Turn your passion for English literature into a rewarding career in the classroom. This unique program is a full-time, two-year residential program designed for those who love literature and literary analysis, and want to inspire the next generation of readers, writers and critical thinkers. By the time you graduate, you’ll have earned an MA in English for Teaching, a Teaching Certificate from the Morgridge College of Education and an Initial Teaching License from the state of Colorado—everything you need to step confidently into the classroom to teach high school or college-level English in a high school setting.
In your first year, you’ll dive deep into English literature, composition and language, sharpening your analytical and communication skills while engaging with faculty and fellow graduate scholars in the advanced study of literary theory and textual analysis, and study genres and period-specific courses.
In your second year, you’ll step into the role of an educator, teaching in a Denver-area school as part of the Morgridge College of Education Teacher Education Program (TEP). You’ll gain hands-on experience while learning the art and science of teaching, developing the skills to lead a classroom and connect with students. By the end of the program, you’ll be ready to make a real impact teaching high school or college-level English in high school classrooms across the state.
Start Dates: Fall
Curriculum: 66 Credit Hours
Program Length: 2 Years, plus one summer session
MA in English for Teaching
How our curriculum prepares you for a career in the classroom
Learn from leading faculty in English and education
Over two years, you’ll work closely with expert faculty from both the Department of English and Literary Arts and the Morgridge College of Education, applying what you learn directly to your own teaching practice. This unique interdisciplinary approach bridges literary scholarship and classroom instruction, preparing you to inspire the next generation of students.
Earn your master’s and teaching license while gaining real-world experience
Earn your MA and initial teaching license and get your start teaching in a school during your field experience. Graduates are fully qualified to teach college-level English in a high school setting in Colorado—and often enter the profession at a higher pay rate.
Extend and professionalize your understanding of literature
Through graduate coursework in the English department, you’ll refine your analytical, research and writing skills—then apply those same advanced skills to your teaching, helping high school students engage with literature in new and meaningful ways.
Inspire and sustain classroom learning
Graduates of the program don’t just teach English—they empower students to think critically, synthesize ideas and express themselves with confidence. You’ll learn how to foster deep intellectual engagement, guiding students through meaningful discussions, comparisons and self-reflection.
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Practical Teaching Experience in the Classroom
Take advantage of the Morgridge College of Education’s long-standing connections with Denver area schools to find a school environment that is compatible with your professional training and abilities. As employees of the school they work in, in-service teachers earn a salary and receive benefits while working to obtain their license.
English and Literary Arts Courses
- ENGL 3800 - Bibliography/Research Method
- ENGL 4830 - Seminar: Teaching and Writing Literature
- Seminar Courses: 16 Credit Hours
- Electives: 2 Credit Hours
Teacher Education Program Licensure Courses
- CUI 4529 - Foundations of Education for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners in Teaching and Learning
- CUI 4505 - Mathematics Across the Content Areas
- TEP 4690 - Field Experience 1
- CUI 4540 - Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners I
- TEP 4592 - Literacy Instruction for Secondary Teaching I
- TEP 4610 - English in Secondary School
- CUI 4541 - Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners II
- TEP 4593 - Literacy Instruction for Secondary Teaching II
- TEP 4010 - Foundations of Special Education: Inclusive Pedagogy for Students with Dis/Abilities
Advance your passion for English literature and take the next step toward a rewarding career in teaching
Build your career in the classroom with a master's degree and initial teaching license from the University of Denver
