, then read on because there are many high paying jobs for English majors that you may not have considered.

 M.A. English Career Options

• ESL Teacher

Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) is a novel and out of the box career option that not many people consider, but can prove to be very rewarding. It gives you the option to visit and stay in many countries for prolonged periods of time. You are in a state of constant growth in terms of life knowledge and life experiences and will get a lot of leeway with immigration paperwork if you’ve always wanted to see the world.There are many good online certification options such as MyTEFL, or the TEFL course from Oxford that you can avail and complete within a month. All you need to do after that is ship off to somewhere exciting like Thailand or Japan.

• Copywriter

As a permanent job option or on a freelance basis, copywriting is the apt career choice for those interested in being on the creative team. They are appointed by ad agencies for developing the minute details in the concepts and adding the verbal and the written elements to the ad campaigns.

An English degree is generally preferred by the companies hiring copywriters. Although you also study journalism after M.A. English for being a copywriter.

• Journalism

In today’s world of hype and social media, journalism is one of the most opted for a career option. Researching and assembling news stories that will get the attention of the audience is what is required from a journalist. Keeping the masses up to date with all the news world can be one of the most exciting jobs in this age.

Journalism jobs require a degree in English or Journalism, preferably. While most companies look for a course accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists, previous work experience, if any, also comes handy.

• Technical Writing

Technical writers are responsible for making your life easier in situations when you, for instance, buy new IKEA furniture and don’t know which part goes where. In such moments, the user manuals are your saviors. Now, these user manuals are written by technical writers.

Technical writers work on making the end product easier for the public to use. They work on the technical documentation of the companies. Technical writing pays, on an average, $60,000 annually in the US and Rs. 5,00,000 in India.

• Professor in English

In order to teach English as a professor in universities, you’ll have to get your doctorate and conduct research on the subject. As a professor you’ll be responsible for planning lessons, delivering lectures, and coordinating with students on their assignments and their assessment papers.

The average pay of a professor in the States is as high as $90,000 and in India, Rs. 10,00,000.

Aside from these exciting jobs, an extensive study of the medium of communication preferred the most on Earth will first and foremost provide you with a weapon to slice through the densest yet most rewarding of ideas and untangle the most convoluted thoughts. It will give you a framework to explore unexplored moral and philosophical territory and look at people and life in ways most others don’t.

Master the World after an MA in English Literature

From RK Narayan, Ruskin Bond, Sudha Murthy, and Jhumpa Lahiri to Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and Maya Angelou, literary buffs have read and experienced the stories of all the great classic writers. You name a book, and they have read it. Do you count yourself among literature enthusiasts and aspire to make literature at the centre of your world in the future? If yes, it will be worthwhile for you to know about the opportunities that an MA English Literature degree may offer.

Many of you who are planning to take up English Literature as the major subject or as an Honours subject in your graduation or are studying English Literature in graduation now are often not sure about the future. Many are not sure if an MA English Literature degree has enough opportunities in the future. Many are not sure whether there are jobs for MA English Literature.

Take heart, thou English majors; thou magicians of words, thou writers of prose. Thine knowledge was not toiled in vain!

Yes. You heard that right!

Why choose MA in English Literature?

An MA English Literature degree prepares you for opportunities in diverse industries. With excellent writing and communication skills, an MA in English Literature can be recruited for a variety of job roles. Most of the opportunities in the future will be in media and communication.

According to KPMG’s report on India’s media and entertainment report 2019, it is estimated that by the year 2024, industries such as digital advertising, print, films, gaming, animation, and many others will see a surge in creativity and innovation skills in the workforce. This means the demand for content creators, copywriters, digital marketers, and others would be high. This would require exceptional writing and analytical skills. And who do you think has a better understanding of words than an English major?

Moreover, studying MA English literature can help you inculcate the skills that are essential for today’s global and competitive environment; where analytic, creative, and critical reasoning skills are most advantageous.

Top 10 jobs for MA English Literature and MA in English

• Content Writer: Content writers are involved in writing the content of various websites, blogs, and digital marketing campaigns. There are a lot of digital marketing agencies where you can get a job. You can get a job with various companies in different sectors. You can rise to become the head of content or chief content officer in a company.
• Journalist/ Reporter: You may get a job in print media – in newspaper publication houses, magazines and journals; in television channels; in online media agencies; in news agencies. You can begin as a trainee and then can move through different positions to become the Editor of a newspaper, magazine, television channel, online news portal, etc.
• Copywriter: Copywriters write all the text that you read in print advertising. They also write the stories and often the scripts of television commercials. They write the content of the various billboards, leaflets, flyers, banners, posters, mailers, etc. used for physical and online advertising. You can grow to become a creative director in an advertising firm. This is one of the best job options after MA English Literature or an MA in English.
• Corporate Communication Executive: Corporate organizations require communication with people inside the company and also with people at large outside the company. Corporate communication executives work to write various materials for that such as invites for press conferences, press releases, content for internal communication, and articles for communication with the public at large.
• Writer/ Sub-Editor/ Proofreader with publishing houses: You can get a job with a print publication house that publishes books, journals, and magazines or even with an online publishing company in these roles. Many e-learning companies also recruit in these roles.

