The English major introduces students to the entire range of literatures written in English, from British and American to African, Asian, and Australasian literatures. Coursework emphasizes the differences among historical periods and various genres, and encourages exploration of a broad range of literary theories. Our instruction includes a mix of formal lectures and small seminars that stress discussion, writing, and research.
Our goal is to give students skills as readers and writers that will allow them to pursue graduate work, if they choose, and succeed in a variety of professions and occupations. Advanced majors have the opportunity to put their skills to work and gain experience with a paid internship. Some students teach their own courses through UCI’s UTeach program. All majors produce research projects in the E106 senior capstone seminar, and some pursue additional research opportunities through UROP, the Humanities Honors Program, and the Campuswide Honors Collegium. Many majors gain additional writing experience with minors in Creative Writing or Literary Journalism.
Faculty strive to be accessible to students outside of class, in office hours, and through collaborations with the English Majors’ Association. We encourage majors to reach out to faculty mentors for advice about coursework, reading recommendations, and career paths.
Students leave our program with a flexible toolkit that will serve them in their lives after graduation–and even more important, a critical and capacious understanding of the world around them, its history, and the role language can play in shaping its future.
See the UCI Catalog for more information on major requirements: