The English major helps prepare you for careers in teaching and research, advertising and publishing, radio and television, law and business – really any field in which communication and critical judgment are required.

Northeastern’s English department offers courses in creative, expository, and technical writing; linguistics; literary studies; and American, British, and ethnic literatures. Although our courses vary widely, they all converge in creating, interpreting, and analyzing texts in English. Students develop knowledge of the history of English and American literature, including its major figures, poetry, drama, and fiction. Their study of the great literature of the past and present enables them to improve their interpretive reading and writing abilities and to recognize, formulate, and make judgments about issues of value. Students also learn to conduct independent research and write effective prose.

Undergraduates often combine the major in English with a major or minor in another field of the humanities or in one of the social sciences such as cinema, linguistics, or legal studies. No matter which field you choose, the stimulation and exercise of the imagination inherent in studying English are an excellent preparation for whatever your future holds.