Major in English

Bachelor of Arts in English

As an English Bachelor of Arts major, you will hone the writing, reading, speaking, and critical thinking skills that are essential for life beyond the university. Rather than providing a single, linear career path, this major gives you the flexibility to compete in a rapidly-changing economy and to adapt to working with emerging technologies and new media.

Employers frequently cite good communication, writing, and research skills as top criteria when looking to hire new employees. Studying English at ECU will help you to become a strong writer and critical thinker with the skills to succeed in many different career fields.

In our program, you’ll read and explore both the classics and the cutting-edge. If you’re interested in going beyond the classroom, you’ll have the chance to study abroad or work on a for-credit internship.

ECU’s English Department is home to three award-winning journals: The North Carolina Literary Review, Tar River Poetry, and Explorations in Renaissance Culture. English majors also regularly write for student journals like Expressions and Rebel and for ECU’s student newspaper, The East Carolinian.

The North Carolina Literary Homecoming and the Contemporary Writers Series bring leading writers to campus to give readings and talks. In recent years, writers visiting ECU have included Salman Rushdie, Charles Frazier, Colm Toibin, Sherman Alexie, Colum McCann, and United States poets laureate Natasha Trethewey and Philip Levine, among many others.

For additional information about majoring in English, please email EnglishUG@ecu.edu.

English BA Four-Year Plan (suggested, very flexible) (PDF)

Undergraduate Catalog’s English major >