Dr. Joe Wilferth,
Department Head
Courtney Houpt talks about being an English major at UTC
News & Upcoming Events
Robert Pinsky Visit - February 7th
On February 7th, former US Poet Laureate, Dr. Robert Pinsky, will be on campus. English majors, graduate students, and faculty have a unique opportunity to visit with Dr. Pinsky throughout the day. All are invited to atttend:
- 11:00-12:00 – Poetry Forum (discussion of craft and Q&A with English majors, grad students, and faculty), Raccoon Mountain Room (UC)
- 1:30-2:45 – The Work in/of Translation: Dante's Inferno (discussion of the text, plus Q&A with a more general audience of students and faculty), Raccoon Mountain Room (UC)
- 7:00 p.m. - Public lecture; Roland Hayes Auditorium (Fine Arts Center).
More on Pinsky's visit is available here.
Graduate and Undergraduate Student Conference on Literature, Composition, and Rhetoric
The Xi Alpha chapter of Sigma Tau Delta will host a graduate and undergraduate student conference on literature, composition, and rhetoric on March 23-24. Students are invited to submit proposals to present critical work. The conference flier contains relevant information.
Questions should be directed to Laurel Jones at laurel.l.jones@gmail.com.
English Department Scholarships - Apply Now!
The English Department is pleased to invite applications for several student scholarships. Click on the links below for details on each scholarship and to download application forms:
The submission deadline for all four contsts is noon, February 24, 2012.
Department's calendar goes online!
Department Scholarships and Writing Contests
Opportunities for Our Students
The department makes available to students a variety of activities and opportunities that may lead to professional careers: internships in professional and technical writing; participation in the publication of The Sequoya Review, UTC’s literary and arts review; participation in the Meacham Writers’ Workshop, held each semester; membership in The Sequoya Society, an English student club sponsoring guest speakers, a newsletter, and special outings; and possible membership in Sigma Tau Delta, the English Honor Society. Likewise, the Department of English is home to several publications, including Poetry Miscellany, The Tennessee Philological Bulletin, MidAmerica, Midwestern Miscellany, and The Tennessee English Journal. Our students often participate in the production of these publications. Likewise, our students mingle with 35 to 40 famous writers at the biennial Conference on Southern Literature. These are tremendous opportunities for our undergraduate and graduate students alike.
Opportunities for English Majors after Graduation
Because a bachelor’s degree in English provides extensive communication and analytic skills, students are prepared to enter careers in marketing, technical communications, sales, public relations, publishing, advertising, teaching, and even business positions where such skills are increasingly given premium value. Some recent graduates of our undergraduate program have been involved in writing insurance manuals, working with a grant writing agency, directing a college registration office, teaching, directing a summer high school honors program, and doing free-lance writing. Others have gone on to law school or graduate programs in literature, professional writing, or MFA work in some of the most outstanding programs around the country.
Our Programs
In all of its work, the English department's fundamental goal is to develop literacy and analytical skills, leading our students to become independent, reflective, critical readers and writers. Toward this end we offer small, discussion-oriented classes emphasizing close reading and careful writing, conducted by faculty members who are committed to excellence in teaching and mentoring students. We offer undergraduate and graduate degree programs leading to:
- The Bachelor of Arts in English and American Language and Literature
- The Bachelor of Arts in English and American Language and Literature: Writing
- The Master of Arts in English: Literary Study, Criticism, and Research
- The Master of Arts in English: Composition and Rhetorical Studies
- The Master of Arts in English: Creative Writing
We also offer undergraduate minors in:
- Literature
- Rhetoric and Writing
- Creative Writing
In keeping with our commitment to liberal education, the Department of English provides numerous support courses, programs, and institutes for general education and writing. Our faculty is also strongly involved in several important programs, including the UTC Writing Center, the University Honors Program, the English as a Second Language Institute, and Writing Across the Curriculum.
