Discover the power of language. Develop your skills for the future. Prepare yourself to work in any environment. Read, write, think, explore.

English

The English department offers programs in literature, communication, and writing and literature. The guiding principle behind all three is rhetorical analysis, that is, examining how we use language to influence the beliefs, attitudes or emotions of various audiences. Students who major in any of these departmental programs study the process by which we derive meaning from a variety of texts that are written, oral, visual or multimedia in nature.

Students contemplating majors or minors in the department of English should note that the professional fields associated with literature, writing, and communication call for advanced levels of literacy. Thus, students who major in the department should expect and desire coursework which heavily emphasizes reading and writing.

Through these three programs, the department seeks to demonstrate how the knowledge associated with the study of English can serve students in their future roles as citizens, cultural consumers, and professionals in a society increasingly shaped by language and the media. All programs emphasize the development of students’ writing, speaking, and research abilities, skills which are in great demand in today’s workplace.

A Distinction in the Field program (ENGL4991-4992) involving scholarly research under faculty direction is open to senior English majors with a 3.5 GPA in department courses. Students majoring in English follow one of three programs:

• communication, media and cultural studies program
• literature program
• writing and literature program