Undergraduate Studies in English

An Overview

The English Major

The English major offers a course of study that provides a solid foundation for rewarding careers and informed citizenship. Today, there is no better way to prepare for the many careers requiring analytical and communication skills than to major in English. Students who love to read, write, and explore new ideas will be challenged to reach their full potential as culturally literate individuals.

The undergraduate program, one of the strongest in the university, is intellectually challenging and academically flexible; it provides a solid general background in literature while also offering a varied menu of elective courses. Recent offerings include New Orleans Literature, Feature Writing, Modernism and the Visual Arts, The Female Erotic Experience in Literature, Legal Writing, African and Caribbean Literature, and Irish Literature.

Students can choose to apply their electives to an optional concentration in one of the following areas:

• creative writing
• professional writing
• pre-law
• journalism
• New Orleans regional literatures

  

Interested in becoming an English major?  Contact Dr. Anne Boyd Rioux at aeboyd@uno.edu or 280-6194, or drop by her office in LA 291.

Where our students go from here

An English major prepares students for further study in the Humanities as well as careers in a variety of fields ranging from law to advertising to journalism. Many students take advantage of internships to prepare them for specific careers in these areas. Study abroad programs are also available in Innsbruck, Prague, Costa Rica, Madrid, Montpelier, and Rome.  Many English faculty regularly teach in these programs.

Recent graduates from our program work in the communications industry, teach at private middle and high schools, are pursuing certification to teach in the public school system, and are in law school or graduate school.  Many of our students are already published writers before they leave us, and many more go on to publish their writing after graduation.  English students’ work regularly appears in the Ellipsis, Driftwood, and Bayou Magazine.

What recent graduates are saying about our program


"The staff is amazing. The program is enriching. I wouldn't major in anything else if i had the choice to do it all over again. Those classes made my life and me better."

--Laura Hasenstein, graduated Spring 2007.  Since graduation she has been traveling the world (Thailand, Europe, Greece, Croatia) and teaching English.





“I am very satisfied with the education I received.  The program exceeded my expectations, and I feel I have an understanding of many literary cultures and movements.  I also feel I have a good ability to write in several forms, including creative writing, literary analysis, and basic legal writing.”

-- Roberta Vath, graduated May 2009.  She has been accepted to LSU law school and plans to be a Navy JAG officer.

 

• “One of the things that I loved about the majority of my English classes was the level of student participation. None of the other programs at UNO have the same level of participation.
  
  -- Khristopher Kirkland, graduated May 2009.  He plans to go into intelligence or journalism.
  
  
• “I love reading and writing so I majored in English to become an educated reader and a more developed writer.  The study of the English language encompasses many different disciplines such as history, anthropology, science, religion, philosophy, etc.; therefore, it is limitless in its exploration of knowledge.  I expected to be challenged while being taught a broad spectrum of genres within the major.  The program exceeded my expectations.  It challenged me to transcend memorization and regurgitation.  I am a better writer, thinker, and in my opinion, human because of my education, but specifically because of my studies in English.”
  
  -- Sara Ricau, graduated May 2009.  She is pursuing a joint masters degree in divination and family counseling, and she plans to get her doctorate in psychology.

English Department Community

The English Department is expanding opportunities for students to get involved and to stay in touch.  We have an e-mail list, a Blackboard site, and a newsletter, as well as a thriving English Club and a  new chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the national English honors society.  The English Club has sponsored many events, such as workshops with local authors and student readings.  It also partners with Loyola and Tulane in the 1718 series of readings at the Columns Hotel on St. Charles Ave.  Students interested in joining the English Club should watch their e-mail for announcements.

Faculty

The English faculty is dedicated to providing a traditional Liberal Arts experience and serving the practical needs of its students and, in turn, the metropolitan community.  They have won University Teaching Awards in fourteen of the last seventeen years and are dedicated to scholarship and creative projects that enhance their teaching.  In addition, many have won major awards and grants for their research and have achieved national and international recognition in their fields.

 

The English Minor

To receive a minor in English, students must complete eighteen hours in English or Journalism tailored to their needs as approved by the Coordinator of Undergraduate English.  Students will get the most out of their minor if they focus their coursework on a particular subject, such as British literature, American literature, African-American literature, creative writing, journalism, or rhetoric and composition.  The Undergraduate Coordinator can advise students about which courses will best meet their needs. 

1. Six hours must be English literature courses numbered 2000 or above.
2. Twelve additional hours must be English or Journalism courses numbered 2000 or above, nine of which must be at the 3000- or 4000-level.
3. A minimum grade of C must be earned in each course taken for the minor.

For more information, contact:

Dr. Anne Boyd Rioux
Coordinator of Undergraduate Studies in English
291 Liberal Arts Building
Department of English
University of New Orleans
New Orleans, LA 70148-9998
(504) 280-6194
Email Dr. Boyd Rioux@
aeboyd@uno.edu

Other UNO Offices

Graduate School (504) 280-1155

Admissions (504) 280-6595

Financial Aid (504) 280-6603

International Students and Scholars (504) 280-6021

Student Housing (504) 280-7479