A letter to our students
Welcome to the English Department!
Our English majors not only possess a love of language and literature but also have an abiding sense of the power of the word that compels meaningful contributions to the larger world. Seasoned faculty will guide you as you engage in close reading, analytical reasoning, critical thinking, and cogent writing. The program encourages the development of a sense of literary history, sensitivity to cultural values, and expansive knowledge of important authors, works, and periods of literature in English, as well as the tools to live a life of consequence. In this way, the English major will prepare you for a wide variety of career paths.
Our program offers a range of courses, from traditional areas — like Shakespeare, Romanticism, and global literature — to cutting-edge fields — such as medical humanism and science fiction. In addition, our creative writing minor includes classes in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction taught by professional writers. Students are guided to examine literary works as a writer and to apply what they learn to their own writing. Interactive workshops provide feedback that helps students to develop and refine their work.
We also provide a number of scholarly opportunities, such as participation in our national honors society, our capstone in English, and our honors program. We also have connections to a number of internships, such as the London Internship Program, which offers positions in the fields of theater and journalism, as well as internships with local newspapers and journals and national organizations. Our program has strong ties with the American Antiquarian Society, which offers seminars and the opportunity to participate in archival research. For those interested in studying abroad, the English Department has a partner program at the University of East Anglia and Advanced Studies in England in Bath, England.
The inviting home of the English Department, Anderson House, encourages students to gather in informal and formal communities of learning. We host social events that highlight student achievement and provide information concerning the field, including our annual Chowder Fest, in which English Department alumni speak about their employment experiences.
Again, welcome! Please feel free to stop by and speak to any of us in the department about any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Lisa Kasmer
Associate Professor and Chair
Department of English