B.A. English

Get a broad-based liberal arts education in English literature, language, and culture through innovative and diverse approaches.

About the Major

The English Major fosters skills in critical analysis, independent thinking, creativity, research, and writing. You'll take core courses in literary analysis, literary history, language, Shakespeare, and focused research. You'll also explore elective courses in a range of topics in the research specialties of our renowned faculty. 

Our majors work closely with our faculty and their peers in small classes. You can prepare for careers after graduation with access to our large and growing internship program, a Professional and Technical Writing certificate, special career development events, a study abroad program in London, and a competitive English Honors program. 

Areas of Study

You will study the most important works of English literature, including not only the foundational texts in the literary history, but also the diverse artists and works that drive that tradition today. Our classes offer a wide range of areas of interest, including border studies, digital cultures, global anglophone literatures, rhetoric, and film.

See degree requirements

Double Major Options

The writing and analytical skills you'll learn as an English major can pair nicely with a second major in almost any field. Many of our students also double major in both English and Creative Writing (see double major requirements).

Career Pathways

The English Major provides key skills that make our majors some of the most valuable candidates for employment and graduate school. You'll learn to think critically and independently, to understand problems within their underlying context, to write clearly and effectively, to read and comprehend difficult or complex writing, and most of all: to understand all human endeavor as grounded in deep and meaningful questions.

Recent UA English majors have put their degree to use in a wide variety of careers, including: editing, digital marketing, publishing, politics, governmental service, environmental public policy, business management, development, teaching, marketing, law, medicine, technical writing, higher education administration, and many more.

English Majors are thus uniquely prepared for success across many broad fields and specific career paths.

Read more about career possibilities in our alumni stories.

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