EXPLORE ACADEMICS
The English Department offers study abroad courses in England, Scotland, Italy and South Africa.
Explore Our Programs
Why Study English?
Creative Writing
The B.A. in English, with a Concentration in Creative Writing, combines artistic exploration, foundational literary studies and a focused creative capstone experience. Undergraduate alumni have gone on to work as writers and editors for newspapers and magazines and to pursue graduate study in Creative Writing, law, literature, religious studies, library science and education at universities across the country.
The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Ph.D. in English program with a Concentration in Creative Writing both provide graduate students the benefits of pursuing advanced degrees while living and writing in Atlanta, an international city with vibrant literary, art, music and food cultures. Our students come from all over the US and from abroad to work with faculty mentors who help them write and publish novels and collections of poems, stories and essays, place work in top literary magazines and win important prizes, fellowships and contests. Our graduates teach at leading colleges and universities, work in publishing for nonprofit organizations, and as copyeditors, copywriters and technical writers.
Rhetoric & Composition
You don’t have to look far (Forbes, New York Times, Monster.com) to find stories about the value of clear, compelling and concise writing in professions such as law, medicine, education and engineering.
Learn to use innovative technology to create beautiful, well-crafted, reliable content for print, web and social media. We live in exciting times when it comes to writing and technology. That’s why so many of our classes provide you with opportunities to gain both traditional and digital writing skills. Sharpen and refine critical thinking and writing skills while focusing on contemporary social issues.
Many of our courses in digital publishing, food and travel writing and the history of rhetoric and literacy provide opportunities for service learning and internships while also addressing issues such as climate change, urban poverty and education inequality.
Literary Studies
Students of literature acquire an uncommon set of tools for lifelong social and intellectual engagement, becoming better thinkers, readers and writers. Our graduates excel in professions that require precise analysis, effective research and strong argumentation. This unique set of skills—honed in seminars and interdisciplinary and multi-media courses—leads to success in post-graduate and professional studies and rewarding careers in a wide range of professions from medicine to law to business, advertising, publishing, teaching and web design.
Pre-Education
Undergraduate students may want to consider the Pre-Education in English concentration even if they're not planning on becoming a school teacher. The concentration is also valuable for those with a general interest in education and a desire to work in a profession that involves less traditional forms of instruction such as working as a student advocate, a non-profit administrator, a corporate education consultant, or director of a museum or cultural heritage organization.
Helpful Resources
First Year Writing Program
Offering a wide range of opportunities for undergraduates in all fields of study, Georgia State’s First-Year Writing Program (FYWP) offers the highest level of instruction for students enrolled in 1000-2000 level courses in composition, rhetoric, literature and business writing.
Guided by the Conference on College Composition and Communication’s “Principles for the Postsecondary Teaching of Writing,” Georgia State’s FYWP is committed to sound writing instruction, linguistic diversity, critical and professional literacies and the rhetorical power of writing.
Study Abroad & Exchange Program
Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible for study abroad programs sponsored by the Department and the College at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, the University of Northumbria-Newcastle in the UK and the University of Toulouse-Jean Jaurès in Tolouse, France.
Contact Us
English Department
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. - 5:15 p.m.
Department Specialist
Heather Russel