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The Department of English is nationally known for its strong faculty representation in all areas of English, American, and transnational literature and for its outstanding programs in creative and nonfiction writing.
Students major in English because they enjoy reading, writing, and talking about literature. They recognize that the study of English is valuable in its own right and can provide a base for many different careers.
Why
Study English at Iowa?
The University of Iowa, for more than 60 years, has been known as a writing university, a place where literature, films, fine arts, study of the book, and study of different cultures and their languages blend to make an ideal learning atmosphere for those interested in words and composition.
U.S. News & World Report ranked the Iowa Writers’ Workshop—a creative writing graduate program—No. 1 nationally. The Iowa Writers' Workshop and other strong writing programs bring world-renowned writers to campus. Many teach and give public readings.
The English department is ranked among the top 30 in the nation. Because of its outstanding reputation, about 1,000 students major in English at Iowa; it is one of the most popular majors for first-year students. Yet most classes are small enough to encourage spirited discussion and offer abundant writing opportunities.
Iowa’s English department values cultural, global, and aesthetic diversity. “Literature” encompasses a growing array of texts, and includes a wide range of genres and modes from drama, fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction to video, graphic novels, and film to radio essays, new media, material culture, and performance art.
Course
Work
Requirements for the major are quite flexible. More focus is placed on the types of courses rather than on the specific courses themselves. Thus, an English major will have some courses looking at texts in detail, some looking at texts in their broader cultural contexts, and some from a historic standpoint. The department is very large, so almost any kind of concentration is possible.
Literature and writing are the main areas of study. Majors spend the greatest amount of time in literature courses. Since literature both reflects and illuminates history, philosophy, religion, the social sciences, and the arts, English majors frequently take courses in these disciplines. Many students get a double major in English and another field as well.
Although the Writers’ Workshop is a graduate program, undergraduates often take some writing courses as part of the major. Workshop faculty members teach undergraduate courses that any student may take: Creative Writing, Fiction Writing, Poetry Writing, and Creative Writing Studio Workshop.
BA in English
The BA in English requires a minimum of 33 semester hours (s.h.) of course work. A requirement for the major is Introduction to English Major: Theory and Practice, which students are encouraged to take as soon as they declare the major. All majors are also required to take one course from each of the following six areas:
- Medieval and early modern literature and culture
- Modern British literature and culture
- American literature and culture
- Transnational literature and postcolonial studies
- Literary theory and interdisciplinary studies
- Nonfiction and creative writing
Also, all majors are required to take two courses from each of these three historical periods:
- Early literature through 17th century
- 18th and 19th centuries
- 20th and 21st centuries
Most courses satisfy both an area and a historical requirement. All majors must choose a concentration from one of the six areas and take two additional courses (for a minimum of three courses) in that area.
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences allows students to apply only 50 s.h. of work in any major toward a degree. For each hour of English in excess of 50 s.h., students will need to take an additional hour beyond the 120 s.h. required for graduation.
Creative Writing Track
English majors can pursue a new creative writing track beginning in fall 2008. To be accepted into this selective track, students must be juniors or seniors, have shown competence in introductory writing courses, complete a portfolio of writing to be admitted into an intermediate-level workshop, and earn a minimum 3.33 grade-point average (GPA) in all UI English courses.
Teaching Licensure
Students who wish to teach English at the secondary level must secure formal admission to the College of Education’s Teacher Education Program.
Minor
The English minor offers students in fields other than English an opportunity to pursue interests in literature, film, theory, and writing. English majors do not take the class The Interpretation of Literature, but it is a prerequisite for nonmajors who want to begin work toward a minor.
Honors
For students who wish to graduate with honors in English, the department requires two honors proseminars and a thesis project. Students must have a 3.50 English grade-point average (GPA) and an overall GPA of 3.33 before beginning the honors thesis. A four-semester sequence is recommended for completing the honors graduation requirements, but students may complete their requirements in three semesters if they earn an A- or better in their first honors proseminar.
Literary
Publications
The department produces several notable literary journals and publications, including The Iowa Review, considered one of the best-known and most highly respected literary reviews in the country; the scholarly journal Philological Quarterly; and the Walt Whitman Quarterly Review, the official journal of the Walt Whitman Studies Association.
Careers
About one-fourth of graduates plan to teach, while another one-quarter plan to be writers of some kind. The rest use English as a background for the study of law, business, theology, or other professions.
Scholarships
The department awards numerous scholarships to its students. Some are open to first-year students. Others, available to upper-level students, include the Helen K. Fairall Endowment, offering $4,000 to a junior, senior, or graduate student born and educated in Iowa who has a minimum 3.00 UI cumulative GPA, with preference given to students interested in literature from 1900 to today. Another is the Laurence Fairall Endowment, awarding $4,000 to creative writing students born and educated in Iowa, with preference given to fiction writers.
Refer to the Office of Student Financial Aid for a complete list of available scholarships.
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