MA English: Course Details, Eligibility, Admission, Fees
MA English or Master of Arts in English is a two-year postgraduate course that deals with English literature with a primary focus on Poetry, Prose, Drama, and Linguistics through scholarly & academic writing and discourse. The course focuses on novels and poetry written by famous writers for a better understanding of language. The core MA in English subjects includes Language and Linguistics, Literary Criticism, 20th Century Poetry Drama, etc.
MA English eligibility criteria are that the candidate must complete their bachelor’s degree from a recognized university with at least 50% aggregate marks or an equal CGPA. Apart from the merit score, the candidate also needs to qualify for the entrance exams such as NPAT, IPU CET, CUET PF, JNUEE, etc. The average MA English fees in India range from INR 10,000 to 50,000 PA.
M.A English course has a vast curriculum and hence it opens the door for innumerable career opportunities in fields like content marketing, journalism, publications, teaching, etc. The average MA English salary in India ranges from INR 3-8 LPA (Source: Payscale)
Table of Contents
- What is an M.A in English Course?
- MA English Eligibility Criteria
- Why Choose an MA English Course?
- MA in English Admission Process 2024
- MA English Entrance Exams
- Top MA English Colleges in India
- Types of MA English Courses
- MA in English Fee Structure
- MA English Syllabus and Subjects
- MA English College Comparison
- MA English vs MA English Literature
- MA English Salary in India
- Courses After MA English in India
- Career Options After Master of Arts in English Course
- MA English Scholarships
- Skills to Excel as an MA English Graduate
MA English Course Details
| Degree | Masters |
| Full Form | Master of Arts in English |
| Duration | 2 Years |
| Age | No age limit |
| Minimum Percentage | A minimum of 50% aggregate marks or an equal CGPA in bachelor’s degree from a recognised university. |
| Average Fees | ₹40K - 50K PA |
| Similar Options of Study | BA (English Literature), MA (English Literature), M.Litt (English) |
| Average Salary | INR 3-8 LPA |
| Employment Roles | Lecturer, Content Writer, School Teacher, Primary School Teacher, Content Editor, Author |
What is an M.A in English Course?
M.A in English full form is Master of Arts in English. The course focuses extensively on engaging students with English literature such as prose, poetry, drama, etc. Top colleges like St. Xavier’s College, Presidency University, Christ University, and Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce offer MA in English course. This course falls under the umbrella of MA courses.
MA in English curriculum equipping the candidates with the knowledge of different literatures including Indian Literature, American Literature, English Fiction, and Traditional English drama to enable them to evolve into efficient writers in various fields.
MA English Eligibility Criteria
The admission process to M.A English requires the candidate to fulfill a set of criteria such as merit score, age limit, entrance exam score, etc. Below are the eligibility criteria for MA English course:
- The candidate must have completed the bachelor’s degree in any stream from a recognized university or institution with at least 50% aggregate marks for the general category students and 45% marks for reserved category students. The candidate also needs to qualify for entrance exams like CUET, NPAT, JNUEE, etc., based on the college or university.
- There is no age limit for admission into the MA English course.
Why Choose an MA English Course?
M.A in English course offers an enriching career for those with a high vocabulary and language skills and opens enormous opportunities in various fields in job roles like Lecturer, Translator, Content Writer, News Editor, etc. Listed below are some of the important pointers on why choosing an MA in English can be the right choice for students
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of writers and authors is projected to grow 4 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations
- There are around 15,500 new openings for writers, authors, and editors every year and the number is increasing exponentially every coming year
- When it comes to job demand, employers across the US posted 64,742 job postings related to positions for writers.
MA in English Admission Process 2024
The admission process to MA in English is done either through entrance examinations in Indraprastha University, BHU, or based on the merit score of the bachelor’s degree in colleges like ASBM University. Given below is the step-by-step admission process for the MA English course:
- Step 1: The candidate needs to appear for entrance exams as per the college requirement and clear the required cut off.
- Step 2: Students can further fill out the application form which can be downloaded online from the college website or directly from the college.
- Step 3: As per the college admission criteria, students will be called for a personal interview for admission confirmation.
- Step 4: Upon confirmation, students can proceed with fee payment and document submission.
