Why study English?

Do you want a career as a high school or middle school English teacher? This track of the English major, coupled with a Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Secondary Education, trains you to enter the teaching profession in English Language Arts at the secondary level and makes you more competitive on the job market. The courses you take provide a thorough knowledge of literature and approaches to literary and cultural analysis, as well as instruction in effective stylistic, analytic, and creative writing. Through the Secondary Education major, students also have opportunities to study drama and/or journalism, because Secondary English teachers are often asked to supervise a school’s drama program or to advise the school newspaper or yearbook. This track has been specially designed to align with a major in Secondary Education so that you don't have to take extra classes to achieve a double major. 

This program is designed for students who wish to double major in English and in Secondary Education with a concentration in English Language Arts. Students should declare English Education as a second major (MAJ-ENGL) and Secondary Education (in the College of Education) as the first major. Please note: Students who wish to earn a Bachelor's degree in English with a track in English Education and then, following graduation, enter UC’s Secondary Education graduate program to receive a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction plus licensure to teach should declare the Baccalaureate major in English and fulfill the requirements of the College of Arts & Sciences. 

Career Possibilities

If you want to join a profession in which jobs are plentiful and you can make a real difference in young people’s lives, by cultivating a love of reading and helping to develop their skills as critical thinkers and writers, this track is for you!

English majors enjoy satisfying careers and admission to graduate programs due to their ability to read closely, write clearly, research thoroughly, and think critically. From first-year composition through senior capstone courses, English students engage a wide range of historical and contemporary texts and subject matter, including global, ethnic, minority, and popular literatures; film and visual media; and scientific and professional writing. Our majors are known and respected for their ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing, and find success in such diverse fields as law, business, media, education, publishing, and science. A major in English Education will complement your major in Secondary Education, taking you more deeply into English Studies and making you more appealing to potential employers.

Minoring in English

Minoring in English

A minor in English complements any major, and offers students from other disciplines the opportunity to develop the reading, writing, and critical thinking skills that employers seek in college graduates. Students choose courses from Creative Writing, Literary & Cultural Studies, and Rhetoric & Professional Writing, and may focus on one particular area of study or take courses from two or all three tracks in order to explore different areas of English. 

Certificates in English

The department of English offers four certificate programs: Professional Writing, Creative Writing (Poetry, Fiction, and Literary Nonfiction), Copyediting & Publishing, and Medical Humanities; we also offer a certificate in Literary Journalism jointly with the Department of Journalism. Certificate programs provide more focus and less time commitment than a minor, and provide an opportunity for undergraduate students to more fully develop skills in reading, writing, and analysis in their chosen area of interest.

Major Maps

Advising

Special Programs

Publications and Organizations

English is home to an undergraduate journal, Short Vine, and the nationally prominent literary journal The Cincinnati Review. English majors in the Undergraduate English Society (UES) edit Short Vine. The UES includes all English majors, and is open to anyone interested, including English Education majors. Events include roundtable discussions on graduate school, job fairs, film screenings, and outings to plays and readings. 

Events

English majors enjoy opportunities to hear a number of distinguished authors read their work through our Visiting Writers Series. Likewise, the biennial Emerging Fiction Writers Festival brings four writers to campus for two days of readings and panels. Past visiting writers have included Rita Dove and Colson Whitehead.

Experiential learning

English students can intern with local businesses, nonprofits, university offices, state agencies, media outlets, museums, and more, and earn college credit while developing reading and writing skills. Students can also gain valuable experience by taking research-intensive or service learning courses, by studying abroad, and by entering their work in the department’s writing contest each year.

Renowned faculty

English faculty are active scholars who publish and present in their field. Many teach both undergraduate and graduate courses, and develop strong relationships with their students.

Accreditation