The Department offers a major in English, with courses in British, American, and world literature, and in academic and creative writing. It also houses the Integrated Writing Program, which trains the writing assistants and runs the Writing Center (part of the Learning Commons in Buckley Center 163) used by students in all disciplines for help with their writing. The department also offers an English minor, a complementary addition to many other fields of study.
In our courses, English majors and other interested students develop their knowledge of the English language literary tradition, as well as carefully craft their writing skills. Prospective English majors consult closely with the department chair and other English faculty about designing their programs of study. See the English, BA section for the major's course requirements.
Emily Barrett
- Class of 2010
"I truly loved having 4 years at UP to delve into my passion for literature, and I know it helped develop my interest in the human mind. In addition, there is no question that my writing skills were honed in college, and I can quickly whip out clearly written and organized 10-page evaluation reports because of my background in English."
Ian Clark
- Class of 2013
"The English Department at UP might be small, but it's one of the most vibrant departments on campus, hosting countless visiting writers and lecturers while also organizing the Northwest Undergraduate Conference on Literature, an excellent platform for students to practice presenting their work in a conference setting. More important than all of that, however, is the faculty. UP's English professors enthusiastically step into mentoring roles with their students, providing individualized attention that you simply don't see at larger institutions. As such, English students enjoy an enviable intersection of abundant resources and focused faculty attention. English at UP is, in my opinion, the best of the best."
Annemarie Grimaldi
- Class of 2008
"Majoring in English taught me the most transferable skill that I could need in any career path I choose: the ability to communicate. My professors helped shape me into a better writer, class discussions taught me to communicate my ideas and thoughts about a text, and subsequently, about life, and ultimately I learned to have confidence in my own voice. I can't think of any career path I could have chosen that does not require these skills. "
Amie Windsor
- Class of 2008
"Learning to understand experiences from multiple perspectives, as I did in my English classes at UP has made me a better reporter. It makes me ask deeper questions from unique angles. It helps me give voices to the secondary characters in stories, to which my community has responded well. It's surprising how analyzing characters has helped me so much!"
Kevin Hannon
- Class of 2012
"As an English major at UP, I recall being constantly challenged to look at literature with an open mind and a critical eye. While there are a multitude of perspectives you can take on a poem or a novel, the outstanding professors in the English department reinforced the value that, before making a claim, it is important to read carefully, write intentionally, and be able to defend your perspective with facts. In a time when we are bombarded with information and one can present opinion as fact with a simple status update or tweet, the skills taught by the English professors at UP are invaluable in pushing us to be life-long learners with a sense of integrity and a desire for truth. "
University of Portland
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