English Majors and Minors
In English courses students investigate the great body of literature written in the language, and develop skills in their own writing: analytic, creative, technical.
Majors in English and English: Creative Writing
All students who pursue a major in English become familiar with the language, with literary theory, and with a variety of literatures in English, including works outside the recognized canons. They practice literary and linguistic analysis, and they develop as writers of different modes and genres.
The English major offers two tracks or concentrations, both of which earn at completion a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree. The tracks are in literary studies (sometimes just called “English”) and creative writing. While the English major is very integrated, so that both tracks include courses in literature, linguistics, and writing, the balance of major classes are weighted toward the chosen concentration. What unites all English majors is joy in the language and love for its literature.
Students in the 36-credit English major are given the opportunity to explore literary texts across historical periods and genres and from a wide variety of writers, from Shakespeare to Octavia Butler, from Mary Shelley to Amitav Ghosh. They develop critical thinking, writing, speaking, and research skills while pursuing a love of literature. An overview of the major in English, including requirements, can be seen here.
Students in the 26-credit creative writing concentration of the English major are given the opportunity to focus on the craft and art of writing, editing, and analyzing their own original work, the work of established writers, and peer writers. Students may build a specialty in poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction writing and have some professional practice in editing and online publishing. An overview of the major in English: Creative Writing, including requirements, can be seen here.
Minors in English
English offers two distinct minors, in English Literature and Professional Writing (with a third minor, in Creative Writing, launching Fall 2026). Both minors are flexible enough to allow students of any major to complete them, opening a pathway to enriching study in the humanities and to marketable skills in analysis, critical thinking, and written communication.
Love to read? The 18-credit minor in English Literature offers the opportunity for students from any major to pursue literary studies on an advanced level and to develop critical thinking, writing, and research skills alongside the pleasure of reading excellent texts. Course offerings explore both a range of genres; a range of national traditions, including not only British and U.S. literature but also literature written in English from around the globe; and a range of historical periods, from the Renaissance to the present. An overview of the minor in English Literature, including requirements, can be seen here.
Strong written communication skills are in demand in many careers; the 15-credit Professional Writing minor can complement any major and prepares students for various academic, professional, and public writing contexts. The minor offers an extended study of writing processes, genres, styles, and purposes. Coursework helps students cultivate their understanding of different rhetorical situations and audiences through focused analysis and creation of diverse texts, including research reports, technical documents, and multimodal projects. An overview of the minor in Professional Writing, including requirements, can be seen here.
COMING FALL 2026! STAY TUNED!
English Majors after Graduation
Upon graduation, English majors go in many directions. About 20 percent enter teaching. Others go to graduate and professional schools. Still others take jobs in journalism, public relations, government, and business. Graduates of the English program report that the skill they acquired that employers value most is good writing, but like most disciplines in the humanities, English teaches complexity of thought and subtlety of feeling. In nourishing good communication and analytical skills, the program prepares students to enter many fields.