The Department of English offers a dynamic mix of courses—from small, discussion-based seminars to larger lectures—at both introductory and advanced levels. At the heart of every class is a shared focus on the pleasures and challenges of reading, interpretation, and writing.
Our courses range widely: from Anglo-Saxon texts to contemporary global works in English, and from epic literature to film, graphic novels, and sound poetry. Together, they invite students to explore—and rethink—what counts as “English literature.”
Our major: Students major in English by taking courses in a wide variety of media, genres, topics, and historical periods. All students are introduced to the major by completing 20 units spread over courses in writing, any one of many topics courses, and the gateway series to the English major that covers “Literature in English” from the earliest medieval texts to the present. Students then build their own path through the major depending upon their particular interests, eventually completing 44 more units covering different historical periods, methods of theory and criticism, and thematic focuses. After a shared set of courses, students choose to specialize either in Literary Criticism and Theory or Creative Writing.
Because of the flexibility, relatively low course requirements, and productive relationship between literary analysis and other courses of study, many students also choose to double major in English and another field – students have successfully completed double majors in English along with majors ranging from Cell Biology, Computer Science, Genetics & Genomics, and many others. Whether you are interested in the relationship between literature and the environment, science and literature, the poetic construction of love over centuries, or the narrative structure of video games, we have a course for you.
Our minor: Whether their major is in Viticulture & Enology or Biochemistry & Molecular Biology – to name just two current examples – many students find that pursuing a minor in English allows them to develop their abilities to read and to write critically while enjoying all the pleasures that great literature has to offer. To complete the minor, students complete five upper-division courses, at least four of which focus on literature, film, or other media. Choices within the curriculum are unlimited by historical period, and can include a course in creative writing.
The critical and creative skills you develop and hone in English classes will serve you very well throughout your personal and professional life. In their careers, our graduates are well prepared to read, write, analyze, argue, prove, and respond.