English, BA
Join a community of writers and scholars who believe that the words we use and the stories we tell are central to the human experience. You will explore enduring questions about art, identity, culture, freedom, ethics, values, beauty, and other vital topics that have inspired passionate debate for millennia—and that have traditionally defined a college education.
Program Overview
The English BA program builds expert readers, writers, and communicators, preparing you to think creatively and analytically and to develop skills transferable to any field.
This program is a great fit for students who love a wide variety of literature, for those who want to explore their creative passions through fiction, poetry, or nonfiction, and for those who want to become culturally knowledgeable communicators in any field. Whatever your focus within English, you will graduate with real-world skills that provide a solid foundation for career success.
Plus, with our five concentrations, Honors pathway, and minor options, you can tailor your English degree to your unique academic interests.
Concentrations
Our English program offers versatile concentrations. Whether you want to explore literature, break into publishing, or learn to communicate with clarity, we have options for you.
Our current selection of concentrations include:
- Creative Writing concentration
- Literature concentration
- Publishing concentration
- Rhetoric and Writing concentration
- Technical Communication concentration
Honors
If you’re interested in taking advanced coursework that will challenge you intellectually, our Honors pathway is a great option. You will complete a research project in the form of an Honors thesis, take Honors-specific courses, and receive individualized mentorship from faculty. Students interested in Honors must maintain an English GPA of 3.5 or higher and an overall GPA of 3.25 or higher.
Our program offers the Honors pathway for all available English concentrations.
Minors
Our current available minors include:
- English minor
- Technical Communication minor
If you want to supplement your primary field of study with English language, literature, or writing and communication skills, our minors are a great option. The Technical Communication minor can enhance any field, preparing you to communicate clearly, concisely, and with precision in technical, scientific, and medical (or other) topics.
Why Study English?
A bachelor’s degree in English equips you with strong reading, writing, and interpretive skills while introducing you to important literary and cultural texts that have shaped the modern world. With this background, you will be well prepared for a successful career in any number of fields, including law, education, business, nonprofits, and health.
A Foundation for Professional Success
In today’s rapidly evolving information ecosystem, knowing how to read with purpose and to communicate with precision are some of the skills that employers value most. Our program helps you build the strong communication and critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in your chosen profession.
Versatility That Matters
English is all around us and in everything we do. With a wide range of course options and professors that mentor you every step of the way, you will graduate with a versatile skill set that honors your intellectual passions and equips you for a dynamic career.
Next-Level Career Preparation
Our English alumni have gone on to careers in a variety of fields, including law, IT, project management, editing, publishing, writing, and even content and experience design. Even our very own Chancellor Donde Plowman was an English major.
What Can You Do with a BA in English After Graduation?
A degree in English from UT sets you up for success in a variety of careers.
Our students learn to communicate effectively and creatively, allowing them to excel across fields. They pursue a wide range of careers that require cultural understanding and an ability to write and think with originality. They become screenwriters, novelists, poets, teachers, publicists, content creators, business people, consultants, and entrepreneurs. Skills from an English degree are highly transferable. No matter which path you choose, the skills you learn will equip you to achieve your professional goals.
No matter which path you choose to take for your English degree, the versatile skills you learn will have you equipped for whatever you feel drawn to pursue.
Featured Courses
ENGL 244 Introduction to Games and Narrative
This course explores how storytelling, narrative structure, mechanics, worldbuilding, and player choice create interactive, immersive experiences in gaming.
ENGL 356 Writing with Generative AI
In this course, students will learn to write with Generative AI tools across various writing processes. This course places an emphasis on critique of output and reflection on learning.
ENGL 360 Technical and Professional Writing
This course is ideal for students who need to sharpen their technical communication skills. Students will learn to write definitions, process descriptions, proposals, abstracts, executive summaries, and major reports.
ENGL 404 Shakespeare I: Early Plays
This course covers Shakespeare’s dramatic achievement before 1601 and includes reading and discussion of selected plays from romantic comedies, including Twelfth Night; English histories, including Henry IV; and early tragedy, including Hamlet.
Complementary Minors and Certificates
Looking to enhance your degree? Consider these programs as a complement to your primary major.
- Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Tesol) Certificate
- Humanities Undergraduate Certificate
- Digital Humanities Minor
Looking For More Options?
The College of Arts and Sciences offers students the broadest range of academic programs and opportunities for research and creative activities at the University of Tennessee, powered by faculty expertise across every discipline.
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