• Translator: Along with English if you are good in a regional vernacular language, you may get a job with a print publication house which is involved in translation and publication of books, journals, and magazines. You may get a job with an online publication. Many e-learning companies also recruit in these roles.
• Teacher: One of the most common jobs that you can get after a degree in MA English Literature or MA in English is in teaching. You can get a job in a private school as a teacher of English. You can get a job with a spoken English class. You can get a job with an entrance examination coaching centre. There are many jobs. But you will do better if you complete a 2-year B.Ed. program after a degree in MA English Literature for getting very good jobs with good salaries. Or you may join a college teaching the undergraduate student. You may opt to qualify in the NET (National Eligibility Test) or the State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) of a state government to join as a lecturer in a college of university.
• Instructional Designer / Subject Matter Expert: Instructional designers design content presentations, called storyboards for e-learning lessons. They use various tools and techniques for the job. Subject Matter Experts develop curriculum and content for e-learning coaching or training programs or for online courses.

• Customer Services Executive/ Agent (non-voice): You can get a job with a business process management (BPM) company in the role of a customer service executive/ agent (non-voice). You will be involved in various non-voice communication with the customers of various companies through social media chat, emails, webchat, and other methods.
• Freelance Writer: Although this is not a full-time job and you have to work from home in almost all cases, there are plenty of writing assignments available nowadays. You can get assignments on writing blogs, content for websites, content for e-learning portals, content for digital marketing, academic project report writing, and so on. There’s a lot of earning opportunities if you can struggle a bit for 1-3 years at the beginning.

Best 3 career options after MA English Literature

You can see the list of top 10 jobs after an MA in English Literature or an MA in English. But what are the best career options? Which one you should go for? Here are the best three options that you can choose from:

Writer

If you have studied for an MA in English Literature or an MA in English Language and you have developed a well-rounded writing skill in English, then you will have a lot of options to work as a Writer in several jobs that are outlined above. Either as a full-time employee of a company or as a Freelance Writer, you can become a:

1. Content Writer for websites, blogs, vlog, digital marketing campaigns, e-learning portals, etc.
2. Blogger (you can choose one or more areas of interest such as food, travel, fashion, politics, films, etc.)
3. Copywriter
4. Writer for a publication house in various roles of a proofreader, sub-editor, ghostwriter
5. Script Writer/ Playwright/ Screenplay Writer
6. Creative Writer (writing poems, short stories, novella, novels, essays, etc.)
7. Critic (writing critical reviews of products and services such as restaurants, travel destinations, fashion, movies, theatre, etc.)
8. Academic Writer (writing essays, research articles, etc.)
9. Technical Writer (writing product usage instructions, product manuals, etc.)
10. Can you work in multiple roles? Well, then you can be a freelance writer taking up various assignments

Journalist

After a master’s in English literature you can still enter the field of journalism. There are plenty of options if you want to be a journalist. Either as a full-time employee of a media organization or as a freelance journalist, you can work in several roles.

If you are good, then you will not have to sit idle after the initial 1-3 years of hard work. You can find work as a Reporter, Sub-Editor, Copy Editor, Online Reporter, and in so many other roles. If you are really good and work really hard, who knows, one day you can become an Editor and a celebrity News Anchor. It’s tough to reach that height but never impossible.

Teacher at school, college, e-learning companies

Education is a booming sector in India and elsewhere in the world. You can get to work with an entrance examination coaching centre, tuition centre, private schools, spoken English coaching centre, and similar establishments even if you just have a degree in MA English Literature or an MA in English.

If you want to build a good career as a school teacher, you can do a B.Ed. If you want to teach in a college, then you have to qualify in the NET (National Eligibility Test) or a State level Eligibility Test (SLET). Whatever you want to become, you will never be out of a job.

Besides regular teaching, e-learning is another booming area now and will remain so in the future. Here, you can get to work as an online tutor, as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) or in the role of an Instructional Designer. There will be a huge number of jobs in this field.

Best study options after MA English Literature

You do not want to get into a job after your degree? No problem. You can have quite a few good options to go for a higher study after a degree in MA English Literature or a master’s in English literature. You can opt to do a Ph.D. in any of the following subjects. There are many other options too.

1. Ph.D. in Linguistics
2. Ph.D. in Comparative Literature
3. Ph.D. in Classical English Literature or Ph.D. in Classics
4. Ph.D. in English Language
5. Ph.D. in Teaching of English as a Foreign Language

Summing up

Pursuing, MA in English literature can actually give an edge to those looking for opportunities in the creative field. A degree in this field not only offers numerous career opportunities but also provides scope in diverse industries. If you are yet to decide whether to pursue an MA in English Literature and want guidance for the same, then take the help of an expert and unbiased career guidance and make a career choice that reflects your dreams.

