COURSE CURRICULUM

The English Literature degree at the University of North Texas offers students an academically rich and intellectually engaging environment focused on literature, critical analysis, research, and communication. One of the program’s major strengths is its accomplished faculty, many of whom graduated from top graduate programs in the country and are recognized as outstanding teachers, active scholars, and influential researchers. Faculty achievements include prestigious honors such as the BBC International Short Story Award, a major U.S. State Department grant, and the National Book Critics Circle Award in Poetry, reflecting the high level of expertise students encounter throughout the program. Students can also become involved in organizations such as the Sigma Tau Delta international English honor society, which supports academic excellence, leadership, and professional networking among English majors. The department encourages students to participate in research and publishing opportunities by assisting faculty with projects or contributing to respected journals such as the American Literary Review, Studies in the Novel, and Conradiana. Faculty creative and research projects have also received funding from nationally recognized organizations including the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, further strengthening the program’s academic reputation. Small class sizes across all course levels allow students to collaborate closely with classmates and interact directly with professors, creating a supportive learning environment that promotes discussion, mentorship, and intellectual growth. Graduates with a Bachelor of Arts in English develop strong writing, analytical thinking, and communication skills that prepare them for careers in law, publishing, education, journalism, advertising, public relations, and many other fields. Many alumni become teachers of English composition, literature, or English as a Second Language, while others continue into competitive master’s and doctoral programs nationwide. Notable alumni careers include work as editors, curators, public relations professionals, novelists, poets, screenwriters, and employees of organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Government Printing Office. The curriculum includes courses such as British Anglophone Literature from 1780 to the Present, Shakespeare, Literary Criticism, Chaucer, Studies in Contemporary American Literature, and American Literature to 1870, all designed to deepen literary understanding, strengthen critical interpretation, and expand students’ awareness of literary traditions, historical contexts, and cultural perspectives.