Thank you for your interest in UMW!

The Department of English and Linguistics (ENLI) at the University of Mary Washington is one of the largest departments at UMW. The Department offers a wide range of courses for both majors and non-majors.

Our English and Linguistics graduates go on to a variety of careers and pursue advanced degrees.

Professor Warren Rochelle and a student writer.

UMW English and Linguistics Programs

The ENLI department is delighted to support an array of programs for students who wish to learn about the many different aspects of these disciplines.

UMW ENLI Majors

The Department offers multiple majors:

• a Major in English with an option of concentrating in
  • literature or
  • creative writing,
• a Special Major in Linguistics.

English: Creative Writing Major Chloe Martin.

UMW ENLI Minors

The department also offers multiple minors:

• a Minor in Linguistics and
• a Minor in Literature.

UMW ENLI Course Offerings

Want to learn more about the courses in each of these areas? See these course descriptions in the university catalog:

• English courses
• Linguistics courses

Declaring an English or Linguistics Major

Students may enter UMW as first-year students or may transfer into UMW from other schools or after completing an associate’s degree. First-year students may declare their major at the conclusion of their first year of study at UMW.

Undeclared sophomores, juniors, and seniors may declare at any point during the fall or spring semesters; once students declare a major, they receive faculty advisors for their registration advising.  All students must declare their major by the conclusion of their sophomore year (or 60+ completed credits).

To declare a major, contact

Dr. Jonathan Levin, Chair, Department of English and Linguistics.

301 Combs Hall (third floor)
540-654-2365
grichard@umw.edu

Learn More about ENLI Studies through Our Virtual Webinars

• Interested in learning more about English and English: Creative Writing? Check out our webinar for prospective ENLI students.

Students celebrate the National Day on Writing in Combs Hall.

“The majors in English and English: Creative Writing create well-rounded professionals who are equipped to read texts with intelligence and nuance, to understand the complexities of language, and to write clearly and effectively, all skills valued by twenty-first-century employers. Few programs offer the versatility that the majors in English do.”  —  Dr. Gary Richards

Contact for Further Information

For further information about the Majors and Minors offered by Department of English and Linguistics, please contact Dr. Jonathan Levin, Chair, Department of English and Linguistics.

301 Combs Hall (third floor)
540-654-2365
jlevin@umw.edu

The University of Mary Washington

The University of Mary Washington was founded in 1908. Located in Fredericksburg (VA), it is just an hour away from Northern Virginia, Washington D.C., and Richmond. The University offers a liberal arts curriculum, Division III NCAA athletics, and over 150 student clubs. UMW offers a great combination of high quality academics, out of class events and clubs, and a great location. UMW has been ranked in 2016/2017:

• Fiske Guide to College, 2017: “Best Buy School” (One of only two colleges in Virginia and D.C.)
• US News & World Report 2-17: “America’s Best Colleges,” sixth in the “Top Public regional Universities-South” category
• Forbes, 2016: “America’s Top Colleges,” 275th of 660 undergraduate institutions
• The Princeton Review, 2017: “The Best 381 Colleges”
• Money Magazine, 2016: 252nd among 705 schools listed as Best Colleges

More About UMW

More information about UMW that may be helpful to interested students can be found:

• UMW Admissions,
• About UMW,
• As well as much more that can be found on the UMW homepage