List of Courses After MA English in Canada

After completing MA in English in Canada, students get to choose from a diverse range of course options. The table below summarizes the top courses after MA English in Canada, along with their fee details:

Course	Tuition Fee (CAD)	Duration
1.Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in English – University of Waterloo	CAD 7,396 per term (INR 4,57,582)	2-4 years
2.Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in English – University of New Brunswick	CAD 4,884 per year (INR 3,02,198)	4 years
3.Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in English Literature – Concordia University	CAD 18,555 per year (INR 11,48,165)	3 years
4.Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in English – University of Calgary	CAD 8,243 per year (INR 5,10,040)	4-6 years
5.Doctor of Philosophy in Comparative Literature – University of Toronto	CAD 24,840 (INR 15,36,986)	4 years

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in English – University of Waterloo

The Doctor of Philosophy in English is a limited enrolment program unique in Canada for its integration of literary studies with such fields as rhetoric, new media, and discourse analysis. The program welcomes students from around the world, and has a very strong placement rate for its graduates, in high-quality academic and upper-level research positions.

Admission Requirements

• Students shall be admitted to the Ph.D. program upon completion of an MA program in English. Although candidates normally enter Ph.D. studies from Master’s programs, it is possible for outstanding candidates to enter directly from an Honours Bachelor of Arts (BA). As enrolment in the program is limited, only candidates with an 85% average and up will be considered. 
• Application materials: Supplementary information form, Transcript(s)
• 3 References (academic)
• English language proficiency (ELP) scores (if applicable)

Read More: University of Waterloo

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in English – University of New Brunswick

UNB’s celebrated English graduate programs offer both creative writing and academic streams of study, helping students reach both their creative and critical potential. Students feel particularly welcome because of our small class sizes.

International students gain personal support and invaluable feedback from nationally-acclaimed professors and have opportunities to work with them on research and creative projects and on departmental publications, including Canada’s longest continuously published literary journal, The Fiddlehead, and the student-run, national literary journal, QWERTY.

Admission Requirements

• A GPA of at least 3.7 (A-) in an MA in English or MFA in Creative Writing is required for admission to the Ph.D. program. Applicants to the Direct-Entry Ph.D. must have a GPA of at least 4.0 in the final two years of the BA Honours English.
• International applicants whose first language is not English must submit language scores that meet or exceed:
  • International English language testing system (Academic IELTS) = Band 7
  • Paper-based TOEFL = 600
  • Internet-based TOEFL = 100
  • TWE = 4.0
  • Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB)= 85
  • Canadian Test of English for Scholars and Trainees (CanTest)= 4.5

Read More: University of New Brunswick

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in English Literature – Concordia University 

This is another option on our list of courses after MA English in Canada. The Ph.D. in English Literature will deepen your mastery of period- and area-specific archives and develop your skills as a literary scholar. You will investigate the cultural categories of literature and the media in both historical and contemporary contexts. The program is of special interest to doctoral students seeking to work across discourses, media, or literary languages and traditions.

Admissions Requirements

• A master’s degree in English or equivalent is required with a GPA of 3.50 or above from a recognized university.
• A letter of intent and writing sample should be submitted with the application.
• A feasible research proposal in terms of material resources including faculty supervision is needed.
• Proof of English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL) may be required for international applicants, whose first language is not English.

Read More: Concordia University

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in English – University of Calgary

The University of Calgary’s graduate program in English boasts the longest-running program in Canada with a creative Ph.D. thesis option, attracting national and international acclaim. All students pursuing an English doctoral degree will learn from highly accomplished faculty in several traditional and emerging fields.

The program is ideal for students seeking academic careers and advanced training in research, writing, and pedagogy. It provides a foundation for a range of careers requiring articulate, thoughtful, creative, and innovative thinkers with strong research and communication skills. This program is one of the good options considering courses after MA English in Canada. f

Admission Requirements

• A minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale at the graduate level.
• A completed four-year undergraduate program (or equivalent), and a completed Master’s degree. At least one of the degrees must be in English Literature. In exceptional circumstances, degrees in a closely related discipline may meet admission requirements.
• A 5-10 page sample of critical writing; for creative writing applicants, an additional 10-page sample of creative writing.
• 2 reference letters
• A statement of intent
• A CV
• English language proficiency scores

Read More: University of Calgary

Doctor of Philosophy in Comparative Literature – University of Toronto

The Centre for Comparative Literature offers the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degree programs to students qualified to pursue literary studies involving several languages. Students pursue research across languages and national literature, and theoretical issues that cross traditional disciplines. Admissions are selective, therefore, applicants with the minimum qualifications cannot be guaranteed admission.

Admission Requirements 

• Admission to the Ph.D. program requires a Master’s degree with an average grade of at least A-. Normally, the master’s degree will be in Comparative Literature, however, students with a master’s degree in a humanities discipline involving literary studies, especially specific language, and literature programs, will also be considered.
•  Applicants must already demonstrate an ability to work at the graduate level in one language other than English and to have a reading knowledge of yet another language.
• English proficiency scores:
  • TOEFL: ​Paper-Based Test and TWE- Overall Score 580 TWE: 5, Internet-Based Test (IBT)​: 93, Writing/Speaking: 22. IELTS: Minimum required score: 7.0 (Academic) with at least 6.5 for each component.