English

Curriculum

We offer a range of programs for students to explore. Our updated undergraduate B.A. encourages students to expand their knowledge of different areas within English studies. We also offer eight minors, which are open to English majors and non-majors alike. Our M.A. graduate program features tracks in Literature; Creative Writing; and Writing, Teaching, & Criticism. At all levels of study, we maintain small class sizes that foster interactive discussions and personalized student learning. Our B.A. majors are encouraged to pursue internships, and study abroad, while our M.A. students may apply for funding through graduate assistantships. All students consult with an academic advisor to plan out their program of study, and many work with individual faculty on research and creative projects. To learn more about our curriculum and programs, please view our department Mission Statement and our Undergraduate Learning Outcomes.

Advising

English majors will consult with their faculty adviser to discuss questions about their major, their goals for their time at West Chester University, and more. Students must meet with their adviser each semester to discuss the courses they need to take for timely progress towards graduation.

Our major advising sheets are listed below:

• Current B.A., English (entering Fall 2021 or later)
• B.A., English - Literatures Track (entering Fall 2019-Spring/Summer 2021)
• B.A., English - Literatures Track (entering before Fall 2019)
• B.A., English - Writings Track (entering Fall 2019-Spring/Summer 2021)
• B.A., English - Writings Track (entering before Fall 2019)

For more about the advising process (including how to find your advisor), visit our advising page.

Course descriptions for next semester's ENG 400 courses are here, and descriptions for ENG 202 are here. Upcoming focus area courses are here.

Culture & Community

The English Department sponsors a vibrant cultural life that includes a renowned Poetry Center, readings by notable authors, two student literary journals (Daedalus and Literati), a Creative Writing Club, an English Alumni organization, and numerous student awards and scholarships. Our students and faculty are also actively involved in the university’s ongoing sustainability efforts. All of these opportunities enable students to expand their learning experience beyond the classroom and collaborate with others who share their passions.

Faculty

Our outstanding professors blend innovative, student-centered teaching with nationally recognized scholarly expertise. In addition to publishing in a wide range of specialties and venues, members of our faculty direct the WCU Poetry Center; edit Research on Diversity in Youth Literature; and direct the West Chester Writing Project, the WCU Writing Center, and the West Chester Center for Book History; and direct a summer Photography and Writing Program with local elementary school students and iCamp (a summer media experience for high school students). We also enjoy historically close ties with WCU's Women's & Gender Studies Program, Youth Empowerment & Urban Studies Program, and the Frederick Douglass Institute.

Careers

To the question "What can you do with an English degree?" we say: "What can't you do?" Our graduates enjoy successful careers in publishing, journalism, education, management, law, marketing, advertising, social media, human resources, and business. Many seek advanced degrees in English, law, information & library science, and other fields. Whatever career path you pursue, English will prepare you for any profession that values the kind of interpretive analysis, creative problem-solving, and polished communication central to the discipline of English Studies.

Research has shown the professional value of majoring in English and the diverse doors it opens career-wise. Listen to Season 1 of the National Humanities Alliance's podcast, "What Are You Going to DO with That?", to learn more.

Writing Instruction

The English Department takes pride in serving as the university's primary resource for the teaching of writing. Through our rigorous First-Year Writing program (completed by all students at WCU), Writing-Emphasis English courses, Business Writing classes, and tutoring services provided at the Writing Center, we empower thousands of students each year to become better readers and researchers and more sophisticated wielders of the written word.