MA English Entrance Exams
Admission into MA in English courses is done through national or institutional level entrance exams in selected colleges like NMIMS, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Hindu College, etc. Below listed are a few important entrance exams for MA English courses along with colleges accepting the entrance exam:
|
MA English Entrance Exam |
Application Date |
Accepting Colleges |
|
NPAT |
December 2023 - May 2024 |
NMIMS Mumbai, NMIMS Hyderabad, NMIMS Bangalore |
|
IPU CET |
March 2024 - April 2024 |
JIMS New Delhi, Delhi Institute of Advanced Studies, SRM University |
|
JNUEE |
February 2024 - March 2024 |
Anna University, Banaras Hindu University, University of Hyderabad |
|
CUET PG |
March 2024 |
Loyola College of Education, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Central University of Andhra Pradesh |
Top MA English Colleges in India
The average MA in English course fee ranges from INR 10,000 to 50,000 PA. The course is offered by private colleges such as Christ University, LPU, Sharda University, and government colleges such as BHU, Presidency University, Jadavpur University, etc. Below listed are the best colleges for MA English courses along with their fee details.
|
NIRF Ranking 2023 |
Name of the College |
Average Annual Fees |
|
1 |
Miranda House |
INR 14,530 |
|
2 |
Jawaharlal Nehru University |
INR 10,500 |
|
7 |
Loyola College |
INR 12,330 |
|
9 |
Lady Shri Ram College for Women |
INR 35,800 |
|
12 |
Hansraj College |
INR 36,800 |
|
13 |
Jadavpur University |
INR 4800 |
|
22 |
University of Delhi |
INR 13,750 |
|
67 |
Christ University |
INR 50,000 |
|
- |
Presidency University |
INR 10,000 |
|
- |
University of Calcutta |
INR 12,000 |
Types of MA English Courses
MA in English courses is most common among graduates after completion of bachelor's degree in arts and the course can be pursued either full-time or distance education based on the candidate’s preference. Tabulated below are the MA English course details:
|
Types of MA English Courses |
Eligibility Criteria |
MA English Duration |
|
Full-Time MA in English Course |
Minimum of 50% aggregate marks or an equal CGPA in an undergraduate program + Entrance Exam Score + GD & PI Performance. |
2 Years |
|
MA English Course Distance Education |
Minimum of 50% aggregate marks or an equal CGPA in an undergraduate program. |
2-5 Years |
Distance MA English Course
M.A in English distance course is UGC-DEB recognized and helps students to understand the concepts of the course in a flexible learning mode and cost-effective way. Below are a few important pointers regarding the MA English distance learning course:
- The course can be pursued from colleges such as IGNOU, Annamalai University, Osmania University, Alagappa University, etc.
- The average MA English Distance Education course fees range from INR 13,000 to 22,000 PA.
- The course duration can be extended up to five years, depending on the college or university.
MA in English Fee Structure
The average MA English fee ranges from INR 10,000-50,000 PA. The fees for M.A English in government colleges range from INR 10,000 to 22,000 PA and in private colleges the fee ranges from INR 15,000 to 50,000 PA. Below is the breakdown of fees for a few top colleges offering MA in English course:
|
College Name |
Tuition Fees |
Admission Fees |
|
Sharda University |
INR 87,000 PA |
INR 1,000 |
|
Dr. D. Y. Patil Arts, Commerce & Science College |
INR 17,400 PA |
INR 500 |
|
SRM Institute of Science and Technology |
INR 40,000 PA |
INR 1,000 |
|
DG Vaishnav College |
INR 33,000 PA |
INR 1,000 |
|
Loyola College |
INR 12,300 |
INR 500 |
MA English Syllabus and Subjects
MA in English first-year syllabus includes subjects such as Linguistics and English Language Teaching, Prose, Poetry, Drama, etc., and the second year syllabus focuses on subjects such as Literary Criticism, Fiction, Morphology, Semantics, etc. The table below shows some of the important subjects in M.A English along with the topics covered
|
MA English Subjects |
Topics Covered |
|
The Structure of Modern English |
