“This program reflects exactly what we want graduate education at Jacksonville State University to accomplish — respond to a real need while creating opportunities for professionals to advance without having to leave the communities they serve,” said Dr. Christie Shelton, Jax State’s Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Jacksonville State University is launching a fully online Doctor of Arts in English degree program designed for working educators, with classes scheduled to begin in Fall 2027. The curriculum provides a terminal degree option that differs from traditional research-focused Ph.D. tracks or administrative Ed.D. programs by focusing on advanced disciplinary knowledge and practical teaching methods.
“The Doctor of Arts in English builds on the strength of our faculty and our longstanding commitment to educators while giving teachers a pathway to deepen their expertise and bring what they learn directly back to their students,” said Dr. Christie Shelton, Jax State's Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.
The 45-credit-hour post-master’s program includes coursework in literature, rhetoric and composition, linguistics, and English pedagogy. Students must complete a 12-credit-hour Doctor of Arts Project centered on practice-oriented research before graduation. The curriculum requires courses in teaching composition and literature, curriculum development, and course design.
New Degree Qualifies Teachers for Higher Pay and Dual Enrollment Courses
University officials state that the new degree qualifies secondary teachers to instruct dual enrollment and other college-level English courses in high schools. Eligible Alabama educators may also qualify for higher compensation levels under the state’s teacher salary schedule once they earn the doctoral degree.
She added that teachers should not have to choose between pursuing advanced education and maintaining active classroom roles.
Participants can receive assistance through Jax State’s Regional Inservice Center to pursue National Board Certification, which provides additional compensation pathways for teachers in Alabama. The Alabama State Department of Education also supports the program.
Applications for the Fall 2027 Cohort Are Currently Open
Applications for the inaugural Fall 2027 cohort are currently open through the university's graduate admissions portal.
The program obtained prior approval from the Jacksonville State University Board of Trustees, the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. International students seeking general English language instruction can also access separate campus resources, such as the English Language Institute.
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