Western Michigan University - Department of English Revenue

About Western Michigan University - Department of English

The Department of English boasts one of the largest majors in WMU’s College of Arts and Sciences. But we have a small average class size (under 18) and a 10 to 1 ratio of majors to full-time faculty. 91% of our graduates are engaged in post-graduation activity, primarily full-time employment and continuing education. Of those who were employed full-time, roughly 80% were both satisfied with their jobs and in positions directly related to their degree. Undergraduate English majors can focus on one of three areas: Creative Writing, Literature and Language, and Rhetoric and Writing Studies. Minors can choose one of four areas: Writing, Literature and Language, Rhetoric and Writing Studies, or World Literature. Our graduate programs are home to some 60 MA, MFA, and PhD students, most of whom are supported by teaching assistantships or other scholarships. In a typical year our graduate students compile a record of publications, productions, presentations, and prizes that testifies to their impressive abilities as writers, scholars and teachers. English is home to 20 board-appointed full-time faculty members, who specialize in areas including Creative Writing, Literature, English Education, Rhetoric and Writing Studies, and Linguistics. We awarded over $25,000 in scholarships to our undergraduate majors in Spring 2023. In Spring 2023, we offered over 30 distinct courses. While many feature traditional topics and canonical writers, some recent classes include Climate Change and Culture, Tolkien and Middle Earth, Trans Women and Queer Literature, and Lexicography (the study of dictionaries!) We offer an Accelerated Masters (or 4 + 1) Program, in which undergraduate English majors can earn an M.A. with only one additional year of course work. Our chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the international English Honors Society, currently has around 50 members, including some who will receive funding to present at the 2024 Sigma Tau Delta national conference in St. Louis, MO.

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