Degrees in English

The undergraduate major in English emphasizes the writing, reading, critical thinking and communication skills that are essential to academic and career success. The major provides students with a sound background in the liberal arts, as well as focused training in the interpretation of literature.

The minor in English allows students in other majors to gain additional expertise in writing and the study of literature and language. It is an especially attractive complement to degrees in fine arts, foreign languages, history, sociology, psychology, business and journalism.

Bachelors of Arts

The program of study includes core courses in American and British literature and a “methods” course in English Studies. The major is also flexible enough to allow students to pursue individual interests in literary study, technical and professional writing, creative writing or language. This flexibility is an advantage to students who certify as English majors relatively late in their academic careers and to those who are also candidates for teacher licensure.

The Faculty

The Department of English places a major emphasis on undergraduate teaching. English faculty have won more Kent State Distinguished Teaching Awards than those of any other department. Many of our faculty also have won international recognition for their scholarship and professional activity. Faculty publish their work in leading journals and with major scholarly presses, and several edit journals in their fields.

Special Programs

The Writing Minor

Qualified students in any major may earn the writing minor. Faculty advisors work with students individually as they produce a polished writing portfolio, which may be creative or expository in nature.

Creative Writing Minor

The department offers workshops in creative writing, focusing upon fiction, poetry and sometimes drama, taught by faculty who are themselves practicing writers.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language Certificate Program

Kent State University is one of the few institutions nationwide which offers a certificate program in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). The program is designed to allow students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in teaching English in a natural EFL setting in Germany. As the program has been put together to complement the world’s growing movement towards globalization, it will provide trained specialists to teach English around the world at various institutions and proficiency levels.

Wick Poetry Center

The Tom and Stan Wick Poetry Center includes an annual poetry contest, with tuition scholarships worth $2,000 awarded to the winning poets whose works are published in a broadside. The Wick Center also sponsors readings and student colloquia by nationally prominent poets. Recent visitors include Maxine Kumin, Gwendolyn Brooks and Scott Sanders.

TWRC

The Technology and Writing Research Classroom is a state-of-the-art networked computer classroom in Satterfield Hall dedicated to integrating microcomputer technology and the teaching and learning of writing. A range of writing classes from freshman to senior levels is taught in the facility each year.