English Major
Your understanding of how narratives are formed and how they function to generate meaning and motivate action in the world around you matters.
The skills you will gain in writing, editing, communication, independent research, analysis, interpretation, and critical thinking all matter.
Bottom line: Employers seek out your unique skill set. Studying English matters more now than ever before.
Overview of English Studies
Students studying English are introduced to cultural, historical, political, and critical perspectives and leave the major with increased research skills and heightened theoretical acumen. They also graduate with sharpened analytical abilities, and, of course, a deeper sense of what makes for effective communication, both in oral and written forms.
Our program stresses the “real-world” humanistic skills of being able to analyze the meaning of complicated texts and synthesize abstract or theoretical information from multiple sources. Courses emphasize writing as central to narrative interpretation and critical understanding; employers in a variety of career fields, from corporate to governmental to nonprofit, consistently cite the skills developed by English majors at the top of their lists of desirable qualities in a new hire.
Our curriculum emphasizes both broad and specific skills that students can take into the job market or to graduate school. As an important complement to our curriculum, students have the opportunity to participate in a robust internship program to try out their skills in the workplace while earning college credit.
To learn more about the major and see a sample 4-year plan, undergraduate catalog.
UIC student Jillian Tempestini discusses why she chose to major in English
Resources
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1 . Intern A majority of graduating English majors choose to pursue one or more internships while earning college credit.
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2 . Learn Students can pursue independent studies in critical or creative projects, work closely with faculty mentors, and present their research at conferences.
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3 . Work What can you DO with an English major? A whole lot, as it turns out. English majors work in every sector from business to law, nonprofit to science research, marketing to publishing.
Learn more about these resources
Complete an internship in ENGL 493
Core courses in the major
Explore more course requirements
Concentrations
A UIC English degree prepares students to write well, read well, and think deeply. The English curriculum provides for broad-based knowledge as well as a degree of independent choice and specialization. It is designed to ensure a dynamic and coherent intellectual experience, to train students for further work in the discipline, and to draw on the diverse strengths of the English faculty.
Creative Writing
The Creative Writing faculty consists of specialists in the novel, short story, nonfiction, poetry, fiction, contemporary Latinx literature, poetics, novella, translation, the avant-garde, and more.
Students should plan to study writing in a particular narrative genre (fiction, poetry, or non-fiction) where they will pursue one class to begin the study of their genre and take two advanced writing workshops in small seminar settings. These seminars are also open to graduate-level students to allow for a unique opportunity for critique and collaboration.
For current concentration requirements, visit the Undergraduate Catalog.
Meet some of our award-winning and renowned faculty:
Carla Barger, Visiting Lecturer
Poet and Lyric Essayist
Daniel Borzutsky, Distinguished Professor
Director at Center for Latinx Literature of the Americas, Poet and translator from Spanish, English, Latin American and Latino Studies
Peter Coviello, Professor
Creative Nonfiction
Christopher Glomski, Senior Lecturer
Poet
Christopher Grimes, Associate Professor
Writer of fiction and short stories
Yaerim Gen Kwon, Graduate Student Instructor
Writer of Fiction, novelist, literary translation
Heather McShane, Visiting Lecturer
Poet, writer of fiction
Mark Magoon, Senior Lecturer
Poet
Mary Anne Mohanraj, Clinical Assistant Professor
Writer of fiction and novelist, post-colonial literature scholar
Christina Pugh, Professor
American and English Poetry and Poetics
Willow Schenwar, Senior Lecturer
Creative Nonfiction
Lisa Stolley, Lecturer
Writer of fiction
Luis Urrea, Professor
Writer of fiction, creative non-fiction, and short stories
Film, Media, Performance, and Pop Culture
The Film, Media, Performance, and Pop Culture faculty consists of scholars in the fields of visual cultural studies, film and television, popular culture, gender and women’s studies, queer theory, disability studies, sexuality studies, Latinx literature, African American literature, literary theory, African literature, Brazilian literature and culture, Marxism, critical theory and aesthetics, grammar, and more.
This concentration’s breadth allows students to craft their specialization through three courses, one at an introductory level and two more advanced courses, one of which is at the 400-level.
For current concentration requirements, visit the Undergraduate Catalog.
Meet some of our award-winning and renowned faculty:
Carla Barger, Visiting Lecturer
Film Rhetoric and History
Natasha Barnes, Associate Professor
Anglophone Caribbean Literature and Culture, African American Literature and Culture
Amanda Bohne, Senior Lecturer
Adaptation Theory
Katherine Boulay, Senior Lecturer
Visual Cultural Studies, Media Studies, Gender and Sexuality, Rhetorical Studies
Harry Burson, Lecturer
Film and Media Studies, Sound Studies, Media Theory, Immersive Media, History of Technology
Ainsworth Clarke, Assistant Professor
African American Literature, African American Intellectual History, Contemporary Black Critical Theory, History of Institutional and Disciplinary Formations
Virginia Costello, Senior Lecturer
Gender and Women’s Studies, Modernism
Peter Coviello, Professor
American Literature, Queer Studies, History of Sexuality, Religion, Secularism and Post-Secular Critique
Angela Dancey, Senior Lecturer
Film Studies, Popular Culture, Gender and Women’s Studies
James Drown, Senior Lecturer
Film studies
Bridget English, Senior Lecturer
Irish Literature, Medical Culture
KC Forcier, Assistant Professor
Film, Media Studies, Television, Moving Image Art
Robin Gayle, Senior Lecturer
Gender and Women’s Studies, Queer Theory
Scott Grunow, Lecturer
Bible as Literature
Rachel Havrelock, Professor
Environmental Humanities, Climate Fiction and Media, Theatre and Playwriting, Biblical Literature and Interpretation.
