Department of English

In the Department of English, we teach students how to think critically and creatively, and we conduct research to advance knowledge about culture, language, and the written word. Our graduate and undergraduate curricula emphasize deep research skills and unbounded creativity, preparing students for successful careers in academia, business, law, and other professions, as well as nonprofit work, teaching, writing, publishing, and the arts. Courses refine students’ oral and written communication skills, teaching them to be precise, clear, and inventive stylists.

The study of literature and language is at the core of each undergraduate major, providing a common, foundational knowledge about the cultural contexts in which texts and linguistic artifacts are produced, interpreted, and circulated. Individual undergraduate majors (English, creative writing, technical and scientfic communication, and professional and technical writing) provide specialized approaches to textual and linguistic critique and invention. Students graduate with enhanced capacities to understand both their cultures and the experiences of others, through varied experiences of collaboration and textual border-crossing that are inherent in our curriculum.

Classes in the English department are small. Students spend quality time with our award-winning faculty and have opportunities for individual and team-based research experiences. The department supports a number of internships. We invite visiting writers and scholars to speak every semester, and each spring students share their work at an undergraduate research conference and a student-run literary festival. Our undergraduate students publish in various Virginia Tech magazines, and graduate creative writing students serve as editors for two national journals.

Graduate programs in the Department of English include a general M.A. in English, an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Writing.

Undergraduate Majors and Minors

Graduate Programs

Why Study English Here?

Contact Us

2024 Fall Semester Course Look Book

Circle of summer field with the word Summer. 2025 Summer Semester Look Book. Department of English logo.

News and Stories Spotlight

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Category: academics What we’re reading: English faculty recommend their favorite books , article
This collection of thrillers, historical fiction, romance, or thought-provoking nonfiction will appeal to every type of reader.
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Category: academics Charting a new course: A veteran’s path from Navy service to academic advocacy , article
From the Navy to Virginia Tech’s Ph.D. program,, Patrick Greene’s path to academia is driven by resilience and a deep love of language. A disabled veteran and former technical editor, Greene researches disability in higher education, with a focus on writing center leadership.
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Category: impact Experts available: Texas floods and fallout, Netanyahu in Washington, measles, tourism shortfall, and more , article
Virginia Tech experts are available to discuss issues around the flooding in Texas, Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington, rising measles cases, Elon Musk's intent to form a new political party, the U.S. tourism shortfall, and more.
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Category: impact Expert explains crime genre’s appeal ahead of 'Dexter: Resurrection' , article
As Dexter Morgan returns to the small screen in "Dexter: Resurrection," Ingrid Johnson, an advanced instructor in the Department of English, explains viewers' fascination with morally-complex characters, and how scripted dramas compare to true crime.
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Category: campus experience From manuscript to marketplace: Students explore self-publishing , article
Student authors Aidan Mason and Ruhi Parikh didn’t wait for permission to share their stories with the world.
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Category: academics Justin Greene, unscripted , article
From first-year writing to speculative media, Justin Greene brings curiosity, creativity, and care to the classroom. This year’s Department of English Joyce Gentry Smoot Award honoree shares his path to teaching, his love of video games and horror cinema, and how he builds student confidence one toolbox at a time.