Morphology, Syntax, Semantics, Communication, etc. |
|
English Fiction |
Henry Fielding: Joseph Andrews, Charles Dickens: David Copperfield, Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice, etc. |
|
English Language and Literature Training |
Methods and Approaches to Language Teaching, Relationship between Psychology and Teaching of Language, Teaching of Grammar, etc. |
|
The Study of Modern English |
Language and Society, English in India, Introduction to Stylistics, etc. |
|
Literary Theory and Criticism |
Philip Sidney: An Apology of Poetry, William Wordsworth: A Preface to Lyrical Ballads, Aristotle: The Poetics, etc. |
Read More: MA English Syllabus and Subjects
MA English College Comparison
The MA English course is offered by top colleges with a key focus on equipping students with all the required knowledge about english literature, poetry, language skills, etc. Below listed is the comparison of M.A in English course for the top 3 colleges:
|
College Name |
LPU |
Sharda University |
Christ University |
|
Average Fees |
INR 15,000 PA |
INR 87,000 PA |
INR 50,000 PA |
|
Admission Process |
Minimum of 50% aggregate marks or an equal CGPA in undergraduate program |
Minimum of 50% aggregate marks or an equal CGPA in undergraduate program |
Minimum of 50% aggregate marks or an equal CGPA in undergraduate program |
|
Top Recruiters |
Capgemini, L&T, Wipro, DXC Technologies |
Bosch, LG, Microsoft, Amazon, Cipla, Dabur, Adani Group, Accenture, Reliance, |
Amazon, TCS, Dell, IBM, KPMG, Infosys |
|
Average Placement |
INR 5.6 LPA |
INR 6.2 LPA |
INR 5.0 LPA |
MA English vs MA English Literature
MA English Literature focuses extensively on English literature from various time periods as the career prospects are mostly in the field of teaching whereas MA English courses aim at equipping the students with both language and literature skills enabling them to work in diverse fields as editors, content writers, journalists, etc. Tabulated below is the course comparison of MA English and MA English Literature.
|
Course |
MA English |
MA English Literature |
|
Full-Form |
Master of Arts English |
Master of Arts in English Literature |
|
Stream |
Masters |
Masters |
|
Course Duration |
2 years |
2 years |
|
Eligibility |
BA English with a minimum of 50% |
Graduation with English as the main subject |
|
Entrance Exams |
JNUEE, DUET, BHU-PET, PUMDET, IPU-CET |
JNUEE, DUET, BHU-PET, EFLU |
|
Top Colleges |
IGNOU Delhi, JMI New Delhi, SRMU Chennai, |
Presidency College, Christ Church College, Shoolini University |
|
Fees |
INR 40,000 - 50,000 |
INR 8,000-1.5 LPA |
|
Average Salary |
INR 3-8 LPA (Source: Payscale) |
INR 3.61 LPA [Source: Glassdoor] |
|
Job Roles |
High School English Teacher, Public Relations Specialist, Social Media Manager, etc. |
Literary Agent, Literary Critic, Book Store Manager, etc. |
Read More: MA English Literature
MA English Salary in India
The average MA English graduate salary in India ranges from INR 3-8 LPA based on the skill set and work experience while graduates having three-plus years of experience can earn up to INR 10 LPA. Below listed are job roles for MA English graduates along with their average entry-level salaries
|
MA English Jobs |
Entry-Level Salary |
Salary After 3+ Years of Experience |
|
Content Writer |
INR 3.6 LPA |
INR 6.6 LPA |
|
News Editor |
INR 5.0 LPA |
INR 17 LPA |
|
Proofreader |
INR 3.0 LPA |
INR 6.5 LPA |
|
Web Content Writer |
INR 3.2 LPA |
INR 6.0 LPA |
|
SEO Writer |
INR 3.0 LPA |
INR 5.0 LPA |
Read More: MA English Salary and Job
Courses After MA English in India
Upon successful completion of MA English courses, candidates can enroll in a higher education program or advanced certification courses to enhance their skills and domain knowledge for better career prospects. Below listed are a few courses that an MA English graduate can pursue:
- Ph.D. English
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
- Master of Journalism (MJ)
- Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS)
- Master of Comparative Literature.
- Master of Linguistics.
