English, B.A.
The B.A. in English at UM prepares students to think critically, conduct research, and craft clear, compelling arguments across various media. Majors study literature and creative writing with acclaimed faculty in a town celebrated for its literary culture. With optional emphases in Creative Writing; Literature, Justice, and Society; or Editing, Writing, and Publishing, graduates gain adaptable skills for a wide range of careers.
“The study of English is multifaceted—you’re learning literature, language, culture, art, philosophy and you’re honing your skills in speaking and writing. The ability to communicate is so valuable in life, and what better place to learn than in Oxford?”
Julie Dhossche (B.A. in English and Biochemistry '11)
Assistant Professor of Dermatology, School of Medicine at Oregon Health and Science University
Bachelor of Arts in English
The Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts offers the B.A. in English. English majors learn to read and think critically, conduct research, and make clear written and multimedia arguments about complex and expressive texts including novels, poetry, and film. They find their voice through the art of creative writing and build adaptable skills while loving what they learn.
English majors at UM study with acclaimed literature faculty as well as award-winning and bestselling creative writers in a town renowned for its literary and artistic culture. They hone their ability to analyze texts and craft their own original writing in small seminars alongside talented and dedicated students.
Choose an optional emphasis area:
- Creative Writing
- Literature, Justice, and Society
- Editing, Writing, and Publishing
The Value of an English Degree
The B.A. in English offers experiences that are useful for any profession and are pivotal for meaningful participation in a thriving economy and society. English majors explore diverse representations of human experience and ultimately learn how language shapes the world.
Get prepared for professional and graduate school or for a wide variety of careers:
- Law
- Business
- Journalism
- Education
- Marketing and communications
- Professional and creative writing
- Entertainment
- Information technology
- Editing and publishing
- Medicine
- Public relations
- Politics
- Activism and non-profit management
On this Page…
Program Information
Degree
B.A. in English
Emphases
Creative Writing ;
Editing, Writing and Publishing ;
Literature, Justice and Society
Required Credit Hours
120
Program Type
Major
Minor
Program Location
School
Duration
4 years
Degree Requirements
Students in the B.A. in English complete 30 credit hours, with at least 12 credit hours at the 400 or 500 level, including at least one capstone seminar.
- Eng 299: Intro to Literary Studies
One course in Literatures of the Medieval Period or Early Modern Period from:
- Eng 316: Introduction to Medieval Studies
- Eng 317: Chaucer
- Eng 318: Medieval Romance
- Eng 319: Medieval Drama
- Eng 320: The Heroic Age
- Eng 321: Literature of Medieval Europe
- Eng 322: Studies in Medieval Literature
- Eng 324: Shakespeare
- Eng 326: Renaissance and Early Modern Studies
- Eng 327: Early Modern Genres and Forms
- Eng 328: Studies in Early Modern Literature
- Eng 417: Early Middle English
- Eng 418: Advanced Studies in Chaucer
- Eng 419: 14th Century English Literature
- Eng 420: Medieval Lit of the North Atlantic
- Eng 421: Literature of Medieval Europe
- Eng 422: Literature of Medieval Piety
- Eng 423: Special Topics in Medieval Literature
- Eng 424: Medieval Forms and Genres
- Eng 426: Seminar on Shakespeare
- Eng 427: Shakespeare on Film
- Eng 428: Special Topics in Early Modern Literature
- Eng 506: Old English I
- Eng 507: Old English II
- Eng 513: Old Norse
One course in Literatures of the 18th and 19th Centuries from:
- Eng 330: Studies in 18th Century Literature
- Eng 332: 18th Century Genres and Forms
- Eng 333: Studies in Early American Literature
- Eng 334: Early American Genres and Forms
- Eng 335: Studies in Transatlantic Lit to 1900
- Eng 337: Studies in Romanticism
- Eng 338: Studies in Victorian Literature
- Eng 339: Victorian Genres and Forms
- Eng 340: Studies in Antebellum American Lit
- Eng 341: Studies in American Lit 1860-1900
