Turn earlier coursework into sustained reading and writing
Online English Degree Completion Programs
Online English degree completion programs can build on an unfinished humanities major or bring transfer credits from other subjects into a BA. Choose the kind of reading and writing you want to focus on, then compare how your earlier courses satisfy the major, general education, and electives.
Choose an English Degree Completion Program by Its Reading and Writing Requirements
Literary analysis, professional writing, and creative or editorial practice involve different upper-level courses. Your remaining plan should name those courses and the work you will produce in the final project.
SNHU offers a choice between literature and professional writing. UMGC defines a literary core with broad elective space. American Public University specifies a substantial senior analysis, Eastern Oregon combines English and writing with a two-course capstone, and Fort Hays State offers a literature-focused route with advanced research options.
This shortlist includes 20 online degree offerings at 20 colleges. Compare transfer credit policies with the requirements of your chosen major. Check each program’s schedule and any laboratory, fieldwork, or campus commitments before enrolling.
How we select programs
We compare the focus and structure of the English major alongside transfer requirements and final writing work. Use those differences to choose which degree to have evaluated against your previous coursework.
Literary traditions with advanced research optionsOnline
Entry Requirements
Applicants with 24 or more transferable credits need at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Additional admission criteria apply to students under 21 with fewer credits.
English With Rhetoric and Professional WritingOnline
Entry Requirements
The university evaluates eligible prior college credits and can request transcripts when available.
The programs, with context
Online English Degree Programs and Transfer Credit Requirements
Literature or Professional Writing Within an English BA
Southern New Hampshire University
Bachelor of Arts in English
OnlineTransfer entry route
SNHU is useful when you want your completed English degree to produce a particular kind of writing. The BA offers literature and professional-writing concentrations, alongside a general route. Literary interpretation and audience-focused documents call for different advanced courses, so use that choice to guide the evaluation of your earlier work. The program also includes professionalization study covering applications, interviews and work samples. Its 8-week online terms provide a repeatable calendar for completing the approved major requirements.
Before you apply: Have previous writing courses evaluated against the specific concentration. A professional-writing elective and a literature requirement can play different roles in the remaining degree plan.
Where You Start
Apply online, complete the required attestation form, and submit a transcript request for each previous college. Confirm any additional requirements for your program.
Transfer Credits
Up to 90 credits, with at least 30 taken through SNHU and the degree requirements satisfied.
Degree Requirements
120 credits, including the English major and its culminating coursework.
UMGC makes the shape of the English BA easy to compare with an existing transcript: a 33-credit major sits beside general education and 46 elective credits. The literary core moves through genres, critical approaches and historical periods before a capstone. Upper-level electives can support a recommended American or British literature focus. For a student returning with courses from several subjects, that structure helps separate accepted elective work from the English requirements still ahead. The listed courses are all available online.
Before you apply: UMGC’s institutional requirements also apply, including 30 credits through the university, half the major, and 15 upper-level credits. Ask for a complete evaluation of the major and electives.
Where You Start
University undergraduate admission requirements apply; previous college coursework is evaluated against the exact major.
Transfer Credits
Up to 90 credits from four-year institutions or 70 from two-year institutions, subject to degree requirements.
Degree Requirements
120 total credits, including a 33-credit major, 41 general education credits, and 46 elective credits.
Study Schedule
All courses are available online.
More About the Curriculum +
Literary core:Courses address genres, critical approaches, Renaissance literature, early American literature, and contemporary global literatures.
Advanced study:Upper-level electives support a recommended American or British literature focus before the English Literature Capstone.
Literature focus:Recommended elective choices include African American authors, Shakespeare, and the history of English.
A Concentration and a Substantial Literary Writing Sample
American Public University System
Bachelor of Arts in English
OnlineTransfer entry route
American Public University combines a choice of English concentrations with a clearly described senior writing project. General English, literature, and writing and communication provide different ways to organize the advanced coursework. The final seminar asks you to develop a sustained literary analysis with a formal thesis, making the expected writing outcome visible before you enroll. Compare transferred courses with the concentration as well as the major, and use the seminar’s completed-credit prerequisite when planning your final sequence.