Career Options After Master of Arts in English Course
The career opportunities after MA English are vast as the course curriculum covers diverse subjects candidates will be able to work in different fields such as Journalism, Teaching, Content Marketing, Information Technology, etc. Below listed are a few MA English Jobs roles offered to graduates along with their job designation, top companies, and average salaries:
|
Job Designation |
Hiring Companies |
Average Salary |
|
Web Content Writer |
TCS, Accenture, Amazon |
INR 5.5 LPA |
|
Content Marketing Specialist |
Accenture, Infosys, IBM |
INR 3.9 LPA |
|
Journalist |
News 18, HT Media, TOI |
INR 3.8 LPA |
|
Lecturer |
Rajalakshmi Engineering College, Bharathi Women's College, ICAT |
INR 4.9 LPA |
|
Academic Writer |
Canny Brains, Byjus, ABSAS Solutions |
INR 4.1 LPA |
Top Recruiters for MA English Graduates
MA in English graduates are recruited by both government and private companies and industries such as Journalism, Publications, Academic Institutions, etc. Listed below are the top recruiters for MA English graduates along with the salary details:
|
Top Recruiter |
Average Entry-Level Salary |
|
The Times of India |
INR 3.6 LPA |
|
Byjus |
INR 4.6 LPA |
|
Amazon |
INR 4.8 LPA |
|
Accenture |
INR 4.2 LPA |
| Myntra |
INR 4 LPA |
|
IBM |
INR 3.8 LPA |
|
Flipkart |
INR 5.0 LPA |
MA English Scholarships
Students aiming to pursue an MA in English can get scholarships from private and government colleges or schemes based on merit scores, annual income, and other related factors. Below listed are a few scholarships for MA English Courses:
|
Scholarship |
Benefits |
|
Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Shikshan Shulk Shishyavrutti Yojna |
50% Tuition Fee Waiver |
|
Suvarna Jubilee Merit Scholarship, Kerala |
INR 10,0000 PA |
|
Abdul Kalam Technology Innovation National Fellowship |
INR 25,000 per month |
|
Aga Khan Foundation Scholarship |
50% scholarship grants and 50% amount in loan form |
|
Sitaram Jindal Scholarship Scheme |
INR 1200 per month |
Skills to Excel as an MA English Graduate
To excel as a successful MA English graduate a combination of language skills and literature skills is required. Below is the list of important skills required for MA English graduate:
- Effective Writing Skills: The candidate should demonstrate effective writing skills in converting conceptual ideas and thoughts into a written form
- Proofreading: The candidate should be able to identify errors related to spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting in important documents to ensure a clear understanding of the reader
- Editing: Candidates should be able to edit documents to make them more readable and interesting by retaining the author's idea and thought process behind it.
Top MA English Colleges
Top Arts Entrance Exams
MA English Fee Structure
FAQs on MA English
Q: Is MA English a good degree?
A: MA in English has a great scope in terms of career opportunities as it yields the candidate with a variety of skills that can be applied in various fields and job roles. The students will be able to develop communication skills, writing skills, research skills, etc.
Q: What are the subjects in MA English?
A: MA in English subject is a combination of both ancient and modern literature, prose, fiction, etc. Some of the MA English subjects are The Study of Modern English, Literary theory and Criticism, Indian Writing in English, Post Modern Literature, etc.
Q: How much can I earn after MA English?
A: MA English graduate's entry-level salary ranges from INR 3.0 to 5.0 LPA and the range can go up to INR 8-12 LPA with 3-5 years of work experience.
Q: Can I do MA English after 12th?
A: No, the Master of Arts in English cannot be pursued after class 12 as the eligibility criteria for the course is that the candidate must successfully complete the bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks from any recognised college or university.
Q: Can we do B.Ed and MA together?
A: MA English and B Ed can be pursued together at the same time but one of the courses should be pursued in distance education and the other should be in full-time. This will help the students to complete two degrees in a duration of two years.
Q: Is MA in English hard?
A: MA English is not considered a difficult course. The candidate should have a passion and interest in writing, reading and understanding the English language and literature.
Q: What can I do after MA English?
A: The candidate can either opt for higher education such as MBA, M.Ed, M.Phil, or Ph.D. or get employed in roles such as content writer, content marketing specialist, journalist, etc.
Q: Is MA English in IGNOU tough?
A: The course curriculum for MA English in IGNOU is comparatively easier but the evaluation process in IGNOU is very strict.
Q: Can a BSc student do MA in English?
A: There are relaxations in eligibility criteria in some colleges for MA English. Apart from the mainstream subjects, the candidate must clear the entrance examination as per the university or college guidelines.
