WHAT IS ENGLISH?

This major is part of the Cultures & Humanities Exploration Group

English Major Website

English Advising

English Minor

English majors craft a plan of study from a variety of courses representing every area of our discipline, including British, American, and World literatures; ethnic literatures; literary theory; creative writing; expository writing; and film studies.

While our students are taught the foundational skills of literary analysis and written communication, they are also invited to delve into the more philosophical questions that shape our field: What is the difference between “literature” and “popular culture”? How does a poem, a play, a graphic novel, or a movie, convey meaning? How can reading—or writing—literature help to address social problems like racism, sexism, ableism, and homophobia? In what ways are political or religious convictions shaped by language? And how does literature shed light on current environmental crises such as pollution, deforestation, and climate change?

English majors may sharpen their academic and professional skills by taking  writing internships for English course credit, participating in education abroad programs, or contributing to the student-run Long River Review, UConn’s award-winning literary and art magazine.

Majoring in English will enable you to spend time doing what you love while also acquiring a versatile career toolkit. The English degree fosters skills in reading, writing, research, and analysis, all of which are highly sought on the job market. Recent graduates of our department have gone on to positions in publishing, marketing, development, media production, non-profit management, government, and education. They have also been accepted to graduate programs in the humanities and social sciences as well as to professional programs in law, journalism, business, dentistry, and medicine.

Undergraduates who use their time at college to obtain knowledge and competencies in more than one area often have a distinct advantage in a competitive job market. The essential skills of interpretation, communication, research, and analysis learned in our courses will complement those developed in most other UConn majors, not just in the arts and humanities, but also in the social sciences, the STEM fields, and business.