Helen Jun, Associate Professor
Asian American Literature and Culture, African American Literature and Culture, Carceral Studies, Social Justice, Globalization Studies
Anna Kornbluh, Professor
Nineteenth-Century British Literature and Culture, Form, Marxist Theory
Christina Pugh, Professor
American and English Poetry and Poetics
Martin Rubin, Lecturer
Film studies
Jennifer Rupert, Senior Lecturer
Gender and Women’s Studies, Sexuality Studies, Modernism
Literatures in English
The Literatures in English faculty consists of scholars in the fields of contemporary African American literature, African American cultural studies, multi-ethnic American literature, Native American literature, Latinx literature, postmodernism, 19th-21st century American literature, Asian American literature and cultural studies, contemporary Black critical theory, and more.
Students should plan to take three courses focused on their area of interest, with one introductory course allowed and two advanced courses, one of which is at the 400-level.
For current concentration requirements, visit the Undergraduate Catalog.
Meet some of our award-winning and renowned faculty:
Sunil Agnani, Associate Professor
Comparative Enlightenment Studies, Eighteenth-Century Literature and Culture, Postcolonial and Global Anglophone Literature
Carla Barger, Visiting Lecturer
Ecopoetry and environmental literature, rural literature, 19th-century literature, American Romanticism, Native American literature
Amanda Bohne, Senior Lecturer
English Literature, Medieval and Early Modern Literature, Gender and Women’s Studies
Gary Buslik, Lecturer
Shakespeare, American literature
John Casey, Senior Lecturer
American Literature, Native American Literature, Veterans Studies
Mark Chiang, Associate Professor
Asian American Literature and Culture, Transnational and Diasporic Asian Culture, Race and Ethnic Studies, Marxism and Economic Theory
Ainsworth Clarke, Assistant Professor
African American Literature, African American Intellectual History, Contemporary Black Critical Theory, History of Institutional and Disciplinary Formations
Virginia Costello, Senior Lecturer
20th Century British and American Literature, Modernism
Peter Coviello, Professor
American Literature, Queer Studies, History of Sexuality, Religion, Secularism and Post-Secular Critique
Scott Grunow, Lecturer
Rene Girard’s Theories
Rachel Havrelock, Professor
Climate Fiction, Jewish American literature, Multiethnic American literature, Native American literature
Helen Jun, Associate Professor
Asian American Literature and Culture, African American Literature and Culture, Carceral Studies, Social Justice, Globalization Studies
Raphael Magarik, Assistant Professor
Literatures in English
Luis Urrea, Professor
Writer of fiction, creative non-fiction, and short stories
Professional Writing and Publishing
Every student creates an online portfolio of professional writing that may be shared when applying for jobs and internships.
English majors must complete one concentration, but may complete up to three.
Requirements:
• Two 300-Level Professional Writing Courses of your choice
• ENGL 493: Internship in Nonfiction Writing ~or~ ENGL 496: Portfolio Practicum
For more information about the Professional Writing Program, visit https://uicpw.com/or contact Dr. Karen Leick, the Director of the Professional Writing Program, at kleick@uic.edu
Meet some of our award winning and renowned faculty.
Media and Professional Writing, First Year Writing
Publishing and Editing, First Year Writing
Rhetoric, Grammar, Early Modern Studies
Technical Writing, Digital and New Media, Advanced Professional Writing
Digital and New Media, Rhetoric, Grammar
Rhetoric
Media and Professional Writing, Writing for Nonprofit Advocacy, Portfolio Practicum, Digital Humanities
First Year Writing
Media and Professional Writing, Portfolio Practicum, Fiction Writing
Race, Gender, Sexuality, and Multiethnic Studies
The Race, Gender, Sexuality, and Multiethnic English Studies faculty consists of scholars in a broad range of fields.
Students should plan to take three courses focused on their area of interest, with one introductory course allowed and two advanced courses, one of which is at the 400-level.
For current concentration requirements, visit the Undergraduate Catalog.
