English Major

A major in English can be both pleasurable and profitable, teaching you to enjoy reading and writing and preparing you for a range of career paths.

Appreciate the delight of reading the best of British, American, classical and world literature and authors as diverse as William Shakespeare and Emily Dickinson, Edgar Allan Poe and Virginia Woolf, and James Baldwin and John Donne. Each English major is assigned a faculty adviser, who assists you in creating an individual program of study best suited to your interests and abilities. The flexibility of all programs, including majors and minors, allows the student a wide choice of courses within the department and possibilities for coordinating a program with another academic department.

Tracks and Concentration

The major offers two tracks and one concentration to choose from:

Literature Track

Pursue your love of literature in this track, which requires coursework in linguistics, literary theory, British and American literature, and world literature. 

Writing Track

Hone your writing skills in the writing track as you complete coursework in writing, language and literature.

Secondary Education Concentration

If you are considering teaching English at the middle school or high school level, consider the secondary education concentration, which includes coursework in American literature, grammar, world literature and advanced writing.

Degree Requirements and Course Descriptions

View current English major degree requirements and course descriptions in the Undergraduate Catalog. View the degree requirements for the secondary education concentration in English in the Undergraduate Catalog

Accelerated Bachelors/Masters Program

The Department of English offers an accelerated bachelor’s to master’s program. Accelerated programs allow you to begin your graduate education as an undergraduate, offering you the opportunity to save time and money while you advance your academic career. The combined B.S.in English/M.S. in Professional Writing enables students in the writing track to substitute nine credits in the Master’s in Professional Writing program for undergraduate workshop classes in the English major.

Honors

The department participates in the Honors Program in coordination with the Honors College. The department offers honors sections of introductory courses for students admitted to the Honors College. For all upper-division English majors in their junior and senior years, the department offers an alternative experience to the capstone course or the internship: the Honors Thesis. The thesis experience encourages the development of independent learning skills and often allows you to connect with faculty members university-wide to discuss research interests.

Writing Resources                      

The university offers a host of resources to help you perfect your writing skills. Check out the Writing Center, the College of Liberal Arts Computer Labs and Online Writing Support for basic grammar skills.