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![English literature student wearing black sweatpants and a tie-dye shirt lays back on the grass while holding a book up and reading during an outdoor class.](https://www.cmich.edu/images/default-source/colleges/liberal-arts-and-social-sciences/program-page-images/hero-and-related-images/2019-389-030-leaves-of-grass-reading-1800x420a0eb752a-4054-4f0c-80dc-f7b72e5c3e43.jpg?sfvrsn=dc46d174_16)
![English literature student wearing black sweatpants and a tie-dye shirt lays back on the grass while holding a book up and reading during an outdoor class.](https://www.cmich.edu/images/default-source/colleges/liberal-arts-and-social-sciences/program-page-images/hero-and-related-images/2019-389-030-leaves-of-grass-reading-420x560a20f24fa-d70b-4ef4-a831-61119be81d30.jpg?sfvrsn=7ecd7620_12)
English
Major
Program Overview
Discover the power of stories. Whether you have a passion for reading or writing — or both — our English program will broaden your worldview and open the door to a world of possibilities.
Program Snapshot
Why This Program & What You'll Learn
Literature taps into our deepest emotions and illuminates the human experience. As a student of English, you’ll immerse yourself in language, stories and ideas across disciplines.
Our flexible program allows you to design your own major. You can either follow a general program of English studies or focus on a particular interest, such as nonfiction writing, world literature or applied linguistics.
Whichever path you choose, you’ll work closely with faculty who will mentor you, advise you and collaborate with you on research. Our faculty publish widely in the field and have won honors for their teaching and research. They bring expertise in everything from children’s literature to creative writing to linguistics.
You’ll also have access to an exceptional collection of children’s literature. Our Lucile Clarke Memorial Children’s Library has more than 7,000 old and rare children’s books, and our Instructional Materials Center features a variety of contemporary works and teaching materials.
You can also expand your degree by adding an undergraduate certificate in Creative Writing.
Program Highlights
As a student of English literatures, language and writing, you can:
- Study with award-winning faculty and published authors.
- Submit your poetry, fiction or nonfiction work to Central Review, our literary journal.
- Apply for scholarships designed specifically for students in the English department.
- Find a community of writers by joining student groups such as the Fiction Collective, the Poets Collective, Word Hammer or the Writing Circle.
- Hear from prominent poets and fiction writers who come to campus for readings and classroom visits.
Concentrations
American and British Literature
Applied Linguistics
Children's and Young Adult Literature
Creative Writing
Nonfiction Writing
World Literature
Careers & Outcomes
The study of English builds highly marketable skills that make you a competitive job candidate in many sectors beyond writing and editing. Graduates go on to rewarding careers in business, law, education, government, publishing, public relations, healthcare, nonprofit organizations, science and technology, among others.
Career | Projected Salary |
---|---|
College Professor/Instructor | $80,840 |
Communications Director | $78,854 |
Technical Writer | $79,960 |
Writer/Author | $73,150 |
Public Relations/Communications Specialist | $67,440 |
English Language and Literature Professor | $74,280 |
![A person wearing a mustard-yellow shirt holds a pencil to a blank notebook on a wooden desk as if about to write.](https://www.cmich.edu/images/default-source/colleges/liberal-arts-and-social-sciences/program-page-images/careers-images/stock_20211013_career_english_literature_language_and_writing_900x60070f47946-0163-442b-b18c-ea3de2c0aa30.png?sfvrsn=1de15b77_7)
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