A strong Department of English is central to a liberal arts education because it helps students to become incisive in their critical thinking, effective as communicators, aware of cultural diversity, and skillful as interpreters of the written and spoken word in all areas of life.

We are committed to academic excellence, innovative instruction, and collaborative service to the community. Literature is the story of us. What better way to engage with those big things in the world around you than to know how those different from you see the same things.

Studying literature provides excellent preparation for professional employment in any area where the close examination of written texts and the ability to communicate well are important. The Department takes pride in working with students to connect their immediate studies with their longterm goals.

Undergraduate

A student graduating with a B.A. degree in English will be able to demonstrate the following:

1. Recognize and analyze literary elements in a text.
2. Situate and interpret texts in their historical, cultural, or literary context.
3. Create well-developed and organized essays with clear and precise prose, presenting sustained arguments.

To graduate with Honors in English, a student must:

• be admitted to the Honors College;
• successfully complete at least three credit hours of ENGL 4610 - Honors Research Seminar (1-3 Credit Hours)  over three semesters;
• successfully complete and present an Honors Thesis or Capstone Project;
• be in good standing in the Honors College at the time of graduation.

Graduate

The graduate program in English leads students to the Master of Arts in English degree. It prepares its students for a variety of careers in publishing, public relations, teaching, and advanced doctoral work. Students who enroll in the Master of Arts program in English enjoy the engaging atmosphere of graduate study and work closely with faculty members. The program fosters a genuine sense of community while providing students with a range of professional development opportunities, which is unusual for a graduate program of its size.

The faculty of the program are all published scholars with a wide variety of specialties. The program is dedicated to excellence in teaching and the development of a fertile learning environment, which is exemplified by a free exchange of ideas, high academic expectations, and individual responsibility for academic achievement.

In keeping with the broader institutional vision:

1. We create learning experiences of the highest quality, informed by our individual scholarly practice, research, and creative activities.
2. We offer a student-centered environment enhanced by technology and transcultural experiences.
3. We seek to instill the core values of integrity, civility, kindness, collaboration, and a commitment to lifelong learning, wellness, and social responsibility.
4. We prepare our students to achieve academic excellence, develop their analytic skills, enhance their creativity, and embrace their responsibilities as citizens of their communities, their nations, and the world.

Programs

• English, B.A.

• English Minor

• English, M.A.