‎Our Majors

The English Major English majors don't just study literature. They understand how language works. They wield sharp communication skills. They blend critical analysis with vibrant imagination. They view the world from an array of perspectives. (All this in only 27 credit hours!) English majors can do... well, whatever they want. They work as politicians, artists, & CEOs. (And yes, they become writers and teachers too.) Barack Obama, Steven Spielberg, John Mulaney, Emma Watson, Lena Dunham, John Legend, and Michael Eisner were all English majors. English majors make bank. They are fully employed after graduation at higher rates than business, management, or marketing majors. Employers need critical thinkers, expert writers, and creative problem-solvers - English majors, in other words. By mid-career, English majors earn more on average than business, management, and communication majors. * English majors rock grad school. They score higher on the LSAT than polisci, psychology, communication, and criminology majors, and higher on the GMAT than marketing, management, business, or accounting majors. Plus, they are accepted to med school at higher rates than students majoring in the sciences. ** Our majors get jobs in every field imaginable. They are accepted to prestigious graduate schools. They win awards and pursue exciting research projects. In short, they kick ass. *“English majors, rejoice: Employers want you more than business majors” CBSnews.com 10/26/2018; “In the Salary Race, Engineers Sprint but English **A surprising number of doctors were undergrad English majors— and it’s not just about GPA” (Business Insider, 11/16/2017)

The English Major can be completed with a minimum of 27 credit hours including:

–3 required English courses (ENGL 207, 208, and 209)

–Selective concentration requirements (1-3 concentrations between 9-33 hours)

–Selective upper-level writing requirement 

 

Click here for a full list of degree requirements.

  1. Literatures in English: 3 qualifying courses on any author or period (9 hours)
  2. Creative Writing: 3 courses in Fiction, Poetry, or Nonfiction (9 hours)
  3. Film, Media, Performance, and Pop Culture: any 3 qualifying courses (9 hours)
  4. Professional Writing and Publishing: 1 required course, 2 selective courses, & an internship or portfolio course (12 hours)
  5. Race, Gender, Sexuality, and Multiethnic English Studies: any 3 qualifying courses (9 hours)
  6. Rhetoric, Public Engagement, and Language Studies: any 3 qualifying courses (9 hours)
  7. Self-Designed Concentration: Students also may petition the Office of Undergraduate Studies to design their own concentration.

Click here for more information about requirements for each concentration.

Ley Frank, Class of 2022

“Being an English major allowed me to thrive creatively while growing my critical thinking and analytical skills. My English degree helped me become a well-rounded person and scholar, and I got to have fun doing it!”

-Ley Frank, Class of 2022

Teaching of English The #1 reason people go to college is to improve their employment and earning potential. We figure that's why you're here. Did you know that English education is among the most stable professions in terms of future growth? Or that Illinois teachers have the 3rd-highest employment level in the nation, with midwest educators among the highest-paid in the country.* Teaching is also the happiest profession, reporting the highest levels of job satisfaction.** Language arts teachers transform lives. They inspire the next generation with a love of reading. They teach students how language works and how to wield sharp communication skills. They provide new ways of seeing the world, from an array of perspectives. In short, they change the world. Learn from nationally-recognized, award-winning faculty in Chicago's premier English education program. They are passionate about teaching and talented at teaching teachers. Learn why English matters-- to yourself, to your students, and to the world. Be inspired; become an inspiration. * Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, High School Teachers, 9/1/2020; Occupational Employment and Wages: Secondary School Teachers, 5/2019; topmastersineucation.com. **Teachers, creative types are happiest workers,

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English Education at a glance:

– 3 required English courses (ENGL 207, 208, and 209)

– 3 English electives

– 4 teaching of English courses, methods and practices (ENGL 480, 481, 486, & 487)

– 1 student teaching semester, with weekly seminar (ENGL 498 & 499)

– 4 education courses for teacher licensure (ED 200, 210, 425, & Special Education 410)

 

Click here for a full list of degree requirements.

Ahana Gupta, English Student

“Studying English at UIC has allowed me to become not only a better reader and writer but also a stronger critical thinker. I have learned how to read for and understand the details or subjective truths in order to illuminate broader messages, translating the particular into the universal. I hope to apply what I have learned as an English major to my career as a physician-writer, understanding patient narratives to identify ways to improve healthcare delivery.”

-Ahana Gupta