English program
Prepare for your future.
The English Department at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse prepares students as professionals and global citizens through the study of literature & culture, writing & rhetoric, and English education.
Coursework features dynamic discussions with peers and professors about enduring real-world issues. Deepen your writing, reading, and critical thinking skills as you explore complex problems from multiple perspectives and develop creative, ethical solutions. Gain career-relevant experiences through internships, client and community service projects, and undergraduate research.
As a department, we engage with texts and ideas as imaginative, open-minded individuals who contribute responsibly to diverse communities in a changing world.
English
An English major is a humanities degree with strong emphasis on reading and writing. Students are challenged to think deeply about what they read and observe, organize their thoughts, and develop arguments. Communication, creative thinking and problem-solving skills make them attractive to employers and graduate schools.
Learn more for EnglishEducation
This major prepares students to become dynamic English Language Arts (ELA) teachers who can meet the needs of adolescent learners at both the middle and high school levels. Faculty guide students through rigorous coursework in fields such as literature, writing, linguistics, and ELA pedagogy. Students receive personalized mentoring throughout multiple field experience and student teaching semesters. English education majors who meet the necessary criteria graduate with a license to teach grades 4-12 in the state of Wisconsin.
Undergrad major Teacher license View a sample plan for Education Catalogfor EducationLanguage & Literature
The English language and literature minor provides a foundation in English Language Arts-related topics and is especially relevant for students who plan to teach in the middle grades or overseas. It addresses issues of literary analysis, linguistics, writing instruction, and literature with particular attention to young adult literature.
Undergrad minor View a sample plan for Language & Literature Catalogfor Language & LiteratureLiterary & Cultural Studies Emphasis
The literary and cultural studies emphasis focuses on developing critical modes of inquiry, foundational and transferable skills in writing, and innovative research focusing on the study of culture and the human condition. Cross-disciplinary conversations hone students’ abilities to analyze diverse personal, cultural, ethical, and global perspectives, and to find creative solutions to complex problems.
Undergrad major Undergrad minor View a sample plan for Literary & Cultural Studies Catalogfor Literary & Cultural StudiesMedical Professions Emphasis
The English major: medical professions emphasis combines courses from English and biology to prepare students for careers in healthcare while they also complete some of the pre-healthcare coursework, practice their writing skills, and study the human condition through narrative. These skills are essential for health-related careers focused on writing and communication.
Undergrad major View a sample plan for Medical Professions Catalogfor Medical ProfessionsWriting & Rhetoric Studies Emphasis
In the writing and rhetoric emphasis students are empowered to examine and shape the world through writing. They develop high-demand written communication skills, gain experience working in teams, learn digital writing technologies, and address diverse audience needs.
Undergrad major View a sample plan for Writing & Rhetoric Studies Catalogfor Writing & Rhetoric Studies
What is English studies?
An English major is a humanities degree with strong emphasis on reading and writing. Students are challenged to think deeply about what they read and observe, organize their thoughts, and develop arguments. Communication, creative thinking and problem-solving skills make them attractive to employers and graduate schools.
The courses taught me about history, theory and practice of language use in social life. The faculty supported me in conducting an undergraduate research project that allowed me to explore my interests, and I learned about conducting research.
Philippe Meister
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Jobs for English majors
Our English graduates prepare for their futures in a wide variety of exciting professions, including public relations, marketing, K-12 and higher education, law, medicine and event planning. Alumni are furthering their careers at businesses, nonprofits, schools and universities regionally and across the nation. We offer scholarship awards totaling more than $5,000 to qualified students every year, place our students in a wide variety of internships, and many of our students are successful in applying to competitive graduate programs across a broad range of disciplines.
English alumni are working in areas such as:
- K-12 and higher education
- Public relations
- Marketing
- Management
- Nonprofit and business communication
- Instructional design
- Web content writing
- Social media marketing
- Journalism
- Event planning
- Politics and public administration
- Grant writing
- Technical writing
- Science communication
- Script writing
- Law
- Medicine and healthcare
What distinguishes UWL's English program?
The English major allows for flexibility in selecting one of several emphasis areas. Students can choose a major, add a minor or double major. This allows for English majors and minors to develop interdisciplinary expertise and boost their marketability. Minor options within the English Department include: creative writing, linguistics, and professional and technical writing. The department also offers a professional and technical writing certificate. Learn more about options in the English program.
Students learn through course-embedded client service projects with community organizations, and course-embedded research projects. English students have received grants for various projects and have presented their research at UWL and regional and national conferences. Students have also published creative works in local and national publications.
Writing is part of the skillset employers want. A 2021 report from The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) indicates that 90 percent of surveyed employers said that writing, critical thinking skills, and collaboration are important.The English Department is a writing-in-the major program, which means that students will learn and develop valuable writing skills throughout their major.
Local businesses and magazines, as well as La Crosse’s two large medical facilities, regularly seek UWL English students for internships. Students can earn academic credit, while gaining real-world experience in areas such as publishing, news reporting, magazine writing, social media writing, science writing, grant writing, graphic and website design and more.
Advanced English majors have the opportunity to gain valuable work experience as paid peer tutors in the UWL Writing Center, which offers the campus community assistance with writing assignments and projects.
The English Department offers eight competitive scholarships specifically for English majors, and awards more than $5,000 to qualified students each year.
The English Department maintains small class sizes, and no English courses are taught by graduate students. The English department faculty are committed to one-on-one contact in the classroom and in advising. English faculty have been honored for UWL, UW System, and national awards for teaching, inclusiveness, research, creative endeavors, service, and community engagement.
English students learn to prioritize and manage their time, as well as work effectively in teams by building interpersonal skills and the self confidence to express ideas. These skills align with what employers consider to be “very important” for college graduates to be successful, according to a 2021 AAC&U report.
Students can gain a global perspective by studying literature and writing in Scotland, England, London, Ireland or Australia.
Sample courses
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