Meet some of our award-winning and renowned faculty:
Sunil Agnani, Associate Professor
Comparative Enlightenment Studies, Eighteenth-Century Literature and Culture, Postcolonial and Global Anglophone Literature
Natasha Barnes, Associate Professor
Anglophone Caribbean Literature and Culture, African American Literature and Culture
Amanda Bohne, Senior Lecturer
Gender and Women’s Studies, Medieval and Early Modern Literature
Nicholas Brown, Associate Professor
Comparative Modernism, African Literature, 20th-Century British Literature,
Critical Theory and Aesthetics, Brazilian Literature and Culture, Marxism
Gary Buslik, Lecturer
Shakespeare, American literature
Mark Canuel, Professor
British Romantic Literature, Critical Theory and Aesthetics, Political Theory
American Literature, Native American Literature, Veterans Studies
Peter Coviello, Professor
Race, Gender, Sexuality
Lisa Freeman, Professor
Restoration and 18th Century Studies, Theater and Performance Studies, History and Theory of the Novel; Gender Studies
Jeffrey Gore, Lecturer
Grammar and Early Modern Studies
Aaron Krall, Senior Lecturer
Drama
Jennifer Lewis, Lecturer
Postcolonial Literature
Mary Anne Mohanraj, Clinical Assistant Professor
Writer of fiction and novelist, post-colonial literature scholar
Nasser Mufti, Assistant Professor
Nineteenth-Century British Literature and Culture, Postcolonial Literature and Theory, Critical Theory, Nineteenth- and Twentieth Century Political Theory
Anna Kornbluh, Professor
Nineteenth-Century
British Literature and Culture, Form, Marxist Theory
Alfred Thomas, Professor
Medieval British and European Literature, Renaissance Literature, Shakespeare, Religion and Literature, Czech Literature
Rhetoric, Public Engagement, and Language Studies
The Media, Rhetorical and Cultural Studies faculty consists of scholars in the fields of visual cultural studies, film and television, popular culture, gender and women’s studies, queer theory, disability studies, sexuality studies, Latinx literature, African American literature, literary theory, African literature, Brazilian literature and culture, Marxism, critical theory and aesthetics, grammar, history of rhetoric, rhetorical theory, and more.
This concentration’s breadth allows students to craft their specialization through three courses, one at an introductory level and two more advanced courses, one of which is at the 400-level.
For current concentration requirements, visit the Undergraduate Catalog.
Meet some of our award-winning and renowned faculty:
Carla Barger, Visiting Lecturer
Film rhetoric, lyric theory, ecopoetics, public humanities
Natasha Barnes, Associate Professor
Anglophone Caribbean Literature and Culture, African American Literature and Culture
Gregor Baszak, Lecturer
Media and Professional Writing
Katherine Boulay, Senior Lecturer
Visual Cultural Studies, Media Studies, Gender and Sexuality
Ainsworth Clarke, Assistant Professor
African American Literature, African American Intellectual History, Contemporary Black Critical Theory, History of Institutional and Disciplinary Formations
Virginia Costello, Senior Lecturer
Gender and Women’s Studies
Peter Coviello, Professor
American Literature, Queer Studies, History of Sexuality, Religion, Secularism and Post-Secular Critique
Angela Dancey, Senior Lecturer
Film Studies, Popular Culture, Gender and Women’s Studies
James Drown, Lecturer
Film studies
Robin Gayle, Senior Lecturer
Gender and Women’s Studies, Queer Theory
Jeffrey Gore, Senior Lecturer
Rhetoric, Grammar
Scott Grunow, Lecturer
Bible as Literature
Rachel Havrelock,
Water and Environmental Policy, Digital Storytelling and Public Communication, Community-based Research, Religious Rhetoric, Environmental Humanities, Ethnography and Folklore
Philip Hayek, Senior Lecturer
Writing Digital and New Media
Helen Jun, Associate Professor
Asian American Literature and Culture, African American Literature and Culture, Carceral Studies, Social Justice, Globalization Studies
Jeffrey Kessler, Senior Lecturer
Writing Digital and New Media, Rhetoric, Grammar
Anna Kornbluh, Professor
Nineteenth-Century British Literature and Culture, Form, Marxist Theory
Keegan Lannon, Lecturer
Rhetoric
Karen Leick, Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of Professional Writing
Media and Professional Writing, Writing for Advocacy and Activism
Martin Rubin, Lecturer
Film studies
Jennifer Rupert, Senior Lecturer
Gender and Women’s Studies, Sexuality Studies, Modernism
Jay Shearer, Senior Lecturer
Media and Professional Writing
Freshwater Lab, an interdisciplinary English course
The Freshwater Lab is a cross-listed course between the departments of English, History, and Public Policy which introduces students to the environmental humanities and promotes greater awareness and political engagement with the Great Lakes. In the Humanities “lab” setting, students study the social and ecological dimensions of the Great Lakes, meet with Great Lakes leaders, visit places where water and people meet, and work on projects to advance existing initiatives and pioneer new approaches. Students will also have the opportunity to enroll in a new Freshwater Lab internship program.
Undergraduate research: preparing you for what's next
ENGL 379: Independent Study and ENGL 497: Senior thesis are open to upper-level English majors who wish to pursue topics of study not offered in the regular curriculum.
Employers in all career pathways consistently cite the skills developed by English majors at the top of their lists of desirable qualities. These include writing, editing, and communication skills, the ability to work independently, project management, the ability to analyze and interpret information, and the ability to think critically. Students conducting independent research under the supervision of a faculty mentor hone all of these skills. Plus, students taking ENGL 379 or ENGL 497 in either the spring or fall semester are eligible to present their work at the annual Undergraduate Research Forum.