English is the largest undergraduate major in humanities at the University of Chicago, graduating about one hundred students each year. About a third of these elect to write Honors papers, some in our critical track, some in our creative one. It is not unusual for our students to complete double majors (in 2009 students did this in English and Medieval Studies, English and History, and English and East Asian). We also graduate some twenty students annually in our newly established minor in English and Creative Writing.

Our courses enable students to study works of literature originally written in English. They address fundamental questions about such topics as the status of literature within culture, the literary history of a period, the achievements of a particular author, the defining characteristics of a genre, the politics of interpretation, the formal qualities of individual works, and methods of literary scholarship and research. We also maintain close links with the Committee on Creative Writing, Cinema and Media Studies, and TAPS (Theater and Performance Studies), whose courses we normally count as if they were our own, and we encourage our students to integrate the concerns of other fields into their programs.

The study of English may be pursued as preparation for graduate work in literature or other disciplines, or as a complement to general education. Our majors often seek careers in publishing, public relations, consulting, advertising, journalism, or teaching. To help students in their search for employment we maintain a close relationship with Career Advising and Planning Services.

For further information on our requirements and procedures, please schedule an appointment to speak with Amy Schulz, the Undergraduate Program Assistant.

For further information on events of interest to English undergraduates, see the News and Events section.