About the Department of English
Learn about our department faculty and program offerings.
Department of English
What We Do
Our students learn about literature and creative writing in small classes that focus on the individual. Exploring a variety of genres—from fiction to poetry to film and beyond—our programs develop cultural appreciation for how literature shapes our communities, our globe, and our selves. Students learn to write with clarity and style, to move, persuade, and entertain. By examining the historical and ethical dimensions of literature, they discover the power of language and develop critical thinking and communication skills that are in high demand in today’s competitive job market.
Who We Are
Our faculty ranks among the best in the nation. They include award-winning literary scholars and best-selling creative writers who have been recognized with prestigious fellowships and leadership roles in their professional associations. They have won teaching and mentorship awards at every level and are sought across the nation and world as speakers and authors. They produce innovative scholarship and powerful creative writing, and train students at every level for meaningful careers and vibrant futures.
What we Offer
UG
Learn 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.
- Oxford
- Booneville
- DeSoto
- Tupelo
UG
Become immersed in the craft of writing, workshopping, and publishing across fiction, poetry, screenwriting, and nonfiction.
- Oxford
GRAD
Hone your critical, written, and communication skills in literary studies to prepare for advanced degree programs as well as a wide variety of careers.
- Oxford
GRAD
Join an outstanding cohort of students working with diverse, award-winning faculty in the literary center of the South.
- Oxford
GRAD
Our selective, top-ranked PhD program produces literary scholars, educators, and writers whose careers span academia and beyond.
- Oxford
Welcome from the Chair
In the Department of English, we practice literary studies and creative writing. As scholars and students of literature, we read British, American, and World Literatures from the Medieval period to today, and celebrate and investigate the written word, film, and other media as essential to our history and contemporary society. As creative writers, we move and inform through the craft of fiction, poetry, screenwriting, and other genres. In our classrooms, students strengthen their ability to read, analyze, and communicate in ways that are enduring and adaptable across the professions. We're delighted to welcome you to our reading and writing community!
Caroline Wigginton
Chair and Professor of English
Leadership & Support
Caroline Wigginton
- Chair and Professor of English
Daniel Stout
- Associate Chair and Associate Professor of English
Scott MacKenzie
- Director of Undergraduate Studies and Associate Professor of English
Jason Solinger
- Director of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor of English
Melissa Ginsburg
- Director of Graduate Creative Writing Programs and Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing
Dustin Parsons
- Director of the BFA in Creative Writing and Senior Lecturer of English and Creative Writing
Myra Gilmore
- Staff Assistant II
April Wootten
- Operations Coordinator II
Meet our Faculty
Meet our Faculty
Our faculty are award-winning teachers, acclaimed scholars, and bestselling authors. They create classroom experiences that are life-changing and will help you throughout your academic career at UM.
American Literatures
Patrick Alexander
- Associate Professor of English and African American Studies
Andrew Bishop
- Instructor in English
Leigh Anne Duck
- Associate Professor of English
Timothy Earley
- Instructor in English
Cristin Ellis
- Associate Professor of English and Co-Director of the Interdisciplinary Minor in Environmental Studies
Adam Gussow
- Professor of English and Southern Studies
Jaime Harker
- Director of the Isom Center and Professor of English
Max Hipp
- Instructor in English
Kathryn McKee
- Director of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, McMullan Professor of Southern Studies, and Professor of English
Richard Purcell
- Hubert H. McAlexander Chair in English and Associate Professor and Director of the Interdisciplinary Minor in Cinema Studies
Justin Raden
- Instructor in English