English, BA
We offer courses in literature, language, creative writing, and professional writing and editing, allowing you to plan a course of study best suited to your interests. All students are encouraged to take courses in literature, language, writing and cultural studies with nationally recognized faculty who are researching and publishing in their field. Class sizes are small, allowing you to receive personal attention and to find a home within the greater University.
Degrees in English are extremely flexible and pair well with many of the other majors or minors offered by the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.
Your Degree Plan
Literature of Love, Sex, and Gender
ENGL 180
Analyzes representations of love in literature and film across historical periods and genres, with particular attention to narrative representations of sex, gender, and sexual identity.
Creative Writing: Fiction
ENGL 212
An open enrollment introduction to the writing of fiction.
Non-Western World Literature
ENGL 226
Selected readings in non-Western world literature, ancient, and modern.
Appalachian Fiction
ENGL 252
Reading of short stories, novels, and other narratives by Appalachian authors.
Science Fiction and Fantasy
ENGL 257
A study of the history and nature of science fiction from H. G. Wells to the present, with special attention to features of prose narration.
Shakespeare 1
ENGL 263
Several of Shakespeare's most important plays.
Multimedia Writing
WRIT 303
Study of communication and design issues in multimedia composition. Focuses on communication, creative expression, persuasion, interactivity, and rhetorical principles. Practice in composing multimedia documents such as online publications, interactive literary works, and tutorials.
Theatre Tour
ENGL 339
Introduces students to texts in performance by reading dramatic texts and traveling to see those texts in performance. Performance sites may include either international or U.S. locations.
Creative Writing
Literary and Cultural Studies
Professional Writing and Editing
3+3 Law Program
This major is eligible for the 3+3 Law Degree Program that allows qualified students to earn a bachelor’s degree and law degree in 6 years instead of 7 years.
Honors
Expand your curiosity and enhance your curriculum through the WVU Honors College. Two programs are offered: Honors Foundations and Honors in Action.
The WVU Difference
What sets this program apart?
- The Digital Publishing Institute, an international institute housed in WVU Libraries, supports production of publishing projects that require digital and media-rich components.
- The Department’s multiple journals and publishing institute offer real-world experience.
- SpeakWrite Certified Major automatically fulfills the WVU General Education Foundations writing and communication skills requirement.
- Annual departmental writing contests.
- Scholarships available for outstanding students.
- Sigma Tau Delta honorary for outstanding English students.
- Opportunities to work at the Center for Literary Computing or the Writing Center.
- Earn academic credit through Eberly internship courses.
- 500+ scholarships awarded annually by the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.
- Academic Enrichment Program offers funding for activities that complement, extend, and enhance your academic experience.
Learn by Doing
Get involved outside the classroom.
- The West Virginia Dialect project studies language variation and fosters understanding and appreciation of the speech of West Virginians. Undergraduate research assistants study the intricate nature of Appalachian dialects while gather cultural information.
- Calliope is WVU’s undergraduate literary journal that is exclusive to publishing works by WVU students.
- Cheat River Review is a literary magazine edited by MFA students and the Council of Writers of the WVU MFA program.
- Kairos is a referred, open-access online journal exploring the intersections of rhetoric, technology and pedagogy. The journal reaches a wide audience, currently 45,000 readers per month, hailing from Ascension Island to Zimbabwe.
- Victorian Poetry, a critical journal of Victorian literature, is edited by the Department of English. The journal was established at WVU in 1963 and has become internationally known, with subscribers in 27 countries.
Careers and Outcomes
How does this degree prepare students for a career?
Lawyers
Median Salary: $151,160
Possible Job Titles: Attorney, Attorney General, Counsel, Lawyer
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
May Require Graduate Degree
Median Salary: $78,270
Possible Job Titles: English Instructor, English Professor, Instructor, Professor
Public Relations Specialists
Has a Bright Outlook
Median Salary: $69,780
Possible Job Titles: Communications Specialist, Public Affairs Specialist, Public Information Officer, Public Relations Specialist (PR Specialist)
Editors
Median Salary: $75,260
Possible Job Titles: Editor, News Editor, Newspaper Copy Editor, Sports Editor
Technical Writers
Median Salary: $91,670
Possible Job Titles: Documentation Specialist, Information Developer, Technical Communicator, Technical Writer
Writers and Authors
Median Salary: $72,270
Possible Job Titles: Advertisement Agency Copywriter (Ad Agency Copywriter), Advertising Copywriter, Copywriter, Freelance Copywriter
Poets, Lyricists, and Creative Writers
Median Salary: $72,270
Possible Job Titles: Author, Freelance Writer, Novelist, Songwriter
Interpreters and Translators
Median Salary: $59,440
Possible Job Titles: Interpreter, Medical Interpreter, Sign Language Interpreter, Translator
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing
Has a Bright Outlook
Median Salary: $66,780
Possible Job Titles: Outside Sales Representative, Sales Consultant, Sales Representative (Sales Rep), Salesman
Desktop Publishers
Median Salary: $53,620
Possible Job Titles: Compositor, Computer Typesetter, Electronic Console Display Operator, Publisher
Where our graduates work
WVU English alumni work in fields such as business, government, journalism, law, publishing, editing, and education.
Employers include:
- FBI
- NIOSH
- Scholastic Publishing
- Bechtel
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
Graduate schools
Recent alumni have gone on to graduate programs at some of the top universities in the country, including the University of Iowa, Syracuse University, Temple University, Ohio State University, and many others.
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the English major, first-time freshmen must meet WVU's first-time freshman admission requirements. Interested in transferring? Review the transfer admission requirements.
Tuition and Aid
How much does English at WVU cost? And how can you save?
Tuition and Fees
Estimated rates are available on our tuition website. Anyone who is not a current West Virginia resident, including international students, will be charged non-resident rates.
Ways to Save
Beyond scholarships, here are other ways to reduce your cost of attending WVU.
Financial Aid
The most important step toward funding your future with financial aid for the English, BA is submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.
Ohio Tuition Reciprocity
As the result of a special agreement, students from Ohio who are fully admitted to English can enroll at WVU and pay in-state tuition rates. Students must be admitted to both the University and this major.
Start at Another WVU Campus
You can start your career with WVU at another campus and transfer to WVU Morgantown.
Transfer Articulation Agreements
To simplify the transfer process, we have formal agreements with certain institutions. These agreements outline the courses you should take to prepare for transferring to WVU.
Review the full list of transfer articulation agreements to see if your institution is listed.
Request Info
Want to know more about English at WVU? Fill out our request form to receive more information.
Visit
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