Why study English?

In a world resounding to the continuous drumbeat of “STEM, STEM, STEM,” to study English is to strike out on one's own.

We are a community of students and faculty dedicated to the skillful reading and writing of texts in a variety of genres, both creative and expository. Classes are small and our faculty members pride themselves on the excellence of their classroom instruction and the lasting relationships they make with their students. High-quality instruction, internship opportunities, and the opportunity to tailor the major to your intellectual and professional interests are only part of the story though.

Learn more about the value of a degree in English.

News

SJ Sindu teaches in VCU’s MFA in Creative Writing program and has published several books. (Max Schlickenmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Oct. 31, 2023

VCU author SJ Sindu explores isolation and artistry in short story collection ‘The Goth House Experiment’

Creative writing professor, who spent more than a decade on the project, offers insight into the process and the intersection of real life and fiction.

A new initiative at VCU called the College-to-Career Blueprint program is working to make career-readiness a part of the conversations students and their professors are having as soon as they set foot on campus. (Getty Images)

Oct. 6, 2023

Career readiness for students is the goal for VCU’s new College-to-Career Blueprint

The program, launched this year in collaboration with nine departments in the College of Humanities and Sciences, will make career conversations, experiential learning and internships a more seamless part of students’ experience.

Jessica Hendry Nelson, an assistant professor in the English department at VCU, believes "we can be more deliberate about how we grieve." (Contributed photo)

Sept. 27, 2023

In ‘Joy Rides Through the Tunnel of Grief,’ VCU author Jessica Hendry Nelson tackles loss and growth

English professor’s memoir is a series of linked essays that came together over a decade.

English Spotlight