Southern Illinois University - English
Analytical, Creative, Versatile. Major in English.
If you’re passionate about stories - reading, interpreting, or writing them - then this is the
major for you.
An English degree is versatile. Reading vast amounts of material and comprehending it easily is not a skill everyone has. Nor is putting what you think and feel into words.
English majors have an advantage in law and medical school. They bring creativity and communication skills to careers in advertising, marketing and publishing. They can explain difficult concepts and find communication careers in technical fields. They teach. And they are the soul of the entertainment world, from novels to movie scripts and more.
See what SIU can do for you
Undergraduate Program
Whether you specialize in traditional literary studies, creative writing, or teaching, your English degree provides you with "soft skills" that companies like Google and a range of graduate programs find valuable. Combined with our focus on experiential learning, our degree sets you up for success—both professionally and as an engaged, fulfilled person in the 21st Century.
Students can choose from four distinct paths depending on what they want to study and where they want to go after they graduate, including:
Podcasts and Virtual Reality
Interested in learning about the podcasting world? In the English Department, students explore new kinds of technological storytelling, from podcasting and audiobook creation to gaming and virtual reality narrative.
Undergraduate Journals
Students edit and provide content for two undergraduate journals: Grassroots, a literary arts magazine, and The Journal of Fantasy and Fan Cultures, a magazine of literary and cultural criticism. Students working with Grassroots also help run our two literary festivals: Devil’s Kitchen in the Fall, and Little Grassy in Spring.
Graduate Program
Our Graduate program provides a course of study leading to the MA, MFA, and PhD degrees in literature, rhetoric and composition, and creative writing. It allows students the opportunity to learn hands-on by teaching, editing and working with professors. They can get involved in the local writing community, participate in writing festivals and programs, and intern at the SIU Press.
Crab Orchard Review and SIU Press
Both undergraduates and graduate students have the opportunity to intern with Crab Orchard Review, a prominent literary journal, and at the SIU Press. Each provides students with hands-on experience in publishing, and gives them invaluable professional experience.