Majors

The major in English is a flexible degree that explores the power of the English language. Students will take a variety of courses that teach English topics like writing and language skills, major authors, literacy history, film, poetry, fiction, and drama. This major also examines the relationships between English and other disciplines such as psychology, philosophy, religion, business, science, history, politics, ethics, and pop culture. The goal is that students will obtain transferable skills in writing, interpretation, and critical thinking that can be used to draw connections from English to other fields of study across different cultures.

English majors can tailor their courseloads to their individual interests and aspirations. The specific English major requirements only represent about one-quarter of a student’s degree requirements. Therefore, undergraduates frequently combine their English coursework with other majors, minors, and certificates. Recently, the most commonly paired majors have been: Gender Studies, History, Media, Political Science, Psychology, Spanish, and Theatre and Drama.

Students who want a more focused line of study can elect to participate in one of the following concentrations.

• Creative Writing
• Culture Studies
• Rhetoric, Writing, and Communication

The department also offers an English interdepartmental major with African American African Diaspora Studies.

For detailed information about this major and degree requirements, visit the departmental website and the College of Arts and Sciences Academic Bulletin.