ENGLISH
Bachelor’s Degree Programs
Stories are everywhere. We tell stories to define ourselves and connect to others, and we read, watch and listen to stories for enjoyment and education. We use storytelling in business, teaching, law, advocacy and more. There’ve never been more career opportunities for wordsmiths and editors with a grasp of language and a flair for the written word.
Today, professionals in all positions and industries communicate constantly, and through multiple mediums. The words we choose and how we share them contribute to our successes and everyday tasks alike.
By design, an English major equips you with qualities and practical skills the modern workplace demands, including:
- Analytical thinking and problem-solving
- Sharp research and evaluation skills
- Creativity and imagination
- Empathy and self-awareness
A degree in English also offers excellent preparation for law school and graduate programs.
CAN WE BRAG A LITTLE?
The Muse, our annual literary magazine, features art, poetry, essays, short stories and more.
Associate Professor Nicholas Gulig is winner of the 2024 Colorado Prize for Poetry. His book, “The Other Altar,” will be published by The Center for Literary Publishing at Colorado State University in November 2024. Gulig is the current Wisconsin Poet Laureate.
Why UW-Whitewater for your English degree?
We’re a community of storytellers.
Through stories we create and share knowledge; we communicate our ideas, values and identities; and we negotiate our differences. You can see the thread of storytelling throughout our three English degree emphases:
English Literature
Study how we tell and structure stories, and learn how to analyze how written works unite and, sometimes, divide us.
Creative Writing
Learn how to craft stories while harnessing the forms and techniques of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction and screenwriting.
English Education
Teach the power of language to others — and help them share their own stories, whether artistic or professional.
Learn more about licensure to become an English teacher »
Other English program highlights
There are plenty of other reasons to major in English at UW-Whitewater:
- We collaborate with departments across the university to connect language awareness to other subject areas. For example, American Environmental Literature connects English, History, and Environmental Science students, exploring writers’ relationship and long history with nature and wildlife, as well as looking at emerging genres like Cli-Fi (climate change fiction). The class also considers how art and writing can impact environmental change in Wisconsin and beyond.
- The Department of Literature, Writing, and Film offers a variety of student awards and scholarships, including some that help with study abroad expenses.
- Our alumni work in a broad array of fields and participate in many ways to share their professional insights with current English majors.
What our English students do
Contribute to campus media and literary publications
Gain hands-on writing and editing experience through internships
Learn from renowned faculty members and visiting writers
Hannah Agustin won the Norton Writer’s Prize, a competition of outstanding collegiate student writing that comes with a $1,000 cash award.
Beyond the page: Real-world experiences for English majors
Put your analytical, reasoning and writing skills into practice through a variety of hands-on learning experiences on and off campus. English majors can study abroad or participate in short-term travel study programs, and they also gain practical experience through workshop- and project-based courses.
Internships
Pursue an internship to hone your writing, editing and research skills, as well as to boost your career confidence. Because words are everywhere, our students intern in a variety of industries, including media, advertising, publishing, business and health care.
Community-based learning
Help the local community address needs through courses with built-in service components. Or, volunteer at educational events, such as UW-Whitewater’s annual writing festival for local high school students.
Undergraduate research
Take a deep dive into topics that interest you through independent research, or assist faculty members in theirs through the Research Apprentice Program.
Campus and community involvement
There are plenty of ways to get involved in the UW-Whitewater community:
Produce a literary journal
Join the staff of The Muse, UW-Whitewater’s literature and arts magazine. Founded more than 40 years ago, this annual publication features poetry, short stories, essays and art.
Write for campus media
English degree students, especially those interested in a creative writing major, might be interested in creator, production or leadership roles at campus media outlets:
- The Royal Purple – award-winning weekly campus print and online newspaper
- UWW-TV – campus cable television station, located in Conover Studio in Andersen Hall
- WSUW-FM: 91.7 “The Edge” – campus radio station broadcasting throughout the region from a tower atop Hyer Hall
Present your creative work and hear from others
The English program offers many opportunities for students (and faculty members) to share their work with others, such as at public readings and annual events like Literature Crossroads. Our Warhawk Reading & Lecture Series brings to campus published poets and authors from around the world.
Join or lead a student organization
You’ll find hundreds of clubs at UW-Whitewater, and a few that might interest language lovers include:
- The English Club
- The Professional Writing Core
- Law Society
- Forensics
What our graduates do
Content marketing and digital media specialists
Technical writers and grant writing professionals
High school English, literature and creative writing teachers
Jobs for English majors: What you can do with an English degree
When you major in English, your professional options are endless. From arts and entertainment to politics and activism, to exploring outer space or creating your own fictional fantasyland, a degree in English can provide you with the knowledge and skills to pursue a wide range of career paths.
Clockwise from top left: Showrunner Shonda Rimes, Director Steven Spielberg, Astronaut Sally Ride, U.S. Senator Mitt Romney, Environmental Activist Rachel Carson, and Musician John Legend were all English majors at their respective colleges/universities.
After earning a bachelor’s in English, UW-Whitewater graduates pursue creative writing careers, establish themselves in editorial positions, begin on the path toward publishing or become English teachers. Here’s just a sampling of positions:
- Marketing writer
- Proposal writer
- Copyeditor
- Production editor
- Technical writer
- Science writer
- Communications director
- Project manager
- English teacher
- Index creator
- Language translator
Our students are also novelists, screenwriters, poets, essayists and editors.
Christina Xiong, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, earned a B.A. in English and was hired as a reading tutor with the Wisconsin Reading Corps in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
"My proudest achievement includes serving on the Southeast Asian Organization executive board in academic outreach."
Brianna Eland, an undergraduate English education major from Green Bay, Wisconsin, was hired as an English teacher with Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School in Wittenberg, Wisconsin.
Graduate and professional school
Many of our English majors and minors continue to graduate or professional schools to earn a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing, a Ph.D. in literature or a related field, or a law degree. UW-Whitewater graduates have studied at:
- UW-Madison Law School
- University of Virginia
- University of British Columbia
- Vanderbilt University
- Albert-Ludwigs Universitat (Freiburg, Germany)
Our English faculty
Our faculty members are published authors, award-winning writers, prolific researchers, professional writing practitioners and engaged educators. Recent credits on the literary journal side include The New Yorker, Narrative Magazine, The Prairie Schooner, The Boston Review and New Republic.
Want to learn more about earning an English degree?
262-472-1036 | english@uww.edu
UW-Whitewater’s Department of Languages and Literatures offers the following English undergraduate degree options:
- Bachelor of Arts — English Literature emphasis | 4-year plan
- Bachelor of Arts — Creative Writing emphasis | 4-year plan
- Bachelor of Science — English Literature emphasis | 4-year plan
- Bachelor of Science — Creative Writing emphasis | 4-year plan
Minors:
Certificates:
Licensure:
Bachelor of Science in Education, English education emphasis | 4-year-plan
In addition to UW-Whitewater’s general education requirements, as an English major, you’ll take a variety of core and elective classes that will vary based on your chosen emphasis. With such a vast selection, you can personalize your path based on your interests and career goals.
- In literature, you can study and analyze classic, contemporary and popular works in various genres from around the world.
- In creative writing, you’ll explore and experiment in poetry, fiction, nonfiction and even science and nature writing.
Students pursuing English education will complete courses and teaching placements required for state certification.
To apply, you’ll complete the UW-Whitewater standard application for admission and indicate your interest in earning a degree in English.
