Bachelor of Arts - General English

The English Studies major is based on a broad model of interdisciplinary study in the fields that make up English Studies. The Department of English offers a full curriculum of courses in eight disciplines, including literature and cultural studies, children's literature, linguistics, rhetoric and composition, technical communications, creative writing, the Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and Publishing.

Students learn how to write well, read critically, develop investigative research skills, working hands-on in digital environments and social networking, and frequently win some of the most prestigious awards at Illinois State, such as the Bone Scholarship. Faculty are eager to work with undergraduate students on research projects, and a low student-to-faculty ratio means students will receive guidance from professors who hold the highest doctoral degrees and are internationally recognized as experts in their fields.

This flexibility in the degree allows both the student with interests in a variety of different fields in English Studies and the student who wants to specialize in a particular discipline to meet their goals.

Students studying English form, evaluate and master the language. They critique and create art forms such as poetry, drama and the novel.

Alumni have also been very competitive as they have applied, and been accepted to, graduate programs in a number of fields, including those that further education in disciplines as well as library and information science, education, law, criminal justice, and even business entrepreneurship and STEM professions. Graduates also teach English abroad, join philanthropic organizations working across the globe, and continue to use their writing and language skills to make the world a better place.

As confirmed by recent articles in Business Insider, Forbes, The Huffington Post, The Washington Post, and CNN Money, English majors have always been, and will always be, a "hot" hire.