English

The degree is appropriate for students who wish to obtain a broad liberal education as a foundation for careers or further study; it’s especially recommended as preprofessional training for fields such as law, administration and business – areas that require strong written and oral communication skills as well as advanced analytical thinking.

Many who obtain a bachelors in English go on to become teachers, lawyers, writers and editors, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. An English degree offers exceptional flexibility to apply their creativity, critical thinking and communication expertise across a host of industries.   

Our undergraduate majors and minors enter the arenas of government, law, business, public service, the arts, education and countless other fields with a deep understanding of how language and imagination effect change. At the same time, graduate students in our Ph.D. program are preparing to join faculties at leading universities in the world.

Narrative Now, a dynamic initiative at SMU that brings together narrative theory, storytelling and public engagement, cultivates a vibrant intellectual community across campus and in the city of Dallas. Through its signature speaker series, interdisciplinary workshops, and collaboration with scholars, artists and industry leaders, SMU English’s Narrative Now creates new pathways for research, public humanities projects, and innovative approaches to understanding how stories shape the world.

Project Poëtica positions SMU as a major center of the English-language poetry world. While many institutions have scaled back their commitments to poetry and the literary arts, SMU English’s Project Poëtica has expanded them – launching three book lines with Bridwell Press and hosting an ambitious series of readings, lectures, symposia and creative conversations.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual income in 2023 for those with an English degree was $60,000.

Students in SMU’s English program learn in an environment that is both intellectually rigorous and deeply supportive. Small, discussion-driven classes allow majors and minors to work closely with faculty who are active scholars, creative writers and mentors. The department’s culture emphasizes curiosity, close reading and open inquiry, giving students space to test ideas, ask questions, and develop their own critical and creative voices.

Outside the classroom, English majors participate in workshops, readings, visiting-writer talks and research opportunities connected to initiatives such as Narrative Now, Project Poëtica, and the Southwest Review. Students are part of a lively community where literature, storytelling, poetry and the literary arts are explored not only as academic subjects but as forms of engagement with the world.

Above all, SMU’s English program fosters an environment in which students feel known, challenged and inspired – preparing them to think with clarity, communicate with purpose, and contribute meaningfully to whatever paths they choose. 

In addition to an outstanding faculty and generous financial support, SMU offers its graduate students world-class research facilities. Faculty research areas include areas of world literature, drama and performance, environmental humanities, gender and sexuality studies, literary theory, poetry and poetics, print culture, rhetoric and much more.

Students pursing a creative writing specialization within the English Department must fulfill all departmental requirements for the regular English major. Students specializing in creative writing must take at least 12 hours in creative writing courses, which will take the place of all the elective hours within a 33-hour major. Those wishing to complete the major in 33 hours will need to fulfill all four historical requirements with 4000-level literature courses. However, students are encouraged to take additional elective hours in writing courses as well as in other courses.

Yes. Students pursuing a major or minor in English can easily add a second major or minor in another field, and students majoring in other disciplines are welcome to English as a second major or minor. The English minor requires 15 credit hours of coursework, with no more than six hours in courses numbered below 3000. A grade of C- or better is required in each course counted toward the minor.

Because the English major is highly flexible and many of its courses fulfill University curriculum requirements, students can often complete a double major within four years. English pairs naturally with fields such as psychology, political science, business, journalism and film. Many students pursue internships and research that bridge both areas of study, discovering that the analytical and communication skills developed in English strengthen their work in any second major they choose. 

The degree is appropriate for students who wish to obtain a broad liberal education as a foundation for careers or further study and is especially recommended as preprofessional training for fields such as law, administration and business that require high proficiency in written and oral communication and in analytical thinking.