WKU News

M.A. In English with WKU

New Scholarships Available for Graduate Students and K-12 Educators

Western Kentucky University’s M.A. in English program has new scholarships available for part-time graduate students, as well as scholarships and a discount available for Kentucky educators.

Kentucky educators are not only eligible for the same scholarships available to part-time graduate students, but they also receive the Kentucky P-12 Educator Discount. The P-12 Educator Discount applies to each semester’s tuition, reducing the cost of classes. This discount is offered not only to benefit the instructor, but the students they teach as well. Students’ ability to succeed in school is directly affected by the ability of their instructors. Dr. Wes Berry, graduate advisor for the M.A. in English program, stresses the importance of continuing to learn even as an educator.

“While a bachelor’s degree in English provides a decent level of skills and knowledge of major English studies areas, such as literature and writing, there’s so much more to learn! This reality—the vast volume of texts and sub-disciplines of English—is intimidating and exciting. The M.A. degree is designed to fill in gaps of knowledge and build a foundation for learning throughout one’s life, and the ongoing learning—being an active reader and writer—increases the possibility of dynamic teaching informed by wisdom. “

Earning an M.A. builds the foundation not only for higher knowledge, but also for a higher salary.  The average salary for a Kentucky teacher with a B.A. is just over $37,000, while the average salary for a Kentucky teacher with an M.A. is just over $41,000. Teachers with an M.A. could earn up to $4,000 more a year compared to their B.A. counterparts. Teachers who have earned an M.A. are also considered for promotions and management positions before their B.A. counterparts. The M.A. can also open doors for high-level careers in human resources, market research, journalism, teaching, and sales.

While an M.A. increases graduates’ salaries and qualifies them for higher positions, the degree also allows students to learn skill sets that are not covered as extensively in the B.A. program. Graduates with an M.A. in English develop masters-level critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and deeper analytical skills – all highly-valued skills for employers.

Because an M.A. in English is beneficial and often necessary for many career paths, WKU is proud to offer exceptional M.A. programs. ”The English Department at WKU offers interactive courses taught by dedicated professionals. The core content is intentionally pragmatic, with courses in composition and literature pedagogy, TESL, literature, and writing,” said Dr. Berry. “While we offer a couple of distance learning courses through web delivery, most of our courses are face-to-face, allowing for the magic of sharing and discovery that happens in a dialogic seminar. The core content prepares students for PhD work and teaching college-level writing and literature.”

For more information about WKU’s M.A in English Program and the different scholarships available, please contact Dr. Wes Berry at wes.berry@wku.edu, or check out the English Department’s website.