English

English

Learning Format

On-Campus

Types

Bachelor's, Minor
English

Come find your voice as an English major!

A degree in English allows you to pursue your passions while gaining the career-readiness competencies employers value the most: expert communication skills paired with creative and innovative thinking! As an English major, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of yourself and the world through the study of literature and writing in its many forms.

We have the most diverse course selection of any comparably sized college in New England. Our department boasts a wide array of courses in British, American, European, and nonwestern literature, as well as an exciting range of specialized writing courses. You can take a course in Postcolonial, Contemporary Latinx, or African American Literature. Other courses we offer include The Graphic Novel, Young Adult Literature, Irish Literature, Victorian Hauntings, Modern Drama, Contemporary African American Poetry, LGBTQ Literature, Caribbean Literature, Shakespeare’s World, and Global Film. We also offer an exciting array of writing courses—from Writing Fiction and Writing Poetry to Grant Writing, News Writing, Writing for Online and Social Media, and so many more!

We offer an impressive range of concentrations and minors focused on job preparation and areas of specialized study. You can choose from Journalism, Professional Writing, Creative Writing, Film Studies, African American Literature and Film, Children’s and Young Adult Literature, our Teacher-Licensure Program, and the dynamic new field of Digital Humanities. You’ll also have the opportunity to earn both a B.A. and an M.A. in five short years through our 4 + 1 Program!

Classes are small and discussion-based, allowing you to build close, individualized relationships with English faculty and fellow students. You’ll experience annual special events; the pride of being part of student publications, including our award-winning student newspaper; memorable field trips to Concord, Boston and New York City; and faculty-led study abroad programs to India and beyond. Join us!

Get Involved! English Clubs, Author Events and More!

It’s illegal to be bored if you’re an English major! In a typical year, you’ll meet inspiring published authors, share your voice at open mics, and attend our film series, poetry festival, and awards ceremony, dubbed “The English Oscars.” You’ll publish your work in FSU’s student literary magazine, The Onyx, and you’ll have the opportunity to join FSU’s award-winning student newspaper, The Gatepost, which for 15 years running has won dozens of Mark of Excellence Awards from the Society of Professional Journalists.

Internships for English Majors

Our partnership with the Mancuso Humanities Workforce Preparation Center offers stipends for course-credit internships and helps identify off-campus internships in Boston and in the MetroWest region. On-campus internship opportunities include working with Campus Publications, Career Services, the Library Archives, the Sports Information Office, our Center for Digital Humanities, and even our English Department social media sites!

Careers in English

The strong reading, critical thinking, writing, and speaking skills you develop as an English major will prepare you for any career you wish to pursue after college. Many English majors go on to graduate school as well as rewarding careers in law, publishing, editing, teaching, technical writing, journalism, sports media, public relations, non-profit proposal and grant writing, higher education, marketing, social media, and library science. Many students go on to earn advanced degrees in these diverse fields. 

Melina Bourdeau

Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate advanced communication skills, including the ability to write lucid prose for specific rhetorical situations

  • Understand the reciprocal relationships among literary texts and specific aspects of their historical times, places, and cultures. 

  • Demonstrate advanced skills for reading different kinds of discourse 

  • Understand scholarly approaches to literature, including a variety of critical theories and methodologies 

  • Demonstrate an aesthetic understanding of language and literature   

  • Demonstrate advanced ability to conduct academic research, from locating and evaluating print and electronic sources to integrating research materials into substantial critical essays

Program Requirements

Program Requirements

Come find your voice as an English major! A degree in English allows you to pursue your passion, while gaining the career-readiness skills employers value the most.

 

View Program Curriculum

Students must complete the nine (9) major core courses and the following six (6) required courses:

Concentration Courses:

Concentration core course:

Choose three (3) from the following courses:

Required Writing or Journalism Elective (1):

Choose one (1) of the following writing or journalism courses:

 Choose two (2) additional English electives, one (1) of which must be at the 200-level or above, from the department:

  • Students may use a 100-level ENGL Literature course for this requirement only if the course was taken prior to the student’s junior year.

Students must complete the nine (9) major core courses and the following six (6) required courses:

Concentration Courses:

Choose four (4) from the following courses:

Required Writing or Journalism Elective (1):

Choose one (1) of the following writing or journalism courses:

Choose two (2) additional English electives, one (1) of which must be at the 200-level or above, from the department:

  • Students may use a 100-level ENGL Literature course for this requirement only if the course was taken prior to the student’s junior year.

