Welcome to the University of Michigan Department of English Undergraduate Programs page. The following program information is intended as only a summary. For complete information on requirements and procedures, please schedule an appointment to speak with a concentration advisor.

If you are interested in attending the University of Michigan, please visit this site for information on admissions, transfer students, etc.: http://www.admissions.umich.edu/

For information about English as a Second Language, please contact the English Language Institute at http://www.lsa.umich.edu/eli/

• A Note from the Undergraduate Chair about Plagiarism
  
• A Note from the Undergraduate Chair about the Academic Minor in English
  
• Internships in the Department of English
  

Students in the General Program must successfully complete 27 credits in English courses numbered 300 or above. The courses must include: three courses on literature written primarily before 1830, at least one of which must be on literature written primarily before 1600; one course in American literature; and one course designated "New Traditions," focusing on the cultural traditions of women, minority ethnic groups, and people of color. A list of courses that fulfill a given requirement will be available each term in the Course Information section of the Department of English Homepage. For more information, see the English department General Program Brochure.

Learning Goals for an Undergraduate Concentration in English Language and Literature

The University of Michigan’s English department, like other English departments in the U.S., has long been called upon to pursue four different projects: to survey and analyze the broad range of texts in the English language; to study the history of that language: to foster creative as well as critical writing; and to study and teach composition.  To be sure, as the profession of literary studies has developed over the past century, all four of these endeavors have undergone shifts in emphasis. Historical philology has been supplemented by literary interpretation; literary history has been enriched by theory, by the critical study of culture, by the methods and approaches of other disciplines; the study of language has embraced the vitality of real speaking communities, past and present; creative writing, commonly thought of as fiction and poetry, has expanded to include creative non-fiction, drama, film, and even performance; composition studies have looked closely at the socio-cultural and cognitive aspects of the writing process.  Even as we seek to respond to these ongoing developments in our field, and the debates they generate, we continue to maintain our commitment to all four of these endeavors.  Indeed, we consider them to be the basis not only of our rich intellectual life, and of our excellence as a research faculty, but also of our success as a teaching faculty serving large numbers of students in the College and the University. [Introductory statement in our Long Range Plan}

The undergraduate concentration in English Language and Literature asks students to achieve:

• Breadth of knowledge
  A broad critical understanding of literary culture, including canons, alternative canons, and critical histories of literatures in English; the variety of critical perspectives on literature; the history and theory of language; the history and theory of genres (or literary modes); modes of production; and the connection between literary culture and socio/historical contexts.
• Depth of knowledge
  Mastery of a coherent body of more specialized knowledge that the student helps to formulate.
• Heightened awareness of language as a medium
  The skills needed to recognize, analyze, and appreciate rhetorical, poetic, and other uses and functions of language; to produce close and critical readings of a wide variety of texts; to write clearly and effectively in a variety of modes; to develop and articulate a persuasive argument in speech and in writing; and, for some, to write creatively in various genres.

English concentrators who wish to specialize in the writing of poetry or prose fiction may, in the winter term of their junior year, apply to the Creative Writing Subconcentration, which is an optional path to a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Students in the program take the creative writing workshops described above in sequence, and, in their last term, compile a major manuscript of poetry or prose fiction while working closely with the creative-writing faculty in a tutorial reserved for subconcentrators (English 428). The program is small and selective; however, students not enrolled in the subconcentration may still pursue their interest in creative writing by applying to the appropriate upper-level workshops.

The application deadline is always in the first week of February. Applications may be picked up in 3187 Angell Hall. For more information, please consult the on-line Creative Writing Program Requirements.

Keith Taylor, Director, Creative Writing Program

Top of Undergraduate Degree Programs

Prospective Honors students might best prepare for the program by taking, in their first two years, English 297-INTRODUCTION TO POETRY and English 298-INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY STUDIES. Honors students must take a course in literary theory, two Honors Seminars and prepare a thesis of approximately 40-50 pages in length on a topic approved by the Honors Director and elaborated in consultation with a thesis advisor. Students interested in attempting Honors should signal their intent by week 7 of the winter term of their sophomore year or by week 7 of the fall term of their junior (no later than week 7 of winter term of their junior year). The application materials consist of: an application to the program, transcript of courses taken and a list of those currently in progress, a critical essay, a statement of purpose and the names of two English department faculty who might recommend you for the Program. Students must maintain a 3.5 GPA or better in the concentration and related fields. For specific Program and admission information please read our brochure entitled "Achieving Honors in English" or call (734) 764-6330.

The English Department has set up an archive of past honors theses, which can be browsed in 3154 Angell Hall. You can view a catalog of thesis titles at "English Department Honors Thesis Archive Catalog."

Adela Pinch, Interim Director, English Honors Program
Keith Taylor, Director, Creative Writing Program

Those students who have at least a 3.5 GPA in the English concentration may apply to the program after they have been accepted to the subconcentration. Honors will be awarded, as warranted, based on the student maintaining a 3.5 GPA and earning a grade of A- or better on the thesis. The English Department has set up an archive of past theses, which can be browsed in 3154 Angell Hall. You can view a catalog of thesis titles at "Creative Writing Thesis Archive Catalog"

For more information, please consult the on-line Creative Writing Program Requirements.

If you are interested in becoming a teacher for the Certificate Program, applications are accepted once a year. The deadline is January 15 for the following fall. To receive application materials, go to the Office of Students Services (1033) in the School of Education. Application materials are also available online at http://www.soe.umich.edu/admissions. If you have questions about the application process, you may wish to confer with a School of Education advisor by calling (734) 764-7563. SOE advisors are available in the LSA Advising Center. Please call for specific day and time. The handout "Teaching Certificate in English and English Professional Semester" will answer many of your questions about requirements for the Certificate Program. It is available online by clicking the above link, in the Undergraduate Office (3187 Angell), and in 2014 SEB.

Top of Undergraduate Degree Programs

The Office of International Programs (OIP) produces an informational brochure for English Concentrators interested in study abroad. You can download it here:

Study Abroad Information for English Concentrators (PDF)

Top of Undergraduate Degree Programs

Students at any class level may wish to tap into the services offered by The Career Center for assistance with their career exploration and decision making process.  Whether they are searching for an internship or a job, or are gearing up to apply for graduate or professional school, the counselors at The Career Center are available to help.

Top of Undergraduate Degree Programs