- Eng 343: Studies in 19th Century Literature
- Eng 344: 19th Century Genres and Forms
- Eng 361: African American Lit Survey to 1920
- Eng 431: Special Topics in 18th Century Lit
- Eng 434: Special Topics in Early American Lit
- Eng 435: Transatlantic Lit to 1900
- Eng 438: Special Topics in Romanticism
- Eng 439: Special Topics in Victorian Lit
- Eng 442: Antebellum American Literature
- Eng 443: Special Topics American Lit 1860-1900
- Eng 445: Special Topics in 19th Century Lit
One course in Diverse Perspectives from:
- Eng 315: Studies in Black Film
- Eng 357: Women in the South
- Eng 359: Survey of Native American Literature
- Eng 361: African American Lit Survey to 1920
- Eng 362: African American Lit Survey Since 1920
- Eng 363: African American Genres
- Eng 364: Studies in African American Lit
- Eng 365: Literature in Prison
- Eng 366: African American Science Fiction Lit
- Eng 367: Blues Tradition in American Literature
- Eng 370: Studies in World Literatures
- Eng 371: Studies in Anglophone Literature
- Eng 373: Studies in 20th & 21st c. Comp. Black Lit
- Eng 374: Survey of Caribbean Literature
- Eng 375: Survey of 20th & 21st c. African Lit
- Eng 376: Studies in Asian Literature
- Eng 377: Studies in National Counter-Canons
- Eng 378: Studies in Postcolonial Literature
- Eng 382: Intro to Gender and Sexuality Studies
- Eng 383: Studies in Gender and Feminism
- Eng 384: Studies in Gay & Lesbian Lit/Theory
- Eng 385: Women in Literature
- Eng 386: Gender on Film
- Eng 396: Studies in Diverse Perspectives
- Eng 462: Special Topics in the Global South
- Eng 465: Special Topics in Native American Lit
- Eng 468: Major African American Writers
- Eng 469: Special Topics in African American Lit
- Eng 472: Seminar in Diverse Perspectives
- Eng 473: Prison & the Literary Imagination
- Eng 474: Special Topics in World Literature
- Eng 476: Special Topics in Anglophone Literature
- Eng 479: Special Topics in Comparative Black Lit
- Eng 481: Special Topics in Caribbean Literature
- Eng 483: Special Topics in African Literature
- Eng 486: Special Topics in Postcolonial Studies
- Eng 488: Special Topics Gender/Sexuality Studies
- Eng 489: Power, Knowledge, and Gender
- Eng 490: Special Topics in Queer Theory
- Eng 491: Special Topics in Gender and Literature
- Eng 493: Special Topics in Race and Ethnicity
Six elective courses chosen from any 300, 400, and 500-level English courses as well as approved out-of-department courses listed below:
- Clc 303: Greek and Roman Tragedy
- Clc 304: Greek and Roman Comedy
- Clc 305: Topics in Classical Mythology
- Clc 307: Survey of Greek Literature
- Clc 308: Survey of Roman Literature
- Clc 309: Greek and Roman Epic
- Clc 333: Poetry and Politics at Rome
- Lin 303: Phonology
- Lin 304: Morphology
- Lin 305: Syntax
- Lin 506: Discourse Analytics
- Lin 510: Advanced English Grammar
- Lin 511: Dialects of English
- Lin 520: Historical Linguistics
Students in the Creative Writing emphasis complete 12 hours of creative writing classes as part of their English major electives.
- Eng 199 or 300 - Intro to Creative Writing
- Three of the following courses from:
- Eng 301: Poetry Workshop
- Eng 302: Fiction Workshop
- Eng 303: Nonfiction Workshop
- Eng 304: Screenwriting Workshop
- Eng 400: Advanced Poetry Workshop
- Eng 401: Advanced Fiction Workshop
- Eng 402: Advanced Nonfiction Workshop
- Eng 403: Adv. Screenwriting Workshop
- Eng 404: Topics in Creative Writing
- Eng 405: Nature Writing
Students in the Editing, Writing, and Publishing emphasis complete 12 hours of editing, writing, and publishing courses as part of their English major electives.
- Eng 199 or 300: Intro to Creative Writing
- Eng 308: Editing, Writing, and Digital Publishing
- Eng 394: Internship
- One course chosen from:
- Eng 301: Poetry Workshop
- Eng 302: Fiction Workshop
- Eng 303: Nonfiction Workshop
- Eng 304: Screenwriting Workshop
- Eng 400: Advanced Poetry Workshop
- Eng 401: Advanced Fiction Workshop
- Eng 402: Advanced Nonfiction Workshop
- Eng 403: Adv. Screenwriting Workshop
- Eng 404: Topics in Creative Writing
- Eng 405: Nature Writing
Students in the Literature, Justice, and Society emphasis complete 12 hours of work chosen from the below list of courses as part of their English major electives.
