BA in English

The English Department at Clemson University is among the nation's pioneers, combining literary studies and professional communications. Building on its history of offering its students a strong education in these fields at the graduate level, the English Department is expanding its degree offerings for undergraduates. Now students can choose between a concentration in Literature and a concentration in Writing and Publication Studies. Students in both concentrations will complete a core curriculum providing a strong foundation in history, literature, critical inquiry, writing, and analysis. This foundation will prepare students to choose between the Literature and Writing and Publication Studies (WPS) emphasis. Literature: The study of literature, like literature itself, involves students in central cultural questions. Well-prepared students of literature will be able to read critically and communicate effectively in a range of media, and with a strong sense of historical and cultural perspective. Moreover, literature students acquire skills and knowledge that can inform their intellectual development and personal choices through their lives. Students may select courses in the following areas: American Literature, British Literature, Children's Literature, Creative Writing, Film and Screenwriting, and Popular Culture. Writing and Publication Studies (WPS): An emphasis in WPS focuses on the rhetorical, linguistic, and practical concepts involved in representation considered both historically and across a range of digital, oral, print, and visual media to examine their respective advantages and to explore their most effective design processes. The WPS curriculum involves in-depth study and analysis of audience, context, and purpose as applied to written and multimedia communication in various business and professional settings. Students may choose among a range of course offerings, including: Business Writing, Rhetoric, Visual Communication, Technical Writing, Editing, and Feature Writing. The English major at Clemson is a program that challenges students to both become active participants in humanistic study and to develop an understanding of the intersection between literature, research, literary expression, professional communication, rhetoric, and creative writing. Students will learn the skills necessary to become excellent communicators and will be challenged to do so intelligently in both academic and professional environments.