Before you apply: Plan the senior seminar after its completed-credit threshold. Ask which transferred classes meet the concentration requirements, and keep sufficient time for reading, research, and revisions.
Eastern Oregon’s English/Writing BA brings writing practice and literary study into the same comparison. The online curriculum includes options in film, linguistics and digital rhetoric, with a two-course capstone and applied writing opportunities. For someone returning with humanities credits, the BA’s language requirements and the major’s required work are the practical starting points. The university publishes a transfer ceiling in quarter credits and a minimum amount of major coursework through EOU, so keep those units and requirements visible in your evaluation.
Before you apply: Compare the BA’s language requirement with the separate BS option. Use quarter credits consistently, and ask when the required capstone or research courses are offered.
Where You Start
Submit an online application and official education records for admission and transfer evaluation.
Transfer Credits
Up to 135 quarter credits after evaluation; at least 20 credits in the major must be completed through Eastern Oregon.
Degree Requirements
180 quarter credits. This BA route includes foreign-language study and the major’s concluding research or capstone work.
Study Schedule
Online courses; the BA’s language requirements and the major’s culminating sequence remain part of the degree plan.
More About the Curriculum +
Writing and literature:Study can include grammar, fiction, poetry, film, digital rhetoric, and writing theory.
Applied work:The program includes a two-course capstone and several writing or editorial practicum options.
Applied writing options:The program identifies five practicum options for writing and editorial work.
Credit system:Eastern Oregon uses quarter credits. Semester coursework is converted during transfer evaluation.
Literary Traditions With Advanced Research Options
Fort Hays State University
Bachelor of Arts in English (Literature)
OnlineTransfer entry route
Fort Hays State’s Literature route is a useful comparison when your main interest is sustained reading and interpretation. British, American and world writing form the core, with options such as young adult literature and literary theory. A senior seminar or independent study supports research on a selected topic. Bring earlier literature and composition syllabi to the evaluation so the department can identify their role in the major. The online option lets you plan that academic work around a return to college from another location.
Before you apply: Keep the Literature route distinct from the department’s other English emphases. Ask which upper-level courses and research option remain after your transcript is evaluated.
Where You Start
Applicants with 24 or more transferable credits need at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Additional admission criteria apply to students under 21 with fewer credits.
Degree Requirements
120 credits for the bachelor’s degree, with the major’s required courses and advanced study.
Study Schedule
The program is available online as well as on campus; this listing is the online offering.
More About the Curriculum +
Literary study:Courses include major British authors, young adult literature, and world literature.
Advanced work:A senior seminar or independent study supports research on a chosen literary topic.
Advanced electives:Electives can include African American literature, contemporary literature, and literary theory.
ASU's English BA combines literary interpretation with research, rhetoric and writing across media. Returning students can compare earlier literature and composition courses with the program's research sequence. Its short online sessions offer a defined course rhythm, while the advanced interpretive work gives the remaining degree a clear academic focus.
Before you apply: Evaluate the English major separately from general education writing credit.
Where You Start
Request a transfer review using official transcripts from your previous colleges.
Park's English and Professional Writing BA connects rhetorical study with documents used in professional settings. Students work on proposals, technical reports and digital content. Someone returning with writing or business coursework should ask how that experience fits the major while accounting for the credits that must be completed at Park.
Before you apply: Transfer credit does not remove Park's minimum university and major-core coursework requirements.
Where You Start
Request a transfer review using official transcripts from your previous colleges.
National University's English BA combines literature, composition and language study with a concluding writing practicum. That final course revisits work developed earlier in the major, so students should plan a connected writing sequence after transfer. The university also specifies upper-division and institutional credits that belong in any completion estimate.
Before you apply: The final practicum lasts eight weeks, longer than the usual four-week course format.
Where You Start
Request a transfer review using official transcripts from your previous colleges.
Holy Apostles places English within a Catholic liberal arts curriculum that also includes theology, philosophy and history. Its transfer policy permits substantial previous coursework, but the degree plan sets special conditions for transferred theology and philosophy. Students with a mixed humanities record should review those conditions before calculating the courses still needed.
Before you apply: The degree plan restricts transferred theology and philosophy courses to Cardinal Newman Guide schools.
