Graduate Certificate in English Online

Graduate Certificate of Completion in English

Offered By: College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Choose GCU’s Graduate Certificate in English

The online graduate certificate in English at Grand Canyon University (GCU) provides the opportunity for current teachers to expand their career path. With this certificate in English, you may teach undergraduate courses at community colleges and two-year or four-year institutions of higher learning. The curriculum provides rigorous instruction of the English language that focuses on four domain areas: pedagogy, teaching writing and literature, practice of professional writing and theories of writing a rhetoric. 

This graduate certificate in English program provides advanced training in the English discipline and field of education. It’s ideal for teachers seeking the 18 credits needed to teach at the collegiate and postsecondary level. Graduates of the program become qualified educational leaders prepared to teach an elevated study of English in both in-person and online postsecondary settings.

This graduate certificate in English online program offers working professionals the convenience and flexibility to learn according to your schedule, while continuing to work full-time. By earning this degree online, you can maintain a school-work-life balance, leading your own studies in a structure that allows you to excel according to your needs. You will learn through GCU’s innovative digital learning platform where you can interact with instructors, collaborate with peers and access a wide range of resources. 

Coursework in this certificate in English program is devised to produce master’s-level educators who are highly skilled in these areas elaborated upon below: writing theory, social and technological contexts of writing, grant writing, best practices for teaching literature and multimedia writing/social media. Equipped with this English language certificate, graduates will be able to distinguish themselves as valuable assets in the higher education workforce within an English discipline.

Mirroring GCU’s Master of Arts in English with an Emphasis in Education, this graduate certificate in English program teaches the following: 

  • Writing Theory: This area provides you with an understanding of key modern ways to think about writing. Gain historical, theoretical and practical knowledge of rhetoric and writing, as well as study classical and modern theories of rhetoric in relation to contemporary theories of writing. Other emphases include praxis and rhetorical analysis.
  • Social and Technological Dimensions of Writing Practice: Explore pertinent writing and technology theories that have shaped the discipline as a social and technological entity. This area addresses the relationship between theory and practice, analysis of socio-technological contexts, as well as artifacts produced like internet memes and viral videos.
  • Grant Writing: Survey all aspects of grant writing, from the process and its purpose to practicalities. Areas of study include learning about funders and concerns, proposals and research techniques. You will complete the course by writing a grant proposal.
  • Teaching Literature Practices: This area connects you to theoretical approaches and helps you master the techniques for effectively teaching literary texts.
  • Social Media: The multimedia writing course centers around creating a social media campaign informed by rhetoric theories and technology. You will develop written elements for tweets, status updates, video/audio content, infographics, webpages and various graphics.

 

Get More Information!

Career Opportunities With a Graduate Certificate in English

A graduate certificate in English can open up a variety of job opportunities in a variety of fields, including becoming an English and literature teacher at the undergraduate level. Potential workplace settings include colleges and universities, as well as:

  • Trade/Technical Schools
  • Tech Companies 
  • Textbook Publishers 
  • EdTech Application Businesses

These are just a few examples of the job opportunities available with a certificate in English. Your career options will depend on your individual skills, interests and experience, as well as the job market in your area.

TOTAL PROGRAM CREDITS & COURSE LENGTH:
Total Credits: 20
Online: 8 weeks
[More Info]
TRANSFER CREDITS:
The University will accept one course of the total certificate requirements in transfer.
PROGRAM TUITION RATE:
Online: $590 per credit
[Tuition, Fees and Financial Aid]

Cost of Attendance

Graduate Certificate in English FAQs

To help you decide if a certificate in English is right for you, we have answers to your most frequently asked questions about GCU’s graduate certificate in English online program below.

A graduate certificate in English may be a useful alternative for those who are not ready or able to commit to a full master's degree program in English. This graduate certificate in English can be a valuable credential for individuals who are interested in enhancing their knowledge and skills in areas such as literature, writing or language teaching, as well as for those seeking to advance in their careers. 

In general, admission to a graduate certificate in English program may be less competitive than admission to a full master’s degree program in English, but this may not always be the case. Graduate certificate programs in English may require a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, official transcripts, letters of recommendation and/or a minimum GPA. Fill out the form on this page and a university counselor will contact you to discuss your interests, qualifications and to learn more about the program's expectations and requirements. 

This certificate in English from GCU requires a total of 20 credits for completion. Most of the certificate in English program courses are eight weeks in length. 

Course List

Major:
20 credits
Degree Requirements:
20 credits

Core Courses

Course Description

This course provides historical, theoretical, and practical knowledge in rhetoric and writing. By studying classical and modern theories of rhetoric, contemporary theories of writing, and relationships between the two, students develop an understanding of key ways to think about writing today. To that end, this course emphasizes praxis: the relationship between practical and theoretical ways of knowing in the discipline. This course also offers an opportunity to practice rhetorical analysis, which is an important skill that will help students become effective, dynamic writers in their professions of choice.

Course Description

This course covers theoretical and practical scholarship about the social and technological dimensions of writing practices. At its core, this course explores writing as a situated social and technological act. To that end, students explore important theories of writing and technology that have impacted the discipline. This course demonstrates the relationship between theory and practice by considering how disparate peoples may think about the strategies and agendas embodied in various technologies and the artifacts that they produce. Electronic media are considered, as well as the artifacts individuals and organizations produce with them, such as Internet memes and viral videos. Students apply theories discussed in this course to analyze the sociotechnological contexts that give rise to artifacts from their professions.

Course Description

This course examines the process, purpose, and practicalities of grant writing with emphasis on the electronic nature of current communication between funding foundations and grant seekers. Students will learn about funders and their concerns, the parts of grant proposals, and techniques for successful grant research and writing. The course will culminate in the student's completion of a grant proposal.

Course Description

This course focuses on techniques and theoretical approaches foundational to teaching literary texts. Techniques include close reading, passage analysis, and mastering critical nomenclature. Critical theories pertinent to contemporary scholarship are explored.

Course Description

This course introduces learners to writing in various electronic modalities, with the aim of creating a campaign for social media. Informed by current theories of rhetoric and technology, learners create an original social media campaign and design appropriate supporting artifacts, including tweets, status updates, or other language for sharing via social media; supporting video and audio content; infographics; Web pages; and pictures, logos, or other supporting graphics.

  • GCU cannot and will not promise job placement, a job, graduate school placement, transfer of GCU program credits to another institution, promotion, salary, or salary increase. Please see the Career Services Policy in the University Policy Handbook.
  • Please note that this list may contain programs and courses not presently offered, as availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program or course listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability.
  • Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Programs or courses subject to change

Program Locations

GCU Online Student


Pursue a next-generation education with an online degree from Grand Canyon University. Earn your degree with convenience and flexibility with online courses that let you study anytime, anywhere.