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English, Creative Writing, Professional and Technical Writing

Whether you plan to write the next great novel, have a passion for reading, or you want to sharpen your professional and technical skills, the Department of English has a program for you.

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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 (Englishcreative writing, 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

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News and Stories Spotlight

 
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    David Radcliffe honored with emeritus status , article

    Radcliffe authored multiple books and created and maintained several digital archives and editions of 18th century literature and digital humanities.

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    Ed Falco honored with emeritus status , article

    Falco has made a local, national, and international impact in the field of creative writing.

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    Lucinda Roy honored with emerita status , article

    Roy has authored multiple books, including novels, poetry collections, a critically acclaimed memoir-critique, as well as numerous poems, stories, and essays published in prestigious literary journals and anthologies.

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    A man stands with crossed arms in front of tiers of concrete with steps, leading towards three movie screens in the distance with the words “80 YEARS NATIONAL D-DAY MEMORIAL.”
    Writing a soundtrack for history — and life , article

    Senior Carter Roberts has built an impressive resume while creating sound design for events such as the university’s sesquicentennial celebration and the 80th anniversary display at the National D-Day Memorial.

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    Portrait of Nikki Giovanni
    Tributes to Nikki Giovanni , article

    Read tributes from students, alumni, and all who were inspired by Giovanni's work and advocacy. A viewing will be held on Saturday, Dec. 14, at McCoy Funeral Home in Blacksburg beginning at 5 p.m.

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    Bridging English and technology , article

    What happens when a liberal arts student takes on the challenge of communicating the complexities of the tech world? Through an internship with Network Infrastructure and Services, Kate Stanko discovered the power of technical writing to bridge the gap between complicated technology and everyday users.


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