Department of English
In the Department of English, we teach students how to think critically and creatively, and we conduct research to advance knowledge about culture, language, and the written word. Our graduate and undergraduate curricula emphasize deep research skills and unbounded creativity, preparing students for successful careers in academia, business, law, and other professions, as well as nonprofit work, teaching, writing, publishing, and the arts. Courses refine students’ oral and written communication skills, teaching them to be precise, clear, and inventive stylists.
The study of literature and language is at the core of each undergraduate major, providing a common, foundational knowledge about the cultural contexts in which texts and linguistic artifacts are produced, interpreted, and circulated. Individual undergraduate majors (English, creative writing, technical and scientfic communication, and professional and technical writing) provide specialized approaches to textual and linguistic critique and invention. Students graduate with enhanced capacities to understand both their cultures and the experiences of others, through varied experiences of collaboration and textual border-crossing that are inherent in our curriculum.
Classes in the English department are small. Students spend quality time with our award-winning faculty and have opportunities for individual and team-based research experiences. The department supports a number of internships. We invite visiting writers and scholars to speak every semester, and each spring students share their work at an undergraduate research conference and a student-run literary festival. Our undergraduate students publish in various Virginia Tech magazines, and graduate creative writing students serve as editors for two national journals.
Graduate programs in the Department of English include a general M.A. in English, an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Writing.
News and Stories Spotlight
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One Hokie, many roles , articleEnglish and philosophy double major Cate Langhorn is redefining what it means to be an English major at Virginia Tech through leadership, mentorship, and interdisciplinary research that embodies Ut Prosim.
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Designing with words , articleClay Delk discusses how his foundation in English drives the strategic thinking behind his work in technology, design, and communication.
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These alumni excel in their professions, communities, and university support , articleThe College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences will honor its outstanding alumni during a ceremony on April 17.
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Student's description of life in America wins top poetry prize , articleThere were 88 poetry submissions for 10 finalist slots in the annual Giovanni-Steger Poetry Prize competition. Manas Karki's first-place poem, “Visa Length,” offers a window into his experiences and those of other international students.
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