The Department of English and Writing prepares students to be polished writers, analytical readers and critical thinkers. Students pursuing an English or writing major can personalize their curriculum by selecting from courses on a variety of literary subjects and writing genres.
Social Media
Coursework develops knowledge in the history of literature and in-demand skills in creative and professional writing. English and writing faculty aim to teach students how to read texts and the world around them, to think critically about issues facing them and their communities, and to clearly and effectively communicate in creative and professional contexts.
Experiential Learning
English and writing students have many opportunities to apply what they learn in the classroom through internships and practica. Many students write for the University’s award-winning newspaper, The Minaret; the student literary and arts journal, NEON; or the University’s yearbook, The Moroccan. In addition to working in the Saunders Writing Center or for the University of Tampa Press, students may complete an editing practicum for Keyhole publications (the student press imprint) or an applied practicum in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Our internship coordinator works with students to find individualized opportunities to fit students’ interests and enhance their skills.
Curriculum
The program's curriculum aims to teach students how to read texts and the world around them, to think critically about issues facing them and their communities, and to clearly and effectively communicate in creative and professional contexts. Students have flexibility to choose courses that enhance their skills and match their interests.
Courses include Digital Writing and Culture; Fiction Forms; Rebellions, Revolutions, and Reform; Introduction to Publication Editing and Design; and Identity and Difference, to name a few. Our curriculum emphasizes literary history, social justice, and cultural studies, and we are vitally engaged with gender and sexuality studies, postcolonial studies and environmental studies. Department faculty specialize in areas as diverse as Black studies, genre studies, and pop culture.
Thinking Critically
About the Program
- Mission Statement
- Career Outlook
- Student Publications
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The Department of English and Writing is a community of scholars and students dedicated to the study of the written word through the practices of reading and writing. We strive to be intellectual leaders at the University of Tampa. In our creative and professional writing courses, in our literature courses and in our academic writing courses, we teach creative skills that develop students’ sense of style and sharpen practical skills that help to prepare them for a variety of career paths. We make meaning out of complexity through composing our own written work, by workshopping our peers’ work and by critically analyzing texts and their cultural and historical contexts. English and Writing faculty aim to teach students how to read the world around them, to think critically about issues facing them and their communities and to clearly and effectively communicate in creative and professional contexts.
Published studies from the Wall Street Journal and Business Insider cite the importance of strong written communication skills in the workplace, and English and Writing students are well positioned to enter a variety of professional and academic fields upon graduation. In recent years, our alumni have entered graduate programs in literature and creative writing, taught English in the United States and abroad, begun careers as technical writers and social media managers, published books and other creative works, and succeeded in a variety of professional fields. English and Writing degrees provide students with an important first step toward the career of their
The Department of English and Writing offers several opportunities for students to publish, intern and develop skills important for their post-grad careers. Sigma Tau Delta is the national English honors society that provides students with opportunities to attend conferences, conduct research and build connections with other English majors.
Neon is a literary magazine that is student-run and features student fiction, non-fiction, art and photography. Students can also intern with the University of Tampa Press, or its two internationally renowned journals, Tampa Review and Studies in the Fantastic. Students also have the opportunity to work with the yearbook, The Moroccan, the student newspaper, The Minaret, and the undergraduate research journal, Royal Road.
We support the University's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion mission by integrating work by marginalized writers in our curricula, teaching wide-ranging skill sets and mentoring students of diverse backgrounds to create an inclusive learning experience.
Academic Offerings
Programs
Majors
Bachelor of Arts in English - Acquaints students with historical and contemporary literary traditions in courses that enhance reading, writing and interpretive skills. The department fosters the ability to enjoy and understand literature and cultivates the knowledge and sensitivity needed to explore great texts — from ancient literature through film and multi-media forms.
Bachelor of Arts in Writing - Educates students in the art and craft of written communication, combining liberal arts ideals with practical, real-world applications. Students in the program can concentrate on creative writing (fiction, poetry, and other imaginative forms), professional writing (journalism, public relations, advertising and information design for technical communication) and writing for the media.
Minors
Minor in English - Recommended for those students majoring in another program but interested in historical and contemporary literary traditions in courses that enhance reading, writing, and interpretive skills.
Minor in Professional and Technical Writing - Provides guided practice in designing and producing the kinds of visual and verbal communication expected in the workplace.
Minor in Writing - Recommended for those students majoring in another program but interested in creative writing (fiction, poetry, and other imaginative forms), professional writing (journalism, public relations, advertising and information design for technical communication) and writing for the media.
Certificate Program
Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages - A TESOL Certificate is a widely accepted and recognized program that reflects a student’s initial academic and practical preparation in the teaching of English as a second language (ESL) or English as a foreign language (EFL).
Sample Courses For This Degree
What You Might Study
LIT 222
Storytelling: Voice, Script and Movement
This course investigates literature that concerns the relationship of those in power to the people over whom they have authority and the resulting rebellions, revolutions and reform movements.
LIT 281
Identity and Difference
Students will cover major theoretical texts dealing with gender, citizenship, race, language and ethnicity. Additional readings will be drawn from literary, legislative and juridical primary sources that illustrate the interplay between popular media, discrimination and empowerment.
WRI 220
Digital Writing and Culture
Students will be asked to research, reflect on and compose in multiple digital genres, including blogs, social networking environments, wikis, content management systems and standalone websites.
WRI 242
Introduction to Publication Editing and Design
Course content will cover publication design, editing, following a style guide, use of images and text, ethical issues, publication management and various technologies used in the publishing industry.
