Welcome to the Department of English

Mission

By teaching students to read closely, analyze carefully, and communicate effectively, the Department of English prepares students to succeed in a global economy and to participate in a global democracy.

Today’s rapid pace of technological development calls for workers who are nimble and responsive to change, those who have the curiosity and know-how to acquire new skills. At the same time, a functioning, stable globalized society relies on citizens who possess linguistic facility and historical understanding—and who are able to draw on those skills in order to confront some of the most vexing challenges of the twenty-first century with rigor and imagination.

In the Department of English, we focus on both the analysis and the production of texts in order to develop writers for the twenty-first century, imaginative thinkers who can compose in numerous multimedia formats in order to communicate effectively to a variety of audiences.

Students in our classes learn to read closely and carefully, to write persuasively, intelligently, and with clarity. They learn to plan projects, work in teams, complete research, and meet deadlines. Finally, they practice listening well and looking hard so that they might understand another person’s perspective, whether across a gulf of centuries or across a border. Such “soft skills” deepen our understanding of what it means to be a human, connected to other humans, from the classical period to the present.

We welcome you to our website, where you can explore our wide range of courses in literature, rhetoric, composition, creative writing, technical and professional communication, and literary, cultural, and digital media theory.