Students must complete the nine (9) major core courses and the following six (6) required courses:

Concentration Courses:

Choose One (1) from the following:

Choose Two (2) from the following:

Choose One (1) of the following:

Choose two (2) additional English electives, one (1) of which must be at the 200-level or above, from the department:

  • Students may use a 100-level ENGL Literature course for this requirement only if the course was taken prior to the student’s junior year.

Students must complete the nine (9) major core courses and the following six (6) required courses:

Concentration Courses:

Choose four (4) from the following courses:

Required Writing or Journalism Elective:

Choose one (1) of the following writing or journalism courses:

Choose two (2) additional English electives, one (1) of which must be at the 200-level or above, from the department:

  • Students may use a 100-level ENGL Literature course for this requirement only if the course was taken prior to the student’s junior year.

DOMAIN I-A:

DOMAIN III-A (Choose one (1)):

DOMAIN III-B:

DOMAIN III-C:

Specified Major Core courses (9 courses):

Concentration core courses (5 courses):

Choose two (2) additional English electives, one (1) of which must be at the 200-level or above, from the department:

  • Students may use a 100-level ENGL Literature course for this requirement only if the course was taken prior to the student’s junior year.

 Required course for Secondary Education Licensure:

 Note: These courses may be used to fulfill General Education requirements.

Completion of second semester intermediate foreign language or equivalent

Secondary Education Minor Requirements for Teacher of English 5-12:

See Education Department section on the catalog for further information on teacher education.

Students must complete the nine (9) major core courses and the following six (6) required courses:

Concentration Courses:

Concentration core courses:

Choose two (2) additional professional writing courses from the following, at least one (1) of which must be at the 300-level:

Choose two (2) additional English electives, one (1) of which must be at the 200-level or above, from the department:

  • Students may use a 100-level ENGL Literature course for this requirement only if the course was taken prior to the student’s junior year.

Note: Students should plan to work with the English Internship Coordinator to identify an appropriate internship during the semester before taking ENGL 495 Internship in English.

Students must complete the nine (9) major core courses and the following six (6) required courses:

Concentration Courses:

Concentration core courses:

Choose one (1) course from the following:

Capstone (not taken above):

 

Choose two (2) additional English electives, one (1) of which must be at the 200-level or above, from the department:

  • Students may use a 100-level ENGL Literature course for this requirement only if the course was taken prior to the student’s junior year.

English Minor Requirements (6 courses):

EFFECTIVE AS OF THE 2023-2024 UNDERGRADUATE CATALOG

Career Opportunities

English majors will be prepared to pursue career opportunities across a wide range of exciting fields, including:

Two FSU students reading a newspaper

Publishing

Prepares and manages the distribution of books, newspapers, periodicals, or websites. 

Teaching

Sharing knowledge, providing educational guidance, and ensuring students understand topics. 

Technical Writing

Prepare instruction manuals, how-to guides, and journal articles to communicate complex information. 

Journalism

Research and write news articles and stories about real events using a fair and unbiased perspective

Marketing

Plan, execute, and monitor a successful marketing campaign.  

Library Science

Custodians of printed materials, records, photographs, and audiovisual materials. 

Lisa Eck

Lisa Eck, Ph.D.

Professor and Department Chair, English Department
(508) 626-4848
leck@framingham.edu
May Hall 204
Photo of Desmond McCarthy

Desmond McCarthy, Ph.D.

Professor and Graduate Coordinator, English Department and Journalism Program Coordinator
(508) 626-4813
dmccarthy@framingham.edu
May Hall 206
Photo of Patricia Lynne

Patricia Lynne, Ph.D.

Professor and First-Year Writing Coordinator, English Department
(508) 626-4809
plynne@framingham.edu
May Hall 225
Kelly Matthews

Kelly Matthews, Ph.D.

Professor and Secondary Education Coordinator, English Department and Interdisciplinary Studies Advisor and Coordinator
508-626-4815
kmatthews@framingham.edu
May Hall 115
See All

Social Media

Austin Riffelmacher

Austin Riffelmacher, English major

"Their [English Department faculty] fostering of my abilities contributed to my success and was a big reason why I was able to get into this program at Yale.”

McKenzie Ward, English and History double major

FSU is more than just where I go to school, it is where I know I can accomplish anything and feels like my second home.

McKenzie Ward
Sophia Harris

Sophia Harris, English, Editor-in-Chief, Gatepost

Being a journalist on The Gatepost has taught me skills I will use for the rest of my life. 

Learn More

If the English major sounds like a good fit but you would like to learn more, contact Admissions at admissions [at] framingham.edu (admissions[at]framingham[dot]edu) or 508-626-4500. 

 Apply 

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