Illinois Springfield combines literary history and writing with an engagement experience in its online English BA. Students can connect that experience to editing, professional writing or approved applied study. The research-methods prerequisite is especially useful to check when arranging the remaining upper-division English courses after a transfer evaluation.
Before you apply: Earn at least C in ENG 303 before proceeding to 400-level English coursework.
Where You Start
Request a transfer review using official transcripts from your previous colleges.
Missouri State's Professional Writing BS combines writing and editing with a minor and a required workplace internship. Its asynchronous academic classes can accommodate a varied weekly schedule, while the internship needs its own plan. Returning students should evaluate both the writing major and the minor against their earlier coursework.
Before you apply: Reserve time for the 135-hour internship in addition to online assignments.
Where You Start
Request a transfer review using official transcripts from your previous colleges.
More About the Curriculum +
Program Coursework:The professional writing major requires 36 credits.
BS Requirement:The BS specifically includes Writing With Technology II.
Workplace Experience:A 135-hour internship applies writing and editing in an employment setting.
Bachelor of Arts in English, Literary Studies Concentration
OnlineTransfer entry route
East Tennessee State's online English BA covers the Literary Studies concentration. It pairs the study of literature and language with a required minor, giving returning students a second area to evaluate against prior coursework. Its asynchronous delivery and absence of required fieldwork provide useful boundaries for planning the remaining academic schedule.
Before you apply: This online listing covers Literary Studies; other English concentrations include on-ground requirements.
Columbia College's English BA offers literature and creative-writing emphases through its online catalog. A student returning with literature courses can compare a research-oriented finish with workshops in original writing. The BA's supporting humanities and language work should be included in the evaluation before selecting the remaining courses.
Before you apply: The BA and BS have different supporting requirements; request the plan for the BA listed here.
Where You Start
Request a transfer review using official transcripts from your previous colleges.
Central Methodist's online English BA builds toward a senior thesis after literature, language and writing study. Its major includes American and British surveys alongside electives such as creative writing and cinema. Students transferring literature courses should check which satisfy major requirements and which have already been assigned to general education.
Before you apply: A literature course used for general education may not also satisfy the selected major requirement.
Where You Start
Request a transfer review using official transcripts from your previous colleges.
Eastern New Mexico's Dramatic Writing BS offers a specialized writing alternative for students interested in scripts and storytelling. The curriculum draws on theatre, film, English and communication and ends with a senior portfolio. Students with earlier creative coursework can evaluate a finish centered on written work for performance and screen media.
Before you apply: The award is Dramatic Writing, so compare its specialized scriptwriting focus with a general English degree.
Where You Start
Request a transfer review using official transcripts from your previous colleges.
Bachelor of Arts in English and Media Studies, Media and Cultural Studies Concentration
OnlineTransfer entry route
UMPI's English and Media Studies BA connects literary study with media and cultural analysis in its YourPace format. Students develop written and creative work while moving through competency-based courses. For returning adults, the concentration, senior capstone and major GPA requirements are useful checkpoints when turning a transfer evaluation into a completion plan.
Before you apply: The major and concentration require a 2.25 GPA, above the 2.0 cumulative graduation minimum.
Where You Start
Request a transfer review using official transcripts from your previous colleges.
Nicholls Online offers an English BA with concentrations that range from literary study to creative writing and film. The degree begins with an introduction to the discipline and ends with a capstone connecting academic work to future plans. Returning students can use that structure to choose a coherent direction for their remaining English electives.
Before you apply: Confirm the concentration's course sequence before assuming all transferred English electives fit it.
Where You Start
Request a transfer review using official transcripts from your previous colleges.
LSU Alexandria's English BA combines literature with technical, professional and creative writing. Its published plan includes a substantial elective component and a foreign-language requirement. A student bringing varied college credits can compare elective placement with the specific English core and language work still needed to finish this online degree.
Before you apply: Include the six-credit foreign-language requirement when reviewing remaining coursework.
Where You Start
Applicable prior coursework may be evaluated against the degree's transfer policy.
Transfer Credits
Up to 75 percent of the degree may be completed through applicable transferred work.
Degree Requirements
120 credits for the BA.
