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College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Develop Your Interests Into a Career

Bachelor of Arts in English
In-Class

Studying English at the undergraduate level is more than satisfying your passion for the written word and enriching your knowledge about the world around you; it’s also a step toward becoming the person and professional you want to be. Whatever your career passion may be, you will be better at it with strong, refined research and communication skills and the ability to think and work independently, creatively, and analytically.

The English field of study at AUM is designed to offer students a broad background in literature and language as a preparation for graduate study or careers in a number of job fields where communication skills are paramount: as educators, journalists, editors, authors, lawyers, business consultants, public relations specialists, television producers, and more.

At AUM, you’ll learn in a supportive environment that includes small classes and intensive, personal instruction from experienced professors who hold terminal degrees and have published significant research or creative work in their specialties.

As you pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, you’ll be able to take courses from a range of subjects, including:

  • Medieval and Renaissance literature
  • Modern and postmodern literature
  • Fiction, poetry, drama, and nonfiction
  • Literary criticism
  • Creative writing
  • Rhetoric and composition
  • Professional and technical writing
  • Language and linguistics

Students in the Department of English and Philosophy have an opportunity to contribute to Filibuster, a student-run publication of poetry, short stories, songs, journal entries, plays, screenplays, and other genres and forms. Internships with local advertising agencies, online and print publications, and other businesses will give you valuable real-world experience. To help you pay for school, scholarships are available on a department level and at the university level.

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The Know How

What you will know with an English degree from AUM

We Prepare You To Be Well-Rounded

Surveys with employers tell us that writing, researching, presenting, and critical reading are important career skills for serious job candidates. You’ll start developing those and other skills as you launch a lifetime of learning.

We Encourage You To Think

The courses in this program help you become a critical thinker, with skills such as collecting and evaluating information, drawing conclusions and evaluating those conclusions.

We Give You A Positive Framework For Advancement

This program will help you prepare for graduate studies (if you choose to pursue them), to advance in your career, and to have the best shot at advancement or leadership roles.

We Prepare You For The Job Market

Through internship opportunities, study abroad, hands-on assignments, and professional networking opportunities, you’ll be ready to jump into the job market.

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Game Plan for Success

Your GPS is an academic tracker that provides a step-by-step guide to graduating on time.

Points of Pride

  • AUM English majors have undertaken internships in writing and editing, leading to full-time employment in such well-known organizations as the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, New South Publishing and United Business Media.
  • The department is successful in helping students contribute their material to local and national publications.
  • AUM English majors have ample opportunity to work with faculty editing or contributing to scholarly articles and books.

Soaring Warhawks

  • Jonathan Wright and Bebe Barefoot received the prestigious Hudson Strode Scholarship for doctoral studies at the University of Alabama.
  • Deborah Solomon published seven articles as an AUM student, then received a full scholarship at Florida State University, where she served as the managing editor of the Journal for Early Modern Cultural Studies. She is now an assistant professor of English at Auburn University.

Customize Your Concentration

  • Looking to expand your learning for a robust and flexible career? Minor in Creative Writing or Philosophy.
  • Apply to the University Honors Program, a diverse community of students who take classes together, work on community service projects, and travel the U.S. and abroad.
We Have the Answers

Rewarding Occupations and Job Growth

Through classwork and internships, our graduates are well prepared to read, write, analyze, argue, prove, and respond. These skills are vital in many career paths.

Check out our Career Discovery Board on this page to begin exploring your options. Contact us by phone or email so we can get you the answers you need.

In addition to university-wide scholarships, you could be a candidate for the English and Philosophy Scholarship, the Guin A. Nance Endowed Scholarship, the Marion Michael Scholarship or others.

With an English degree, you will be ready to undertake a variety of career choices. AUM’s Career Development Center helps you jumpstart your job search and use your network to expand your career options.

Students seeking to continue their education in Law school are given dedicated resources that provide class schedule advising focused on career choice, assistance with graduate school applications, and more.

Degree Options

Is a Degree in English right for me?

With this bachelor’s degree as your educational foundation, you have many career possibilities.

Career/Job TitleEntry-level EducationJob Growth 2020-2030Annual Median Salary
ProfessorMaster’s degree12% (Faster than average)$80,560
EditorBachelor’s degree5% (Slower than average)$63,400
Writer/AuthorBachelor’s degree9% (As fast as average)$67,120
Public Relations SpecialistBachelor’s degree11% (Faster than average)$62,810
Technical WriterBachelor’s degree12% (Faster than average)$74,650
News Analyst, Reporter, and JournalistBachelor’s degree6% (As fast as average)$49,300

Note: Salaries vary depending on several factors including your level of experience, education, training, demographics, and industry. Here is a sampling of the future job growth and salaries according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Quick Facts

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

At AUM’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, you will have powerful learning experiences, working side by side with professors who have real-world experience.

Our academic departments include Communication and Theatre, Criminal Justice, Economics, English and Philosophy, Fine Arts,  History and World Cultures, Political Science and Public Administration, Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work, and Army ROTC. To help you pay for college, you might qualify for one of our scholarships.

Official Name of the English Degree

Bachelor of Arts in English

Modality

This degree requires students to meet on campus. Students in these courses enroll in a program to connect in a campus setting and to collaborate using a variety of technological and educational tools. Professors play an inspirational role in building relationships among teams and individuals in this setting. The criteria for many programs can only be met with In-Class coursework. Be sure to check with your advisor to understand the best route to take.

In-Class
English

Required Courses

To complete this degree concentration, you will need to complete courses in the university core, English, and electives. Contact us for a current listing of courses required to complete this program.  

The course listings below are only a few of the classes this concentration requires. For a full review of this program in detail, please see our official online catalog AND consult with an academic advisor.

Course #Course NameCourse Description
ENGL 2500English as a Field of StudyIntroduces students majoring in English to the possibilities and approaches of the discipline, the methods of computerized and library research and (through guest lectures) the members of the English faculty.
ENGL 3010Introduction to Professional and Technical WritingIntroduces students to the concepts and strategies of professional and technical writing.
ENGL 3070 or ENGL 4050 or ENGL 4070Introduction to Linguistics or Studies in English Grammar or History of the English LanguageIntroduction to Linguistics: An introduction to basic concepts in linguistics, including phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics. (May be repeated once for credit when the topic varies.)
Advanced English Grammar: A survey of the structure and grammar of English, with particular attention to the usage of the language for teachers and writers.
History of the English Language: Development of the English language.
ENGL 4080Literary CriticismA study of the history and fundamental principles of literary criticism from Aristotle to the present.
ENGL 4270Studies in ShakespeareA study of the plays of William Shakespeare. The topic will vary from semester to semester at the discretion of the professor.
ENGL 4950English CapstoneThe capstone prepares senior English majors for graduation and career success via a research project in their area of interest and professionalization exercises.
PHIL 2010Introduction to PhilosophyAn introduction to the methods of philosophical inquiry and a study of some major topics in philosophy.
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