- Eng 307: Intro to Literary Criticism & Theory
- Eng 315: Studies in Black Film
- Eng 357: Women in the South
- Eng 359: Survey of Native American Literature
- Eng 361: African American Lit Survey to 1920
- Eng 362: African American Lit Survey Since 1920
- Eng 363: African American Genres
- Eng 364: Studies in African American Lit
- Eng 365: Literature in Prison
- Eng 366: African American Science Fiction Lit
- Eng 367: Blues Tradition in American Literature
- Eng 370: Studies in World Literatures
- Eng 371: Studies in Anglophone Literature
- Eng 373: Studies in 20th & 21st c. Comp. Black Lit
- Eng 374: Survey of Caribbean Literature
- Eng 375: Survey of 20th & 21st c. African Lit
- Eng 376: Studies in Asian Literature
- Eng 377: Studies in National Counter-Canons
- Eng 378: Studies in Postcolonial Literature
- Eng 380: Studies in Literary Criticism & Theory
- Eng 382: Intro to Gender and Sexuality Studies
- Eng 383: Studies in Gender and Feminism
- Eng 384: Studies in Gay & Lesbian Lit/Theory
- Eng 385: Women in Literature
- Eng 386: Gender on Film
- Eng 388: Studies in British Environmental Lit
- Eng 389: Studies in American Environmental Lit
- Eng 391: Environmental Genres and Forms
- Eng 396: Studies in Diverse Perspectives
- Eng 407: Special Topics in Literary Theory
- Eng 412: Sp. Topics Cinema/Media Theory, History
- Eng 458: Southern Environmental Literature
- Eng 462: Special Topics in the Global South
- Eng 465: Special Topics in Native American Lit
- Eng 468: Major African American Writers
- Eng 469: Special Topics in African American Lit
- Eng 472: Seminar in Diverse Perspectives
- Eng 473: Prison & the Literary Imagination
- Eng 474: Special Topics in World Literature
- Eng 476: Special Topics in Anglophone Literature
- Eng 479: Special Topics in Comparative Black Lit
- Eng 481: Special Topics in Caribbean Literature
- Eng 483: Special Topics in African Literature
- Eng 486: Special Topics in Postcolonial Studies
- Eng 488: Special Topics Gender/Sexuality Studies
- Eng 489: Power, Knowledge, and Gender
- Eng 490: Special Topics in Queer Theory
- Eng 491: Special Topics in Gender and Literature
- Eng 493: Special Topics in Race and Ethnicity
- Eng 494: Special Topics in Environmental Studies
- Eng 495: Literature and the Nonhuman
The minor in English not only enriches students' appreciation of literature and engages them in cultural debate but also helps develop crucial skills in analytical thinking and clear, persuasive expression both in speech and in writing. An English minor is an ideal gateway for careers that emphasize communication and critical thinking, including law, business, journalism, public service, and education.
A minor in English consists of 18 credit hours of English courses, no more than 6 credit hours of which can be 200-level literature survey courses (Eng 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, or 226). Students must complete at least 9 credit hours at the 300 level or above, including approved electives taught outside the department.
Video: Get to Know the Department of English
Hear firsthand from students and faculty about the English program.
What's it like studying a bachelor's in English?
Kayden Breedlove
What do you hope to do after you graduate?
See Kayden’s Answer
Natalie Gumm
Why is your department a special place?
See Natalie’s Answer
Caroline McCutchen
Why did you choose your majors in English and Political Science?
See Caroline’s AnswerCareers of English Majors
- Owner, Square Books
- Technical Writer, FedEx
- Attorney, King & Spalding
- General Counsel, Raytheon
- Regional Dir. of Communication, United Way
- Publisher, The Clarion-Ledger
- Vice Chairman, W.W. Norton
- Associate Publicist, HarperCollins
- Executive VP, Nickelodeon
- Physician & Attorney, Yale University
- Faculty, University of Pennsylvania
- English Teacher, Ocean Springs School System
- Songwriter, Lyricist, Producer
- New York Times Bestselling Author
Welcome to the College of Liberal Arts
As Coordinator of Student Recruitment for the College of Liberal Arts, I work with students, and their parents, who are interested in attending UM for their undergraduate degrees. I coordinate personalized visits to our departments, answer questions about the majors and programs in the CLA and handle all recruitment communications from the CLA. Please feel free to send me any questions you may have. It is my job to make sure you have everything you need to make an informed decision on where to spend your college career, and I hope it will be with the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Mississippi!
Annabelle Harris
Admissions Counselor
Future CLA Students
College of Liberal Arts Undergraduate Students
We invite future undergraduates to learn about the College of Liberal Arts, the value of the liberal arts education, our programs, career opportunities, and resources to help you succeed. You can also request a personalized degree sheet.