More About the Curriculum +
Major Core:The core includes technical writing and American and British literature.
English Electives:The plan includes 24 credits of English electives.
Language Study:Six foreign-language credits are required.
Texas Tech's online English BA combines literature, language and writing with elective choices. Returning students can develop a literary or creative-writing emphasis while studying asynchronously. The distinction between the online BA and the university's teacher-certification options matters when deciding whether the remaining coursework meets an academic goal or a teaching plan.
Before you apply: The secondary education minor described for hybrid students is unavailable to fully online students.
Where You Start
Request a transfer review using official transcripts from your previous colleges.
University of Phoenix combines literature, rhetoric and professional writing in its online English BA. Its course list makes it possible to compare earlier English work with a sequence spanning interpretation, creative writing and research. Students can request a transfer evaluation before deciding how the remaining major and elective courses fit their schedule.
Before you apply: Eligible transfer credits may apply differently to core, general education and elective requirements.
Where You Start
The university evaluates eligible prior college credits and can request transcripts when available.
Degree Requirements
120 credits for the BA.
More About the Curriculum +
Literature:Courses include American literature, Shakespeare and literary theory.
Rhetoric:Students study argument, critical thinking and rhetorical theories.
Professional Writing:Research and Writing for Professions develops documents for practical professional needs.
Organize your previous college credits in the degree planner, then take your course list and questions to a school’s transfer advisor. The school’s evaluation determines which credits count toward your degree.
Compare Literature and Writing in English Degree Completion Programs
SNHU distinguishes literature from professional writing through its concentration choices. Fort Hays State’s selected route emphasizes literature, while Eastern Oregon combines literary study with options in writing, rhetoric, and editorial practice. Read the required upper-level courses before treating the programs as interchangeable.
Bring samples or syllabi from earlier writing courses to the department’s evaluation. Ask whether a course satisfies a major requirement, concentration requirement, or elective, then compare what the remaining assignments ask you to do.
Include the Final Writing Project in Your Completion Schedule
American Public University’s senior seminar requires at least 105 completed credits and a 10–15-page literary analysis. Eastern Oregon uses a two-course capstone, and UMGC concludes its English major with an English Literature Capstone. Those are specific academic dependencies to plan around.
Ask when the required preparation and culminating courses are offered. Reserve time for reading, locating scholarship, drafting an argument, and revising. The number of credits left is useful, but the sequence and workload determine the schedule you can sustain.
Apply Transfer Credits to English Requirements and Electives
UMGC lists 46 elective credits alongside its 33-credit English major. That creates a place to evaluate earlier coursework from another subject, while the literary core and institutional requirements still apply. Eastern Oregon also distinguishes BA language requirements from the science requirements of its BS option.
Request a transfer-credit evaluation organized by general education, major, advanced work, and electives. Keep semester and quarter credits labeled when comparing schools. A literature course accepted toward the overall degree may have a different role from a course approved for upper-level English.
Questions About English Degree Completion Programs
Can English Degree Completion Programs Accept Credits From Another Major?+
Ask for an evaluation of both the English requirements and elective space. UMGC’s BA includes 46 elective credits alongside its major, but the university must decide how your specific courses apply.
Is Professional Writing the Same as an English Literature Concentration?+
The courses differ. SNHU offers both concentrations within its English BA, with literature emphasizing interpretation and professional writing focusing on communication for different audiences and work settings.
Do English Degree Completion Programs Include a Substantial Final Paper?+
The selected programs have different culminating requirements. American Public University specifies a 10–15-page senior literary analysis, while Eastern Oregon has a two-course capstone. Compare the exact project before choosing your route.
Does Every English Bachelor’s Require a Foreign Language?+
Check the exact degree requirements. Eastern Oregon distinguishes the BA’s language coursework from the BS’s science requirements. Have previous language courses evaluated if you are comparing that BA route.
Work backward from the capstone or senior seminar, checking prerequisites and course availability. At American Public University, ENGL 498 also requires a completed-credit threshold before enrollment.
Program details come from the schools’ own degree, admission, transfer, and tuition pages. Program selection follows the criteria stated above. Each school determines how your previous coursework applies.
